A/N: Hi folks, hope you are all fine. I am currently stuck in a Red zone, so still being cooped up in the house. Anyways, stay safe and be prepared. I have ended this chapter with a small cliffhanger, hope no one burns me alive for that :)
Chapter 32 – Attack In The Village
Kushina was pregnant.
To others, it might be run-of-the-mill news. But, to me, it was a momentous one. Canon was approaching and it was agitating me more than I cared to admit to myself. Sure, Obito was now sane and healthy. His current ambition revolved around making Rin notice him as more than a teammate. Kakashi, still had both eyes and he was in Anbu training along with Shishui.
Nothing noteworthy had happened to tip me off that Canon was indeed alive. In fact, by all accounts, I should be celebrating Kushina's pregnancy, not dreading it. But, as fate would have it, I couldn't help but feel uneasy ever since I learned of her pregnancy. It was ridiculous, purely made-up what-ifs, and entirely baseless, but still I couldn't help ii.
"How did the councilors take the news?" I asked Minato.
"Hmmph," Minato snorted, Kushina looked away. "They aren't happy with it. But I assured them that I will personally maintain the seal during childbirth."
"They didn't create a ruckus?" I asked in confusion.
"They didn't want to fall out with me this early. Also, Sandaimae sama spoke up for me saying that having a progeny of the Hokage will lift the morale of the citizens."
"They are a meddlesome bunch," Kushina snorted from the side.
"That's their duty," I replied calmly inwardly happy that they didn't create any more problems.
While I knew that Naruto would be born as he is prophesized Savior Child, I didn't expect the councilors to be this easy-going. Maybe, I need to re-evaluate my opinion on them.
"Danzo was the most unhappy one," Minato said.
"If he wasn't, then it wouldn't be him," I snorted causing Kushina to giggle.
"So, what are you naming the child?" I asked Kushina as she served me dinner.
"We haven't decided yet," she replied smoothly sliding into a seat beside Minato.
"I see," I said taking a bite.
"You don't seem happy at all, Hato kun. Are you not happy for me?" Kushina pouted.
"Sorry, its just that I have too much on my mind," I lied smoothly trying to maintain my act while I was inwardly freaking out.
"You are just like Minato, he is always thinking about stuff. Even while eating," Kushina harrumphed causing me and Minato to share a smile.
"Well, we men do tend to think a lot," Minato joked, but when he saw my sympathetic eyes his face turned pale.
"What do you mean by that, Minato?" Kushina asked sweetly.
"Nothing, nothing…." Minato backpedalled fast.
"He meant that you do not think at all, Kushina nee," I said cheerfully.
Vengeance is sweet. I still haven't gotten even with him for those D-ranks.
"Oh, is that so?" Kushina asked Minato who was sitting stiffly in his seat.
"No, no, Hato kun is merely joking. Isn't that right Hato kun?" Minato kicked me under the table subtly.
I smiled at that and said, "Sure, but then again, I feel bad lying to Kushina nee."
"You are a good boy, Hato kun. Minato, I will deal with you after Hato leaves. I don't think eh? I will make sure you regret your words," Kushina said digging into her dish.
I looked at Minato over her head, who was glowering at me, and mouthed D ranks and smiled. He shot me a stinkeye, which I promptly ignored concentrating on my food. Minato resumed eating with a sullen mood, as Kushina and me chatted about the barrier seal we were developing and ate heartily. After a long time, Minato couldn't help but be intrigued by our conversation and began chipping in here and there.
His insights were valuable as he was the most proficient one here when it came to Space-Time seals. Our conversation continued well into the night, before I bid my farewell to the duo and made my way to Hiruzen's house.
I have been recently planning to buy an apartment and shift there. While the Senju clan compound was empty, it was far too vast for just me alone to live. So, an apartment felt like something that would suit me currently.
Finding the apartment was the easy part. Convincing Biwako to let me move out will be a hard one. Just thinking about it alone gave me a headache. Even Asuma had merely looked at me pityingly when I had told him of my plan. That alone told me what kind of losing battle I was going to face. I rubbed my eyes and cursed under my breath.
I slowly walked towards Hiruzen's house formulating several strategies to deal with Biwako, even while knowing that it was all a moot point. Anyways, it helped me pass my time. I surreptitiously scanned my surroundings with my chakra sense and a small smile formed on my face when that particular chakra signature once again pinged on my radar.
The chakra signature was trying its best to cloak itself, but given my enhanced senses that were developed on the frontlines, it had no chance to do so. That particular signature was following me ever since I left Kushina's house. I knew that a few hundred meters from here there was an abandoned training ground that I need to pass through on my way home. It looked like the chakra signature would make contact with me there.
I was curious. I knew that this particular Chakra signature didn't belong to any of Danzo's cronies. If Danzo wanted me to meet me these days, he would summon me directly. After my last request, he had a handle on me and he knew that I had no qualms in visiting him, even if we weren't on talking terms after the last stunt I pulled. So, this particular signature was rousing my curiosity.
Who in Konoha did it belong to? After all, I didn't have any enemies in Konoha. If an enemy shinobi had infiltrated, they had many chances to attack him. I had left many openings for them to exploit by now. Are they luring me into a trap? If so, who had the audacity to do such a thing to me right inside the village?
A lot of questions were floating in my mind. Regardless, it wouldn't do to alert the presence that I was aware of them. So, I acted naturally until a few dozen meters from the abandoned training ground. When I reached that point, I slowly let out my chakra to encompass the training ground. As expected, there were two more presences in there.
'A three-man team, huh' I thought with my curiosity becoming stronger with each second.
I secretly released my seal weights, making my body lighter, and started molding chakra. This jutsu was a relatively new creation. For what I had in mind, this would do perfectly. But, the drawback was that it needed a huge amount of chakra than what I could pump within a second. Hence, it needed a lot of preparation time. So, I started molding beforehand.
I entered the abandoned training ground and walked across it as if I didn't notice their presence at all. A jaunty tune was echoing in the wind as I hummed it while walking towards the two presences. Unlike the other one, these two weren't hiding. Just their chakra signature was cloaked, but it was useless against me.
I stopped and acted surprised at their presence. They both were standing on the trees with Anbu like masks covering their face. Using the moment I was surprised as a cover, the other one closed in on me. It's a pity that all his actions were very visible to me in my chakra sense. Just when he was a few feet away from me, I turned and smiled at him making him stop.
"Senju Hatorama," a distorted voice called out to me from the front.
"Yup, that's me," I said cheerfully.
"We have been ordered to take you under custody," the other one said. His voice was also distorted.
My, my, this was beginning to get interesting. Someone had ordered me to be taken under custody. I would be a fool to go along with them.
"Oh, who is it that ordered for my arrest?" I asked smirking.
"Its none of your business. Comply to the orders. Or are you going to rebel?" the voice behind me spoke distortedly.
"Oh, my. I just realized that I am rebel. So, can we cut the chitchat," I asked sweetly before slamming my palm down on the ground heavily and releasing my jutsu.
They didn't expect me to act decisively. They expected me to drag out some time, but unfortunately, I had already prepared.
BOOM
A huge chakra surge exploded from my position. It was like a gunshot in the depth of the night. After all, what my jutsu was made of was highly pressurized water chakra which had been compressed multiple times. The moment it made contact with the ground, the entire training ground broke apart. The sound from the impact was so loud that I was sure it would make people rouse from their sleep.
First of all, shinobi were all light sleepers. And I had just released a highly destructive jutsu with a huge chakra surge rippling along every direction in the middle of the village. Moreover, the water that exploded in all directions swept away trees in all directions, uprooting them entirely and a mini lake was established inside Konoha within seconds.
I stood in the center of the blast, my arm bloodied from the impact. If I hadn't carefully directed the blast sideways, I would have most probably shred to pieces. I lifted my arm and looked at my bloodied palm which was bleeding like there was no tomorrow and grimaced.
"Yup, that's definitely a Kinjutsu," I said cheerfully and looked at my surroundings admiring my destruction.
The three chakra signatures were gone. They had reacted quickly, even then, I am sure they were heavily injured. After all, the amount of blood didn't entirely match with the amount of bleeding I had. I looked around not letting my guard down. It would be easy to be taken advantage of in my current situation. Deciding to play it safe, I used my blood to perform a summoning jutsu pumping as much chakra as possible.
Kuchiosune Jutsu
A humongous salamander materialized under me lifting me high into the air. If I was going to create a commotion, then I might as well do it well.
"Chojiro, big buddy, how are you?" I asked chirpingly.
"Why have you called me now? Is the she-demon back again?"
"Nope, the war's over and we are in Konoha," I said happily.
"Didn't chief tell you not to call us if you aren't in battle?"
"Look around, big buddy," I said trying to bandage my bleeding palm.
"You did this," Chojiro asked looking around at the devastation. "You have been corrupted by that She-demon."
"Nah, some scum thought I would be easy pickings and tried to do me away. I created a huge bang and summoned you. They have already escaped," I said looking around.
"Weren't the Senju clan a prominent clan in your village?"
"Yeah, we are like the Chief's family in your land. So, that is why it intrigues me that someone made a move on me tonight," I said sensing the chakra signatures pouring in towards my location.
"Maybe the new Chief doesn't like you?"
"Well, that is not possible. The new Chief is my sister's mate. I was returning from his house to mine when I was attacked," I said solemnly.
"That means," Chojiro hesitated.
"They can only deal with me secretly. Hence the destruction and commotion. Now, I am going to act weak and see if anyone else takes the bait. Be on guard."
"All right," Chojiro said and his expression morphed into a stupid one. "Hey, can I have some fun?"
"Hmmm I think you having a little fun would be more than adequate. They need to know that I am not a pushover. But, don't overdo it."
"Thank you, just watch. By the way, where's your Chief's house."
"To your right," I said and closed my eyes.
I felt Chojiro walking towards Kushina's house unmindful of the chakra signatures gathered in front. I sniggered imagining a giant summon walking towards the Hokage's house in the middle of the night. Oh, this is going to be bat shit crazy.
"Stop!"
"Stop!"
"Stop right there!"
Shouts echoed from all around us. I snorted at their stupidity. As if Chojiro was going to stop and not have some fun. It would be a miracle if he didn't pick up a few fights along the way. Regardless, I didn't care. The more splash I made, the more vary they would be to target me next time. After all, who wants to attack a guy who will probably wreck most of the village property just to spite the attackers?
There were two kinds of people you don't attack. One, people who are strong like Orochimaru, Hiruzen, Jiraiya, and Minato. The other kind is people who are crazy like Guy, Gaara, Killer Bee, Kushina, Naruto, and others like them. The racket they make alone is enough to create a few more additional headaches. Since I wasn't strong enough, then I had to take the other route obviously.
"Whose summon is that?"
"I know that summon, that's Senju sama's summon. I have seen him use it to battle against Mei Terumi of Kiri in the frontlines."
"What's it doing here?"
"Wait! Is that Senju sama on top of the summon?"
"Looks like he is injured,"
"Who injured him? Are there enemies in the village?"
"Search the village! Detain all the foreign personnel. We need to find the culprits. How dare they attack Senju sama right inside the village?"
"Luckily, Senju sama is strong and was able to escape. What would have happened if they attacked someone else?"
"Search the village."
"Look at that devastation, the enemy might be injured too. Search for any injured person and detain them."
All sorts of sound were heard. I smirked as I laid atop Chojiro wondering when Chojiro would create more chaos. After all, he was the summon I got along with most. And our personalities were similar. He was the one who knew me best. He knew I was sending a warning to the attackers. So, the showier it was, the better it will be.
I opened my eyes marginally and looked around to find that we were passing by Elder Koharu's clan lands. A devious smile stretched across my face. I have long found her irritating. Unfortunately, I can't do anything to her due to her status. This was an ideal opportunity to vent some of my frustration. I tapped on Chojiro's back telling him that creating chaos here was perfectly acceptable.
Chojiro tripped and crashed into the houses with his behemoth body. Screams echoed throughout the lands. I hastily checked with my chakra sense if anyone was inside the houses, but luckily it looked like everyone was outside watching the spectacle.
Chojiro rose up angrily and roared. He swung his katana blasting a huge wind throughout the land and sending people flying. He turned around and looked for an imaginary enemy. He calmed down only when no one was there.
"Oops, it looks like Chojiro tripped!" he said sheepishly before looking around innocently and sheathing back his katana.
I could feel the surrounding people sweat dropping. That was a very, very flimsy excuse. I need to teach this big lump how to lie convincingly next time. But, for now, no one looked like they were going to argue with him. After all, how many people have the guts to argue with a big behemoth?
"You stupid lump! Who are you trying to fool?" Koharu san's angry voice echoed from the surroundings.
It looked like there were indeed people who were stupid enough to do so. Didn't she fear the consequences? I tapped Chojiro twice to indicate he can go ahead with creating more chaos.
"You old hag! You were the one who tripped me!" he shouted angrily.
"What?"
"I'm taking my injured master to safety. Why did you try to stop me? Master told his own people attacked him so he asked me to bring me to his Chief. Now that you are stopping me, I am suspicious of you. Are you the one who injured master?" Chojiro demanded unsheathing his katana.
"Is that true?"
"I mean I heard rumors that the female councilor doesn't like Senju sama. It might be even true. Look where he was attacked."
"Yeah, its near their clan compound."
"Was the summon really tripped?"
"If someone of Elder Koharu's level made a move, we wouldn't even know."
"See, there was no one injured in her clan."
"It all looks to be planned."
"Then, do you think it was Elder Koharu who attacked Senju sama?"
"Why would she do so?"
I smiled knowing that even if Elder Koharu wasn't guilty, rumors would spread now. People's tongues will begin to wag. Now, more than me, Elder Koharu was under pressure to find out who did this. Ah, just creating small chaos was enough to make more people work for me. It sure feels gratifying.
"What are you talking you big lump?" Elder Koharu hollered back angrily.
"Were you the one who attacked master?" Chojiro asked solemnly.
"No, you fool."
"Then, why did you trip me?"
"What! When did anyone trip you? You tripped on yourself,"
"You are lying"
"I am not!"
"Then who tripped me?"
"No one, you big lump!"
"Did you trip me?"
"No, you big brute."
"Then, who tripped me?"
"I am telling no one tripped you, you big lump!"
"Why did you attack master?"
It was honestly hard trying to stifle laughter. By now, most people were chuckling in the surrounding. To them, it looked like Chojiro had decided that it was Elder Koharu who tripped him. So, he was interrogating her seriously with repetitive questions like a stupid interrogator. With every question, Elder Koharu was getting more and more irritated. It was actually very funny to watch.
"You have killing intent, do you want to kill my master?" Chojiro asked as Elder Koharu's irritation peaked.
"No, I am going to kill you."
"You are going to kill me and then kill my master. That's why you tripped me then?"
"No, you big lump!"
"You just said you are going to kill me."
"Aaargh!"
"I have to tell you that you can't actually kill me. I will merely be sent back to summon realm. So, it means you want to kill my master."
In the end, Elder Koharu vomited a mouthful of blood unable to bear with Chokiro's questioning. I couldn't help but be amazed by his technique. Just by repeatedly asking the same questions he made one of the respected Elders of Konoha to vomit blood. Looks like acting stupid too had its uses. I smirked knowing that the mission was accomplished and tapped on Chojiro so that he could continue.
Even before we took a few steps, Minato appeared in a flash and stood in front of Chojiro.
"Who are you?"
"I am the Yondaime Hokage Namikaze Minato. Do you know who attacked Hato kun?"
I tapped repeatedly on Chojiro's back to indicate that he should stop his shenanigans.
"So, you are the Chief. That's good. My master asked me to deliver himself to his Chief's place. He said it was his own people who attacked him," Chojiro said solemnly.
"I see," Minato's eyes narrowed. "I will take care of Hato kun from here Chojiro san, you can take your leave."
"You know my name," Chojiro asked in surprise.
"I am the Chief," Minato smiled. "And I also know how smart you are."
"I think its time for me to leave. Take care of master," Chojiro vanished in a puff the moment the threw me to Minato.
Minato caught me midair and another Hirashin later I was in Minato's house.
"What happened to him?" Kushina came in anxiously.
"He was attacked on the way home, but nothing to worry. He is fine, he is just faking it."
"What?"
"Minato san, my arm injury is real," I said lifting my bandaged palm as I sat up.
"Was there a need to fake serious injury?" Minato asked me seriously.
"Minato san, the ones who attacked me had Anbu masks," I said seriously. "Not Danzo's or yours. Their masks were different."
Minato's eyes narrowed and I stretched a little.
"We need a confidential medic nin. The more injured they think I am, the more likelihood for them to attack again. But, I don't think we need to worry about that for a few months now. They were careful enough to cloak their chakras, distort their voices and even hide their smells. People like them will not strike so soon after what happened today. The reason I created a spectacle was that they wanted to deal with me in secret. Now that things have blown up, they will try to be as low key as possible."
"They won't make a move in the next few months. Most likely, they will only attack me after a long time to throw off suspicion. After all, I am not some nobody. I am the last living Senju. That name still carries weight."
Minato nodded.
"Still, you need to be careful in the upcoming weeks," Kushina said from the side.
"That's why I faked a serious injury. We are currently researching the barrier seal. I can remain here and it can look like I am being treated by the medic nin."
"That's a good plan," Kushina said.
"I will call Rin," Minato said getting up.
"Do you trust her?" I asked seriously.
"She is my student," he said with an edge to his voice.
"Whatever, if you are sure, I don't have any problem. Just make sure she doesn't blab to anyone else," I snorted turning to look away.
Minato left the room.
"What's your problem with Rin?" Kushina asked.
"Nothing, it's just that I don't think I trust her very much. I know you both trust her and she is Minato's student. But, I'm not at ease."
"Don't worry, you will be fine."
"It's not me that I am worried about Kushina nee," I said solemnly. "Its what this attack implied that I am worried about. I am the last Senju. Someone inside Konoha wants me gone. They trailed me from your house. That means, they knew I was having dinner with you today. It was a well-prepared ambush. The usual route I take had been scouted. They have found the ideal place to ambush. None of this is possible without inside information."
"How many people do you think know that I was supposed to have dinner with you and Minato tonight?"
"Very few," Kushina said grimacing.
"Exactly, that's my worry."
(*****)
I was cooped up in Kushina's house for two weeks. Yet, no one made a move on me. Even when Kushina and Minato were out, no one made a move, which made me even warier than before. There were only select few people who knew that I wasn't hurt.
Biwako and Hiruzen were in the loop considering how they were my proxy parents. Danzo was in the loop too. It was hard to conceal the truth when he had personally visited me. He approved of my actions but also reprimanded me for causing trouble for Koharu. Regardless, he was in the loop.
Apart from them, Minato and Kushina were the only ones who knew of my true condition. Except for the medic who treated me – Noharu Rin. Rin, was always a sweet girl, always helpful and a mediator between two extremes in her team. It was hard to doubt her. Yet, with the list so small, it was hard not to.
If either Minato or Kushina was the ones who disclosed my status, it wouldn't make much sense. I trusted both of them implicitly. They were my first choice for shelter. I didn't even want to return home but came here. That explained how much trust I had in her.
Danzo, on the other hand, was a complicated one to figure out. I knew that he cared for me, but whether he had anything to do with the attack, I wasn't sure. He was the only other person in the village who had his own Anbu, apart from the Hokage. But, this wasn't his style. Something about this felt off.
Hiruzen and Biwako was yet another complicated case. They had raised me from when I was a child. So, it was hard to think that they were the ones who ordered the hit on me. Yet, I had seen Hiruzen's ruthlessness that day while playing Shogi. It was hard not to keep an eye out on him. This created a major headache. If he was the one, then will I be safe in his house?
Compared to these people, Rin was a minor case. She didn't have the power to mobilize Anbu grade shinobi. But, if she was working for someone else, then it was far more dangerous. Usually, it was that single kunai you deem unworthy that will take your life on the battlefield. So, I wasn't ruling out anyone.
But, the biggest issue when it came to Rin was her closeness with Minato. Both Kushina and I were guarded against her. But, Minato supported her fully. He felt it was Danzo who had ordered it as he was the only one who had legitimate access to Anbu grade shinobi. It was scary how confident he was in her. Even with the relationship I had with Danzo, Hiruzen, and Biwako, I didn't rule out any of them. But, Minato's insistence on Rin's innocence was borderline fanatical.
And that brought out another big issue. Neither Hiruzen or Biwako or Danzo can be questioned. The only one who could be was Rin. But, Minato was adamant about her innocence. Hence, none of the suspects could be questioned.
"Kushina nee, it looks like this will remain as an unsolved mystery," I said as we both took a rest after our fuinjutsu research.
"Yeah, I think so too," Kushina grimaced knowing how much this was bugging me. "But looking from how they were able to order Anbu, I think it could only be someone at the top."
"What do you think about Rin?" I asked her.
"Rin is a good child. I know her character. She might not like you, but she wouldn't murder you," Kushina said after a while.
"So, you too think she is innocent and I am just being paranoid," I asked massaging my brows.
"No, we can't rule her out too. We have very few suspects. It's true that I know her character and she doesn't have the power to mobilize Anbu grade shinobi. But, she is working in the hospital. What if some of her colleagues are spies who are working for someone at the top?"
"You think she might have let it slip sometime and they got wind of it," I asked sitting up.
"It's definitely a possibility. She doesn't necessarily understand the level of severity of your fake injury," Kushina said grimacing.
"You know, all this stuff is making my head explode. I think I am going to put it in the back burner and pick it up when they make a move on me again," I said rising up.
"That's for the best."
"Anyways, I am heading out. I have been cooped up in your house for the past two weeks; I am a bit stir crazy. I need to pick up my training again," I said stretching a little.
"That's also good. We have missed the window of opportunity. We need to wait until they strike again to get a good lead. But, be careful."
"Don't worry, nee-san. I can take care of myself. I have a few more techniques up my sleeve. It's not that easy to take me out," I said smiling at her.
"Don't be overconfident," she chided, "Come, I will treat you to Ramen."
"Kushina nee, I have had enough of ramen in the past two weeks. I might even become scared of it if I eat any more anytime soon."
"That's blasphemy. Ramen is everlasting,"
"To you maybe, but not to me. Also, make sure you eat some healthy items instead of Ramen. If not for you, do it for the little guy. Once he is born, you can eat all the ramen you want," I said motioning to her small baby bump.
Kushina looked down at the bump and affectionately rubbed it.
"Hnnn," she said nodding her head.
"And stay away from those Uchiha. You are even beginning to sound like them," I said taking my leave.
"You brat!"
I vanished in a shunshin not willing to stay any longer.
I appeared in a clearing a little distance away from Kushina's home. I breathed in the fresh air and savored it. After being cooped up for two entire weeks, a breath of fresh air was so refreshing. I decided to take it easy and laid down on the grass. I plucked a stem and began chewing it as I lay watching the clouds.
My thoughts were all over the place. Hiruzen, Biwako, Danzo, and Rin. I cycled through what I knew about them and which one of them might have tipped off the enemy from walking into my trap. I sighed realizing that everyone had a suspicious point.
The least suspicious was Rin and Biwako. They both had neither the means nor the opportunity. But, the problem was that neither of them was what one would call cunning. They were both simple-minded and didn't have many complex thoughts. They both were caring and loving. But, it was easy to fool people like them. The possibility of either of them letting it slip was huge.
On the other hand, Hiruzen and Danzo were cunning old monsters. They wouldn't let it slip easily. But, if either of them had a hand in the attack, then I was in a very dangerous position. I needed to be on guard with both of them.
And Rin. Something about her felt off. Something deep inside me was telling me that the news had been leaked through her. But did she do it willingly or did she unwittingly let it slip? The reason for this feeling was that the rest of the people who were in the loop knew about the seriousness of the attack. But, Rin was different. She wouldn't understand the political ramifications and serious repercussions of the last Senju being attacked by Konoha nin inside Konoha.
And if she was that naïve, then she was even more dangerous. She had access to Minato. His unwavering confidence in her was something that could be exploited easily. It brought me chills to just think about someone with the power to mobilize Anbu getting into Minato's inner circle. Minato would be on guard against Hiruzen, Danzo and other old monsters. But Rin, she was different.
This needed careful consideration. This wouldn't become an issue early in Minato's reign. But, as time passed, this would become a serious issue. It had the potential to cripple the entire village. So, I decided to keep an eye on Rin from now on. It wouldn't be good to be taken unaware.
But, moving back to the attack, the biggest question was why. Why would someone order a hit on me? It would be either because they saw me as a thorn in their eye or because I had affected their interests somehow. If I figure out the reason for this, then it will be easy to identify the culprit. All I could do now was to wait for them to attack again.
The next time they attack, I will capture that person and interrogate them. That means I need to up my fuinjutsu. I need to device a few more traps for me to capture an Anbu grade shinobi. While I had the confidence to escape from an Anbu grade shinobi, capturing him would be hard. And what if more than one was sent?
Didn't they send three last time? So, it would be more than that number next time. Next time, they wouldn't give me an opportunity. The last time I succeeded because I took them by surprise. This time, I will need to have some trump cards to deal with them.
Looks like more training was in order. And an apartment. I need to move out as soon as possible. Staying in Hiruzen's place was becoming more and more dangerous.
I sighed thinking how even in peacetime I had so many problems to deal with.
(*****)
Things returned to normal very soon. It was as if the attack didn't even happen. Apart from some gossips and exaggerated rumors, no one else was discussing the attack. Strangely enough, I felt that someone was diverting people's attention elsewhere.
A market festival was conducted. Talks about Chunnin Exams started. Street performers were performing in the street. Gossips about various clans ran rampant in the village. In the end, the attack on me became a footnote. Even that entire training ground was remodeled and made into an amusement park. I watched it all happen with a bit of trepidation.
Whoever was behind my attack, they can move clouds and sea present in Konoha easily. It put me more on guard. I began to search for my apartment frantically. Unfortunately, nothing fitting came along. Unable to do anything else, I put myself into training whole-heartedly.
Every single free second I got, I trained like a maniac. The reason behind was simple. In front of ultimate power, all schemes became useless. So, the only way I can escape was to be powerful enough on my own right. So, I naturally put more and more effort into training.
Meanwhile, the research into the Barrier Seal was nearing its endpoint. A few weeks after the attack, my research with Kushina encountered a breaking point. The moment we crossed it, our research became increasingly easy. We knew that it was nearing its end and put in more effort. We were confident that within a few weeks we can devise the Barrier Seal Minato had asked for.
At the same time, Kushina's pregnancy too was into halfway. She was around five months pregnant by now. She only had four more months to go. Her pregnancy hormones were beginning to kick in which made me want to finish this research as soon as possible. Both to have something to counter Kamui and to escape from her increasing hormonal tantrums.
Minato, the poor sod, was the one who got the worst of Kushina's tantrums. He had nowhere else to run to. Kakashi rarely visited them these days. Obito was beginning to avoid Kushina these days. Rin was the only one who still dropped by frequently, but she knew how to navigate around Kushina. Hence, that left me and Minato to tiptoe around her. But, at least, I get some break time. Poor Minato!
"We have decided the name for the child," Kushina announced as I sat in for dinner with Team Minato, Jiraiya, and Minato.
"Oh, what is it?" Rin asked eagerly.
"Naruto," Minato said proudly.
Jiraiya stiffened beside me. His large frame froze for a couple of seconds before tears streamed down his eyes.
"And sensei, we want you to be his Godfather," Minato continued looking at his sensei.
"Are you sure about it, Kushina nee?" I asked eyeing Jiraiya sideways.
Jiraiya bristled, "What's that supposed to mean, you brat?"
"Well, I was only worried about the child. I mean, we all know what kind of hobbies you have," I smirked at him.
"Yikes," Rin screeched. "Minato sensei you definitely can't make this old pervert Godfather. He will definitely lead the child astray."
"Rin, Jiraiya sensei raised me. Didn't I turn out fine?"
"Yeah, one a pervert and other a dork. Nice example. My heart is at ease," I snorted.
Kakashi's eyes crinkled and Obito started guffawing out loud.
"And look what you brought up - a robot," I said pointing to Kakashi who glared at me.
"Minato, I am having serious doubts now," Kushina said exchanging a worried glance with Rin.
"Kushina, we have been through this. You get to pick the godmother and I get to pick the godfather," Minato whined.
"But, your choice of godfather makes me worried," Kushina pouted.
"Brat, are you happy now?" Jiraiya glowered at me.
"Relax, old man. I was just joking," I said smiling at him.
"But, Hatorama has valid points," Rin frowned.
"Yeah," Kushina said hesitantly.
"Who's the godmother?" I asked trying to divert the topic.
"Mikoto, of course," Kushina said primly. "Any objections?" she asked narrowing her eyes.
"Oh Kami!" I groaned.
"What now?" Kushina looked a little apprehensive.
"You are even starting to sound like those damn Uchihas," I said making Jiraiya and Minato chuckle.
Obito shot me a stinkeye but didn't refute my statement. Rin and Kakashi hid their smiles. Kushina pouted at me and threw her chopsticks at me. I caught them deftly and gave it back to her.
"So," Jiraiya began after getting his laughter under control, "how's the seal coming along?"
"We are almost done," I said picking up my chopsticks. "It will be ready in a few weeks. What's the news?"
"Kiri is going into civil war," he said solemnly.
Minato looked up at that and his eyes narrowed a little.
"It was going to happen sooner or later," Jiraiya continued. "Too much distrust and stigma against bloodline limits. There is talk that they brought bad omen which resulted in Kiri losing the war."
"As if," I snorted. "If not for Mei, I would have run roughshod over their entire Jounin division."
"True," Jiraiya nodded, "but the higher-ups need a scapegoat. And bloodline users below Chunnin will be prosecuted because of that. Jounins like Mei might be safe, but others don't have much chance."
"How bad is it going to be?" Minato asked.
"Very bad," Jiraiya said somberly. "I expect Kiri's strength to be halved by the time they are done with this."
"Isn't the Mizukage not doing anything?"
"That's the trickiest part. The Mizukage hasn't been seen outside for the last two months. Regardless, the Mist always was a little violent. There is a reason for it to be called The Bloody Mist. Fights are common there. But, this might cut the entire nation's strength in half."
"Maybe, we can make use of it," I said suddenly causing everyone to look at me.
"What do you mean?" Minato asked.
"Think about it. For example," I motioned towards Obito, "The Uchiha has just gone through a war and fought for their nation. Countless of their kin have died and sacrificed to protect the nation. Now, there is unrest and there is a stigma against bloodline users like Uchiha. Say, if Kumo extended a hand and said that they would be glad to support them and if needed provide asylum, wouldn't the Uchiha waver in their heart?"
Minato thought about it hard and he shook his head.
"There were countless of their kin who were killed by us. They wouldn't join us even if we help them."
"Perhaps now they might feel that way. But, once the purge begins they will be scrambling for any lifeline," I replied seriously.
"What he says has merit," Jiraiya grunted. "In a year or two, the stigma will be worse and there might even be chances of entire clans being wiped out. When that time comes, people will be desperate."
"But, what if spies infiltrate us?" Kakashi asked.
"Vet them," Kushina said somberly. "Anyone who needs Konoha's asylum must undergo a preliminary interrogation just to make sure that no one infiltrates us."
"That way we can filter out spies," Obito said enthusiastically.
"Not all of them will be caught," Jiraiya shook his head. "What you will catch is small fishes that were purposefully planted to assuage you. But, the real masters of the craft will not be caught. They will mingle with the crowd and stay low for a year or two before beginning their work."
"But, on the other hand, you increase your military strength drastically. Imagine if clans like Yuki, Kaguya, and others come under us," I countered smoothly.
"It will not be just us that will be making the move," Minato said.
"That's why sitting out will not benefit us at all," I argued back.
"Well, I will think about it and talk with the councilors," Minato said letting out a sigh.
"If you talk to those old crones, nothing will be done. They will drag their feet so much that by the time you decide Kumo would have already pecked Kiri clean. We will only be left with leftovers," I snorted.
"The councilors have the welfare of the people in mind. They will do what is necessary. Just because they aren't rash like you, it doesn't mean they are useless," Rin argued back hotly.
"My, my, Rin! From when did you become a supporter of the councilors?" I asked jovially.
"None of your business," she snapped and returned to her food.
I exchanged a glance with Kushina. I was gratified to note that it wasn't just me who had taken note of Rin's behavior. Minato looked oblivious as he was discussing details about the situation in Kiri with Jiraiya. I let out a huge sigh and turned around just to see Kakashi looking at me.
I eye-smiled at him causing him to raise his eyebrows. His gaze lingered over Rin, who was talking to Obito, and returned to look at me. I smiled back in return and nodded at Kushina. Kushina too was looking at Rin with a troubled expression. Kakashi's eyebrows rose a little bit higher. He shot me a questioning look.
'Minato trusts Rin. Rin supports councilors.' I signed to him under the table.
Kakashi's eyes hardened as he looked at Rin.
'I will investigate,' he signed back.
I nodded and we broke eye contact.
(*****)
"So, why did you drag me here," I asked Anko as we traveled across the rooftops towards the recently opened Takiyoki stall.
"Shhh," she hissed back.
"You sound remarkably like a snake," I grumbled back.
'Mask your presence' Anko signed to me making me raise my eyebrows.
I immediately masked my presence and followed her. We perched atop a roof a little way off from the stall. She pointed me to look at a particular spot and I looked. Surprise flooded through me almost causing me to lose control.
'From when?'
'Its been going on for a few days.'
I sniggered into my hand and I eagerly watched the duo who were chatting merrily in the stall.
'Who is he?'
'Someone from Intelligence. Cryptography to be precise.'
'Interesting'
Anko chuckled and we both decided to wait at our spot and watch the proceedings. Down at the stall, Harami was animatedly chatting with a male chunnin. From the looks of it, they looked close to each other.
'Should we let her know?'
'No! Wait till she tells herself, idiot'
I rolled my eyes and snorted looking down at her.
'Get me an intel report on that guy.'
'I already checked. He isn't bad. No ulterior motives. He is head over heels for her.'
'Like Asuma is for Kurenai.'
'Yes.'
We both sniggered and watched the unfolding drama as they both chatted as if no one else was present. From the way that guy looked at her, it looked as if he was really into her.
'By the way, I heard that Asuma was planning to kill you.'
'I left him with Kurenai after emptying his savings.'
Anko's eyes widened and she started guffawing hard. I chuckled back at her.
'You are so bad.'
'Come on, he deserves a kick in his ass. He was dragging things out for a long time. It's my duty as a brother.'
'Did anything happen?'
'As if, that blockhead didn't even ask her out.'
'Maybe we should show Asuma how a guy courts a girl. What if we bring him here?'
'Good idea, come, let's go.'
Anko and I took off to search for Asuma.
(*****)
I walked into the pub with mixed emotions. Kenpachi had provided me with some very valuable information. He merely stated that one of his patrons have been boasting about meeting a particular person in this inn just yesterday. When I had coincidentally dropped by his location for a chat, he had provided me with the information.
I cursed the damned old man for meddling in my personal life, but there wasn't any anger in it. I gritted my teeth and summed up my courage to walk into the noisy pub. It had taken me an hour to track down that particular individual to this pub in a nearby village. With how close to Konoha this was, I wondered what she was even doing here.
After all, the war had just finished and not a lot of Konoha shinobi were understanding. They might take out their anger on her. Not that she would be in any danger; her abilities were relatively high after all. But this would turn out to be a messy affair if not handled properly. As much as I didn't want to be the one to confront her, I know deep down that my mere presence would send her running considering how close this was to Konoha.
I walked to the table she was occupying. There were a lot of men who were ogling her from the nearby table. She had a knock-out figure. Combined with her young figure, she was sure to turn heads wherever she went.
"Hi, long time no see," I smiled taking an opposite seat.
She looked at me with groggy eyes and her eyes widened. Shock appeared on her face as the intoxication cleared within seconds. I smiled enjoying her discomfort.
"You look remarkably like him," she hissed.
The next moment she leaned forward and flicked her finger. Having not expected such a hostile reaction, it was only proper that I was sent crashing through the tables to the other side of the room. I shook my head to clear the cobwebs off as she sauntered over to my prone body.
"Is that any way to greet me, cousin?" I asked getting out of the debris.