Chapter Fifty
Lord Hokage Minato rarely used the Hokage's private box for viewing events in the stadium. He'd been born with little, and despite great achievements in his short life, he never lost sight of the fact that he was still a Shinobi like most of the people below. Perhaps there would be less war in this world if we stopped putting ourselves in lofty palaces and fortresses.
He stared down, watching Naruto pull off an unexpected victory, Shikamaru letting go of certain victory to Temari, and Sasuke taking Gaara down with much fanfare. All six genin were as different as could be, and they, along with the others below. The jacket and headdress on his back weighed heavily with responsibility that he could at any moment give the order for one or all of them to do something that would get them killed. He had given the order to Rin, Obito, and Kakashi; and it had ended in a disaster that continued to ripple into this very room. He turned to look at the other occupants of the suite: Fugaku Uchiha, Lord Sarutobi, and the person impersonating Lord Rasa.
On one hand, he could just pull the kunai he had hidden in his sleeves and end this charade. However, depending on the impersonator, that might only create more questions and leave no answers. For sure, Oorochimaru was involved, as was a former member of Root – Kabuto. The involvement of a former Sannin and a former member of Danzo's Root twisted the mind with possibilities. Was Danzo somehow leading this little marionette show from his cell at the Castle? Was Obito involved somehow? Were the Kumo involved?
As the likely possibilities in Minato's head gave way to the increasingly speculative, several more terrifying thoughts began causing thin fingers of sweat to crawl down Minato's body despite the temperate day. Months ago, Jiraiya had come back from a near-fatal infiltration mission with the fantastical story of Obito referring to himself as Madara Uchiha. It had been tempting to laugh it off as nothing but a fantastical delusion of grandeur. However, the prospect of the dead nemesis of the first Hokage somehow come back to life refused to go away.
The lingering questions of how Obito knew of Kushina's status as Jinchuriki and how he'd become so powerful after what should have been a fatal injury also preyed on him as he looked at the imposter – almost a perfect copy except the tan line that should be on the left ring finger. Obito had been a promising, if unaccomplished, genin when he officially died. Outside of a handful of classified records, he was still dead as far as the general public knew. What happened to you, kiddo?
"Lord Minato, why the long face?" the double asked in a perfectly convincing voice, "You seem unwell for a man whose son just won a quarter final round!" The man was impossibly jovial. Despite the impressive transformation job, the man did emanate a powerful chakra signature. Could be Danzo, Obito, or Oorochimaru.
"This time of year leaves me with mixed feelings, Lord Rasa," he said looking back out to the arena, "I once lost someone very close to me about this time a few years back." It wasn't entirely a lie. Minato scanned his opponent, pondering another nightmare scenario – whomever was standing here was someone unknown and incredibly powerful. "Please," Minato reached for an ornate bottle of sake on a nearby serving tray, "let us toast."
When the lab results had come back on the skin sample Shino and Jiraiya had collected almost a year ago, the results left them all scratching their heads. The skin sample had at one time been human; it was hard to tell if it was still human. Naruto thought it some kind of alien lifeform, like something out of his comic books. At first, Minato had dismissed the idea, but now, he wasn't so sure. Oorochimaru might know how to screw around with genetics and chakra to create some weird hybrid, but even the most advanced notes he'd left with Danzo were nothing so advanced. Quite clowning, otherwise he'll smell something is up.
"What should we toast to?" Lord Uchiha asked.
"How about," Minato paused, "our children." As he lifted the bottle, Lord Rasa's lookalike didn't react. The bottle had been a gift at the end of the war, to not even comment on it confirmed to Minato privately that their instincts were correct. He poured the rare Sunagukre-made wine into four small sake cups and they all toasted.
A knock at the door broke the tension. "I'll get it," Lord Third said, making his way to the door.
The girl on the other side, maybe late teens or early twenties bowed, "Lord Third, it is an honor. I have an important message for Lord Fourth."
Alarm bells went off in Minato's head at the mention of a message. "Has something happened?" he moved to approach the young lady. Strangely, there was something oddly familiar about her almost cherubic face, but he couldn't place it.
"Yes, sir," she bowed, keeping her face mostly to the ground, "You're needed desperately in the ready room; your son is extremely ill."
Naruto! "Excuse me!" Minato said to his guest as he ran past the girl, making his way into the depth of the stadium.
Kakashi ran his fingers through his hair as he, Sakura, and Hinata looked in on Naruto. Despite sipping a mild mix of ginger tea and rehydration salts, Naruto still looked deathly ill as he sat in the ready room chair. "Naruto, h-how are you feeling?" Hinata stammered as she felt his forehead. Kakashi knew the boy was feverish when he checked him earlier. Warm but not burning up.
"I've been worse," he laughed. "How did your round with Choji go?"
"Nothing I couldn't handle," she smirked. Like everyone, Choji and she had held back, preferring to make it look like she'd blocked his chakra point. In reality, Choji was already at his staging area to assist evacuating the crowd.
"Good girl," Naruto took her by the hand, "You'll do well in the next round."
"Just promise," she winced, "that if it's me, you won't do to me what you did to Kiba!" Poor Kiba was so badly in shock that he was evacuated to the hospital.
Naruto chuckled, wincing as he did, "I guess he was a fourth victim of that sushi place's poor quality.
"Speaking of," Kakashi interrupted, "are you sure you're up for this, Naruto?" He crossed his arms, "We're kind of already going to be up to our eyebrows in shit at a second's notice."
"Next seed for the semi-finals," the announcer boomed over the overhead speaker, "Naruto Uzumaki versus Sasuke Uchiha, Hinata Hyūga versus Temari of Suna! Contestants please head to the tournament ground at this time!"
Shit! Naruto would never back down if Sasuke was his challenger. "I guess," Naruto grunted as he got out of the chair, "we'd better get going!"
There was a knock at the door, "How is the patient, Sakura?" Shizune chirped as she popped her head in through the doorway.
"Feverish," the pink-haired girl answered, "and still showing signs consistent with food poisoning." Sakura sported a black eye and several bruises from her match with Ino – a match that had resulted in a double elimination knockout.
"Naruto," Shizune said with a nervous quivering in her voice, "it's your call. Just remember, you don't have to do this if you're not feeling well."
"I'm in!" He downed the last of the tea, "And that is final!"
"There's the old fighting spirit!" another female voice bellowed.
"Anko," Kakashi nodded to acknowledge her, "Is the evacuation plan all set to move?"
"Damn right," she nodded. "We got ants in our pants and we're ready to dance! I almost feel sorry for the poor bastards on their way here."
"Then it's true?" Shizune shook.
"First border outposts were overrun a few minutes ago," Anko nodded, "This may be the end of the exams with these matches."
"All the more reason to go," Naruto said, grabbing Hinata by the wrist, "Let's make this one for the books!" They both flew toward the exit.
"Gotta fly, too," Anko shouted and winked, "See you at dinner if we all make it!" She rushed off.
"I have to get to the shelter, and finish preparations to receive wounded," Shizune bowed slightly, "You two be safe!"
Kakashi turned back to Sakura, "Okay, no sugar coating, how bad is Naruto?"
"My assessment at present is unchanged, why?" she tilted her head in curiosity.
"Something feels wrong," Kakashi said, rubbing his masked chin.
"How so?" Sakura smiled thinly.
"Just a feeling… how are you feeling?"
"Better," she replied.
"And Sasuke?"
"Also a lot better…" a moment of realization crossed Sakura's face, "… but he isn't."
"That's what worries me, Sakura," he nodded.
"What do you want me to do?" she asked.
"For now, just keep watch, but do not let him out of your sight," he ordered. Kakashi turned leave when his eyes caught sight of something in the doorway. The thin rectangular envelope lay neatly in the doorway, his name printed carefully on the front.
"Kakashi, is something wrong?" Sakura asked.
He leaned down to collect the envelope, carefully checking it in his hand for any telltale sign of hazardous contents. Just like the last one, it was sealed with a red heart sticker. Kakashi desperately opened it and extracted the stationary inside.
Dear Kakashi,
Please be safe today!
Always yours,
Your secret admirer
As before, there was the faint smell of cherry blossoms and a barely perceptible outline of lips from where the sender had kissed the letter. "Kakashi?" Sakura inquired.
"It's nothing," he lied, staring at the pink-haired girl, "You'd better get to your ready station soon, Sakura. I have a feeling we'll need to get the civilians out quite soon." Kakashi resealed the letter and put it in his vest pocket. She'd been here, but did I see her? Kakashi ran to his action station, contemplating his suspicions.
Hinata cursed her luck to be put against Temari as she exited the tunnel and made for the ring. Choji had been little more than a large mobile target. Even he admitted that his body transformation skills would be mostly useless against gentle-fist. Temari, on the other hand, would be a tough nut to crack.
Hinata had watch the highlights of the match between Shikamaru and Temari, still wondering why he suddenly gave up. Even someone as unmotivated as he is should have still won. If it's a guy thing, then I have no clue!
As she stepped opposite of Temari in the ring, her memory flashed back to the TV highlights with Tenten. Try as she might, the weapon-master shinobi couldn't land a single hit with hands, feet, or weapons. Temari's fan provided significant defense against melee attacks or thrown weapons. Unfortunately for Hinata, most of her best attacks required closing to melee range. Temari smirked confidently, fully aware of this fact.
"Ladies, bow to each other," they bowed, "Fight!"
Temari held her fan at the ready but did not strike. Instead, she regarded Hinata holding her ready stance. "What's a matter, princess?" Temari taunted, "Too scared to open the round?"
"I'm shy," Hinata activated her Byakugan, "not scared." She let her chakra flow to her fingers, readying gentle-fist attacks. Hinata rushed toward Temari.
Temari planted her fan in the ground and got her guard up against Hinata's first flurry of attacks. To no surprise, Temari had expert blocking form and matched Hinata for speed perfectly. Hinata went for a quick leg sweep, and Temari flipped backwards and away. "Not bad," Temari taunted as she moved out of melee range.
Hinata raced to get between Temari and her fan but soon realized that was what Temari had wanted. Hinata spotted the telltale chakra signature of an explosive tag on the ground in her path and rolled to the side to avoid the blast. Temari, meanwhile reached her fan and began to unfold it. "Sorry, Hinata, but I can't just let you win." A sharp blast of wind hit Hinata like a brick wall, forcing her backwards several inches in the sandy ground.
Dammit! Hinata charged forward again, this time Temari used the sharper wind-scythe attack. The air currents hit like tiny, feathery razors, scraping tiny nicks in Hinata's black uniform and skin alike. The wind abated as Temari held the fan at the ready. She could charge all she wanted, and she'd still be blown away like a leaf on the wind if she tackled this head on. I wonder…
Hinata made the hand seal and summoned a dozen shadow clones. As they charged forward, Temari braced and soon whipped her fan in a sweeping strike that cut through the clones like a hot knife in butter. Hinata summoned a second wave, and a third, and a fourth; the effect was still the same. While Temari's face was reddening with the effort to keep up the attack, Hinata, too, couldn't keep up the human wave attacks forever. She was getting worn out at least as fast at Temari, if not fast.
Frustration was getting the better of her. She had some of the best training in the Shinobi world, and none of it was helping at present. Think! What would Naruto do? The answer caused the side of her face to spasm and her cheeks to turn flushed. No way! NOT THAT!
"I'm waiting, princess!" Temari grinned wickedly. Hinata felt the weight of all the eyes on her in the stands. The whole Village Hidden in the Leaves was watching her, the leader of the Hyūga Clan, against a foreign opponent. If it means victory and honor for your clan, then so be it! Hinata began making the hand seal as she charged toward Temari. She'd only done this a few times in training, and she'd been too embarrassed to do this with a partner to criticize her technique.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"
Temari wound up her fan as the clones formed a mass wave. Here we go!
"Transformation Jutsu! REVERSE SEXY HAREM JUTSU!" Hinata screamed to force the words past her bashful throat. A wave of smoke blew threw the air as her clones transformed.
He legs carried her though the smoke as a naked array of Shikamaru, Sasuke, and Naruto clones posed gloriously for Temari. "Hey, princess, how may we serve?" they asked in unison. Temari stood frozen, a small rivulet of blood dripping from her nose as teenage fantasies overwhelmed any combat sense.
NOW! NOW! NOW! Hinata sprung past the clones, careful not to get enthralled by the heavenly images surrounding her. "KEE-YAH!" Hinata brought a forward crescent kick across Temari's face, staggering the girl. Hinata followed up with two heel-palm strikes to Temari's solar plexus. Hinata wound up for another hit, but Temari rolled backwards along the ground from the ferocity of the attack. Blood was now streaming from Temari's nose, and her face was quivering in shock.
It took Hinata a few moments to realize the referees and the crowd were all still stunned as well. A quick look, and she had realized that she had not dismissed the army of nude clones. Ooops! Hinata fumbled for the gesture to dismiss the clones, trying not to pass out, herself.
After the clones disappeared, the referee performed the requisite count to ten, and Temari was unable or unwilling to get to her feet. "KNOCKOUT!" the referee shouted, taking Hinata by the wrist, "Here's the winner!" The crowd erupted in cheers. This was a moment she'd dreamed of since New Years, when the crowd had been chanting for her defeat at Hanabi's hands.
The elation of victory made her dizzy as she bowed to the referee and ran back toward the tunnel to the ready room. As she reached the shadows, Sakura and Kushina greeted her with a hug. "Congrats!" they both cheered.
"Thank you!" she was almost crying.
"Hinata, who taught you that?" Kushina grinned.
"I kind of picked it up from Konohamaru and Naruto," she laughed softly.
"Hinata," Sakura asked crisply, "just how did you know what Naruto, Sasuke, and Shikamaru look like in that form?" Sakura bit her bottom lip, clearly trying not to laugh too hard, "Has Pervy Sage been teaching you to do bad things with that Byakugan of yours?"
"Ummm…" Hinata turned cherry red, "… a lady does not discuss such things, Sakura!"
The pain in Naruto's gut felt like a jagged kunai was trying to dig its way out of his intestines as he ran to his end of the tournament ring. Despite the extreme discomfort, he locked his eyes on Sasuke. He had to win this time. No matter how hard he'd tried for years, Naruto had never bested Sasuke in a match that counted for anything. Sasuke had never let him forget it, either.
"Ready to lose?" Sasuke bowed.
"Don't hold back, duck-butt!" Naruto bowed, wishing it didn't increase the pressure in his sick stomach. This is ridiculous! How am I supposed to take him down!
"Don't count on farting on me like you did to Kiba," Sasuke took a fighting stance. For a moment, they circled, not wanting to commit to open battle. Naruto could see the dark circles under Sasuke's eyes. He's gone two rounds already and is just as sick as you are; he's not invincible! Naruto swung a forward sidekick toward Sasuke's head and followed with two hand strikes. Sasuke weathered the strikes with what looked like ease, but Naruto could tell Sasuke's reactions were just a split-second slower than usual.
Sasuke replied with a reverse roundhouse kick and his own one-two combination. His fists feel like they're concrete! Angry, throbbing welts broke out on Naruto's arms as Sasuke's strikes hit like a sledgehammer. Even with proper blocking form, defensive tactics did not decide a battle. Move!
Naruto came at him again, one hand going for the face and the other for the body. Sasuke replied in kind, and soon, they were too close to wind up. Sasuke got his arms up and around Naruto's neck. Rather than try and struggle to free himself, Naruto kicked off the ground with all his weight straight into Sasuke, knocking the other boy off balance.
Sasuke tumbled backwards, and Naruto landed atop the boy's chest with his full weight though his right shoulder as he rolled over Sasuke's face and out of his opponent's grip. Naruto crouched down and assessed the situation. Sasuke was now clearly injured, struggling to get up. Despite this, Naruto was cautious to attack a seemingly cornered opponent – several times Naruto had seen seemingly beaten opponents pull victory from the jaws of defeat. He waited for Sasuke to get up.
As he staggered upright, Sasuke spat out blood, his red Sharigan now activated. Ah crap! Sasuke would now be able to pretty much predict his attacks with impunity. Naruto had to end this quickly. Sasuke charged at him again. He can predict an attack; can he predict a non-attack? Naruto wound up his left leg for a sidekick to Sasuke's face as he approached. Sasuke got his arms up ready for the incoming blow when Naruto danced himself around, putting his right leg out in front. By the time Sasuke recognized what happened, he was facedown in the dirt, having tripped over Naruto's outstretched leg.
The crowd muttered as Sasuke again struggled to his feet. "Give up, yet?"
Sasuke unexpectedly charged at Naruto, hitting him firmly in the gut. Naruto dropped to his knees. Oh god! Sour water filled Naruto's mouth and he spat out the caustic mix of stomach juices and bile from the hit. The muscle in his abdomen began throbbing in terrible waves. Naruto gripped his right side. Another hit like that and you're done! Sasuke swung with his right leg, but Naruto caught the strike, driving his own right elbow into the back of Sasuke's knee. Sasuke again went facedown in the dirt.
Naruto untangled himself from Sasuke, half crawling away in agony. Pulsating waves of pain continued to stab Naruto in the right side. Sasuke again staggered to his feet, recklessly charging. Unlike last time, he didn't keep his guard up. Naruto knew he had one shot, and he had to pray Sasuke was too unfocused to use his Sharigan effectively.
The shadow of the other boy looked over him, large enough to block out the sun. Large enough to where I can't possible miss! As Sasuke prepared to strike downward, Naruto popped upward with uppercut that connected to the underside of Sasuke's jaw. The dark-haired boy's head jerked backward, and he fell forward like a rag doll. This time, Sasuke didn't get back up.
The referee began counting off, "One! Two, Three! Four…" Naruto noticed a blank stare from Sasuke. He was clearly still alive but in shock that he'd lost, "EIGHT! NINE! TEN!" The referee waved his arms to the side, "KNOCKOUT!" He took Naruto by the right wrist and held his hand overhead, "Winner!"
Just the act of having his arm jerked up caused the kunai in his guts to twist. Naruto remembered this pain from when he'd broken his ribs on his first mission a year ago. Oh god! As much as he didn't want to admit to it, he wished Shizune or Sakura had medically disqualified him as the pain threatened to drop him to his knees. Naruto felt little joy at his victory as he clutched his side and staggered back toward the tunnel to the ready room.
Minato raced toward his son as Naruto waddled back down the ramp. "Naruto!" he yelped as he caught Naruto from falling forward. Tears streamed from Naruto's eyes as Minto picked him up and carried him like he was still a baby.
"Naruto!" Kushina shouted as Minato carried Naruto into the makeshift aid station Shizune and Sakura had set up. Naruto's face curled in an angry grimace as he continued to clutch his right side as Minato set him on the table.
"Naruto, did you take a hit to the gut?" Sakura demanded.
"It hurts!" he cried, writhing in agony.
"Naruto!" Kakashi ran into the room followed by Hinata.
"We need to get him to either the hospital or to the medical station at the shelter, urgently," Sakura boomed.
"Kakashi, screw this, we're evacuating now, last round cancelled due to medical reasons!" Minato commanded.
"I'll let everyone else know. The enemy will be at the barrier shortly." Kakashi replied.
"Kakashi," Minato sighed, "Thank you!"
"For what?" he looked perplexed.
"For sending the message that Naruto was so sick! I would still be up in the box awaiting the first sign of trouble.
Minato felt his blood freeze as Kakashi locked eyes with him, "I didn't send any message. Nor did any of us."
"Son, it's all right, just focus!" Fugaku Uchiha and Itachi guided the staggering Sasuke toward them.
"Oh god," Minato's hands shook, "Fugaku, where is Lord Third?"
"Up in the box, he told me I should get Sasuke," he replied. Terrible realization painted itself on Fugaku's face. Lord Third was now isolated and unprotected, and he was possibly with Oorochimaru or someone just as bad.
"Kushina, get the kids out!" he ordered. Kakashi, Fugaku, you're with me!" Minato took off running, hoping he hadn't doomed his predecessor.
Author's notes: Hey everyone, apologies for this being late. I hope you all enjoyed and continue to enjoy. Please stay safe, and stay healthy! See you next week!
-Adam