Chapter 3: Meeting with the Hokage
Hokage's office
Arriving at the Hokage's office via Body Flicker he nicely asked the secretary if he could see the Hokage. "Of course," was the secretary's reply he got. Walking into the office with Yugao closely following behind you could see the Hokage drinking tea. He sat at his usual desk with the two village advisors Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado sitting in front of the old Hokage.
"Hunter-san it is good to see you, you as well Yugao-san." Said the aged Hokage with a grandfatherly smile. After Yugao and the disguised hunter greeted the Hokage and his former teammates (the Sandaime teammates are now the current advisors) they got into business mode. Naruto reached into his pocket and pulled out a scroll giving it to the Hokage. Opening the scroll and channeling chakra through it a head appeared.
"That is the head of Kase Takoe." Yugao said in surprise. "Kase Takoe" repeated Homura not sure where he heard that name before.
"Kase Takoe was a missing nin from the Cloud (Lightning Country) for stealing a forbidden jutsu. Two weeks ago, his mission was to infiltrate Konoha and then do the same here. We do not know which particular jutsu he wanted to steal- just that he wanted to steal one. We believe the order to infiltrate Konoha was given to him by no other than Orochimaru the snake Sannin. We currently assume that Mr. Takoe met him after his defection from the Cloud. We know that he works for Orochimaru because he bears a curse mark. As you all know the curse seal consists of a submission seal which slowly deteriorates the users mind and bends it to Orochimaru's will. The other part is a death switch seal. With it Orochimaru can kill everyone who carries the seal as a death switch. Takoe was probably just another of Orochimaru's pawns he used. Orochimaru curses them with his seal and if they do not do as he says he threatens them with death. Some follow Orochimaru willingly in the hopes of a home, survival, power , women, or a combination of those things. " Yugao enlightened the elder.
"There is also a third component to the seal." The hunter nin said joining the conversation. "It is a containment seal." "A containment seal?" asked the Hokage interested since he did not know this. Any information regarding Orochimaru was more than welcomed. And the barrier team did not mention a containment seal. "Yes, a containment a seal." Confirmed Naruto. "It sends chemicals into the blood stream should you activate the curse seal. These chemicals increase the strength and stamina of the person who wields the curse seal. The downside however is that it makes you addictive. Should you not be able to activate the curse seal for a certain amount of time you will show the same signs as someone who does a cold turkey. Eventually you will even die from the removal of the curse seal. But this is not the most disturbing part. Orochimaru's curse seal is not only based on Fuinjutsu." "How is that possible" asked an advisor.
"Simple "answered the quarter Uchiha. "Orochimaru used a substance which I do not know. This substance is most likely an organic substance. Every organic substance has a DNA. The DNA is made up of bases. Orochimaru added a few bases to the DNA creating a different, unstable DNA and then decoded it via Fuinjutsu sealing it in the body. The unstable DNA does not allow anyone to extract the sealing matrix, which you need to break even the easiest seal in existence. Our human DNA is something special and even the slightest of change could result in various things. One of those variant things is that our primal instincts will take over stopping all logical thought. This could explain why Orochimaru's henchman are so animalistic and inhuman when they activate their curse seal. The curse seal is really a masterpiece of Fuinjutsu and biology." Praised Naruto Orochimaru's work.
"This is bad." Said Yugao. "If what you say is true than the curse seal is one on the same level as the Cage Bird Seal. Orochimaru probably used it as an inspiration or even derived the curse seal from it." "And the Hyuga Clan would never show us how the Cage Bird Seal is constructed." Groaned out the Hokage. "Orochimaru as you already probably know has linked the death switch, submission seal and containment seal to another. Should you try to remove one of them the death switch seal will activate killing the one with the curse seal immediately." Said the only hunter nin in the room.
"So, you are saying that to break the Curse Seal we need the organic substance Orochimaru used to create the seal. And there about half a billion organic substances in this world. Or we need the inner workings of the caged bird seal which the Hyuga clan will never give us. If we have the organic substance, we can extract the sealing matrix and then try to break the seal." Koharu said. Getting a nod from the hunter the advisor just sighed. "Then we can never break it Orochimaru could have used any organic substance we know of. Like Koharu said there are half a billion of them. Chances that we find the substance go against zero. " Homura added her point of view.
Yugao was impressed. The knowledge the hunter nin had about Fuinjutsu was impressive. She would not be surprised if he was the best seal master in town even counting the barrier team. And they were Uzumaki's or at least they were descendants of Uzumaki's. She herself had some skill in sealing. But she could only do the basics- create an explosive tag, a sealing scroll- things like that.
"Back to Mr. Takeo. I guess he did not succeed in stealing the jutsu he came here for?" asked Koharu. "No, he did not. The Barrier Team detected him. A squad of Anbu stopped him before he succeeded in stealing whatever jutsu he wanted to steal. He escaped the squad however after killing an Anbu." Yugao said a bit ashamed that her colleagues were not able to capture or kill Kase Takoe.
"After Mr. Takeo escaped, I told Tatsu ( Japanese for dragon and Naruto's hunter nin codename) that he escaped via his dragon summoning's. Seeing the head in front of me it is safe to assume that Tatsu tracked him down and killed him." The professor said. "Mr. Takeo was an A-rank missing shinobi who specialized in Lightning Release Jutsu. He was a little better than average Jonin." Remarked the Hokage. "That means I will give you the payment of an average missing nin Jonin. If that would be everything you can leave now Tatsu."
"Actually, Hokage-sama, I would like to give you one more thing." Reaching into his pocket he pulled out another scroll. He gave it to the Hokage. "What is in this scroll." He eyed the hunter nin carefully. "My letter of resignation." He replied with no subtlety at all. The Hokage's eyes widened. "You want to quit." Asked Homura. "Why" she inquired a bit curious.
"I have to deal with some personal business. Besides, I have been running from something with my job as a hunter nin and it finally catched up with me. I have to deal with that now." He replied cryptically. "If I have dealt with my personal issues, I'll work as a hunter nin for you again. But until then I can't work as a hunter nin for you."
"How long will it take you to deal with your personal issues." Asked the Hokage. "A month. But please donate half of my money I made as a hunter nin in my 3 year to the village orphan system" said Tatsu. The Hokage gave no reaction to what Naruto just said. "Seriously this guy surprises me every time he talks. He should really learn subtlety." Thought the Hokage.
"You can't be serious" said the Hokage not believing that a hunter nin of all people just said that. Hunter nin were uncaring, bloodthirsty, greedy people who only cared about money and killing people. "I am very serious, Lord Hokage. I am for my part grew up in an orphanage myself and I was not necessarily treated well there. I would really like to help out my fellow orphans. Plus, I visited an orphanage yesterday and a caretaker told me that the money has been cut short for the orphanage system last month. They told me that they struggled economically, and I want to help them. And if I can help them by giving them a little bit of money, I will gladly do so."
"Hiruzen about how much money are we talking here?" asked Homura. The Hokage shrugged. "Around 500 thousand $" answered the hunter nin seeing that the Hokage had no idea how much money he actually made during his three-year service. The advisors, Yugao's and the Hokage's eyes almost bulged out. Naruto had to use all his willpower to not burst out laughing at the site. After regaining his composure, the Sarutobi in the room asked, "Are you sure that you want to donate so much money to the orphanage system." The hunter nin gave the Fire Shadow a disbelieving look. "Are you really the Hokage? Are you are not supposed to jump up shake my hand and not look a horse gifts in the mouth." He asked.
Laughing slightly, he replied "I guess you are right. Very well I thank you for your services Tatsu. Please come to my office tomorrow morning so we can sign the paperwork for your donation. Until we meet again in a month. Dismissed."
"Hai Lord Hokage." Walking to the door but before opening it he said one more thing. "Sandaime-sama you should be aware of one more thing. There has been a new village forming in Rice Country. Otogakure. The leader of this village he calls himself the Otokage is I believe your former student Orochimaru."
"What" cried out the Hokage since Orochimaru forming a village was troubling news. The advisors now got a little bit suspicious of the hunter nin. "Why should we trust you? Furthermore, why would you give us this intel and how do you know this in the first place?"
"You do not have any reason to believe me. As for how I got the intel that is none of your concern." The advisor frowned at that. "I gave this intel to you because I have a huge dislike for Orochimaru. I would like nothing more than to have his head on a silver platter. But I guess you already knew that from the bingo book." With that the hunter nin opened the door and body flickered away. The Hokage sank into his chair. "What are you planning with your village, Orochimaru. How could you, my favorite student step so low." He thought. He would definitely ask Jiraiya if the intel he had just been given was true. But he hoped that the intel from the hunter nin was wrong.
But deep down he knew that it was true. He had a gut feeling. And his gut has rarely proven wrong.
"Hiruzen," called out Koharu, "Confirm that the intel he has just given us is true. Ask Jiraiya what he knows about this Otogakure. We can't trust this hunter nin blindly. Unlike with the rest of the hunter nins we do not actually know who lies behind that mask. You know what I think about unknown sources. I hate to rely on them."
"I will confirm this Jiraiya." Said the Sandaime. "Who is this guy? Mysterious, kind and a hunter nin, who knew that that combo existed." Mused Yugao in thought. "He is obviously skilled, and nobody knows who is under that mask? On a different note, why did Sandaime-sama allow him to work for him if he does not even know his identity. Also, his chakra reserves are gigantic. They can compete with Sandaime-sama's but how can that be he is only thirteen. No 13-year-old should have this large chakra reserves." Yugao analyzed.
Yugao was a sensor. She could sense the chakra levels of the hunter nin. But he hid his chakra signature. "Why would he do that?" thought Yugao. Normally people hid their chakra signature so enemies would not discover their identity. "But that was assuming I already met the person who is behind that mask." She briefly wondered which person in the village had as much chakra as the Sandaime. There were only few people. But she stumbled upon a name. With a lot of guess work she realized that it could only be him. "It is good to have you back." She thought with a chuckle at the revelation.
"Homura, Koharu when it comes to unknown sources, I have the same opinion you have. I hate to rely on them. Nonetheless has Tatsu shared information regarding Orochimaru's exploits in the past with us. It is not unusual that when I met up with him that our conversation is more like a briefing about Orochimaru. Information that he gave me has only once been wrong. And he has given us countless of Information regarding Orochimaru. He did so after two years in service as a hunter nin I asked him why he helped us when I employed him as a hunter nin. His reply was and I quote' I hate Orochimaru. Let us just say that I had a little run in with him and that he made an enemy out of me. And if sharing information with you damages Orochimaru, I will do so. An enemy of my enemy is my friend.' I do not really care why he helps us against Orochimaru. Fact is he does. I will, of course, confront Jiraiya about the information he has just given us. However, Tatsu is probably the only unknown source which I trust. So, when he says Orochimaru formed his own village it is in all likelihood true."
"Hiruzen how can you trust somebody who does not even trust you with his identity?" questioned Homura.
"For one he could have gone to the competition. Kumo and Iwa have made numerous attempts to get him under their contract. He always refused though they offered him three times the amount of money we offered him. Secondly, he is the best hunter nin we have. The dragon who hunts evil. He killed 10% of Konoha's missing ninjas. His usefulness just makes up for the fact that I do not know his identity."
"If what he said about Orochimaru's exploits is true and Jiraiya has no information about Otogakure then we must discover his identity." Said Koharu.
"That may not be necessary." Yugoa voiced her opinion entering the conversation. "May I ask why, Yugao-san" asked Koharu. "He told me that he will reveal his identity to me in two weeks."
"And you believe him. How foolish." Spoke a new voice. Turning towards the door they saw Danzo walking towards them. "Danzo" sneered the Hokage. "Why are you here?"
"I have been informed that the elder counsel (consisting of Hiruzen, Koharu, Homura and Danzo) has been summoned." "And who was the one that informed you?" asked the Sandaime with an edge in his voice. He did not want to have the old war hawk in this meeting. He was to militaristic, cruel, and preferred war over peace. The reason for that being that he did not believe in a peaceful co- existence between Konoha and the other villages. He wanted to see Konoha as the only village, military might in Konoha. He wanted to see Konoha on top of the world.
"Irrelevant." Danzo dismissed the question, making Hiruzen frown. "Anyway, why should we believe him ? Why should he reveal his identity now? He did not do it in the last three years."
"He will." Yugao insisted. "Danzo is right. Why should he now?" Koharu agreed with Danzo. "What is your opinion on this?" asked Hiruzen looking at Homura. "I agree with Danzo and Koharu." The female elder replied.
Hiruzen frowned. It was always like this. Danzo showed up to a meeting and then the elders usually supported Danzo's more militaristic suggestion over his peaceful suggestion. "He will reveal his identity." Yugao repeated her voice full of conviction. "How naïve are..." Danzo was interrupted by Yugao, "What is your opinion on this, Hokage-sama?"
Danzo grit his teeth. His thoughts were now along the line of 'how dare this whelp interrupt me like that.' "In my opinion" Danzo began again but was again interrupted by Yugao, "What you think is irrelevant. You are an advisor to the Hokage. You advise not lead. Konoha is not a democracy it is military dictatorship. Sandaime-sama is Konoha's dictator. The only one who has the right to deny and oppose the Hokage is the Daimyo. If the Hokage does not approve of your thoughts, they are as good as that of a fresh out of the academy genin."
"…"
"…"
"…"
Silence. Nobody suspected Yugao to retaliate against Danzo so harshly. The Hokage smirked he seemed to like Danzo getting treated like that. The two advisors looked like they wanted to reprimand Yugao any second now. But they could not. Everything she stated were facts.
Danzo grit his teeth again. "Who did she think she was? How dare she dismiss his opinion like that? " the war hawk raged in his mind. Koharu and Homura were not pleased either. It was true that they did not have any political power if the Hokage did not agree with their ideas. They were advisors after all. However, they did not like to have that fact rubbed right into their faces by a 16-year-old purple haired Anbu. (Yup in this fanfiction I made Yugao younger so that the age difference between her and Naruto is not to large)
The Hokage smiled. It felt unbelievable satisfactory to have someone undermine Danzo. The war hawk has been getting on his nerves really. Hiruzen knew that Root still worked in the shadows and that it had not been disbanded after the Uchiha Massacre like he ordered Danzo to do. But he had no evidence of that. Even if he did, he did not know if he could and should use it against Danzo.
If he did use it against Danzo then a civil war could take place in Konoha. He (Hiruzen) doubted that Danzo would just simply lie down and die if he was convicted of treason. But without evidence he could not be convicted of treason in the first place. Plus, Danzo had its uses. Or that is what the Sarutobi has been telling himself lately. He (Danzo) ordered things that Hiruzen could never. And if something did go wrong with Danzo's Root then the Hokage could always play the card ' I do not know what you are talking about. Those ninja with white masks certainly do not belong to Konoha.'. He could deny every involvement with Root.
"I agree with Yugoa. I believe that our hunter nin friend will reveal himself to us in two weeks' time. We will not take any action against him. He has served Konoha for the last three years and has given us information about Orochimaru. I think we can trust him." Hiruzen voiced his opinion on the matter. "Hiruzen," Danzo started again but was shut down by Hiruzen roaring, "That is final. Now everyone except Yugao get out. You are dismissed."
Danzo grit his teeth but complied with the order. Koharu and Homura just left with frowns on their faces. Yugao could not help herself but to smile. A fact which did not go unnoticed by the Hokage. "What got her so happy?" he wondered. "Nah, she is probably just happy that she could get one over Danzo." Looking at the clock Hiruzen noticed that it was 3 pm already. "Yugao-san please tell me that you have already picked the new Anbu recruits." He almost pleaded. "Yes, I have. Do not worry you can read your icha-icha paradise tonight." She ensured the aged Hokage. "That obvious, huh?"
Taking a page out of the hunter nins book she said a small smile gracing her lips, "No comment, Lord Hokage. No comment."
Chapter 3 Done. Hope you liked it.