A/N: This chapter brings us to the end of War Arc. This chapter is bound to raise some conflicting views among the readers. But, I hope that you enjoy it.
Also, stay safe and follow safety precautions.
Alright, here comes the bomb.
Chapter 28 – The Twist Of Fate
As fate would have it, when the duration of deployment got over, I was ordered to extend my stay in the bunker again. There was no time mentioned. It was clear to everyone the war was winding down and they wanted all the best shinobi to be posted in the border just to make sure everything went well. Very few like Minato were actually called back.
After that letter from Kushina, I received no other letters. So, I was left to ponder by myself on whether the events in canon actually happened as they were depicted or something else had changed because of my presence. But, I doubted that I had changed something so pivotal in history.
Regardless, my stay in the bunker was extended indefinitely. Until all the nations came to an accord, I don't think any of us will be called back. If Fugaku received any news regarding the end of the war, he kept it to himself. I agreed with his secrecy, it wouldn't do to increase the hopes of people. Already some grumbles were beginning to emerge about how long they had to stay.
On a side note, I was made jounin towards the end of the war. Compared to my worry about what actually happened in Kanabi Bridge mission and the end of the war, my promotion didn't elicit much reaction. Not to mention my dread about the impending canon events.
My Bingo book fame and continued presence on the battlefield mandated that they hand me a promotion. And that is what they did. I was the second youngest Jounin after Kakashi. Shisui followed after me within a few weeks. Age-wise, I beat both of them.
But, no one complained. I had earned my promotion through blood and sweat on the battlefield. My kill count was even higher than many Jounins and that's saying something. But, after I was made Jounin, my kill count began to stagnate a lot.
Now that I had to fight Jounins on the field, things weren't that easy. One, I couldn't kill Jounins with mere Taijutsu. While I was good, my relative age made sure that I was always at a physical disadvantage when it came to engaging them in taijutsu.
That gave them enough time to create some distance and engage me in ninjutsu. As expected my ninjutsu skills weren't that polished to the point that I could kill them easily. Still, I managed to progress in my ninjutsu steadily.
For a while, I heavily favored using basic jutsus to escape and start engaging them in taijutsu. But, one day, an experience Jounin took me aside and pointed it out to me that what I was doing was idiotic. He also said to me to stop daydreaming about killing Jounins who are far more experienced than myself with my taijutsu and basic ninjutsu. I admit I had to agree with him.
Ever since then, I started to renew my focus on ninjutsu. I had abundant chakra reserves for someone of my age. And it helped me both during practice and on the actual battlefield. I started slowly by incorporating C rank and B rank water jutsus into my arsenal and then once I found a suitable rhythm I started using A rank techniques.
My progress in Water Release was so much so that I even invented a new Water Release technique based on Rasengan. While Rasengan would have been invented by Minato now, I haven't seen him use it yet. Considering that it wasn't famous yet, my new water jutsu impressed most of my peers.
How I came about it was totally an accident. One day I was practicing a B rank Water Release technique called Ripping Torrent. The idea of the B rank jutsu was to supply a torrent of water from one's palm to negate the enemy's jutsu. The constant spiral torrent that came out of my hand reminded me of the first stage of Rasengan – the rotation.
I used the idea as a base and tried to create a jutsu. The end result was a brand new A-rank jutsu which I named as Whirlpool Cone. The technique when used is a short-range one much like Rasengan. While Rasengan is pure chakra, mine was water natured chakra.
Formed like a cone, in which the water revolved around like a high-speed whirlpool, Whirlpool Cone drilled into a shinobi upon contact. My taijutsu which wasn't lethal to a Jounin until then became very deadly from that point.
The first time I tested it, it drilled through the entire arm of a Jounin causing shock to emerge all over the battlefield. From then on, my danger level increased more and more as I got proficient in using the technique.
As time passed, it was very clear that no one wanted to engage me in close quarters because of the existence of such a technique. I mean, who in their right mind would come near a person who could use a technique that could drill through your body.
But, all was not sunshine after that. One, I couldn't pull off that jutsu more than twice in a row. It was highly chakra intensive. When people began to understand this, they felt much more comfortable in engaging me.
Two, the jutsu was ineffective if I can't get close to the enemy. It was seriously limited by range just like Chidori. When combined, all one had to do was fight me in long-range and be capable of escaping it if I got close.
Which, incidentally, was the reason I was currently dodging lava spit out of a shinobi's mouth. The shinobi I was fighting currently was younger than others I had fought earlier. But, if anyone told me that being younger is an advantage I could capitalize on, I will kick them right in their balls.
She was far more dangerous than any other shinobi I had fought. Yes, it was a she. And the most irritating part is that she never allowed me to near her. Whenever I closed the gap, she will spit lava from her mouth to create distance between herself and me.
It was like fighting a freaking dragon, I say!
She made me run all over the battlefield. It was as if we were having a game of cat and mouse. And the most irritating part is that anyone could tell that she was the cat and I was the mouse. In the end, I resigned and tried to get past her to reach some other Jounin. But, the irritating she-devil wasn't allowing me any leeway to disengage. That resulted in me getting angry.
As a result, what followed was a long-range jutsu war which neither she nor I won. At the end of the day, I trudged back to the bunker only to receive strange looks from my comrades. When the others from my platoon returned and informed the remaining members of what happened, I didn't have the heart to go out.
That day, I decided that I would seek out the she-devil tomorrow and properly beat her into submission. But, something about her kept nagging me in the back of my mind.
(*****)
It took me three encounters with her to finally figure out who the fuck she is. Her name is Terumi Mei – the fucking Fifth Mizukage. And rightfully so. She was a Grade A terror on the battlefield. Intelligence from Kiri revealed that she was usually kept inside the village as the last defense. But, my actions on the battlefield had warranted special attention and she was dispatched to take care of me.
And isn't that fucking wonderful!
The face Fugaku had when he revealed to me that she was dispatched to deal with me made me want to punch him right in the jaw. Ever since her arrival to the battlefield, my kill count became agonizingly slow. She was everywhere. Regardless of where I went, she was there to deter me. She didn't let me engage anyone else.
Few times I tried to give her the slip, but the wreckage she created was so much that I was personally ordered by Fugaku to keep her at bay. But, the most irritating part about battling with her was her revealing dress and voluptuous figure.
She was about five years older than me. Well into her late teens. Her figure was tantalizing and she used it well to her advantage. One time, I managed to get into close quarters with her, only for her present her breasts as a defense. Flustered, I was almost roasted before having to initiate a hasty retreat. Her trilling laughter that trailed me didn't do any help to my mood either.
Ever since then, she has taken to flirting with me on the battlefield. While it wouldn't affect me much normally, something about her seemed to affect me more than anyone else. Maybe it was the fact that I couldn't beat her. Maybe it was the fact that no one had tried to do so in my entire life here. Or maybe it was something else entirely.
In the end, it didn't matter.
All it mattered was that she was my own personal nightmare on the battlefield, whom by the way I can't escape from. On the bright side, fighting against her constantly made me polish my ninjutsu skills. I was now very proficient in my ninjutsu as much as my taijutsu.
For four whole months, the nightmare named as Terumi Mei lasted. Within that time, I had battled her more than a dozen times. And she was the only one who had fought me that I hadn't managed to kill until the end of the war.
Let's just say that I was glad when the war came to an end after six more months of extended stay.
(*****)
One other thing that made so mad at Fugaku happened one month before the war came to an end. Everyone in the bunker knew that the war was winding down and it was on its last legs. The only thing everyone thought about now was to survive long enough to get out of this bunker.
Fugaku had returned from Konoha after doing a short stay away. No one begrudged him for that. He was one of the only few elite shinobi who had been a constant in the bunker ever since the war began. So, it was expected that he received a few perks like returning to Konoha once in a while, even when no one was allowed to go.
Seriously, Kiri would be mad to try to attack him on his way home. Even Kiri wasn't that stupid. But, what most of us didn't know was that he had brought someone along with him from his latest trip to Konoha – a four-year-old boy name Uchiha Itachi.
Not many had a clue as to his existence in the bunker. Only a very few shinobi were aware of his existence. Since most of them were Uchihas, none of the normal shinobi knew that the damned Uchihas had brought a kid into a warzone.
It had been a bad day for me. Mei had successfully managed to singe the right side of me during our battle. While I had got her back by cutting by drenching her entirely with a Water Dragon, the fact that it made her more tantalizing only aggravated me further.
Unbeknownst to all of us, a four-year-old kid watching the battlefield from a high vantage point. It was the last thing I expected to find when me and Mei decided to end our battle and retreat. And what got me was that the kid had somehow managed to reach the outskirts of the battle and was kneeling beside two Kiri chunnin, giving them water. The Uchiha clan crest embedded on his back was the only indication that the kid belonged to Konoha.
Knowing that nothing good was going to come out of this, I body flickered. Even as I did so, I found the Kiri bastards, injured as they were, were lunging at the kid. I somehow body flickered and bodychecked one of them making his aim miss. He flew past the kid and landed in a heap. Dreading what the other had done, I turned around to only find that the kid had killed him and Fugaku was standing beside him.
Noticing that the kid was safe, I approached the other chunnin who blanched after taking a look at me. I was mad. While I knew it was his instincts that retaliated to the kid, I wasn't going to forgive the bastard for attacking a damn kid. My eyes were already red.
I killed him with a Whirlpool Cone right to his face. The bastard was frozen still with fear after taking one look at me.
"Tou san, why did the shinobi try to kill me? I didn't do anything," the kid's innocent question shook me out of the rage I had.
Tou san
And something snapped in me hearing those words.
"Because it is war. It is war between nations," Fugaku's simple reply only aggravated me further.
"Am I to believe that this is your kid Fugaku?" I asked trying to reign in my rage.
"Yes Senju," he replied looking at me at last.
"And, what the hell is he doing here?" I asked in a dangerously low voice.
"I brought him along so that he experiences what war is," he replied to me with a serious tone which confused me further.
"Why would he need to know that at this young age?" I asked at last.
"He needs to know. As the heir of Uchiha, he needs to know what war is."
And I attacked him. We didn't end up fighting a full-blown battle, but in the end, I made it clear as to what I thought about his actions. The kunai wound he had on his shoulders made my intentions very clear. The arrival of others made it impossible for us to continue, but when we disengaged I saw the kid looking at me curiously.
"Our ancestors sacrificed everything to make sure that children like him didn't get robbed of their innocence," I spat at Fugaku. "And what you did today was spitting in the face of those who made Konoha possible."
With that statement, I left the scene unmindful of the glowers that I was receiving from the entire Uchiha clan. My side was throbbing from the wound I had received from Fugaku in order to leave a mark on him. But, it didn't bother me as much as the fact that he had brought a kid to the warzone.
From that incident on, none of the Uchiha clan members spoke with me until we were all back home.
But, I didn't care much about that.
(*****)
One month before the official end of the war was declared, the fighting entirely stopped. Everyone knew that it was only a matter of time before the war ended. But, the tensions were still high. The border patrol was still happening and we were all waiting for the declaration to come so that we can return home.
Two weeks before the declaration was made me, Fugaku and quite a few high ranking clan shinobi were ordered to return. We all knew that some form of meeting was to be held before the official declaration of war was announced. Especially, when me and Fugaku were called back everyone began to relax. After all, if there is a possibility of it restarting neither of us would have been called back.
The journey back home was peaceful, to say the least. While we were on guard for any enemy attacks, our journey progressed so smoothly that it didn't matter much. It was almost as if we were taking a stroll. Jumping through the trees in a relaxed manner was so novel and therapeutic that I decided that I would be doing this frequently.
So, when I reached the village gates I was far more calm and collected than I ever was. Maybe it had to do with the end of the war or it was something else, but overall I liked the feeling of traveling over the treetops not needing to be on guard always.
Even then, all my calm came crashing down as we entered the village gates. There was a huge crowd waiting for us to return. While there were numerous mutters of triumphant return and some such things that I didn't take heed of, the people waiting for our return was an entirely different thing.
Apart from me, every one who returned were all in high spirits. With tears flowing, happy reunions happening all around the place, I was sure that I stood out with the dumb look I was sporting ever since seeing the people who were greeting me.
I could hear joyous laughter, tear-filled prayers and thanks to Kami, and easy camaraderie all around me. I could feel Kushina and Biwako enveloping me in a tight hug. All their inquiries about my health fell on deaf ears as I stood there in shock staring at the one figure that wasn't supposed to be there.
Uchiha Obito stood there alongside Team Minato, which was whole, healthy and happy, welcoming me.
(*****)
"Are you going to tell me what this is all about?" Danzo asked sipping a cup of tea.
I didn't pay him any attention. My attention was fixed on the mission report in front of me.
It had been a couple of hours since I entered the village. I had returned home amidst an army of well-wishers congratulating me on my survival and promotion once Kushina and Biwako were done hugging the stuffing out of me.
As I passed through the crowd in a daze trying very hard not to stare at either Rin, or Obito, or a Sharingan less Kakashi, I had to try very hard to not start questioning Team Minato of their Kanabi Bridge mission.
Once I had my thoughts straight after reaching home, I had immediately set out to find the only person who would help me with my bizarre request. While I could have gone to either Shikaku or Hiruzen, I very much doubted they would bend the rules to give me access to what I wanted.
And that left Danzo.
Strangely enough, he never questioned my strange request. Within moments, one of the Root agents was summoned and considering the lax in security, due to the celebratory mood present in Konoha, I received what I wanted with half an hour.
A copy of the Kanabi Bridge mission report.
I had waited until then exchanging pleasantries and talking about mundane stuff with Danzo. I think he knew that I was preoccupied with something else, so he didn't steer the conversation to any serious subjects.
And wasn't there a lot of serious subjects to talk about.
Anyways, as I scanned the mission report in my hand for any form of inconsistencies with the canon, I was very much surprised by what I found. The mission was very much identical to canon. Obito awoke his Sharingan. Rin got kidnapped. Obito and Kakashi went to rescue her from a group of Iwa ninja.
But, after that, things changed.
They rescued Rin without much hassle. There was no cave-in. There was no injured Obito – and he definitely didn't have half his body crushed. And there was no eye transplant.
They had met up with Minato and finished their mission admirably. Making Kakashi's first mission as a Jounin a resounding success, which even changed the tides of war. For anyone else, there wasn't any form of discrepancy with the report or how things had played out. But, for me, the canon had been truly and completely destroyed.
I let out a huge sigh. I don't know if it was from relief or disappointment.
"Hatorama," Danzo at last spoke, "I would very much appreciate an answer."
"It's nothing. I just wanted to see what happened during the mission that supposedly changed the tides of war," I lied smoothly.
"You could have asked it directly from the source," Danzo pointed out eyeing me critically. "As far as I know, you are very much in an amicable relationship with Team Minato."
I could have, but I wanted to know what happened without raising suspicion. Some of my questions would have raised eyebrows. Both Minato and Kakashi were smart. They would realize that something was not right.
"Our relationship has been strained since Minato's accident with Hirashin," I offered a plausible lie.
"Not strained enough to talk about missions," Danzo countered smoothly.
I didn't reply. I didn't have one. He had me there.
"So, are you going to tell me what this was all about?" Danzo asked trying and failing not to sound too curious.
I remained silent. He looked at me for a minute as I refused to meet his eyes.
"Fine, keep your secrets. As long as it doesn't harm the village, I won't pry," he huffed irritably. "So, what do you feel about it?"
"For a mission that changed the entire course of the war, it was relatively uneventful," I sighed shaking my head to clear any other thoughts that were sneaking in.
It was hard not to think about canon. As much as it sounded lame, it indeed was. It was like cancer taking root in my brain. Countless what-ifs were trying to sneak in and I felt like I need a drink more than anything now.
"I agree," Danzo nodded, "you would expect something spectacular to happen on a mission of this kind. But, then again, with the Yellow Flash present, it isn't a wonder that it turned out this way."
"I thought Kakashi was the leader," I snorted getting my thoughts together knowing that Danzo had a few other topics to discuss.
"He was, but anyone could tell that he wouldn't have completed the mission smoothly without the Yellow Flash's help," Danzo said dismissively making me raise my eyebrows. "Look at his decision-making skills. One, he got ambushed by a group of Iwa shinobi. Two, like a fool he let the Iwa shinobi capture his teammate. And the worst of all, he went back to rescue her without continuing the mission knowing how important it is. One would think he would have learned from the mistakes committed by his father."
"Everything turned out well in the end, isn't that right?" I countered knowing that Sakumo's actions were a point of contention between us. "Now, we didn't lose a medic who could be as talented as Tsunade."
Oh, this topic was touching on way too many points of contention for my comfort.
I saw Danzo's lips twitch as I referred Tsunade. But, strangely enough, he didn't comment on that.
"What if things had taken a turn for the worse?" he asked after a few moments.
"We can't predict how things happen on the battlefield. What if the Iwa shinobi tortured the captive and made her reveal about the plan. It would have it a lot more harder to accomplish the goals of the mission. As a leader of the team, Kakashi needed to make a call at that juncture. And he did and it worked out well. I am sure he had his reasons for that. I trust his judgment."
Danzo didn't reply for a while. We both stared at each other for some time.
"Kakashi's success with the mission has boosted the reputation of Yellow Flash. Unlike yours, his name sends fear through entire Iwa. He is one of the most likely candidates to succeed Hiruzen," Danzo said, at last, shining the light on the elephant in the room.
"I thought Orochimaru was being groomed as his successor," I said taking a neutral stance.
"Orochimaru would have succeeded, if not for the foolish actions of Hiruzen. Now more than half the shinobi population is discontent with how he had handled the end of the war," Danzo growled.
"And it includes you," I stated simply.
"His actions were soft. It would show us in a weaker light," Danzo spoke with conviction.
"That means, you wouldn't be supporting Orochimaru," I said narrowing my eyes.
This was news. A very interesting piece of news. Danzo and Hiruzen were Orochimaru's biggest backers. If one of them is backing out, that would severely damage Orochimaru's chances.
"I am not a fool to go against half the shinobi population of Konoha."
But, what did Danzo get out of this? That's the most important question. Danzo was no stranger to taking controversial stances. He was neither a fool to not see how much advantage he would have with Orochimaru on the seat. Orochimaru would sanction a lot of things Minato wouldn't. He should know that.
But, I knew Danzo far better than anyone else. After all, he was the one to teach me how to navigate political minefields. He never did a thing without proper benefits. So, what kind of benefits would he be able to attain by keeping Orochimaru away from the hat? What could possibly outweigh the numerous restrictions Minato would surely impose on him?
My mind whirled as I considered the implications of Danzo's statement and I had to admit there were numerous possibilities. The major thing being his jealousy of Hiruzen. Not many could notice it, but after spending a lot of time with Danzo, I would be a fool to not notice it. He masked it dislike and critics of Hiruzen's actions, but deep down he was jealous that my grandfather gave the hat to Hiruzen and not him.
Apart from that, I think he knew he wouldn't be able to control Orochimaru as much as he did with Hiruzen. Orochimaru was too smart. Minato, for all his brilliance, was too naïve when it came to dealing with the backstabbing political world. Danzo would bide his time and lull Minato into false security before making his play. And it would involve a vengeful Orochimaru.
I tried hard not to show the dread that was pooling around in my stomach. If canon hadn't been dead, it wouldn't make much difference as Orochimaru would be caught soon and he would be branded a traitor. But, I wasn't willing to bet on canon anymore.
Obito was alive. Kakashi had no Sharingan. Rin was alive. That changed a lot of things. Lots of pressure points for Danzo to use against Minato. Who knows if even Orochimaru will be caught? An Orochimaru who had full access to specimens and all the technology Konoha had to offer was a scary thought. He wouldn't even need to hide around. This was truly turning into a nightmare.
"So, who are you voting for?" I asked calmly knowing that I had a lot to think upon.
"I am abstaining. As much as I want to vote for Minato, I don't want to sever my relationship with Orochimaru," he said smoothly.
Translation – he didn't want Orochimaru as his enemy.
"I see," I nodded as if I understood his reasons.
"The question will be, who will you vote for? Will you vote for Orochimaru, who is like a son to Hiruzen, or will you vote for Minato, the husband of Kushina?"
Oh, Kami! This is getting hard. When things boiled down to the basic, the question was who am I siding with. Kushina or Hiruzen. No matter how many arguments I put forth, the outside world would only look at things that way.
"And don't forget, Minato is considered as the champion of civilians," Danzo added watching me with interest.
Crap! That makes things even more harder. Orochimaru, even if he is not from a clan, has the backing of Hokage. From the civilian's point of view, Orochimaru is the chosen of the shinobi and Minato is the chosen of the commoners. No wonder, Danzo is staying out of this cesspool.
"I suggest, you too abstain from casting your vote," Danzo said, at last, seeing that I had at the least understood the implications of what my actions could suggest.
As a Senju, my vote, in particular, had a special meaning. I don't represent just my thoughts; I represent the clan that has founded this village. Hence, my measly vote had a lot of political implications. People, who still worshipped Hashirama, would take my vote far too seriously.
If I voted for Orochimaru, it would mean that I supported Hiruzen's actions. A lot of shinobi are discontent with him. It might even give rise to some conspiracy theories that only those who were related to previous Hokages or their students will be ever made Hokage. And that would aggravate more than half of the Shinobi population. Not to mention going against popular civilian sentiments.
If I voted for Minato, it would mean that I disapprove of Hiruzen's actions so much that I voted against him. While it could garner me support from civilians and shinobi alike, the problem was I had zero disagreements with how Hiruzen went for peace instead of extending the war, even when he had the upper hand. It would be a complete betrayal of the ideals Senju Hashirama founded this village on.
Either way, my vote had a lot of implications either politically or personally. This wasn't just about Orochimaru or Minato. This was far bigger.
"I need to think about this," I said calmly raising from my seat and taking my leave, leaving my unfinished cup of tea on the table.
Oh, Kami! I seriously needed a drink!
(*****)
"The clan meeting pertaining to the election of Hokage is in two days," Hiruzen said that night at dinner.
I simply nodded not giving any indication as to who I preferred.
"While I had trained Orochimaru as my successor, it is customary to have an opposition. After the clan leaders cast their vote, the election will move on to the civilian council," Hiruzen elaborated the process to me.
"And who is Orochimaru san's opposition," Asuma asked eagerly not reading the mood of the room.
Biwako tensed from where she was sitting. Hiruzen exchanged a look with sullen-looking Orochimaru, but neither replied.
"Minato," I said simply as I partook my food.
"Cool," Asuma said happily causing Hiruzen to look away and Orochimaru to grumble under his breath.
"Is Jiraya dropping in for the meeting?" I asked curiously wanting to know the answer.
"That irresponsible fool had sent a letter stating that he had some important matter to attend to," Biwako grumbled in disapproval.
"Lucky bastard," I muttered causing Biwako to tut at my language.
Hiruzen and Orochimaru nodded getting my implication. The silence prevailed for a while. Even Asuma began to get there were many undercurrents flowing under the simple conversation. I think Biwako not chastising me for my language might have clued him in.
"I think, I am done," Asuma said after a while and left the room as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, I didn't have such a luxury. So, I concentrated on my food.
"I am done too," Biwako said rising, "I will clean up after you three are done."
That left me in the uncomfortable company of Hiruzen and Orochimaru. None of us spoke, opting to concentrate on the meal in front of us. After some time, Hiruzen let out a huge sigh.
"I think you should know that the Senju clan, being the founders, are given the right to cast the first vote in the clan meeting," Hiruzen informed me massaging his temple.
"Brilliant," I said sarcastically. "Just what I needed."
Hiruzen looked torn between chastising me and offering me comfort. Orochimaru, at last, had a slight smile on his face.
"I just feel like running off to Kiri and finding that She-devil for another fight. Even that is preferable to this," I said, at last, letting my frustration show.
"Ah, I heard about that. Is it true that she was flirting with you on the battlefield?" Orochimaru asked mirth dancing across his eyes.
"Oh, Kami! Does everyone in Konoha know about that?" I asked in exasperation.
"Look Hatorama, I know I shouldn't do this. I know you get along with Minato well compared to Orochimaru. But, your vote mea…"
I raised my hand to stop Hiruzen from speaking further. It hurt me to know that Hiruzen was so vulnerable. My vote meant a lot more to him than anyone else's. It wasn't about Orochimaru making Hokage. My vote was validation from his sensei for his decisions. And it was the most important thing for him.
"I spoke with Danzo in the afternoon," I said as a form of explanation. "For what it is worth, I don't think you did anything wrong. And thank you a lot for ending this war sooner."
I said looking at him straight in the eye.
Hiruzen slumped. Relief clearly etched across his face.
"Thank you," he said after a while, "it meant more to me than you could imagine. I don't think I could eat any further."
There was a content smile in his face as he stood up and walked away from the room leaving me and Orochimaru alone. Orochimaru was watching Hiruzen leave not minding me in the slightest. I contemplated leaving without saying anything to him. But, something stopped me.
"Your answer has put his heart at rest," Orochimaru stated and strangely enough I could see his concern for Hiruzen clearly.
I sat there not knowing what to say.
"People are sheep. Swayed by the opinions of masses. You think I don't know that I don't have a chance of defeating Minato," Orochimaru asked with a strange smile. "I know far too well that commoners couldn't understand greatness."
I watched Orochimaru for a second, before nodding. A relieved sigh escaped me. Maybe, this Orochimaru might turn out different from the one in canon. All my conjectures towards him were because of canon. He had done nothing to warrant my ever-present suspicion and paranoia. Even my thoughts about him experimenting were based on canon. What if this world was truly different from the one in canon?
After all, I shouldn't exist. Obito should be presumed dead. Kakashi should have an implanted Sharingan. Rin should be dead. There were so many pivotal changes. Maybe Orochimaru could turn out to be different.
"Be careful," I said at last, "there is a web being spun around you, Orochimaru san."
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed. He took in my statement and pondered over it. In the end, he merely nodded to me.
"Have you thought about your conundrum?" Orochimaru asked me, his curiosity clear over his face.
"I still searching for a way to escape from this shit storm unscathed," I grumbled causing Orochimaru to chuckle.
For the first time, his chuckle didn't elicit any bad feelings in me.
(*****)
The next day found me having lunch in Kushina's apartment. The newlyweds were being far too cozy with each other for my comfort, but I was happy to see Kushina being so joyous.
"So, I heard you are one of the candidates for Hokage, sensei," Rin spoke far too sweetly for it to be an innocent statement.
I groaned inwardly knowing Rin had taken it upon herself to probe my stance. If Minato's blink and Kakashi's stiff posture was any indication, they had no idea about it. However, it was hard not to note that Kushina was currently very alert and looking at me like a shark that smelled blood.
"Yes," Minato replied very carefully clearly afraid where this conversation might go.
"And, I heard that all clan heads would meet to vote on who it is," Rin said shooting me a sweet smile.
"Oh, then isn't the Senju baka a clan head?" Obito piped up catching Rin's intentions.
"Yes, Hato kun is the clan head of the Senju clan," Kushina smiled so sharply that I felt like performing a body flicker that very moment.
"Kushina!" Minato's stern voice echoed in the room as he stared at her disapprovingly.
"Shush," Kushina waved him to be silent and leaned in eagerly, "tell me Hato kun, you are going to vote for my husband right? You don't want to disappoint your nee san, do you?"
While Hiruzen was above such tactics, Kushina was definitely not. And from the looks of it, neither were Rin and Obito.
"I think, I should leave," I said standing up and preparing to leave.
"Hatorama, sit," Minato said sending a disapproving look at both Kushina and Rin. "You don't need to answer her."
Kushina pouted; but remained silent. Rin sent me a stinkeye. Kakashi acted as if he didn't hear the conversation at all.
"So, that means you won't vote for sensei, huh?" Obito, the blabbermouth, spoke angrily.
The next moment I was out of the house with a body flicker. If Obito was going to receive any punishment, I wasn't there to see. Frankly, everything was a mess. I can hardly interact with anyone before conversation at last moving towards my vote. Every-fucking-body was interested in my vote.
Oh, Kami! I need a drink!
One that knocks me out completely. Preferably, for the next two weeks.
(*****)
With the entire village bugging me about my vote, I decided to leave the village entirely. Remembering the calm and content feeling I had as I traveled back from the bunker, I picked a random direction and began moving unmindful of any of the issues plaguing me.
I traveled for what felt like hours. Even though I had calmed down by now, no longer getting irritated by anything that moved, I knew that I was only postponing the problem. It was almost night by now, so I decided to find the nearest village and have a stay. I knew I had to return back tomorrow. As tempting as it was, I couldn't shrink my duties and escape the voting that was being held the day after tomorrow.
Before that, I had to prepare a plan. No matter who I voted for, it seemed like I will be compromising things either politically or ideologically. But, I wanted to do neither. As the time neared, Danzo's option was sounding way and way more better. But, it felt like a coward's route – not that I had any other option if I have to be realistic about it.
While Danzo's reasons for abstaining from voting were neither pure nor ideological, I knew his motivations were all about maintaining his power base and connections. On the other hand, I had a conundrum on my hands. The ideal move would be to vote for Minato and get on the good side of most of Konoha. That is the most politically savvy move.
But, the problem is that I would be condemning Hiruzen for his actions publically if I did that. While we had talked it out, I was not sure how much it would affect him personally if I voted for Minato. The sheer relief he expressed when I said I was thankful for his actions spoke volumes. What would Biwako think about me after that?
Thus, I was stuck.
Rubbing my temple, I roved my eyes at the village I had found myself in. I remembered passing through it while doing some C-rank courier runs. I sighed looking around to see if there was anything I could occupy myself with here. But, to my disappointment, the war had hit the villages hard and only a few shops were open.
One in particular, looked very inviting.
I licked my lips and decided that it was time that I did something very irresponsible for once and walked into the bar and ordered sake.
The bar owner, who was nearly in his seventies, squinted his eyes at me taking in my eleven-year-old self. His eyes roved, finally settling on my hitaite and letting out a huff.
"Fucking ninjas, even pipsqueaks like him drink. What's wrong with this world?" he muttered and walked to fetch me my sake.
I stood there watching him with surprise. It was like someone had sucker-punched me. I still couldn't believe what I was hearing. It was like a dream.
"Too true, in our world eleven is basically too young to drink," I said in lament as he handed me the sake.
"Tell me, fucking Narutoverse!" the bar owner said absentmindedly before stopping stock still.
His head whipped towards me and met my eyes. Surprise was clear in both our eyes, as we both eyed each other warily.
For, the language he spoke was neither native to Elemental Nations nor one that I have heard in my life here.
And him saying Narutoverse only confirmed my suspicions.
After all, Naruto hasn't been born yet.
A/N: Well, that's it. Hope you guys enjoyed the multiple twists in this chapter (in a good way, I hope). Also, I have the next series of chapters already planned out. But, I am not sure I will be updating again soon. So, leave your thoughts in the comments. If anything is valid enough and seems possible to include in the story, I will try my best.
