Hey there everyone, hope you like this.
(The Hidden Leaf Village)
Naruto was jumping across rooftops as he contemplated what to do next, Kakashi-sensei had let them off early and since he had given his team the day off before opening Gato's armory he had time on his hands.
His attention was however drawn to a chakra spike as a cloud of bugs materialized into the form of Aburame Shino before his eyes.
"Heya Shino!" he greeted him in the usual fashion, "Nice running into you, your team was let off early too?"
"Indeed Naruto-san," Shino spoke and adjusted his sunglasses, "I actually needed a favor."
...
"...so the specimens appear to be compatible but I would require a few more. Would you therefore be kind enough to let me know of the location where the insects would be located."
To say that Aburame Shino lacked experience in talking to people outside his clan would be an understatement.
As a member of the Aburame clan, Shino had been trained from a young age to control his emotions. The insects reared by the Aburame were special, and responded to the will of their host - therefore losing control of one's emotions could lead to catastrophic results. There were tales of young children in the clan whose anger had triggered their colonies to attack their own parents, all over being denied the privilege to eat extra sweets or purchase a toy. Therefore a measure of control was deemed absolutely necessary not just for his own safety, but also for those around him.
As the eldest son of the clan leader and the clan heir, Shino's training has been even more rigorous. He had precious little time to play as a kid, and had limited his social interactions in the academy after many adverse interactions when his classmates had learnt that he used insects in order to battle.
The comments from some of the girls had been especially hurtful.
He had therefore learnt to keep his distance, and speak as formally as possible in order to avoid any standoffs and emotional surges. The habit had since been embedded in his personality.
Therefore, even with his former classmate, he spoke as he would with any other person.
...
"Uh," Naruto scratched his head, "You just need some more of those insects right? I'll get them for you."
It really wasn't much of a big deal, he had plenty of contacts in the Wave who wouldn't mind sending him a jar of insects.
"I would be loathe to trouble you so much Naruto-san," Shino spoke, "Many of my clansmen are in the shinobi corps, it would not be too much trouble for them to collect the specimens if they know of a location-"
"-and I'm saying it's no big deal either way Shino," Naruto spoke, "I helped some folks out there, and they won't mind sending over a jar of dirt and insects. They'll be here by the end of the week."
"I see," Shino spoke, "I am thankful for your assistance."
"No biggie Shino," Naruto spoke, a bit unsure of what to say next "...wanna grab some ramen?"
...
(Ichiraku Ramen)
"Long time no see Naruto," Ayame spoke as she saw the blonde walk into the stand, however to her surprise she noted that he wasn't alone, "And who do we have here? A friend of yours?"
"This is Shino Aburame," Naruto spoke as he gestured to the cloaked boy, "We were in the same class in the academy and ran into each other today. He told me that he's never tasted your ramen, so I had to show him what he's been missing."
"Okay then," Ayame smiled, "A round of pork with extra eggs for you as always?"
Naruto just smiled and nodded.
"...and for you Aburame-san?" She asked.
"I'm slightly unsure of what to order," the boy spoke in the most formal tone Ayame had ever heard in the stall, "Could you perhaps suggest something that does not have a particularly pungent flavor?"
"Well," Ayame rubbed her chin, "I'll make you a simple fish ramen then, any toppings you like?"
"Spring onions and pork chops," the boy spoke. Ayame nodded and got to work.
...
"So, Shino..." Naruto honestly felt a bit lost on what to say - he hadn't really talked to anyone since the academy...or even therein. Generally he would just shout at his loudest and try to be the center of attention until he was bonked in the head, but he knew that it was just plain annoying and Shino didn't seem the sort to appreciate the volume.
Jiji's training wasn't much help either, he wasn't negotiating a deal or running a mission - he was just trying to hold an actual conversation with an old classmate.
"...how's everything going?" he ended up sounding more nervous than he thought.
'This is tougher than dealing with Zabuza,' Naruto thought.
"I am keeping well Naruto-san," Shino spoke as he swirled the complimentary lemonade they had been served, "How about you?"
"Well," Naruto scratched his head, and then just decided to wing it and keep it informational, "Things are fine, we have Kakashi Hatake as our team leader - he's kinda cool but is always late for everything. For my team, Sasuke and Sakura are kinda the same as in the academy - we've been doing quite a few D-ranks and even got to do a C-rank which was really cool."
"How intriguing," Shino spoke, "Kurenai Yuuhi, our team leader has promised us a C-rank in the upcoming week. Was your C-rank mission location in Wave country?"
"Not really," Naruto spoke, relishing the ramen that he had just been served , "We were actually supposed to protect a ship from Genkai..."
They spoke until their bowls were empty, and then a bit more as Naruto ordered extra lemonade. He spun the tale as per their official mission report, though he did exaggerate his battle with the thugs who kidnapped Tsunami.
"...a rather adventurous mission Naruto-san," Shino spoke, "Combat experience in any form is a valuable asset."
"Yeah," Naruto spoke, "Though I was kinda sad that we didn't get to be the part of a big fight we were prepped up for, but it was cool anyway."
"Indeed," Shino spoke as he eyed the clock, "I'm afraid that I must take your leave Naruto-san, I am expected to meet with my father at our clan compound."
"Alright," Naruto looked at the clock himself, "I gotta leave too, got to train and stuff."
...
"Thank you for the meal," Shino spoke as he stood up and pulled some cash from his pocket, but his gesture was refused with a polite sway of the head by the serving lady.
"It's on my tab," Naruto-san smiled as he stood up, "I've got a running account here, so no worries. See ya!"
Before Shino could refuse the generous gesture, Naruto-san had already left.
'He is a rather pleasant company,' Shino thought as he started walking towards his home, 'Kiba-san carries rather too many prejudices.'
He would have to return Naruto-san's favor later.
...
(Few Weeks later: Hidden Leaf Village)
(ROOT Underground Base)
"Now, time to see what we have," Naruto spoke as he gestured Henso to move 2 scrolls in the middle of an empty room.
After weeks of excruciating and mundane paperwork he and his team had been doing at a breakneck pace, it was time to open the artifacts and armory his team had retrieved from Gato's palace. A complete takeover of the business would take over a year, but now they knew exactly what they had, and the law firms currently guzzling on his funds were tasked to look into the rest.
Henso unfurled the scrolls and made a few handsigns as smoke flooded the area. Soon enough the entire room was full of all kinds of luxuries and weapons.
'Man,' Naruto thought as he picked up an expensive-looking teapot, 'For shitty guy he was, he had good taste.'
Naruto made a few Shadow-Clones and tasked them with helping his team index everything. Anyone from the team was free to pick and choose what they wanted, provided that it didn't garner too much attention. Anything which could be traced back to Gato would be destroyed immediately, and whatever remained would be sold off in the black market for cash.
Naruto marked the teacup for himself before moving to the armory, there were quite a few good-looking swords in the armory but they were far to gaudy for his tastes.
'A gold-encrusted dragon on the hilt,' Naruto observed the sword and swung it, 'The balance is terrible though, and the blade is rather brittle.'
He continued walking around as he checked on other weapons, for which Gato had admittedly poor taste. All his personal weaponry was far too garish and impractical for battle.
'Who would use a dagger this heavy anyway?' Naruto thought as he inspected it, 'It weighs more than a standard sword, and that leather grip will get slippery the moment I start sweating. Not a good choice for a fight.'
So much for wanting something awesome to pop up.
'Well I'll atleast take the teacup,' Naruto thought, 'A few pens I'll only use at home and...lets see if he had any old books on any techniques I can use.'
In the end the squad had gathered most of the metal weaponry, it would probably be melted and used to forge better weapons.
'What's this?' Naruto thought as he picked up a sword completely wrapped up in bandages, 'Is that a seal? Why would a sword be sealed-?'
"-is the work complete?" Jiji walked in as Naruto turned around and gave him a mock salute.
"Mostly," Naruto spoke, "Most of the weapons are substandard for a real battle, but we have a good haul of antiques and some jewelry we can sell for a good profit."
...
"I see," Danzo spoke as he eyed his subordinates seal off the useless weapons, "Do you intend to keep that sword? It is not yet time for you to learn Kenjutsu."
"Not really," the boy shrugged and raised the weapon, "It's covered completely in bandages and I could barely make out the shape to conclude it was a sword, it seems to be sealed off though. Why would someone seal a sword of all things?"
"There are many reasons," Danzo spoke, "Weapons forged by master-smiths are often too powerful to handle, even for someone who is trained for it. Let Henso have a look at it, is there anything else?"
The boy stayed silent for a few moments as he dispersed his clones and absorbed the information.
"Process it," Danzo spoke, "I expect a report after your evening training."
The boy just grabbed his head and nodded in grimace, he handed over the sword to Henso before heading off - probably to get some rest from a splitting headache.
...
The evening training went as usual for Naruto, he then proceeded to report to Jiji's office.
"...so we have over 60 kilograms of gunpowder, some good quality whetting stones and a few decent blades" Naruto spoke, "Otherwise most of the weapons we recovered are sub-standard, not fit for field usage and are being currently scrapped. On the other hand we have quite a few expensive antiques and works of art which would sell for a very good price in the black market, the sale will be kicked off in a week and all the items not claimed by anyone on the team will be sold off over a period of 8 months to not raise any suspicion."
"Very well," Jiji spoke, "You are dismissed for the night."
Naruto however continued to stand where he was.
"...is there anything else you wish to ask?" Jiji spoke after about half an hour of letting him stand.
"About that sealed sword," Naruto spoke, he had been really excited when Jiji spoke of the prospect of it being a powerful weapon, "Has Henso found out anything yet? I didn't see him around today."
"It is being inspected," Jiji spoke and looked back at a stack of papers, "And again, you are dismissed."
Naruto pouted internally but made his way back home, he really wanted to know more about the sword but knew that pressing Jiji for answers wasn't going to yield any results.
Plus Jiji was more open to him than anyone else in the village, he was sure he'd be told about it eventually.
He did want a cool sword, but had become wise enough to know that a special weapon would draw attention - something he was currently ordered against.
Patience was virtue afterall, or was it something else...
He was going to have to read that stupid book again.
...
(A week later)
Shino looked on as the cross-breed Kikaichu emerged from his hive, The species provided by Uzumaki-san was quite special, it had a hard outer covering to protects its wings, its saliva had slightly hallucinogenic properties and most of all - it was habituated to thrive even in saltwater.
If his current breeding programme succeeded, then he could add a new generation of insects to his clan - strengthening them for generations to come and giving them a much-needed counter to water-based Ninjutsu.
Almost unwittingly, Uzumaki-san had given him a precious gift.
'These insects must be endemic to a part of Wave Country,' Shino thought as he commanded his small troop of newly hatched Kikaichu, 'Given that none of the clan archives have any information on this species - perhaps I can even name it.'
He needed to discuss a few things with his father.
...
(ROOT Underground Base)
Danzo looked on as Henso made a few hand-signs and the seal on the sword came undone - his assumptions about the weapon were proven to be true as the bandages unfurled and a pure-black sword was before his eyes.
'I cannot believe this,' he thought as he eyed the weapon, for all he had known this blade was lost - gone after his last battle with Hanzo and sealed away somewhere in his palatial abode in the Hidden Rain Village.
But yet, here it was - just as beautiful as the day he held it for the first time.
Shimura Danzo walked forward and claimed a piece of himself he had believed to be dead since decades.
The Kazeshini once again graced the hands of the Darkness of Shinobi.
...
(Aburame Household)
"...invite him over for dinner."
Shino contemplated his mother's words. He had been discussing the recent events on a meal and had mentioned that Naruto-san had provided him with something that could potentially strengthen their entire clan.
"It...would only be fitting," his father spoke, "Since he has also taken the trouble of providing more samples to you, a warm meal and some hospitality is the least we can offer to someone who has helped our son."
"I shall enquire abut his schedule," Shino spoke, it would be the first time he would be having someone visiting him in his clan house.
...
Naruto grimaced as he picked up a rotten banana-peel from the garden his team was currently cleaning as their mission for the day.
'The dustbin is 4 steps away,' Naruto thought as he picked up more trash, 'And people call me stupid.'
They were done in under an hour and Naruto jumped up and off towards his home before he felt Shino wave to him across a few rooftops.
...
"...therefore I extend to this invitation to join my family for a meal if it fits your convenience," Shino spoke, "The specimens supplied by you seem to be of much help, and we would like to extend our hospitality as a gesture of goodwill."
"So dinner at your house tonight?" Naruto summed up.
"Indeed," Shino spoke, "I take it that you have no issues?"
"Nope," Naruto beamed, "I'll be there!"
This was soooooo exciting! Nobody had ever invited him to dinner before!
...
(Evening: ROOT Base)
"...the Aburame clan?" Jiji asked as he eyed his charge.
"Yup," Naruto spoke, "I gave Shino a few bugs from Wave and apparently they turned out to be useful for him. He's invited me to dinner with his family tonight."
"Your training for the evening shall be cut short then," Jiji spoke, "You are dismissed."
Naruto gave him a mock salute, just before he walked out. Just as he was about to close the door he heard a faintest hint of advice from Jiji's lips.
'Make sure I bring along a gift for the hostess eh?' Naruto wondered.
Maybe he would get some flowers, wasn't there a shop near the academy?
...
(Evening: Yamanaka Flower Shop)
Naruto wandered around a bit as he finally found the flower-shop he was looking for.
What flower was he supposed to pick again?
...
"Welcome to Yamanaka's," Ino spoke in a dull voice as she clipped her nails behind the counter, it was a slow evening and manning the shop was getting increasingly boring.
She looked up from the counter and was rather surprised to see their new customer.
What was the blonde idiot doing buying flowers?
She took in his appearance as she walked up, instead of his usual ridiculous jumpsuit he was wearing a blazer with a dark undershirt and matching trousers with shoes instead of the standard shinobi sandals. Even his headband was tied to his shoulder and his hair looked put into place.
'He actually looks decent for a change,' Ino thought, 'Did Forehead finally say yes for a date?'
How convenient, that meant she would have Sasuke-kun all to herself!
*Giggle*
...
Naruto turned around to see Ino giggling in the way she often did in the academy.
Did she work here?
'This is a Yamanaka business afterall,' Naruto thought.
"Hey Ino," he spoke out of courtesy, "Care to help me out here?"
"Well," She spoke, grinning from ear to ear, "Only if you let me on the juicy details of whom you're going to give them to."
"Uh," Naruto scratched his neck, "I helped an old classmate of ours a few days earlier, his mom invited me for dinner so..."
The girl seemed to deflate as he spoke, muttering something about 'Forehead' and 'Sasuke-kun.'
"Well," she spoke, "Sunflowers are the standard choice for warmth and happiness."
"Great," he spoke, "Can I have a bouquet? I think I might be running late already."
"Alright," she spoke as she went to a stand and picked up a bunch, "That will be 2950 Ryu, but I'll let you have it for 2500 seeing that you aren't that annoying and all."
"Thanks a bunch," Naruto spoke as he collected the bunch and handed her the cash, "See ya!"
...
Ino looked at the retreating form of the blonde as she went back behind the counter.
'He's actually changed since the academy,' She thought as she started clipping her nails again, 'Kinda makes me wonder what Forehead and Sasuke-kun are doing.'
...
Naruto managed to reach the Aburame clan house well in time. He was treated warmly by Shino's mom and dad...as formal as it was. He spoke about his team missions, and Shino's father told them about the time of his own first C-rank whereby they had been stranded in the forest in Demon Country.
...
"...it was an experience I shall never forget," Aburame Shibi spoke, "The client's wagons were not maintained enough to withstand a long journey, and the wheels gave way in the dirt paths. As the location was quite far from civilization, we had to stand guard for almost a week until the materials to repair the wagon was brought back. We were attacked by a bandit troupe led by a Missing-nin from the Hidden Grass Village - thankfully none from my team lost their lives but one of them took an arrow to his shoulder and had to lose his arm due to an infection."
Shibi could see that the boy visibly winced at the mental picture of his narration.
"Honey," his wife elbowed him, "Not good dinner talk."
"Ah yes," Shibi spoke, "My apologies, I got carried away."
"Do you like the food Uzumaki-san," his wife took over instead, "We weren't really sure of what you liked."
"It's really tasty ma'am," the boy spoke, "But could I ask you to just call me by my name instead? Nobody calls me Uzumaki-san and it feels odd."
"Ofcourse then Naruto-kun," she spoke, "Please feel free to call me auntie as well."
"Indeed Naruto-san," Shibi spoke, "Please enjoy yourself, you are a guest of the clan."
Shibi never really had much reservations about the Jinchuriki, afterall it was quite similar to the Symbiotic relationship the Aburame themselves shared with their insects as hosts.
He knew what it felt to be discriminated against as well, as the Aburame clan had been for generations for harboring insects by the ignorant general populace. What did worry him that the boy in front of him had one of the most powerful forces on earth sealed inside him, which could possibly let loose and run its course of destruction if he was not careful. As unlike with those of his clan, the boy losing control would be much more catastrophic compared to a child of his clan.
But currently he was here as a guest, and would be treated as such.
"Show Naruto-kun around the house Shino," his wife spoke as she begun cleaning up, "Tonight is a full moon, the koi pond will look beautiful."
"Indeed mother," Shino spoke and the boys left.
All considered, he was quite the decent boy.
Shibi left it at that.
...
"Man your place is big," Naruto spoke as he eyed the massive gardens of the Aburame estate, "Must've been a lot of fun playing hide-and-seek right?"
"It was," Shino spoke, "Though my sister does complain that she is unable to find people, and we had to caution the younger children from hiding underwater."
"You have a sister?" Naruto's eyes widened.
"Yes," Shino spoke, "She is 5 years younger to me, she slept off early as she was tired. I shall introduce her later."
"Man," Naruto spoke.
'Having siblings must be cool eh?'
Naruto shook his head and let go of the train of thought, he was having a nice evening here.
No need to ruin it for himself.
Sudenly, an idea struck him.
"...hey Shino," Naruto-san spoke as they walked towards the koi pond, "Wanna be friends?"
Shino took a few moments to process the wordings.
"...hello?" Naruto-san waved his hand before his eyes and Shino returned to the present.
"Pardon me Naruto-san," Shino spoke, "It is just that I was under the impression that considering everything we were already at that level of pleasant acquaintanceship."
"That's a lot of words even for you Shino," Naruto laughed, "But really, I'm serious here."
"I do not believe I understand your wording Naruto-san," Shino spoke, "Are we not 'friends' as per the definition of the term?"
Naruto sighed inwardly as he contemplated how to answer Shino's question.
"You see," Naruto began awkwardly, "I was actually reading a few books, and I actually came to know that friendship in itself is something deeper than we generally make it out to be."
"As in?" Shino asked, "Do you not consider your teammates to be friends?"
"Not really," Naruto shrugged, "Well sure we work together almost everyday and will trust each other to watch our backs in a mission, but honestly there's little else to it. We rarely interact outside of missions and barely know anything about each-other. It took me some time to understand it, but not everyone you casually interact with on a regular basis can be a friend."
"What would you say friendship is Naruto-san?" Shino asked.
Naruto closed his eyes, the scene from the park in his childhood echoed in his mind before finally dissolving into nothingness.
"A friend is someone I can trust," Naruto spoke, "Someone with whom I can be myself without being judged or scolded for it...and someone to whom I can speak about anything under the sun."
"...you believe that you find it with me?" Shino asked.
"I want to atleast try," Naruto spoke, "You're a good guy Shino...plus your mom is a great cook."
Naruto walked ahead and then extended his hand.
"There's a lot of stuff I can't tell you right now Shino," Naruto spoke, "But let's try and be friends shall we?"
...
Shino eyed Naruto-san's extended hand as he weighed on his words.
Considering Naruto-san's definition, did he also take friendship as a given with those in his life?
He did indeed meet and train with his teammates everyday, but what else? Even they rarely interacted outside of training, and talks with Kiba-san were generally one-sided and based on his hormonal urges to procreate.
Were they his friends?
"There are things I may not be able to tell you as well Naruto-san," Shino extended his hand, "But yes, let us be friends."
They sat by the pond for a few moments and were joined by his parents, Naruto-san then bade them goodbye and returned home.
"...father," Shino called out as they were returning to their quarters, "What is a friend?"
"A rather odd question," his father spoke, "Why the curiosity?"
"Naruto-san extended his friendship to me today," Shino spoke, "As per his definition, merely meeting a person everyday for work or having cordial relations with them does not make a person your friend."
"A wise remark for someone at this age," his father spoke, "Consider it to be like a relation between countries, friends are allies who help each other prosper and better themselves - be it by sharing resources, manpower, knowledge and wealth. On the other hand there are neighboring countries, they have cordial trading relations but they extend only until there is no difference in the policy of both countries - the relations thereafter are soured almost immediately."
"I see," Shino spoke as he retired to his room.
There was a lot to think about.
...
(ROOT Base)
Danzo walked to to his office as he culminated the day's developments.
The invitation from the Aburame clan was unexpected, but not entirely unwelcome. The boy would only benefit from having allies in the village, and the Aburame were just as good a start as any.
He walked up to the table and picked up the Kazeshini.
'Just as sharp and balanced as before,' he thought as he swung it in an arc.
The Kazeshini was a sword of a bygone era, said to have been forged out of the fangs of a chakra beast that existed in the era of the sage of six paths.
For years, it had been under the possession of the Hawks at Skypeia - their mythical abode in the skies before it was granted to their summoners.
Danzo clearly remembered the day he had lost it, the battle was not recorded in any form and so far as the world was concerned - had never happened; as was the case with most of his missions.
He still remembered the mission as if it was yesterday, a scouting Chunin had managed to survive long enough to report that Hiruzen's students had been defeated by Hanzo the Salamander, and were currently caught and held hostage by the Hidden Rain. It was a moment of grave crisis for the village, the morale of the Shinobi - already reeling from the death of their loved ones in the war would shatter and Konoha would stand to lose 3 of its most powerful summoning contracts to a foreign power.
It was at that moment that Danzo had charged into Hanzo's fortress riding on the back of Champavat - his most powerful summon.
The battle had been harsh, long and ugly. Danzo's squadron of Root had perished in the face of Hanzo's poisons. Champavat had been able to blow away the lethal poisonous mist long enough for Danzo to land a crippling blow that forced the enemy to retreat.
Officially, it was the mission that gave birth to the 'Sanin' - as an embarrassed Hanzo had admitted to the public that he had let the thee Shinobi live in exchange for claiming the title. To this day, only 6 people knew of the truth of it.
The battle had come at an enormous personal cost. Danzo had lost his right arm and the Kazeshini to Ibuse's fangs, and after he had fainted on Champavat's back he awoke in the hospital to find out that his right leg too had been amputated below the knee to prevent gangrene from spreading into his body.
It was a day of shame and bitter loss for him. Champavat himself had perished shortly after the battle due to his injuries - which culminating with the loss of the Sword had effectively barred him from ever summoning the Hawks again in battle .
He had settled for a much inferior summoning - the Baku. It had proven to be useful due to their ability to augment his wind-release techniques, but were in no manner equivalent to the Hawks.
'But how did Gato get his hands on this?' Danzo wondered as he held the sword. The Territories of the Hidden Rain village were effectively sealed shut, and Hanzo would never let a powerful weapon such as this back into the world where it could harm him.
'It is not a widely known weapon either,' Danzo wondered, 'Did someone steal it from Hanzo's possession?'
What was happening in the Hidden Rain? His regular agents had no clue after the boundaries were shut.
Perhaps one of Gato's contacts could provide information...
Danzo made his decision as he let the blade rest, he would himself assist Naruto in the Gato takeover. He needed answers and he needed them fast.
He walked back to his desk and looked at the reports from Orochimaru's old lab, he had tasked the snake with utilizing the Shodaime's cells in order to create prosthetics for the ANBU - giving him access to one of the most powerful bloodlines in the village. The same had culminated into a monstrosity as Orochimaru had used the underground labs to try and implant the bloodline into infants instead.
...in the end, he should have been more vigilant of the Snake's activities.
'No more deals with him,' Danzo picked up the papers and channeled his wind chakra - tearing the paper to shreds.
There was no need for such projects now, Danzo had a much younger, able and hot-blooded charge to take forward his way of Ninja.
Till Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze was ready, he would manage with the Hawks and the Kazeshini back on his side.
'I need to start working with those old prosthetics again,' Danzo thought as he walked out of his office.
It was time to train again.
...
(Next Day: Underground)
Naruto noticed the giant dusty scroll sitting on Jiji's desk the moment he entered his office.
"Today is a day of much importance," Jiji spoke as he showed him a smaller scroll on the desk, "It is the day that you formally sign an agreement as my apprentice."
Naruto did an internal 'Whoopie!' jump.
"Sign here," Jiji spoke as he unfurled the small scroll and put in on the desk.
Naruto moved ahead, his hands shaking in anticipation as Jiji gave him a quill to sign.
'How old fashioned,' Naruto thought, he wanted to use some of the fancier pens from Gato's collection, but knew better than to question the old man.
"Uh Jiji," Naruto pointed to the quill, "There's no ink pot on the table."
"I am aware," Jiji spoke, "Now do as you're ordered, sign."
'Well,' Naruto held the quill in his hand, 'How am I supposed to - OUCH!'
The grip of the quill cut through the skin of his palm, his blood flowing onto the tip.
'One helluva way to sign,' Naruto grimaced as he signed.
"Good," Jiji spoke as he took the quill and signed the form himself without flinching in the slightest.
"Now," Jiji rolled the bigger scroll and unfurled it, "Take the larger quill and write your name here, with better handwriting if possible."
Naruto picked up the bigger quill, to his grimace noting that the feathers were sharper and cut deeper into his hand.
By the time he was done writing his name, he was pretty sure the quill had sucked up half of the blood in his body.
What the hell was this scroll anyway?
...was it a summoning contract? Fuu-sensei lectured him on them a few days ago.
"It is a summoning contract that has been under the protection of the Shimura-clan since many generations," Jiji spoke, "As my apprentice you have the right to call forth the Hawks in battle to assist you. Though be warned, you are to never to attempt summoning without my supervision. Training for that shall not be commenced until your chakra control is better - Do you understand?"
"Yes Sir," Naruto saluted for added effect, it sucked to have access to an awesome new technique but not being able to use it.
But if Jiji said he needed better chakra control for that, then so be it. He wasn't going to try it alone at the risk of his hands going 'boom' because of a chakra-overcharge.
...
Danzo looked as the boy went out and eyed the scrolls, this would solve many possible legal problems if his connection to the boy was ever revealed.
He looked at the summoning scroll and then kept it back, it had been years since he had called upon the Hawks in battle - the principal reason as to why he had asked the boy not to use the technique without his supervision.
The Hawks were a rather haughty breed of summons, having even been worshipped in ancient civilizations as the messengers or carriers of gods. Hayami Shirmura, the matron of the clan had only been able to take charge of their summoning contract due to playing a pivotal role in healing an injured Hawk which she had found near a campsite. Danzo himself had to complete quite a few ordeals before he was granted the permission to call forth upon the Hawks in battle, only surviving due to him being a descendant of Hayami-sama.
Given that Naruto did not have Shimura blood in his veins, the protection that he had for being a descendant of Hayami-sama would not extend to him. If found to be unworthy or disrespectful, the Hawks could even turn vengeful - something that could be alarming given their battle prowess.
However, despite those misgivings Hawks were a truly a boon in a battle or even otherwise. They were the most versatile summons in his own opinion, who could gift a shinobi something no other summoning creature could currently provide - flight.
The gift of aerial support had truly helped Danzo much in his younger age, also given the fact that they were much faster and larger compared to the Crow-summons of the Uchiha or the Vultures of the Hiryo-clan in the Hidden Rock; they had established their aerial supremacy. They could abuse wind-based ninjutsu like none other, and their ruffling feathers could be used for area-wide Genjutsu that could be used to confuse entire squadrons for the ground force to take advantage. It was something that had kept the Shimura, an otherwise isolated clan without any bloodline limits - at the helm of the era of warring clans with monsters such as the Senju and Uchiha running amok.
He needed to ensure that he himself was in a better position with the Hawks before he could let the boy call on their power.
'Perhaps his status as the Nine-Tailed Fox's Jinchuriki can be of help,' Danzo thought as he dimmed the lantern, he needed to form a setup so that the boy could learn to use the Fox's chakra without drawing attention of every sensor in the village.
...
(Few Days Later)
'What a busy day,' Naruto thought as his team walked out of the Hokage's tower, they had completed a record 3 D-Ranks in a single day and it was still noon. Of all of them, Naruto enjoyed walking dogs for the old man the most.
'Still if sensei let me use clones we'll be done much faster,' Naruto thought.
"We shall call it a day then," Kakashi-sensei spoke as he looked up to an encircling hawk, "I've got to submit the mission reports."
"Then I'm going home," Sasuke spoke and started walking off, Sakura went after him leaving Naruto alone with his teacher.
"See ya later sensei," Naruto spoke as he too jumped off.
What should he do now?
These days he had a little free time on his hands as Jiji was helping with the Gato takeover, and since he couldn't train himself as per Jiji's instructions.
'Maybe some rame- The Hell!?' Naruto thought as he saw a square rock follow him across the streets.
'Konohamaru,' Naruto sighed as he felt the boy's chakra with 2 others in there, 'Rocks aren't square, and neither do they have holes in them.'
He turned into an alley and hid himself.
"Eh?" a voice spoke as the rock came into view, "Where did he go?"
"Right here," Naruto spoke as he appeared behind the trio and rid them of their cover immediately, "Rocks aren't square Konohamaru, and neither do they speak."
"...as expected of my rival!" Konohamaru shouted as he regained his composure, the other 2 - Moegi and Udon, to whom he had been introduced before they went to Genkai struck a pose as they introduced themselves as the 'Konohamaru Corps.'
"So what are you guys doing here?" Naruto asked as he looked at them, "Nice goggles by the way."
"We're trying to be like you Boss," Konohamaru grinned, "You've not been around at all lately."
"Sorry," Naruto scratched his head, between Jiji's insane training programme, team meetings and the Gato takeover he barely had time to sleep, "I've been a bit busy with training and stuff."
"Do you have time now boss?" Moegi asked, "You promised you'd play Ninja with us."
'Well, I do have some time before training,' Naruto thought, it couldn't hurt to relax a bit.
"Sure," Naruto spoke and tapped her on the shoulder, "You're it! Scatter before she catches you guys!"
"Wha - Hey no fair!" Moegi screeched as she ran after Udon, the slowest of the bunch.
"Neither is the Ninja world kiddo," Naruto laughed as he walked up a pole, comically out of their range.
"That's so cool Boss!" they squealed, "Teach us!"
"Only when you're able to balance kunai on both your hands like I asked," Naruto spoke and ruffled their hair, "C'mon now, let's get ramen. My treat!"
...
"Man I'm full," Naruto spoke aloud as he patted his belly, there went his one cheat meal for the week.
The kids had since scrambled away home, and Naruto had opted to rest a bit on a tree before he went for his evening training. His clones were toiling on the paperwork and Fuu-sensei's exercise anyway.
'The headache is reducing now,' Naruto thought. After a few fiasco's of overworking with dozens of clones and the resulting migraines cutting into his sleep, Fuu-sensei currently forbade him from using more than 20 clones for a few days.
He peered down on the street, which wore a rather deserted look. However Naruto saw 2 unfamiliar figures move as around as he looked at the symbol on their Headband.
'Shinobi from the Hidden Sand,' Naruto thought, 'From how openly they're walking around, I don't think they are spies. Chakra level's aren't really threatening either, a Diplomatic visit perhaps?'
Suddenly he felt a chakra rapidly approaching him from the back, Naruto reacted instinctively as he pulled out a Kunai and channeled his chakra for a possible confrontation.
The kunai tore through what seemed to be a shield of sand before it was stopped by a more tougher and thicker one.
'Another sand shinobi,' Naruto thought as he kept the kunai in his hand, 'Is this a Genin team?'
"You are rather jumpy," the boy, standing upside down on a branch spoke.
"Well," Naruto spoke as he continued to grip his weapon, "You know what they say about approaching a Ninja from behind, mind if I see some identification Mr. ...?"
"Gaara of the Sands," the boy spoke as he dissolved from the branch and reappeared on the ground, Naruto too jumped down in response startling the other 2 Sand Ninja.
"Naruto Uzumaki, Genin of the Hidden Leaf," Naruto spoke, "I demand to see your passport and permit to be in the village Gaara-san."
"We are here for the chunin exams," the boy spoke as he pulled out his passport, "It seems that you were able to sense me before I revealed myself."
"I would advice you not to disturb anyone else in the vicinity Gaara-san," Naruto spoke calmly, "It could lead to some very unpleasant results, and possibly bring shame upon you and your village."
"Temari, Kankuro we're leaving," the boy spoke as he left with his teammates.
'What a strange guy,' Naruto thought as he finally let his grip on the weapon loosen a bit, 'He's emitting so much bloodlust though, should probably tell Jiji about him.'
...
(Hokage Tower)
"...I Kakashi Hatake, Jonin Leader of Squad Seven, hereby nominate Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno and Naruto Uzumaki for the upcoming chunin Exams."
"I, Kurenai Yuuhi, Jonin Leader of Squad 8, hereby nominate Kiba Inuzuka, Hinata Hyuga and Shino Aburame for the upcoming Chunin Exams."
"I, Asuma Sarutobi, Jonin Leader of Squad 10, hereby nominate Shikamaru Nara, Yamanaka Ino and Choji Akimichi for the upcoming Chunin Exams."
Iruka stared slack-jawed as he saw the entirety of oven-fresh Genin get nominated for the Chunin Exams. While it was true that each team had completed more than the bare minimum required for qualifying for the exams, this was the first time in his career that he had seen Genin only six months out of the academy be nominated for something as dangerous as the Chunin Exams.
Memories of his own exam weighed on his mind as he recalled the horrendous injuries his team had sustained when they had given their own exam in the Hidden Grass Village, Kuroi's blood-curdling scream at losing his good arm to a hidden explosive planted by the enemy team was more or less embedded in his memory.
He wanted to shout out and call the Jonin teachers over their lax attitude...but in the end he decided to remain quiet.
He saw visions of his most troublesome student, Naruto Uzumaki float before his eyes. In the short span of six months since his graduation, Iruka's interactions with the boy had been limited, but he could clearly see the astounding degree of growth he had undergone.
How he casually solved a rather complex math problem when he dropped by for a visit.
The moment he evaded one of the stray Kunai flung from Udon's ingenious trap which had even got some of the other teachers.
Him lecturing Konohamaru about the importance of timing and planning, and its importance while both planning pranks or in the shinobi world.
The memories were scattered, but definite and reassuring.
Naruto Uzumaki had grown, Iruka didn't know if it was enough for him to be a chunin yet - but Hatake-san seemed to be doing something right.
So the Chunin known as Iruka Umino consoled his heart. If Naruto could grow so much in such a short span of time, who knew how much his other students had progressed.
...
(Undeground: ROOT Base)
A small blond-haired boy ran across the village, his run in the street was uninterrupted as people made it a point to get out of his way. The little Naruto Uzumaki stopped, he sniffed the air and ran to a stall serving delicious curry.
"Wow!" the boy's eyes sparkled, "Nee-chan, Can I have a plate Pleeeease?"
He knew that saying please helped people, afterall all the kids in the orphanage did the exact same thing to get more toys.
"The curry is not meant for you," the serving lady brusquely dismissed him, "Now get out, you're in the way of the customers."
"But," the boy rummaged through his pockets, "I have money."
Afterall Hokage-Jiji gave him some pocket money this time, he was going to eat something nice like curry instead of those chewy vegetables and meat they were given by the caretaker.
"I won't repeat myself again," the lady spoke as she pushed him to prove her point, "Out of here kid, we don't need your money. The next time you come here again I'll complain against you for causing trouble."
"But-!" Naruto was unable to speak as he was pushed out for good measure, his attempt to re-enter the stall was rebuffed and instead he felt the uncomfortable sensation of icy water on his skin as a bucketful of it was emptied on his head.
None of the other patrons or the staff paid any attention as Naruto picked up his soggy notes and walked away, his tears hidden in his soaked visage.
A grown Naruto appeared on the scene, he wanted to walk over to his younger self and hug him, tell him that everything was going to be alright, that he was going to become a ninja, that he had real parents that loved him...
...that he would one day meet a stupid old cripple that believed in him.
But he knew better than to try, this was a memory and it could only be observed - the past was to be accepted, not to be changed as per his desires.
"You seem to have gained a knack for acceptance" Jiji's form appeared near him, "I must admit, it was faster than I expected."
"Thanks Jiji," Naruto sighed, "I...don't feel so good."
Jiji tapped his cane on the ground in response and the scenery collapsed onto itself.
"Mind Walking Technique Release," Fuu-sensei's voice brought Naruto back to the his training area as he slowly got up.
"Rest," Jiji's spoke, "Your training for the evening is done."
Naruto absently nodded and jumped up, back home.
...
(Danzo's Office)
Danzo barely managed to walk to his chair before he collapsed.
'It seems I'm near my physical limits,' he thought as he downed a chakra pill. Using the Sharingan to penetrate deeper into the boy's mind was highly taxing on his old body, this in addition to his new training regimen with his old prosthetics and the Kazeshini had winded him down.
For the first time in years, Danzo felt exhausted.
'I can't push myself like when I was younger,' Danzo thought, 'I'll have to cut back on my training if these sessions are to continue.'
He sat on his desk for a few moments before he authorized the emergency protocol for production of the TN1 steroid. If push came to shove, he would need it in order to achieve some semblance of his prime on the battlefield.
...
(Naruto's House)
Naruto looked at the moonlit sky as he sipped on some tea, with every session of going deeper into his mind the memories began getting darker.
At the end of every session, he felt himself relive the memory and the hate inside him surged.
But then his training would kick in, Jiji's words about the past only being a learning experience reverberated in his mind and he slowly found himself accepting what had happened in his life. He understood the villagers too, they weren't the villains of his life who wished to make everything miserable for him.
They were just people, people who had lost their loved ones...and to whom he was a bitter reminder of what had transpired 12 years ago. They didn't see him as the fox, it was just that everytime they looked at him they were reminded of the attack on the village.
It was by no means an excuse for him to just turn a blind eye to what had been done to him, but it gave him a sense of closure.
With that, he let go of the incident at the stall.
Everytime he did this, he felt his mind become a bit calm. After every session, his chakra control became better and his focus would sharpen.
With every memory, he became stronger.
He walked back into the house to see his clones cleaning up after dinner, like clockwork a clone packed the leftovers and disappeared into the dark horizon.
'I wonder why I keep sending these to Kagome,' He thought as the remining clones dispersed themselves.
Perhaps he felt pity for her?
...
The next morning Naruto went through a message for his team to assemble near the bridge. Knowing Kakashi-sensei's antics Naruto decided that he had ample time for breakfast and a nice bath before heading out.
His knack was proven correct as his teammates gave him the stink-eye for being tardy.
'But hey,' he thought as he rested by the railing, 'If sensei's not here, what's the meaning in being on time?'
He pulled out some of Fuu-sensei's lessons and started practicing, he managed to cover an entire exercise before Kakashi-sensei showed up.
The team meeting was rather short. Kakashi-sensei told them that he had recommended them for the Chunin exams, but they had a choice of either accepting or rejecting the nomination by next week when the exam started.
'Well,' Naruto thought as he eyed the nomination form, 'I don't think Jiji's going to like this.'
...
"The Chunin Exams?" Danzo asked.
"Yeah," Naruto answered, "Kakashi-sensei said he'd recommended us for them, though we have a choice in that. I was wondering what I should do about it..."
"Your assessment?" Danzo decided to quiz his charge.
"Well," the boy scratched his head, "Honestly I don't think it is a very good idea."
"Reasons?"
"From what I have read," the boy spoke, "These exams involve different phases, including written tests and field exercises. While I am pretty confident in my training, I'm not exactly sure I'll be able to hold off everything I've been taught in case of an emergency. That'll attract too much attention - something you've ordered me against."
"True," Danzo spoke, "Your reasoning is sound enough, but I will think this over before issuing the final order."
The boy gave him a mock salute and left, alone once again in his sanctuary.
The current scenario was slightly off-putting, but definitely not unexpected. Since the last few years, and especially after the attack of the Nine Tails Konoha's reputation as the top dog in the Shinobi world had been in a steady decline. They had lost their Hokage in the attack, they lost the strongest of the Sannin as he chose to turn a traitor - a fact which was not very highly publicized yet, and they lost the entire shinobi regiment of one of their founding clans after the Uchiha Massacre.
Konoha needed to put up a strong front, and without doubt the prospect Sasuke Uchiha competing in these exams would rake in many potential clients the village desperately needed. An active Uchiha would go a long way to show how strong the village was.
There was little anyone could do ofcourse if he simply ordered Naruto to not compete, but it would only present his successor in a very negative light. There would be factions who would see to it that the boy competed, or atleast that Sasuke Uchiha was given a substitute teammate solely for the exam.
It was a difficult call considering that the Naruto could not be expected to proceed through the exams without revealing his skills, Danzo had seen to it that everything the boy was taught became instinctual to his very being. As he was, he would bulldoze the majority of other participants - something that would set many tongues wagging across the village and soon enough his link would be identified.
'But what if it is revealed anyway,' Danzo thought. As it stood, if Hiruzen came to know of Danzo and his connection to Naruto Uzumaki then there was precious little Danzo could do if the Hokage passed any strictures against him, even with an active apprenticeship sworn in blood. He was sure that in such an event, there would be an active attempt on the part of the Hokage and the Hatake Kakashi to ensure that Naruto was removed from his tutelage - by force if necessary.
However, for taking such action they would require political support - both from within and from outside of the Village. Something they had oodles right now, Danzo would have to call in every favor he owed in order to retain a fraction of his power within the village.
But if Naruto made it to the finals and then showcased his skills - in front of the entire nobility of the country and the Shinobi of the village, then the tables would turn...this time in Danzo's favor.
Instead of being the aged warmongerer, he would be known far and wide as a successful teacher - someone who had taught an inept, incompetent and otherwise looked-over shinobi and forged him into a true soldier. Unlike with Kushina, his connection with her son would be revealed throughout the elemental nations - any move by Hiruzen or Hatake after such a showing on part of the boy would invite a massive backlash from all quarters.
In such a scenario, it was truly a win-win situation for Danzo Shimura.
Getting up from his desk Danzo dimmed the lantern and prepared to head to his house. His decision was made.
...
Naruto was cleaning the main house in the Kuroki estate when he was called by Akemi.
"You are to compete in the exams Naruto-sama," Akemi spoke, "Danzo-sama has made his decision."
"Alright," Naruto shrugged as he moved back to his work, but inwardly he was beaming with excitement.
He would be the most badass Chunin-ttebayo!
...
(ROOT Base)
"...so no revealing everything I'm taught until the final stage," Naruto asked as he was briefed by Jiji.
"Yes," Jiji spoke, "Revealing your skills and the role of my tutelage in the same should only be reserved for the finals. In the event that you face a situation in the initial phases which presents a threat to your life, you are free to use all your skills to escape - after which you shall quit the exam. Is that understood?"
"Yup," the boy spoke, "No acting all cool until the end, that's it."
Danzo frowned inwardly, the boy had grown quite the lip on him in the last few days...but that was immaterial anyways as long as he obeyed orders.
"Good," Danzo spoke, "Fuu shall see to your briefing for the exam is done. Dismissed."
...
"We are done for today," Fuu-sensei spoke.
'Phew,' Naruto thought as he put down his brush and signaled his clones to disperse.
Learning about the chunin exams had been quite enlightening.
Right now Naruto was a Genin, the only post above 'Provisional Genin' which was given to those who failed the additional test of their Jonin Instructors. Genin were generally rookie Ninjas molded in squads by their Jonin instructors, they were rarely used for any high risk missions given their lack of strength and inexperience. This was the starting point for anyone who wanted to make it big in the Ninja World.
Above the Genin were the the Chunin, the main fighting force of the village. The Chunin post was given to Genin who either passed the exams, or performed very well on field missions or otherwise to merit a promotion. Chunins generally operated with other Chunin of the village in specialized teams for different corps in the forces - from barrier, strike, shell and 7 others. They would occasionally be asked to lead teams of Genin in emergencies or work with the higher rung - the Jonin for high risk missions.
Superior to both were Jonin, arguably the most dangerous class of shinobis in the village. Jonin were highly experienced and specialized shinobi tasked with leading missions, and sometimes operating in conjunction with each other for the most dangerous missions the village would receive. The highest offices across the village, from diplomacy, academics, administration...even sanitation were reserved exclusively for Jonins. They were often quipped to be the link between the Hokage and the other Shinobi of the Village - those who executed his will in the world.
Then there were the ANBU, the shinobi that operated in the shadows in the cover of anonymity. They hired people across all shinobi spectrum if they were useful, and were critical in ensuring village security and specialized missions that could not be executed openly. More or less every Hidden Village followed the same pattern in this regard.
But maintaining so many ninjas required a lot of money - which was why missions were so important. In the era before the establishment of the Hidden Villages it was the victory in battles that won clans and warriors their prestige, and therefore kept them in business. The more battles a clan won, the more their territory and fame grew - and higher the likelihood of them being hired by mercantile guilds, feudal lords or other wealthy patrons for different missions.
However the situation had since changed after the establishment of the hidden villages. Modern warfare between the Hidden Villages made the old wars look puny in comparison - the territories were large, often encompassing entire countries; the shinobi forces were larger and better trained and the sheer scale of everything put together made war much more costly than it was in the era of the warring clans. Open war therefore was a last resort, but the Ninjas still required some way to show off their power and attract clients.
The Chunin exams therefore provided a toned down and far cheaper version of it.
The best of young blood from across different Hidden Villages would fight each other in a vibrant display of talent, fame, strength and power that acted as a pedestal to display the battle-prowess of the Ninjas across the continent. The young Genin - the future of their village, would eke it out in front of an audience that had ambassadors, feudal lords, businessmen and even people of the underworld watching with great interest. The skill they displayed would act as a benchmark, and often decide the economic standing of their Village's future.
Naruto Uzumaki would show this crowd what he could do.
All he had to do was make it to the finals.
One week to the exam.
...
(ROOT Base: Underground)
Danzo was working on the deal Naruto had struck with Terumi Mei, while bribing the administration of Water Country was no longer a big concern thanks to the Gato Corporation's deep pockets - there were many of those money could not buy.
Mizuyo Takamura being the current thorn in their side.
A nobleman, the first-born of the current generation of the Aristocratic Takamura family was both wealthy and influential in the bureaucratic circles of water country and was a chief-supporter of the Yondaime Mizukage.
'It cannot be due to concessions of any kind,' Danzo contemplated, 'No matter through whom I route the proposal, all intel suggests it will be shot down immediately and that Mizuyo will start fighting tooth and nail to keep the nobility on Yagura's side.'
Afterall this was the man because of whom the bloodline purges had continued, Mizuyo was the man that had galvanized support for Yagura's highly questionable and reckless policies. As long as he stood his ground, there was no way to usurp Yagura's reign without waging a war.
'It has to be something personal,' Danzo concluded, 'Those of the Takamura family aren't deeply connected to the Hidden Mist in any way except for being frequent clients. If Mizuyo stands behind Yagura like this, either he owes Yagura in some manner or they share a common enemy he wishes to destroy at any cost.'
Either way, the bribery route was blocked. Blackmailing the man with respect to his family's ill-gotten wealth was a no go as it would mean turning one of the most influential families in Water Country completely against the Resistance.
'I cannot threaten him either,' Danzo thought, 'Someone like him is bound to have an elite shinobi or samurai escort on him at all times. Any threat to his life will be answered by Yagura himself.'
The only way left, was to order his death. Moreso considering the fact that he had already started galvanizing support after a failed attempt at bribery by the factions opposing the Fourth Mizukage.
It wasn't a surprise in any manner, Danzo had issued hits like these innumerable times in the past.
But now it was time to let the young-blood take over. Dealing with death would only do the boy good in the long run, the boy needed to know that sometimes in order to preserve one's life he had to take that of another.
...
"...is there no other way Kuro?" Naruto asked in a low voice as his teammate shook her head.
"None appears currently Naruto-sama," Kuro spoke, "All intel conveys that Mizuyo Takamura shares a rather passionate bond with Karatachi Yagura and his cause, reasons are unknown. Any attempt at bribery or blackmail is bound to fail and cause considerable backlash. The single attempt at bribery on the part of the Resistance has already resulted in Mizuyo-san galvanizing his supporters in a massive party 2 days from now."
Naruto banged his head on the desk in frustration, Jiji had called upon him to solve the situation whereby Mizuyo Takamura was to be dealt with. Apparently someone from the Resistance had tried to turn the man to on their side by offering money, and Mizuyo-san had responded by galvanizing his supporters on the eve of his son's birth-anniversary to send a message of how untouchable he, and in turn Yagura were.
'We can't disrupt the party either,' Naruto hung his head, 'If anyone is injured it'll turn the nobility against Terumi Mei, and I'll end up destroying whatever support she already has.'
On the other hand, he couldn't let it succeed either.
'I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place,' Naruto sighed.
'His death is the only possible solution,' Jiji spoke as he closed the door, 'You will only waste precious time by dabbling on other possibilities due to your selfish desire to not have blood on your hands.'
Honestly, the idea of death wasn't appealing to Naruto. He had hunted a few wild animals as part of training under Jiji, but killing a person was so much more difficult than throwing a kunai at a rabbit.
He saw visions, him fighting on the ship against pirates and with the goons in Wave Country. He avoided drawing lethal weapons or strikes as he had a choice, he was able to overpower them without much effort and let the 'concerned authorities' deal with them. He didn't kill Gato either because he could help it, but now he was stuck.
"Shall we send a message to execute a hit?" Kagebo spoke, "We have a squad which can reach his estate within 36 hours."
"...no," Naruto spoke as he closed the file, "The mission profile is far too risky to send any of our soldiers. Going in there will mean certain death even if they succeed."
...
Danzo listened to the muttering of his charge from the next room. He was disappointed at the soft approach he boy was still harboring in such a situation.
Was he right in choosing someone like this? As the Hokage or even as a team captain, the situation often demanded that people be sent on highly risky missions - often with the possibility of never returning. If the boy was not able to do this then there was no way he could-
"-Kuro, you spoke of the Vish-kanyas on the last mission right? Do you have any way to contact them?"
...and again, the boy sprung a surprise when Danzo least expected it.
...
Shimuko Gyakuro made her way through the small crowd outside the Summer Palace where Mizuyo Takamura was holding the festivities of his son's birth anniversary. She gave her coat to the cocierge and immediately felt all eyes in the room flicker in her direction.
Her enviable figure drew the eyes of men and women alike. The seductive sway in her hips drawing men like moths to a flame.
...and just like the moth that reached it, anyone reaching her would meet a rather gruesome death.
Shimuko was a Vish-Kanya, born under stars that forewarned the death of any man she bedded. This had resulted in her family abandoning her at a young age - and had truly fulfilled the prophecy in turn.
Shimuko was trained in the Hiryoko Village in Fang Country, where she learnt many things - including how to entertain men or act according to any social setting she was thrust into. She charmed her way into the party without even saying a word, many men, both young and old tried to garner her attention and she gave them oodles of it and acquired as much information as she could about the setting.
She was going to be a rich woman after tonight, and needed to work hard for it.
Mizuyo Takamura was not an easy target, not in the slightest. While the underbelly of the city was rife with rumors of his whoremongering in the younger days, he was far too focused on preserving the Fourth Mizukage's reign and was very careful about whom he even spoke with, let alone bedded.
She knew that trying to charm her way into his circle would be suspicious, especially considering that she was here on an invitation sourced by a faction which was opposing this very man. She needed to be more creative about executing this assignment. She walked past an entourage of Shinobi from the Hidden Mist in the entrance area, however given the fact the she was unable to mold chakra and had just enough as any other civilian, she drew little attention.
Once inside she focused her attention on the spread, all kinds of delicacies were being served to guests from around the world - but a particular scent caught her attention immediately.
'They are serving the Kuniko,' she reasoned as she recognized the pungent smell. Kuniko was a rare breed of puffer-fish almost exclusive to the nobility of Water Country. It was difficult to catch given that it only resided in the icy waters in the northern strait, and even more difficult to cook given how poisonous it was. Only the most experienced of chefs were permitted to serve the dish in the country, as the slightest mistake in prepping or cooking the delicacy would result in death of all those that ate it.
A plan formulated in her head.
'They can't be serving that to everyone around here,' she reasoned, the fish was simply far too expensive, 'Maybe only for the hosts and a few special guests. I need to find a way into the kitchen.'
She diverted her attention to an older man who seemed pretty friendly with the staff, and soon came to know that he was Hiryo Kensuto - the custodian of this palace and the effective host of the party. The fact that he seemed completely smitten by her was an added advantage to her plan.
...
Naruto sat alone on the roof as he eyed the setting sun. Given the time difference between the countries of Fire and Water, the party at the Summer Palace would be in full swing as of now.
His command would be executed anytime now.
...he felt a bit sick.
...
Shimuko acted smitten as Hiryo-san led her through the gardens, boasting of his close ties to the Takamura family and of his 'enviable' social status as the custodian of one of the best palaces in the country. She gave him a shy smile and spoke of how she had always wished to taste some of the fancier caviar which was reserved for the guests on the upper deck - to which he graciously replied that he'd fetch her a plate.
He fell for her trap - hook, line and sinker.
She followed him to the kitchen, insisting that she did not wish to get him in trouble. He brushed aside her concerns with chest-thumping bravado about how he could even take her to the upper-deck if she so desired. She acted scared at the prospect of angering a noble, stating that she was only a simple girl born of a Fisherman in the Eastern province and would be content with sampling some of the richer delicacies in secret.
"I'll take you directly to the source then," he spoke in his unusually loud baritone, "Come, we'll go to the kitchens. You can even have some of the Kuniko if you want."
She followed him quietly, the staff let them inside without question and soon she was sampling on some of the most exquisite delicacies she had ever eaten.
...
Hiryo Kensuto could not have been a happier man at that moment.
He was, technically speaking, the elder brother of Mizuyo Takamura as they had the same father. However, due to his mother being born in a simple farming family the Takamura's had trashed any hope of possible marriage or acknowledging her existence as anything other than a mistress. She had been married off to a greedy bureaucrat immediately after becoming pregnant, and he had since his birth survived on the leftovers of the Takamura family.
He was not able to do particularly good in studies, and as a result could not find any good employment to escape the shadow or tag of bastard which he carried here. Mizuyo had appointed him as a custodian of this palace - far away from any social or economically important position to keep him from, god forbid, embarrassing the Takamura.
He never had much luck with the ladies either. His own wife, a comely young girl he had wooed from a small village had fallen for the charms of a young lord in the Crescent Moon country and left him red-faced and alone to listen to the jeers and taunts of other people.
But now, finally there was this goddess in human form who was taken by how truly great he was. Every smile on her face gave him a sense of power and achievement, he was not going to screw this up.
Hell, he'd catch the Kuniko himself in those icy waters if it meant he could bed this gorgeous creature.
...
Shimuko eyed the kitchen as she sampled some rare caviar. It was a cacophony of people, utensils and a lot of screaming as waiters flowed in and out with trays of food and supervisors screeched at the chefs to hurry up on the main course.
But the pattern was now very clear.
From what she knew, the Kuniko was generally consumed with a special aged red wine. Bottles of which were placed before her in ice buckets with goblets already filled and ready to serve the most elite of guests.
'As per custom,' she noted, 'Since the Daimyo is not in attendance, the goblet with the golden insignia will be reserved for the person who is next in the hierarchy of administration.'
Which in this case, was her target.
How convenient.
She fiddled with her ring behind her back as she talked animatedly to Hiryo-san. This ring had been specifically crafted for such assignments. The inner lining was sharpened in a very specific way to draw blood with a small cut if the ring was turned clockwise. As soon she felt the blood flow she tripped a passing waiter to divert the attention of all those currently in her vicinity.
In the brief moment of confusion, she uncovered the marked goblet and hovered her finger near it - a few drops of her blood tainting the red wine. Her job done, she rushed to Hiryo's side, the ring already fastened to stem the blood flow. They retreated to the gardens again where she accepted his offer for a pleasant night-ride around the area.
Afterall, someone needed to be missing after tonight's assignment. Whom better than an overlooked bastard brother to frame for murder? None would even think of tracing another pretty face in a party when such a man was missing after tonight.
...
(Late Night: Forest near the Summer Palace)
Mei walked to the designated location as she saw a naked woman emerge from the nearby bushes.
"You must be the disposal squad," the woman spoke as she tied her hair in a bun, "You have what I need?"
"Yes," Mei spoke, her voice taut with tension as she handed over a packet of cash and documents to the woman, "The tickets are inside, you can leave on a ship to Makitsu tommorow."
"How nice," the woman spoke as she picked up her clothes, "There's a body behind those bushes, take care of it would you. He needs to be 'missing' for quite some time now."
Mei simply nodded as he woman wore her clothing, jumped onto a horse tied nearby and disappeared down the dirt path.
Behind the bushes she could see a middle-aged man, naked to the bone. His face was a rather vivid shade of blue.
She did not know who the woman was, or the man's identity. Naruto Uzumaki was very much a miser with respect to revealing information.
'He's dangerous,' Mei thought as she made the necessary handsigns and burnt the body, 'At this rate he is going to be even more dangerous than Yagura. I have to be much more careful while dealing with him in the future.'
Another technique reduced the charred ground to mud, leaving no trace of any human activity. Done with her task, Mei jumped into the darkness and disappeared into the night.
Only god and Naruto Uzumaki himself knew what would be achieved with the death of that man.
...
(Late Night: Underground)
Naruto sat in the makeshift office for dealing with the Gato takeover, he had been unable to sleep and even meditating didn't seem to work right now. So instead he tried to distract himself by doing some extra paperwork. If nothing, the headache with using extra clones would give him something else to focus on than the accursed mission.
'It must be morning in Water Country by now,' he thought.
"Naruto-sama," Kuro came into the room, "Kagebo's summons have confirmed news, Mizuyo Takamura is reported to be dead - possibly poisoned. It will be made public within the next 24 hours."
Naruto nodded, waving his hand to dismiss her.
He was barely able to walk to the toilet before he puked his guts out.
So its timeout for now.
Hope everyone is doing well.
Thanks to all those that gave me their good wishes, I think my life is going to be a bit better.
Leave a review if you liked it, or even if you didn't. It helps either way.
Stay safe, until next time!