Hello everyone! I'M FINALLY BACK! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! XD
Sorry for not having uploaded in so long! I'm so late for my update, I know, and I'm truly sorry! I've missed you all, my faithful readers, and I've missed this too! =D
A lot of things happened in January 2020, including going back to school, 2nd semester of my 4th year in college, BS Civil Engineering in University of the Philippines Diliman being absolutely tiring, Mount Taal erupting, light ashfall reaching my place, and the coronavirus spreading to my country (because my president would rather cater to the feelings of his Chinese friends rather than the welfare of his own Filipino people ugh!)
So yes, I've been really busy and tired, and I've fallen asleep while writing on more than one occasion (like, maybe five times in the previous month?)
I've also done a minor rewrite of the last few chapters of A Tale of Grace (which is why it will be 32 chapters now XD), as well as a major rewrite of the plot for Book 2 (A Spark of Hope), which will have huge ramifications for the books to come! This was also a big part of the delay, so once again, sorry about that! =(
But enough of me, I hope you enjoy this latest chapter in my book! ^_^
Please feel free to leave comments/reviews, likes/faves/kudos/follows to the story! I really love seeing all the comments (at least, the non-troll ones hahaha XD ^_^)
I love you all! =D
Chapter 30: Threads Interweaving, Paths Intertwining
Inside the messy torrent of darkness that was the bedroom shared by Kashin Koji and Delta Archimede, the curtains blocked the light of the rising morning sun from entering, and the only source of light from inside the chamber was that of a digital clock on the wall that read in glowing red numbers and letters, "08:42 AM, August 1, 106."
Koji and Delta lay on the feather-soft king-sized bed, hopelessly tangled in each other's embrace. Their calloused fingers were intertwined, and their naked bodies were enjoying the warmth of the blanket that protected them from the constant cold breeze of the air-conditioner in their quarters. The blonde Kara Inner was still sound asleep, with Koji behind her spooning her and keeping her from all harm. His arms wrapped around her soft sides and met with her hands between her belly and her breasts.
But Kashin Koji wasn't asleep. His eyes were open wide in the dimness of his chamber, and his senses were on edge. He felt Delta's silky smooth skin, reminding him of the hours of sex and love and pleasure and happiness they shared with one another last night, and it soothed him somewhat to know that she was also there to protect him, and fight with him if need be.
Still, he could not convince his mind to go back to sleep, even with Delta right by his side. Not after the nightmare he just had, not after seeing the Six Paths of Pain again, not after feeling the rod impaling him in the chest and the violent blast that sent him to the dark depths of Ame Lake.
A trio of knocks on the door aroused his attention, and he shifted around to look at his wooden door. In doing so, he woke Delta, who grabbed hold of his arm, unwilling to let go. He smiled, gently pulled her closer, and kissed her on the forehead. The blanket fell from her breasts, and the older man gave them several light squeezes, much to Delta's simultaneous pride, joy, and slight embarrassment. "Good morning, beautiful."
"Morning, my love." Delta closed the distance between and pecked Koji on the lips. Another trio of rapping on their door interrupted their tender moment. Sighing, Delta asked, "Amado, what is it?"
Sure enough, the unmistakable voice of Amado answered. "Koji, Delta, are you two getting ready? The conference is starting in about 15 minutes."
It took them several seconds to digest what was said, and only then did Delta turn to their wall clock to confirm. She quickly leapt out of bed and proceeded to gather all of her clothes, which she and Koji had recklessly tossed all around the floor the night before. She also threw Koji's garments onto the bed beside him. As she put on her underwear, she spotted Koji's eyes fixed on her curvy figure. She struck a sassy pose, with one hand on her swayed hip, her eyebrow raised, and her lips curved into a smile. "If you just keep staring at me like this, you old perverted sage, we'll both be late."
The man formerly known as Jiraiya sat up and replied to her in jest, "A sage is never late, Delta Archimede, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to."
They then spent the next five minutes hastily dressing up and looking presentable before sharing another quick kiss and opening their door. The two of them saw Amado waiting patiently for them in the beige, thickly carpeted corridor. Beside him, Grado was leaning against the wall while munching on his breakfast, a teriyaki bento meal from an eatery two streets away from their new headquarters in Ryutan, the grandiose Mansion-in-the-Moonlight. Previously owned and run by the Kaminarimon Corporation before Kara's takeover of the city, the Mansion-in-the-Moonlight was a lavish and luxurious two-story chateau-hotel within Ryutan's posh Eastern Wood district, whose curved streets and cul-de-sacs were lined with manors, mid-rise hotels, and high-rise apartment buildings.
Koji closed the door behind him, and the four Kara Inners walked the length of the second floor hallway on the south wing, the soft and thick brown rug adjusting to their shoes with every step they took. They soon arrived at the grand central staircase, which from the second floor landing split into two semi-circular branches that both led to the main lounge of the chateau-hotel. The balustrades of the staircase had handrails made of smoothly veneered brown narra wood and yellowish supports of curved metal that burned with a beautiful golden glow. A huge modern chandelier was suspended high above the lobby and the twin staircases, with its thousands of glass prisms refracting and spreading about the brightness of its many LED light bulbs. And on top of all of that, millions of tiny stained glass cubes of vibrant violet, blue, yellow, orange, white, and black hues coated all of the columns and the entirety of the ceiling, such that the ceiling was a striking fresco of a clear starry night, and the columns were the pillars of the world that held the sky above in its place.
As they walked down one side of the circular staircase and passed by the ornate decors of the Mansion-in-the-Moonlight, Delta could not help but let out an exasperated sigh. "This opulence is simply not necessary," she voiced her thoughts. "Don't get me wrong, I appreciate Jigen's decision to make this manor our base. And I admit that I'm happy we're living in comfort now. But I still feel guilty about indulging in all this extravagance. This truly isn't important in the grand scheme of things. I'd much rather use the wealth and resources we've been gathering to help bring about positive change, to help make people's lives easier."
Kashin Koji nodded in agreement, and so did Grado. "Similar sentiments," he mentioned before stopping in front of several differently colored trash bins, with the other three stopping to wait for him as well. After several seconds of taking his time to segregate his trash, he placed the bento box and the chopsticks he used inside the bin for reusable and wooden trays. "I feel like we could use the things we've captured in Ryutan for something more worthwhile…"
"Well, it was Jigen's wish for this mansion to be our new base, just as it was his decision to name Ryutan as the capital for our new nation." Amado explained while leading the others to the meeting room, the main study room at the north wing of the ground floor. "According to him, it was mainly so we could use the assured supply of resources and lines of connections available here in the area, and the city as a whole, to make all of our present and future operations much easier. The comfort and luxury is merely added benefit to our hard work and effort, he said." Amado then paused and stood before the birch door that led to the main study of the manor. He swung it door open and walked into the large room, with Delta, Koji, and Grado in tow behind him.
"Good morning to you four." Jigen, who was seated at the head of the long marble-topped table, greeted the new arrivals. "You made it with a little time left to spare." Kawaki sat at his left, and they were flanked by other Inners whom Jigen had promoted after the fall of Ryutan to replace those who were killed in the Battle of Konoha.
Amado took his seat at the other end of the table, next to the powered projector that was shining its images onto a large whiteboard on wheels. Grado and Kashin Koji sat at his sides, while Delta sat nearer to the center of the table, beside Koji and opposite one of the new Inners of Kara, a woman who had long brunette hair that flowed to all the way down her back, eyes that were dark brown like chocolate, modest curves, and fair unblemished skin. The reasons why Delta thought she looked to be at least in her early forties were the deep circles under her eyes, the slight wrinkles on her forehead, and her face that looked naturally forlorn, as if she had many important regrets in her life that she would ponder on day after day.
"Roll call," Amado began after sitting down. He went through listing his fellow Inners in clockwise order around the table, starting from the opposite end. "Jigen, Kawaki, Delta, Koji-"
"Vandesdelta Archimede," Delta insisted on her full name. "I thought this was a formal proceeding, old man."
Amado chuckled and nodded. "Of course. Sorry, the first two only want their first names to be mentioned." After apologizing, he cleared his voice. "Vandesdelta Archimede, Kashin Koji, Amado Croa…" He pointed to himself while saying his own name. "Grado Garbo, Legretta Desacada, Mocha Watts, and Hei Manegdeg."
"Thus nine of the ten Inners are in attendance. Feremar isn't here, just like usual."
Jigen leaned forward on the black and white marble table. "Amado, you may proceed with your presentation."
"Thank you, Lord Jigen." Amado accessed his slideshow and adjusted the projector slightly. "Two nights ago, the Land of Earth and allied Merikhan volunteers crossed the border into the Northern Region of the Land of Grass. Indeed, this Merikhan regiment happens to be the same regiment we had hired to help capture Ryutan two months ago. Currently, the First Army Group of the Land of Earth is besieging the capital of the Northern Region, the city of Yuu Liberte, just 5 kilometers from the border with the Land of Earth. In response, the First Army of the Shinobi Union is rushing to Yuu Liberte in order to defend the border city. They should make it there today, by nightfall at the latest, since they were stationed only 30 kilometers away at the national capital of Kusa."
Delta side-commented, "It's Unkûr, not Kusa…"
Amado gave an approving nod. "You are correct, Unkûr is the name of the city in the olden tongue. You still speak the old Ainu language of the Land of Grass?"
"I'm quite fluent in it," Delta replied. "Recall that I lived in Menas Unkûr for some years before I joined Kara. I joined the program to help rehabilitate the language and get more people to speak and use it again."
"Oh yes, you did mention that to us before. Still, it's nice to know and remember." Amado continued his assessment, noting, "In any case, the Fifth Great Ninja War will prevent the Shinobi Union from focusing their efforts and resources on us. This will allow us, our outers, and our allies, more degrees of freedom in moving along with our future plans." He switched the presentation on the projector to another slide. This time, a detailed map of the entire continent was flashed onto the whiteboard, with each nation being delineated and major cities and capitals being marked on the map. "After all," Amado pointed out, "our land, our borders, they are far away from the frontlines of the war."
The swathes of territory that Kara had captured in its surprise offensive two months prior were shaded red, with the current borders highlighted in yellow. Included in this reddened region of the map were large portions of the east and south reaches of the Land of Fire, roughly equating to a fourth of the entire country, as well as the entirety of the Land of Waves to the south. To the west, Kara's hold stretched to the easternmost one-third of the Land of Rivers that included its largest cities of Tani and Takumi. To the east, it reached the southern fringes of the Land of Hot Springs and the peninsular region of the Land of Water, and lastly, the Whirlpool Islands off the eastern continental coast.
Amado then spent some time describing the positions of the Kara Outers and other allies, the state of the borders as had been reported to him by those Outers on the field, and the places they now have under their control. Ryutan, located in the southeast part of the Land of Fire and near the center of Kara territory, was marked with a star to indicate it was the capital city of their newly independent state. Other major cities and towns under Kara's control were marked with smaller circles, such as for Tani and Takumi in the Land of Rivers, Saji in the Land of Waves, and Uzushio in the Whirlpool Islands, which had been annexed by the Land of Fire in the previous decade. Amado additionally explained that over the last six years, the old city of Uzushio had been rebuilt from the ground up and revitalized into a bustling hub of modern trade and commerce with the help of several state projects by Naruto Uzumaki, the Seventh Hokage, to honor his mother Kushina, his Uzumaki clan and heritage, and their original homeland, the Land of Whirlpools.
After the old scientist-shinobi had finished with his comprehensive assessment, Jigen cleared his voice and spoke, his usual calm demeanor in full display. "I have decided on our new teams. I will take my son Kawaki under my wing. Kashin Koji and Delta are to remain together as a team for obvious reasons. Mocha and Hei will pair up as they have on several occasions while they were still Outers. And as per his request, Feremar will be on his own. So Legretta, you will be forming a trio instead with Amado and Grado."
"I'm looking forward to it," Legretta responded, "my Lord Jigen."
As Legretta spoke, Delta kept her eyes on the brunette across the table from her. And the longer she did, the more she felt that she was somehow familiar, and the more Delta wondered to herself, "Why do I get the feeling that I've seen her before?"
But her thoughts were interrupted by a shrill giggle coming from the person seated to the right of Kawaki and Jigen, the same person whom Amado addressed as Hei Manegdeg. He was a brown-skinned man whose long black hair was braided into a ponytail and whose golden eyes seemed crazed. "I do have to say, Kawaki," Hei began to laud the youngest of the Inners of Kara, "you were very resourceful in gathering the ingredients. You mixed them perfectly to make high-explosive bombs, and you set them off in a crowded area, next to flammable gas tanks no less. It certainly helped add to the destruction and chaos that followed."
Kawaki replied, "I just followed your instructions. Nothing more."
Hei then proceeded to brag to the table. "Kawaki proves my methods correct. They're as simple as following instructions and training. We don't need grandiose jutsus and fancy ninja skills or advanced technology and computers to take down our enemies. Cheap and simple weapons can do the trick, like a silenced pistol or a hidden dagger. Even normal everyday things can become lethal weapons. Some alcohol in a bottle and a rag gives you a firebomb. Mixing ammonia and bleach together will make chlorine gas."
"How brutish and feeble-minded you are." Mocha Watts, the young woman sitting next to Hei, disputed him. She had slightly tanned skin, long whitish hair, a pretty face, and a very curvy frame, and she wore a navy blue trenchcoat that flowed down to her knees. She argued against her partner, "Modern technology makes it so much easier for us to lead people into turning against each other. After all, as Lord Jigen has told us many times before, our main goal isn't to kill and destroy everything in sight. Rather, our main goal is to cause disorder, or entropy as Lord Jigen puts it. It is to spread panic and sow chaos, to divide and conquer."
Mocha continued, "And as you are all well aware by now, one of my areas of expertise here happens to be spreading disinformation and sowing distrust, through the use of modern technology and especially the Internet. Fake news, anonymous leaks, hacks, computer viruses, wiretapping. I've done it all and more. It is through the erosion of trust that our enemies will fall, one way or another. And while you, Hei, may toil to chip away at the stability of the ninja nations, what I do expedites the process exponentially. What I do leads to maximum effect and minimum work needed to be done."
She then turned to Kawaki with a smirk. "Also, I'd love to get more information regarding your former friends in Konoha, Kawaki. If the opportunity presents itself, I could leak that information and cause parts of Konoha to turn against another one of its own." She chuckled and leaned back against her seat. "It would be just like our birthday gift for Sumire Shigaraki, remember? Until now, my leaking her true identity is still causing some amount of unrest in Konoha and distrust against the Hokage, even if Sumire is already dead."
"I can give you some of their files later," Kawaki responded, although not quite enthusiastically.
"Speaking of the Shigaraki heiress," Jigen sighed. "I am disappointed in the loss of Sumire Shigaraki. I had wanted to test the capabilities of the only known living person who had the Gozu Tennou seal, the anthropogenic attempt at an immature Karma Seal. However, Urashiki has informed me that the Nue, the artificial creature that also has the Gozu Tennou, could still be alive and in hiding. He will search for it in what spare time he has, since he is also very much needed by the other Otsusukis."
"If I may ask," Amado politely inquired, "regarding your experiments, have you successfully given anyone a Karma seal, like what you were able to do with Kawaki?"
Jigen shook his head. "There were a hundred prisoners from the Battle of Ryutan that I used. There were a hundred failed human experiments. They yielded no fruit at all."
Amado hesitantly asked further, "What is the general condition of the test subjects?"
"They're all dead," Jigen bluntly answered. "They died pitifully. This batch was unbelievably weak, unsuitable beyond comprehension for sustainably farming chakra. It was truly disappointing…"
*******XXXXXXX*******
After another half-hour, the meeting ended, and Kashin Koji and Delta brought Amado and Grado along to their private room on the second floor. Once everyone entered and sat on the sofa or the bed, Koji made sure that nobody was nearby and then double locked the door. "So," he said quietly as he sat down on the bed beside Delta, "I assume that everyone here in this room is as disgusted by Jigen's human experiments as I am?"
Amado nodded his head in agreement. "I've witnessed some of his human experiments before. It does leave a sour taste in my mouth."
Delta and Grado raised their hands as well. Grado added as a compliment, "You must be a good actor, Koji. Every time he talks about it, you manage to keep a straight face, as if it doesn't affect you at all."
"I have to keep calm," he replied. "After all, I am using him as a means to an end, to get rid of the current corrupted power structures, like Naruto and the other Kages, and to get the new generation more involved and so make the necessary changes easier."
"We're all waiting for the right time to replace him," Grado concurred. "But we all know, at least for the time being, that the majority of Kara is still loyal to Jigen. We must bide our time."
Delta wondered, "Amado, do you think we can add any more Inners to our faction?"
Amado thought about the question for a while. "I don't know much about Feremar, considering I've only spoken to him a handful of times. But he seems loyal to Jigen, so I'd say no to revealing our plans to him. On the other hand, Mocha is not to be trusted with any information just because of the sheer likelihood that she'll leak it, and Hei is just a fascist psychopath whose loyalty happens to lie with Jigen, so neither of them would make reliable allies for us."
But then he noted, "I think we can potentially bring Legretta Desacada into the fold. She could become a nice additional ally. Unlike the others, she doesn't seem to be heartless, or fanatical, or crazy."
"We should still be cautious," Grado told them. "We should observe her first. She'll become part of our team anyway. Only when we know her well enough should we decide on whether or not she can be trusted. And if we decide she is trustworthy, only then should we bring her into our loop."
"Agreed," Amado replied.
Delta then asked her caretaker, "Who even is she? How did she become an Inner anyway? What makes her special?"
Amado explained, "Legretta is special in that she's one of those rare people who have the ability to use Sound Style. She is a master of what Orochimaru is calling the 'Seventh Fonon'. That alone makes her a valuable asset, and one that Jigen thinks should be kept close to the chest…"
Delta zoned out as an idea began to form in her mind. The nagging feeling that she had seen Legretta before, the somehow familiar brunette hair and brown eyes and white skin, and now the knowledge that she could use the highly uncommon Sound Style. "No way… Could they be… related?"
*******XXXXXXX*******
Inside the Hokage's Office, Naruto pushed aside a stack of files he was done with and leaned back on his chair. He sighed to himself in relief, "Only three more big piles of paperwork left for today, down from the ten I started the day with." Deciding to take a short break from his duties as the Hokage, he turned his swivel chair around to face the window, and he gazed at the sunset that was turning the western skies more and more scarlet with each passing minute.
As the afternoon of the sixth of August turned into night, the Seventh Hokage thought of what things he had left on his schedule for the day. He noted that he was expecting Sarada to come by after sunset and stay in his office as his assistant, as she has been doing for the past several days. She had told him in private that she wanted to devote much of her free time to serve Naruto and to learn as much from him as she could, so she would become a worthy Hokage in the future. With Shikamaru still with the First Shinobi Union Army currently stationed in the Land of Grass, he was indeed in need of another voice of reason, another advisor, another perspective that he could trust. And furthermore, he took it upon himself to guide his student and protégé through this tough and trying time, to ensure that she would keep herself occupied. He knew that Sarada was merely holding up a façade of strength, and that surely she must still be reeling inside from the loss of her best friend Sumire.
Luckily for Sarada, Naruto remembered with a slight smile, Kakashi was also going that night, as he was accompanying the eight young ladies, who had switched sides during the Battle of Mount Tirad and defected to Konoha, with their final steps towards residencies and citizenship. "Perhaps she could learn more from old Kakashi-sensei too," Naruto chuckled.
The sun began to dip below the far-off horizon, and Naruto's mind wandered, his memories bringing him back to last week, July 31, the day when Boruto, Sarada, Mitsuki, and the rest of the survivors of the battle arrived home to a heroes' welcome. It had also been nearing sunset that day when Kakashi led them back through the gates of the city, to the waiting arms of their families and friends. The families of those who came back were ecstatic, while the families of those who didn't were devastated. Many tears were shed that sunset, whether they were tears of joy or tears of grief.
Naruto welcomed all of the survivors back in person, and he tried his best to console the grieving families. But the moment he saw his son, Naruto stopped everything he was doing, ran towards him, and pulled him into an embrace in his arms. Hinata and Himawari followed him and joined the hug. But Boruto could not return their hug or their warmth, or thank them for being there for him, or even smile at them. Himawari excused herself to check on her boyfriend Inojin, although before she walked away, she made sure to hug Boruto once again and remind him that she loved him dearly.
While Hinata led Boruto back home, Naruto turned and saw Sai and the rest of the Konoha Intelligence unit surrounding the eight ladies from Iwa to arrest them. He heard Sai beginning to recite their rights as prisoners of the Land of Fire, but Kakashi stopped him in his tracks before he could get halfway done. As Naruto approached them to learn more about what exactly was happening, the former Sixth Hokage informed them all of the heroic acts and helpful deeds Gengania and company had done for him and for the other survivors of the battle, and he added that they even fought against their own countrymen because of what they believed in to be right. "Using what limited authority and influence I still have as Lord Sixth Hokage," Kakashi declared, "they are to remain free."
After listening to all that his former sensei said, Naruto looked at the girls for himself, analyzing internally that they didn't look like bad people, nor did they even look like kunoichi or infiltrating spies. Kurama provided some fresh contrarian skepticism at first, but after paying attention to them and how they were interacting with Enko, Houki, Hako and her doll, and with Kakashi, he quickly came to the same conclusion, that they were all sincere and good-hearted people.
Still, to appease the understandable worries of Sai and the intelligence division, Naruto offered the girls a chance to collectively clear their name by having Ino, Sai's wife, scan their memories and thoughts to determine without a shadow of a doubt that their intentions were good. The leader of the group, Gengania, first asked him if it would hurt, and Sai replied that since his wife was skilled with using her jutsu, the procedure would be short and painless, and he further added a promise that no irrelevant private details of theirs would be taken note of or revealed to the general public. The eight ladies agreed without much hesitation afterwards, so the intelligence unit led them to one of their secure facilities in Konoha while Sai briefed Ino about the situation. Naruto remembered assuring Kakashi that once Ino gave him the all-clear, he would speed up their processes to citizenship.
Two knocks on the dark wooden door distracted Naruto from his thoughts and from the sunset that by now was on its last legs, with the sun now gone from view below the horizon and the sky turning from scarlet red to dark violet. Naruto turned his swivel chair back towards his desk and looked to the door of the room. "You can come in."
The door swung open, and Sai walked inside. "Shikamaru sent us updates on the Battle of Yuu Liberte." He gave the Seventh Hokage a printout of the four-page report.
Naruto started to read the important parts aloud. "August 6. The battle is ongoing. We made it in time to prevent Yuu Liberte from completely falling into enemy hands… The Shinobi Union First Army Group halted the advance of the Land of Earth Army into the city. Meanwhile, the Second Army Group is holding position at the fallback lines, in case a retreat is necessary or in case the opportunity presents itself to pincer the enemy forces… Yuu Liberte, both the capital and the largest city in the North Reach Region of the Land of Grass, is a mere 5.2 kilometers from the border with the Land of Earth, which makes it easier for the invading army to resupply… For now, the worst of the fighting is heavily concentrated along a few streets and choke points where the current battle lines are drawn across. If it helps, you can refer to the map I included on pages 2 and 3…"
Naruto moved aside the first page to check, and sure enough, almost the entire second page was a map of the Land of Grass, with the current defensive lines and fallback fortifications marked. He also looked at the third page and saw that it was a map of the city of Yuu Liberte, and on the map were the net gains, losses, and offensives of both armies over the past few days, symbolized by shading, solid and dashed lines, and arrows.
Meanwhile, Sai took the paper and continued reading Shikamaru's report where Naruto left off. "Putting it simply, around 70 percent of the city remains under Union control, while the remaining 30 percent is either controlled by the enemy or is being fought over at this moment… The northwest section of the city, the area controlled by the enemy, is now in ruins… The Shinobi Union Army is trying its hardest to drive the Land of Earth out from the city, but it is slow progress… The Fifth Great Ninja War is well and truly underway. Wish us luck. And I hope that things are more good than bad over at your end. Signed, Shikamaru."
"I'm sure Shikamaru can handle the growing escalation," Naruto said. "He's our best tactician, you know?"
Sai agreed and set aside the first page, and Naruto did the same for the two full-page maps. The latter then saw some more writing on the last sheet of paper, so he skimmed through it. Sai asked, "Is there more?"
Naruto replied whilst reading, "Shikamaru analyzed what Shikadai and the others had told us, including the sworn testimonies from Gengania and her group of friends. He says that the battle plan of the Land of Earth Second Army was unorthodox and brilliant, and that it would have caught every one of us off guard. It should also have ended up with our entire garrison at Mount Tirad captured or killed, had it not been for Sumire's sacrifice. She decimated the Second Army and sent their remnants retreating back to the Land of Earth."
"She truly saved Boruto, Sarada, Inojin, and the rest of the survivors." Sai sighed. "I wish it didn't have to happen that way."
Naruto sadly nodded and then continued to scan Shikamaru's addendum. "Shikamaru is worried though. All things and testimonies considered, he says that there's a disturbing possibility that there may be a traitor or spy lurking deep within Konoha's government that is feeding the enemy information. According to him, a plan like that, trying to cross over the Mile-High Mountain Range and attacking a weak position with an all-out assault using an entire army, while not completely unheard of, is a huge risky gamble that almost requires some degree of inside information."
"Is he sure about the spy? I can have my men investigate further."
"No, he's not. He only asks us to be vigilant, and that all of our important communications, like military operations, be by paper, so they don't leave a virtual trace that can potentially be hacked, and so he can be sure that it will be for our eyes only. As for an investigation, you could have your men dig into it, but please make sure they're very, very, very discreet about it. The last thing we want is to spread a panic about spies that don't actually exist. That will only cause distrust and confusion in our ranks."
"Top secret investigation on potential traitors," Sai took note of Naruto's request. "It will be done, Lord Seventh."
"Now, anything from the intel division that needs my attention?"
"Nothing really. Ino already told you that she scanned the memories of the eight women from Iwa, and found them all to be all-clear of any malicious or treacherous intent, so they'll be coming by later for their citizenship rites."
"Kakashi-sensei will also be accompanying them as the sponsor of their recommendations. In any case, I'll give you the rest of the night off. Sarada will arrive later and take over again as my assistant for the night."
"Are you sure about this, Lord Seventh?"
"Yes. You go home and be with Ino and Inojin, or spend time with Hako and Houki, or mourn the loss of Renga and the substitute sensei Shizuka. Though if you're going to spend time with your family, make sure to thank Inojin for me. You know, for saving Boruto back at Mount Tirad. Sarada only filled me in last night on Inojin's daring rescue, so I only got to relay my thanks just now."
Sai bowed in thanks, but then pointed out, "I think you should be with your son too."
"I can't go home yet, you know that."
"But perhaps you can make an exception, even for tonight?"
Naruto shook his head. "I can't put my family first before my nation… I knew that when I became Hokage." Naruto sighed and looked at Sai with heavy, tired, yet determined eyes. "I became the Seventh Hokage for a reason… to serve our city, Konoha, and our nation, the Land of Fire, and all the people who live within its borders. I can't just abandon my people, especially in a time of war and unrest such as this, and put my own needs and desires first… even if it is my own family that needs me…"
Sai protested further, "I'm sure that Konoha can run for a night without your direct supervision."
"You'd be surprised," Naruto chuckled and pointed to the three tall stacks of paperwork that he had left on the table, and Sai cringed and exhaled loudly. "But don't worry, Hinata is with Boruto back at the house. She's keeping him company, and comforting him when she can."
Sai crossed his arms. "Ino is there for Inojin too, and so is Himawari, who's there with him at my house right now…" He looked out through the window and saw that across the dark violet sky that was slowly fading to black, the stars were becoming brighter and more apparent, even with the light pollution from a big city such as Konoha. The darkening violet sky reminded Sai of Sumire by the mere fact that it was her color and name, and it also reminded Sai of what Ino, Inojin, and Himawari had told him earlier in the day, before he left for work at the Hokage Mansion. "I also heard from the three of them that Boruto isn't looking good…"
"No, he's not… Sarada told me last night that before the evacuation of the Rem Fortress, before the final engagement, Sumire confessed her long-hidden love to Boruto and gave him their first kiss… It turned out to be their last kiss too…"
Sai looked down and sighed, a grim expression on his face. "May I know what happened that night? The evacuation and the battle that coincided with it?"
Naruto recalled everything that Sarada told him over the course of the several nights prior to this one. "The eye of the supertyphoon passed over earlier than anyone could have predicted. Since they weren't ready until the morning, when the eye of the storm was originally predicted to come over them, the evacuation of the Rem Fortress took much longer than it should have. The Earth Army chose that moment to attack, and the walls of the fortress collapsed under heavy bombardment. Sumire and Nue stayed behind to block the pass for as long as they could so they could give everyone, especially the wounded, more time to descend. Boruto and the others came back for her, but couldn't reach to her in time… The enemy general mortally wounded her, and so she chose to sacrifice herself instead. She saved everyone, Boruto and Sarada and Inojin included, and she took most of the enemy army down with her…"
Naruto slammed the table with a clenched fist. "But dammit… As you said earlier, how I wish things would have turned out differently…"
Sai nodded and remarked sadly, "To say this is tragic would be an understatement…"
"What would be even more tragic is if her story would be left untold." Startled, the two men looked to where the feminine voice came from, and they saw the former Lady Fifth Hokage, Tsunade, leaning by the open door. Tsunade entered the room and closed it.
Sai turned to Naruto. "I'll take my leave now. I'll visit Houki and Hako and take them out for dinner. Then I'll go back home, tell Inojin you said thanks, and then have him accompany your daughter back home."
"Thank you so much," Naruto responded, "to you and to your son."
After Sai left the room, Tsunade pulled up a chair, sat on the other side of Naruto's desk, and looked Naruto in the eyes. "We must make her real story known to everyone. It would be a shame if we let her story merely be words unspoken."
"I know… Sarada wants to do the same thing, and so do her former teammates Wasabi and Namida, her sensei Hanabi, and the rest of her friends too."
Tsunade nodded. "The story of Sumire Kakei, while tragic, was also a tale of grace. It began as a dark story of poverty, trauma, betrayal, revenge, and hatred. However, it changed midway because of all her friends, her loved ones, and her real family. And from then on, it became a story of friendship, trust, forgiveness, redemption, and love…" She closed her eyes. "We could tell everyone about this. We spread it far and wide, on all the papers and theatres and the airwaves and online. We begin calling her, 'Sumire Kakei, the Valiant, the Heroine of Mount Tirad'. We ensure her story lives on! We stand to benefit so much from making her a martyr figure-"
There were more knocks on the door, immediately followed by the door opening to reveal a lot of people outside in the hallway. Sarada entered with Sasuke and Sakura behind her, and after them came Kakashi and the eight nervously excited women who were soon to become residents of Konoha and citizens of the Land of Fire: Gengania, Conwi, Panga, Ivyred, Fujibayashi, Mikawa, Tomoka, and Yamada.
"Good evening Lord Seventh," Sarada greeted and hugged Naruto. "I brought along my parents too!"
"I see that," he laughed and patted Sarada on the head. He then turned to his two teammates and grinned. "Sasuke! Sakura! And Kakashi-sensei too!"
"Hey," Sakura giggled, "it's a Team 7 reunion!"
"The old Team 7," Kakashi pointed out. "Your children are part of the new version of Team 7."
"Sir Kakashi," Gengania asked out of curiosity, "this was the team you were in charge of back then?"
The old sensei of the old Team 7 responded to the affirmative. "I've known these three since they were little kids. I trained them, but they were only able to become the people they are now through their persistence, effort, and the choices they made along the way."
Naruto stood up to approach the new arrivals. "I heard that you all have completed your remaining requirements and applications, and that Ino and the others gave the green light for me to grant you citizenship." He chuckled. "And luckily enough, it just so happens that tonight, myself, Kakashi-sensei, and Granny Tsunade are all present to formally make you citizens of the Land of Fire."
"The three living Hokages," Tsunade pointed out. "Oh right, Konohamaru was actually Lord Eighth for half a day. Unfortunately, he's not here tonight, but you all met him during your stay at Mount Tirad."
"On top of what Lord Seventh said," Kakashi added. "You will get two side-by-side apartment units that are joined together by a connecting door, so it's really one giant apartment for the eight of you. It's only a five-minute walk from Konoha Academy, so it won't be hard on you when you resume your college degrees once the new semester comes around. Some of our jonin will lead you there after we're done here."
Before beginning the citizenship rites, Naruto revealed one more important thing. "We will also provide you temporary secret protection. The people in charge of safeguarding you will observe your general movements and surroundings from a distance, but they won't creep inside your apartment or spy on your actions. They will respect your privacy, and they'll only intervene if any of you are in trouble. This is only because we've had several identity leaks recently, and though there are some xenophobic people living in our city, I can assure you that we are doing our very best to limit their spread and influence."
*******XXXXXXX*******
It was a quarter past ten o'clock in the evening when the lights of the Hokage's Office turned off for the night, and when Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Sarada walked out the front door of the fully rebuilt Hokage Mansion on their way home. Sarada gently rubbed her sleepy eyes. "Today was both tiring and fun, and I'm ready for a good night's sleep. But I'm really excited for tomorrow again."
Naruto chuckled and patted Sarada on the head. "You sure are determined, you know?" He then turned to Sakura. "Earlier, you said you were going to tell me about some patients you're handling, right?"
"Ohh yes," Sakura replied, "the last thirty patients of the Kara Assault still under my care. Most of the ones still in the hospital had severe chemical burns from the poison gas canisters. Kabuto Yakushi is one of those victims that the three of us know. The shells made a direct hit on his orphanage, and so around 80 percent of his body was burned or blistered by the mustard gas. Worse, his lungs were badly damaged too…"
The four rounded a street corner near the center of Konoha, two streets to the east of the central marketplace that was now nearing full reopening, back from having been bombed just two months earlier. Sakura continued, "But he's been fighting to get better, and Orochimaru helped out with his snakelike anatomy too. I'll give him one to two more weeks before I can safely discharge him. Still, I'm worried that not all of the gas victims will be able to pay their medical bills."
"I spoke with Ereki Kaminarimon earlier this morning," Naruto revealed. "His company is holding a live fundraiser tonight on their online sites to help pay for the victims of the Kara Assault. All the proceeds they will get during their fundraiser will be given to gas victims and the children who were orphaned because of the attack. They're calling it 'Extra Lives'. And apparently, Denki will close their show with Shikadai and Ryogi…"
They entered Senju Park, and Sarada was quickly surprised by the fact that there were about 30-40 workers gathering around a grassy space along the paved walkway. It was near the center of the park and a stone's throw away from the lake and the bridge. "What's happening here, Lord Seventh?"
Naruto hesitated to answer, and after a few seconds of thought, he merely answered, "You'll see."
As they approached the commotion, Sarada saw that there were both construction workers and sculptors in the area, and that there was a large white statue, which they were preparing to hoist then lower into place on a short, similarly marble-white, circular pedestal that had already been installed. She couldn't yet see who the statue was because it was blocked by all the workers who were surrounding it, although she figured that it was feminine because of the apparent curves on her chest. "Who is that?"
Before she even got a reply from Naruto or either of her parents, the construction workers parted to let them take a closer look at the marble statue. And Sarada's breath hitched immediately when she saw the unmistakable face of her best friend. "S-Su… Sumi…"
"Yes Sarada…" Naruto patted her on the shoulder and held her close, confirming her thoughts. "This is going to be a memorial for Sumire."
The young Uchiha stared at the twenty-foot marble sculpture of Sumire Kakei that was kept restrained on its side by a lot of wide-strapped cable supports and a crane, to avoid cracking or scratching of the marble surface. The skin of her statue form was only just several tinges whiter than what was in real life. Her open eyes were somewhere in between the expressions of gentle and fierce. The clothes were that of her usual kunoichi attire, which Sarada was so familiar with, but instead of purple, they were off-white. Her right arm was outstretched forwards, with her right hand in the shape of a handgun, and one of her water bullets was seemingly forming at her fingertips. Her left hand was at her chest, and her fingers showed the sign of reconciliation. At her feet, Nue stood proudly in all the glory of its mini form.
The artists who designed her statue even portrayed her weapons accurately, with her long Scout Sniper Rifle slung behind her back on a shoulder strap, the G-18c automatic pistol on her right waist holster, and her elegantly curved chakra saber on her left waist holster.
One of the artists, the one who was holding a large rose-gold plaque on one hand and a printed-out colored photograph of Sumire on Mount Tirad on the other, walked up to them. He showed the adults the plaque, and Sarada was only able to see that it read, "June 12, 90 CE – July 7, 106 CE".
While Naruto nodded approvingly for his work, Sakura tilted her head. "What does CE mean?"
"The terms 'After Warring States Period' and 'Common Era' basically mean the same thing," Sasuke explained to his dear wife. "AWSP is used more for historical events that are undeniably tied to ninjas, like our own national history, because the founding of the Land of Fire and Konoha coincides with the end of the Warring States Period. On the other hand, CE was made for worldwide history and natural sciences, and since it is impartial to all countries, it's been gaining popularity in use over the past decade."
The artist asked Naruto, "For the dates of her birth and death, is it okay if I wrote CE instead of AWSP?" The Seventh Hokage responded to the affirmative. "And what else should I write on her plaque?"
"What have you written down already?"
"In honor of Sumire Kakei, the heroine of Mount Tirad, one of the thirty-three shinobi, kunoichi, and friends, who fought valiantly during the Battle of the Hod and Feres Passes."
"Hmm… You know, I'm sure that Sumire would also want to be remembered as a kind and loving friend, a bright mind, a competent kunoichi-scientist, and a simple soul. You could add those too-"
He stopped midsentence and turned to Sarada, who had just fallen to her knees in front of the statue. She had tears running down her cheeks, stifled sobs emanating from her mouth, and her shoulders and tear-soaked hands were trembling.
"Sweetie…" Sakura pulled her daughter into her warm embrace, and Sarada buried her face in her mother's chest.
"Mom… Dad… Lord Seventh…" Sarada struggled to speak in the midst of the flood of emotions pouring out from her.
"You're not alone," Sasuke tried to comfort his daughter. "Don't worry, we all understand what you're feeling."
"Yeah," Naruto squatted in front of Sarada and looked her in the eyes. "We all lost people we loved and cared deeply for-"
"It's not that," Sarada interrupted. "Well… it is part of the issue, but… umm…" She paused slightly, then returned Naruto's gaze. "Sumire gave her life for mine… I want to honor her memory and life and sacrifice, but how? How can I make Sumire proud of me, just in case that somehow, somewhere out there, she's watching over me?"
Naruto gave a reassuring smile, and so did both of her parents. "Sumire will always watch over you," the lone Uzumaki told Sarada. "I'm sure of that, you know?"
"That's right," Sasuke agreed. "Well said."
Sakura added, "No matter what happens, no matter how much you manage to achieve in your life, Sumire will be proud of you. You were one of her best friends, after all…"
Sakura's words reminded Sarada of something that Hanabi had told her and Sumire during their time at the Rem Fortress, and so her mind began to tune out the rest of what her mother was saying. It was a conversation that took place while she, Sumire, and Hanabi were looking after their eight friends from Iwa on the first night of the battle. "A mother is not ever going to be that hard on her children, no matter how they turn out. Mothers just want their children to be well, and to live a happy life… If you ever become a mom yourself, you'll understand…"
Sarada was able to put on a smile, her eyes seeming to glitter with both the shine of tears and glimmers of hope. "Thank you," she whispered as she gripped the Hokage and her parents in a tight hug. They helped her back up to her feet. "I feel better now… and the statue is so beautiful… It really looks just like her. I love it!"
However, while Sarada truly and fully meant everything she had said, she intentionally neglected to tell the adults about one of the main thoughts that brought about her tears, as she feared that they could conclude she was slowly spiraling into insanity when she knew full well that she was not. "I know she is watching me… Even now, I can feel her presence…" Sarada closed her eyes for a few seconds and smiled. "Sumi, I know you are near, standing always by my side… I want you to know that I love you, like you were the sister I never had… Thank you for everything, and I hope you keep looking after me… I'll make you proud, I promise."
*******XXXXXXX*******
It was well past midnight, if the clock on the bedside table of the Uzumaki master bedroom was to be believed. And under the shelter of the comforter blanket on the bed, Naruto and Hinata huddled together in each other's warmth. Their arms were wrapped around one another, their hot breaths mingling and mixing, their bare and sweaty and wet bodies intertwined and interwoven as one.
"I hope this… refreshes you for tomorrow… my Naruto-kun…"
"I feel much better already… Hinata… I love you so much…"
"I love you so much too…" Hinata adjusted on the bed and leaned her head on Naruto's outstretched arm, as if it were her pillow. Meanwhile, Naruto turned his body to face his beloved wife. His eyes were fixed on hers, while her eyes stared longingly back at his, and so time seemed to flow ever so slowly for the two of them. For minutes, the quiet in the room remained.
Finally, Naruto broke the serene silence. "We've learned a bit more about the mystery allies of Shogun Du Tertae from the girls who switched over to our side."
"The girls? You mean the ones whom you made citizens of Konoha and gave a large apartment unit to earlier? Gengania and Panga and the rest?"
"Yes, them. According to them, they were told that the Merikhan Empire is from across the Western Ocean, and that they have advanced weaponry and huge numbers, enough to have conquered nearly their entire continent far to the west of our own."
"But why are they here? What is their goal in siding with the Du Tertae and the Land of Earth?"
"The girls weren't sure, but Gengania and Fujibayashi had heard of some sort of weapons and commerce and trade deals being struck between them, like they want to profit from the war. Sadly, that's all we have going for us. We don't have any intel on them at all…" Naruto trailed off, and Hinata did not answer as something else far more important to her popped up in her mind.
"Naruto-kun," Hinata gripped her husband's hand. "I'm really worried about Boruto. Since he returned a week ago, he has seldom gone out of his room, and it's super dark inside. He's barely eaten and drank, he hasn't taken a bath at all, and before you came home, I heard him calling for Sumire… I think his situation's gotten worse over time. He might have survivor's guilt, and post-traumatic stress disorder, but it could also be much worse than that too-"
"Shh… Don't worry, Hinata…" Naruto assured her. "Let's talk to him first thing in the morning. And if we can't solve it, I'll get him appointments for therapy sessions with a psychiatrist."
How did you guys like this chapter? Feel free to leave comments and reviews and faves and kudos to the story! =D
So we started and ended with two very intimate scenes of love (Delta and Kashin Koji to start, and Naruto and Hinata to end), and along with everyone's interactions with others, this chapter truly was about threads interweaving and paths intertwining, both in a physical/literal sense and in a metaphorical sense! ;) ^_^
Also, there's lots of world building (like in the Land of Grass) that will be relevant in Book 2 =D
Anyway, this is actually now the third-to-the-last chapter, since I split the original Chapter 30 (which is what was supposed to be the last chapter) into three to make it a much easier read =D
And speaking of the next chapter, Chapter 31: "The Reason I Wanted To Die" is going to be (most likely) uploaded this Sunday night! I'm almost done with it anyway! But fair warning, it gets really REALLY dark, and it may be hard to read without feeling hurt and pained inside. The title is self-explanatory.
On the other hand, the final chapter of this Book 1/7, Chapter 32: "Loved Ones Will Always Watch Over You" is not yet near complete, sooo I'll try to upload it when I can. Maybe I can give a further update on it on Sunday? =D
PS: Question of the chapter, answer in the comments: Who do you think Legretta Desacada is? And why does she seem familiar to Delta? ;)
Short List of References:
a) Yuu Liberte = Yu Liberte, a city in Tales of Graces f
b) Saji = "Surge"
c) Ainu is an actual indigenous and endangered language from Hokkaido in Japan! And Unkur is a word in that language too! ^_^ (EU4 knowledge FTW XD)
d) "I know you are near, standing always at my side..." comes from a religious song (Yahweh, I Know You Are Near) that is sung often in my country XD
