Chapter 43: Illusory calm
Time changes everything.
It was a lesson Naruto had thought he'd learned a long time ago.
After all, his life had already changed so much in his short years. At first, his world had been empty and cold, with no one by his side, simply passing the days pretending not to notice the ever-present pain in his days. Then, thanks to one little girl, his world brightened all at once. The loneliness that had covered his days vanished as warmth settled into place...only for it all to balance off the edge of a precipice in just one night. The freezing solitude came back with a vengeance, fear right by his side. Not just because he could suddenly lose the small taste of happiness he'd acquired, but because the blond knew the people he cared about were suffering all on their own. And there was nothing he could do or offer to make it better. Still, Naruto was nothing if not persistent; even if no one else did so, the prankster persevered. Breaking the silence of the Uchiha compound with his persisting knocking. In what almost felt like a miracle, they opened the door and let him in, and in a way, they'd become closer than ever. His life had changed once more.
Back in Wave, and then during the Chuunin Exams, his comfortable, happy life had been threatened once more. A bitter reminder that not all changes were for the better.
Not one thing was safe from time.
Naruto thought he knew that.
And yet, as rain fell on all of them, a part of him still found it hard to believe that the old man who'd spent most of his childhood scolding the blond for his pranks...that the Sandaime Hokage was gone from this world.
Oh, a part of him knew it would happen sooner or later. Now that he thought about it, however, Naruto realized that not once had he been able to picture anyone but the old Sandaime when the blonde imagined who he'd receive the Hokage title from. Whenever he fantasized about being congratulated as their team continued to climb up the ranks, it was always the wrinkled face of Hiruzen Sarutobi who smiled at them. For some reason, it simply felt like the old geezer would always be a permanent fixture in his life.
But that was not how things worked.
Kagome's firm but gentle grip on his hand was not lying. And neither were Konohamaru's tears.
The man who'd felt as eternal as the rock that made the Hokage's monument had died. Killed at the hands of the same psycho who'd tried to hurt his friends. Glancing at his friends, the blonde could only see the calm facades they used when dealing with particularly annoying clients. Which didn't really meant much with those two. It was alright, he supposed.
As far as he could remember, the old man had visited the then younger heirs a couple of times while they were in the hospital after the incident. But other than that, the blond could not remember any time they'd had any real interaction apart from the brief comments when they got new missions. Honestly, the question of whether his childhood friends truly cared about what had happened was probably one better left unanswered. They were still here for him, and that's what mattered. Naruto didn't even have to ask to know he'd be spending the night in the silent Uchiha compound. It was just the kind of unspoken support that was helping him held his head high.
Konohamaru's sobs seemed to grow louder, drowning the sound of the rain falling down. Iruka-sensei had knelt down, right hand grabbing the younger boy's shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.
Guilt swirled inside his gut. The prankster may have lost someone that almost felt like family, but the kid had lost his grandfather...and probably more. Were the boy's parents still alive? Honestly, he'd never even thought to ask; it was clear the ones that cared for Konohamaru were mainly the geezer and his tutors. Would it really make much of a difference if they were still alive, if even now, the only one by his side was Iruka-sensei? Naruto would have to talk to Kagome-chan later, see how she thought he should approach this. It would likely poke some old wounds, but she was simply better than him at this, and the kid could definitely use whatever words were right for this shitty situation.
Cerulean orbs wandered until a splash of white caught his eye.
According to what Kagome-chan had been able to hear from the time they were stuck in the evac center, the Taisho seniors had spent most of their time moving around the village after taking out some giant summons. Apparently, it was all because Sandaime directly asked them to, refusing the possible aid from the legendary clan's leaders...
"Iruka-sensei..." His voice sounded both loud and low at the same time under the sound of the rain. "Why do people...risk their lives for the sake of others?"
"When one human dies...they are gone. Along with their past and current life and their future...many people die on missions or through war. And when they die, it happens startingly quickly and simply." The chuunin gaze seemed locked into the Hokages monument. "Hayate is one such an example, those who die have dreams and goals...but they all have something else just as important.
"Parents, siblings, friends, people who are important to them. Bonds form between them and those who are precious to them from the time they are born through trusting and helping each other...these strings that connect them, as time passes...grow stronger. There's no logic or reason to it. People just do things like that...because they have precious things to protect."
Precious things to protect, huh?
That...that was something Naruto could understand. In a way, he already did. If it was to protect those he loved, then he was willing to take away someone else's life and to offer his own in exchange. If it kept them safe...
"Yeah...I think I'm starting to get that now," Naruto added. "But...it's painful to die too."
It was the same thing he'd done when facing Gaara, the exact same thing Kagome and Sasuke did when facing Orochimaru. If there was something he loved to protect, then no matter what, the blonde would go to whatever lengths he had to...but the pain those left behind experimented ...it wasn't something he wanted to got through with anything similar to this ever again.
"Well, Sandaime-sama did not die in vain. He did leave all of us something important." Kakashi-sensei's voice sounded behind him. "Well, don't worry, you'll understand it eventually."
"Hey! Give me some credit; I do understand!"
Yes, this was the one thing he could fully understand.
He felt the soft grip on his hand tighten for just a second. "Let's go, Naruto-kun. We should have something to eat now that it's over."
"You made a mess of our training grounds, so don't expect to leave until they're all in order again." Sasuke scoffed as he turned.
With one last glance at the now softly sniffling Konohamaru, Naruto waved to the rest of the attendants and moved to follow his friends. Time changes everything, that may be true, but it didn't mean he couldn't fight to keep what and who he loved safe and sound.
Suddenly, they'd been left with nothing.
Slender fingers tightened across the rapidly cooling cup of tea between her hands. The Sandaime Hokage had been the only person either of them were absolutely sure had something to do with the order given to Uchiha Itachi. The only person who could point them in the right direction, both in their search for the rest of the implicated people and Itachi himself.
Now that the old leader was dead, the two clan heirs had lost their only lead.
A soft crack echoed through the silent house, and Kagome forced herself to loosen her grip. This tea set was ruined, but the girl didn't particularly care for getting soaked with matcha tea. In the ever-present silence of the compound, the lowest sound was deafening, especially within the small space that was the former Uchiha heir's room.
"The Council also had to be involved in it." Sasuke gently took the cup from her hands before the lukewarm liquid could seep out.
"More than likely. The question here is who within the Council really was involved...at least, I doubt the civilian council is involved." Bitterness crept into her words.
No, the people from the shinobi Council were more than likely entitled elders. Unless something had radically changed from when the clan had kept their notes and observations reports, then the two councils were almost always in constant conflict. All for the sake of trying to influence the village as much as possible. Considering this involved one of the founder clans (two, technically if her being the Uchiha's ward was also taken into account), there was no chance the old council would be all that happy getting civilians poking into the decision. Wealthy or not, civilians would never be anything other than that.
Carefully, the Uchiha set down the cracked teacup on the still dusty desk near the window she was sitting on. It was almost ironic; how now they took refuge in the one room they'd unanimously decided never to set foot again. But here they were, sitting inside Itachi's room as they tried their best to find their footing once more. Their one lead to the only person who never attempted to use them forever severed.
Empty-handed, now none of them had any real idea on how to proceed anymore...
It had truthfully been a struggle to keep on her calm facade during the funeral as a mix of confusion, fear, and anger fought for supremacy because it certainly felt like they'd regressed in their search instead of gaining any sort. Sasuke's grip on her hand a necessary reminder of why it was so important to remain calm and not crush her childhood friend's fingers as she tried to offer some quiet comfort. And yet...there was something else, a thought that crossed her mind and now refused to leave that had the potential of becoming...troubling.
"Say, the one who made the deal with Itachi to leave us alone...it had to be the Hokage, right?" Her question seemed to have taken the Uchiha by surprise.
"Had to be." Seeing through her mask, the boy motioned her to move over to let him sit beside her. His arms wrapped around her. "Can't imagine anyone else being happy leaving you with me."
"And now that he died...will they respect that decision?"
"That's..." the words died on Sasuke's throat.
The Higurashi heiress was too old now to be sent to another clan just like that. What with her being officially independent due to her becoming a shinobi. Low rank or not; being capable of taking on missions and receiving pay meant they were now considered adults. But if they'd been happy to use Itachi to destroy his own clan, there was no telling just how far they would be willing to go now that there was no one acting as a barrier to their interference.
"It feels...different now." Turning her head to let it rest against the Uchiha's shoulder, Kagome mumbled. "The people who are watching us now feel different from before."
"Hmph, we were always told that your bloodline was coveted; guess that was the one thing they didn't lie about. Why even back when we were children, you were..."
Despite the poor illumination, she could see the tension that had suddenly come over him. His arms froze around her in a heartbeat.
"...back then...the man who tried to abduct you..." His grip refused to loosen even when she tried to wiggle and turn around. "Was he wearing any kind of symbol anywhere?"
Huh?
For a second, confusion made her forget her worry as she thought back on the incident. And then, the realization of what the Uchiha was implicating dawned on her.
"He didn't..." she trailed off. "Back when Hinata-chan was kidnapped, the attacker was wearing their country's symbol. Even though failing could mean a diplomatic disaster or the re-start of armed conflict...but that man...they never identified him."
Hidden villages were fond of their secrets, yes. But the chances of them never being able to match even a single article of clothing on her would-be kidnapper to even a general region was just...unreasonable... unless that person didn't come from another country at all. The Taishos had been right when they implied that there was something more to her clan's massacre. Whether the silver-haired matriarch had known about it or simply wanted to hint at both clan's former relationship made no difference. Once before, the Higurashi family had been betrayed by the village...
But that had to have gone wrong.
The reason her clan was hunted was her bloodline. The ability to acquire a more talented warrior thanks to the boost her kekkei genkai gave when mixed with another was a coveted one. If the village had betrayed their agreement, then it should have been to make use of her family's abilities once more. Killing every single person but a baby was too risky of a bet. Even if she assumed she was left alive on purpose, it still made no sense for the attack to be scheduled on a day Uchiha Fugaku would have the chance of finding the Higurashi compound. He did find it, find her, after all. The council was already working against them back then, and they were well aware of the man's greed. No chance there was any surprise when, after confirming her ancestry, the Uchiha head went above and beyond to ensure her kekkei genkai remained in his control.
No.
Something went wrong with the Higurashi massacre.
Perhaps...
Perhaps that attempted kidnapping had been someone's idea of correcting that mistake. Stripping the would-be attacker of anything that might identify them, giving them the information of which clan had gained her custody, maybe even the compound's layout. All to gain more power.
The Uchiha had run as detailed an investigation as they could, and nothing had been found. Of that, Kagome had no doubt.
After all, had they suspected the Council attempted to break the guardianship agreement made with the clan, it would've been documented among all the other transgressions. Fugaku had been extremely throughout when it came to piling up all the reasons that justified the clan's betrayal. The glaring lack of any mention about it meant the Uchiha head never considered it a possibility. In all likelihood, Itachi had been just as clueless about it. If their theory was correct, the older teen worried about other clans trying to separate them and moved to ensure that wouldn't come to pass...and perhaps unknowingly given them safety against whoever attempted to take her away in the first place.
The old Sandaime probably paid special attention to the ANBU's assigned to watch them.
So now that he died...
"We're leaving the village...soon." Sasuke's words mirrored her thoughts.
Whatever shinobis had been keeping an eye on them would've been easy to swap with the chaos that had been the first few days after the invasion. Once the Taishos left and international attention lessened...it would be the best moment for them to act.
"If they really plan to try and get to us, whoever they send won't be someone we can shake off easily." And it wouldn't be easy to see coming either.
"So we won't move out alone."
Dread didn't exactly fit what the girl felt right now.
A part of her had been waiting for this to happen ever since she witnessed the increased power Sasuke obtained through the cursed seal. Everything about this exam served to show them just how far behind they were. How much stronger they needed to become...how slow their advance was within Konoha. From their training, to their investigation, it was all too slow.
The idea of waiting years before being able to leave and risk still being too weak was one that haunted her since their encounter with the snake Sannin. And the heiress knew it haunted Sasuke as well.
"He wants our bloodlines as much as they do." The same greed, though a different kind of lust.
"I know, but we'll know who to watch out for. Orochimaru needs us alive, for a while at least. After this fiasco, I wouldn't think an attack against him is going to be high on their priorities." A cruel mocking tone dripped from the Uchiha's words. "It's not like we have many other options."
"Tha Taishos..." Kagome started, knowing from the start it was futile.
"Will leave soon enough, and we won't have a way to contact them. Besides, there's the treaty with Konoha. They might've had an alliance with the Higurashis, but who knows how much importance they'll give it."
"And we still don't have any leads on what they want from me," the heiress let out a sigh and tried to borrow into his warmth.
"He might be insane, but the man knows what he talks about...this power...if I can learn to control it, then we can have a more level playing field." One of his hands moved to play with a lock of her raven hair. "As long as we're careful, we can use him, learn as much as we can, and just get rid of him the moment you feel the danger is imminent, or leave if we're still at a disadvantage."
Sasuke was getting desperate.
He wanted her to agree to move as soon as they could.
And as much as she hated it...she already did.
Fighting Gaara so soon after being defenseless against Orochimaru only cemented the bitterness that filled her at the thought of her own abilities. What use was there being called prodigious by the village if the Higurashi heiress was still so stupidly weak against the kind of enemies she'd have to face in their pursuit of the truth. Useless to protect herself, let alone Sasuke.
Kakashi-sensei may care for them in his own odd way, but...
But he could not get them to the level they needed to be.
More than anything...no matter how much she tried to push them away, those feelings she had as they traveled through the worst part of the village hadn't disappeared. The dark thoughts growing and twisting inside her as those images were now added to her nightmares. Somehow, she woke up less scared now.
"We don't know how to contact him either." Her light refusal was more performative than anything else.
"He said we'd go look for him." Judging from the softer voice the Uchiha was using now, he'd caught on as well. "Want to bet we'll get an invitation soon enough?"
"We can't dance at his pace."
"You'll notice on time."
It was odd, the feeling that enveloped her as the decision officially cemented on her mind.
They would be jumping into a viper's nest with a monster that was just waiting to devour them, and yet, for the first time since they came upon those damning reports in the archives, she could feel herself relax.
At last, they had a direction.
They knew what to do.
It didn't take much to pull away and turn to face him, placing her arms around his neck, and she closed the distance between them. Need and hunger flared up as his own hands settled around her waist.
Once upon a time, his life had been surrounded by blood and violence.
Fighting for his life as he took that of others. All while having to watch his teammates, his friends go through the same thing. The adults around them simply telling them the only thing to do was getting used to it. Adapt. Because this was just the way it was.
War was always a special brand of hell.
For a time, it almost felt like he'd finally escaped. Sure, there were still times when fighting for his life was necessary, but spying was the one job where the goal was to not leave a trail of corpses behind him. Fleeing from the guilt was not something that had been entirely possible as his team shattered and crumbled to the ground around him, but on the good days, Jiraiya could pretend it didn't hurt anymore. He hadn't been able to stop Tsunade from drowning in her pain; he'd been useless when he needed to stop Orochimaru from straying from the right path. It should be enough of a price he'd paid for. Life, however, clearly wasn't done with him, putting him in the exact place to witness his former teammate killing their teacher and failed once more in stopping him. It was like death followed his footsteps.
So, once again, Jiraiya played the fool.
Because him posing as an author was clearly a necessity. Which meant doing proper research for his books was an obligation, simply another part of his job, honestly. And with the dark days behind and in front of him, it was only natural to try and look for enjoyment wherever it could be found.
And the hot springs of the village were definitely a place he could continue with his research...
"You still engage in such foolish activities?"
"Technically, it's research," the toad Sannin drawled at the old familiar voice behind him. "If it isn't Homura and Koharu-sama...and just what business do the chief counselors have with me?
"What business, you say?" Old man Homura grumbled in an annoyed voice. "You ought to know without me having to spell it out."
"Why such grim faces? The Taishos aren't making any trouble, and I heard the talks with Suna went well."
Something that wasn't all that surprising, considering the Kazekage's corpse was found shortly after the remainders of the invasion managed to make their way home. A quick surrender was all Suna could afford to offer...it was also all Konoha could manage.
"At this point, our relationship with Suna is not an urgent matter. Right now, Konoha's strength is at a frightful low...under these circumstances, our number one priority must be to anticipate and prepare for any further crisis."
"We don't know when or if any of our neighbors will make a bold move." It was the old lady Koharu who continued without missing a beat. Almost as if the two had rehearsed this little speech. "Therefore, until the village has restored its strength we have decided to gather the top ninja from each cell and assemble an emergency executive council to handle the situation, but first...we need a trustworthy leader.
"At the present time, there are seeds of trouble scattered all around. Orochimaru is not our only problem, and lowering our guard in front of the Taishos could very well become a fatal mistake."
"Understand this is one fundamental policy we cannot ignore. We need our Godaime Hokage as soon as possible!" Yes, this was definitely rehearsed, no way it wasn't because old teammates or not them switching phrases to say was very much a choreography stunt.
"And so, yesterday, in an emergency meeting with the ruler of the land of Hi...Jiraiya, it was decided that it would be you." Koharu picked up the words again.
"Sorry, but no thanks." The Sannin scoffed and waved his hand. "I'm not suited fr such a..."
"The decision has already been made. Besides, if you, touted as one of the great Sannin of Konoha, are not suited for it, then who is?" Ah, here it was, the real reason they were harping on him. The PR campaign.
"If it's one of the Sannin you're after, there's still another one." She was going to kill him for throwing her to the wolves, but honestly, Jiraiya didn't fit the bill. "Tsunade."
"...she may indeed be an appropriate candidate, but..." Koharu was hesitating, clearly. "We do not know her whereabouts at all."
"I'll track her down and bring her back. Would that be acceptable?"
"However..."
"As opposed to an unwilling, apathetic me...the sharp go-getting Tsunade-hime is much better suited for Hokage." Plus, as bad as her reputation for gambling was, his own renown for his adult books could be worse.
"Alright...we'll put it under consideration immediately...however, we shall attach three ANBU to you to take with you for your Tsunade search party." Man, the old man couldn't stop trying to be controlling.
"Don't worry, I swear I won't run away. I don't need chaperones. Just...there is one fellow I'd like to take with me on my travels. I'd like to see the extent of what he can do."
This time, he would stop running. Besides, it was time Jiraiya owned up to his promises.
Which meant he'd likely have to go look for the brat's teacher...although, if the council was really serious about this, then Kakashi would likely find him soon enough.
It would likely throw a wrench in his team.
The loud blond complained more than he talked about during his training, but if there was something that was always mentioned during his grumblings, it was the names of the two heirs that were part of his team. The kids' best friend.
It was also clear those three depended a lot on one another. Just because the Sannin focused on the outside activities, it didn't mean he wasn't aware of what was going on the inside. The Uchiha massacre, the living conditions of its two survivors, a true tragedy that one. Trying to find someone to fill in for Naruto while he trained was probably going to be a nightmare. Kakashi's team was entirely overpowered. Sure, there were other clan heirs close enough to their age, but it would still be annoying. Otherwise, the two heirs would need to be separated, something his sources told him would be as good an idea as it would be to bet on Tsunade's favored numbers. Keeping a team with only three people didn't work anymore, though.
"Maah, years gone, and nothing happens." A lazy drawl came from the place the old counselors had vacated no less than 15 minutes ago. "But you return, and it's like it all comes crashing down. I guess it at least makes for an interesting visit."
"Kakashi..." Jiraiya turned to look at his student's student. "I'll train Naruto from now on."
Surprise colored what part of the jounin's face was visible. It was...unexpected for the infamously closed-off Copy Ninja Kakashi to let his mask fall like that. So despite it all, the young man had gotten attached to the brats on his team. Still, this was the best for everyone's sake.
"The team..."
"Might get unbalanced, but you can always get one of the older genins. Hell, get a chuunin in the meantime; those two are well on their way there." If they weren't there already. "Sandaime was wise to place the boy under your supervision. He's been well looked after, but even someone of your remarkable abilities might not be enough to get him ready."
"Whatever do you mean?"
"I've been keeping an eye on Orochimaru ever since the day he fled Konoha because it was evident he would return...for a long time, he kept mostly to himself, but then...he joined an organization."
"What organization?" Kakashi asked when the Sannin trailed off.
"I don't really have a lot of details, but it seems to be a small crime syndicate of nine shinobi that calls itself Akatsuki. At first, they stuck to small-scale cloak and dagger stuff, nothing dramatic. But considering who they are something big is going to come.
"Almost all of them are listed in the Bingo book as S-class criminals...and among them is Itachi." Really, for the guy to be so visibly worried at that name. Just another proof that the kid had finally gotten close to someone again. "When shinobi like that get together, it's not because they want to do charity work, so you see where this is going?
"Recently, this group started to split up; Orochimaru went off on his own while the others paired up and dispersed. They've been searching for new jutsu...among other things."
"Any chance that one item on their shopping list has nine tails?" As expected, the former ANBU's reasoning skills hadn't rusted at all.
"It's a distinct possibility. The Kyuubi does have one of the highest levels chakra..." And extremely uncontrollable too. "Kakashi, sooner or later, Naruto's going to have to deal with who and what he really is...that's the boy's destiny. For now, focus on Sasuke and Kagome. It's up to you to teach them how to use those bloodlines of theirs. Especially since Itachi is part of the organization...and I'll keep an eye on Naruto. Leave his training to me."
"I see..." The jounin's voice was blank as he went back to his usual drawl. "I suppose I should go and tell the brats."
"As long as he's not inside the Uchiha compound, I'll find him myself. I don't plan on staying here much longer."
"He's been staying with them for the past week." Geez, they really were attached at the hip, weren't they? "At this point, however, he's probably back to his apartment. Considering the hour, I wouldn't be surprised to find him at Ichiraku's."
"Great, I'll head over there. You can go and tell those two the news...the sooner will probably be the better."
This...was not the way he intended to get the kid to train with him. Running away from Konoha so soon after his sensei's death. Leaving the village without a leader in pursuit f someone he wasn't even sure he could convince to come back.
It had to be done, whether he liked it or not.
It had, after all, been the right choice.
After deciding he needed to go back to living by himself for a little, Naruto had wondered if he should try to follow Kagome-chan's advice and try to cook for once or give in to temptation and go straight to Ichiraku's. While a part of him grudgingly agreed with Sasuke about maybe needing to change his diet a bit. That didn't mean it had to be done today...or this week...or this month.
Besides, unlike the clearly depressed mood that dominated most of the reconstruction sites, Ichiraku's remained cheery and accepting. And without his friends by his side, the blonde could use a bit of extra cheer to help his own remain. The boy had to pull himself together; the tension he'd noticed in the clan heirs from before the exam started was very much still there. In fact, he had the sinking feeling it was getting worse.
They still kept quiet though.
So the prankster needed to go back on his feet and keep persisting, just like he did after the incident. Sooner or later, they would let him in once more, and he had to be ready for whatever it was they needed him for.
With a light smile, Naruto slurped another bunch of noodles, savoring the familiar flavor.
"It's just as I heard." There was a laugh hidden inside the words. "You really do eat nothing but ramen unless they force you to, huh?"
"Ero-sennin!"
"Tch, it's Jiraiya-sama, I tell you." The old perv grimaced as he sat beside them. "Doesn't matter, if you're finished, then come on. We have something to talk about."
"Wha...I'm eating here!"
"Oh, but you see, this is a super special opportunity I'm willing to give you."
A frown made its way to the blonde's expression. On the one hand, his training with the old pervert had been every bit as annoying (or maybe even more if he was being entirely honest) as Kakashi-sensei's. On the other hand, it had been that summoning jutsu that allowed him to be useful at all during the fight against Gaara. Still sulking a little, the boy left after Ero-sennin after thanking Ichiraku.
"So?"
"So, what?"
"So, what's this special opportunity?" Naruto asked, irritation seeping into his voice.
"Oh, that. Well, rejoice for you have the amazing honor of accompanying me in one of my travels as I research for my next best seller!" the old man exclaimed with a grin and an expectant look. As if that was some sort of reward.
"What?! Why?!" It couldn't have sounded more pointless. "How come I get stuck tagging along while you do your research for another one of your pervy books?!"
"This is no ordinary research trip, you know. There's a particular woman I want to cover, so we need to find her first." Again, the pervy Sannin kept looking at him as if waiting for him to jump in happiness.
"I don't have time for this!" And there went his pacience. "I've got to train! Kakashi-sensei's going to teach me all sorts of new jutsu like the Chidori!"
"Well...uh...I don't know how to say this nicely, but I don't think you're cut for that move," the man grimaced. "Plus, this woman, she's a real looker. I know you'll want to meet her!"
"Look, Ero-sennin, what you do on your own time is your own business. But I've got more important things to do than chase your women! No, no thanks!" Naruto was yelling now, arms wildly waving around.
Honestly, he still didn't get why Kagome-chan had looked so relieved when he mentioned who was the old man who'd taken over his training. Sure, he wasn't completely useless, but he didn't think the Higurashi heiress of all people would ignore the fact that the guy had been peeping into the women's side of the hot springs when they first met. The last thing he expected her to do when he told them the story was for her to encourage him to take the perv on the offer; even Sasuke had looked taken aback by it. A frown and criticism for the peeping, maybe even a laugh, but her insistence, nop, he didn't see that coming.
"Fine," the man sighed out loud. Like him not wanting to creep on women was such a disappointing thing. "I know this really cool jutsu...that's so much amazing than the Chidori...oh well, maybe I'll ask Sasuke to tag along."
At that, the prankster almost scoffed.
Like Sasuke would agree to go with the pervy old man when that would mean Kagome-chan, and that meant having Ero-sennin acting like a creep so close to her. But...as useful as the summon had been, it still took far too much to set up for him to use. First, he needed to run out of his own personal chakra to be able to use the Kyuubi's one, then he had to try and gamble, risking getting Gamakichi again instead of the Boss. By the time he was actually capable of summoning the right toad, his friends had been pushed to the limit. It could've easily ended in a way worse situation.
"I'll go...yeah, I'll go with you!" He had to make sure to keep up with them, not to fall behind. "Ah, but I have to tell those guys first!"
"No need, no need." The man grabbed his shoulder, turning him back to the general direction where his apartment was located. "I already talked with Kakashi-sensei; he should be telling your teammates. Besides, if we're lucky, it won't take us that long to find her, no need for teary partings."
"Ohh..." There was...probably something else going on, wasn't there? This was the exact kind of thing Kagome had told him to pay attention to. Shaking his head, the prankster willed a smile on his face. Ero-sennin might be a pervert, but he was still trustworthy. No point in letting a good opportunity go to waste. "In that case, let me go pack my stuff! Don't you dare leave without me, Ero-sennin!"
He needed a strong technique that he could use without risking taking too much time. This, he had a feeling would be it. And once he got stronger, maybe he'd get his friends to talk to him, share their worries with him so they could face whatever came together.
A/N: Finally we're almost there, the trigger for everything falling down is almost here, actually is the next chapter right back and I'm really exited for it. I ended up deciding to give Jiraiya his own POV since his connection with Naruto and later actions will become important, plus he does have access to a lot more information in certain areas. Speaking of information few people have, the backstory of what happened to the Higurashis is going to start to slowly be implemented with everything that's been going on.
As for the power level of the Taishos, well both Toga and Kimi are definitely up there, probably on the same level as the stronger Akatsuki they could potentially win but that would feel like a huge gamble which is why they've stayed away from the group in the first place, Sesshoumaru is definitely up there too, but like it's been said he's still weaker than Toga. The other three well, they're above the average genin likely on the chuunin level, of the characters in the chuunin exam Gaara would probably beat all of them, Sango just doesn't have enough strength, Miroku would likely give up fairly soon on the fight and Inuyasha while he has Tessaiga at this point the only technique he can use for now is the wind scar which I'd place around Chidori/rasengan meaning definitely powerful but not enough to take Gaara out in one hit and that would get him out of control. Other than him Lee's speed during his match is probably unparalleled, Miroku could win by using genjutsu if he used it early enough on the fight, and Neji's juuken could put them out of commission (Inuyasha would likely try to run head first and get hit after a bit of goading), ironically Sango would have the better shot with her long range attacks. Honestly they are about the same level as this team 7, the main difference and what makes them feel overpowered I think it's experience. Unlike all of the others they have had a lot of life/death experiences they know exactly how much they can take on and are way more confident when put in this situations.
As always, thank you guys so much for reading and any review/criticism/comment is greatly, greatly appreciated.