Chapter 1-35
"Chunin Ito," The Third thundered, having sprung up from his seat along with the two Elders next to him, "get a hold of yourself!"
My eyes, the only thing I seemingly was capable of moving, only briefly jumped to the alarming sight of my combat-ready village leader in front of me, because a strange darkened apparition slithered around my forearm like a viper all the way to my hand. Everything inch of my skin it touched felt like the cold links of a steel chain.
No, not a viper, an anaconda.
'Nara!'
I was held in place by the Jonin Commander.
Despite my gradually calming heart, the lines remained, along with the shadowy grip.
The silence was deafening until I heard footsteps from my left along with the soft tacks of a cane, then my collar shifted, and I could practically feel someone's gaze.
"A cursed seal," Danzo's voice came from uncomfortably close, and for a fraction of a second, I was glad I couldn't move a muscle. It would be so easy for him to just put a Kunai in me and call it a day, wouldn't it? "I see similarities to Mitarashi's."
My breathing was shallow, probably by the design of whatever jutsu the Nara patriarch was using, but I managed to take some desperately needed and overdue calming breaths. Shaken but not stirred, or stabbed for that matter, I focused on the man, who could change that with a handful of words.
"Tell us what happened," the old man ordered and gave a subtle flick with his hand towards his Jonin Commander. The motion wasn't even complete, and already I felt a distinctive pressure leave my neck and jaws, just enough to let me talk, nothing more.
Defeatism snuffing out all but the last sparks of anger made me mentally sigh in resignation.
"After I had killed the last rebel members of our party," I began to tell without inflection whatsoever, "I was in the process of doing the Body Elimination Technique on myself when Orochimaru revealed himself behind me. He thanked me for the amusement and the two new swords."
The sharp downward turn of the Third's frown at the mention of Orochimaru's apparent pleasure at the situation was dully noted.
"After he drained my chakra, a sharp pain finally knocked me out," I continued, only to pause for a heartbeat, intent to correctly remember the details of my reawakening.
"It's unfortunate that your man hadn't managed to integrate himself into Terumi's group of renegades when she had fled Kirigakure," Danzo commented absently. Despite the distance and low lighting, his unblinking gaze followed every single one of Kakashi's brush strokes in the middle of the cavernous sealing chamber like a hawk would follow a mouse in the field.
"His reports from within the village will be just as important given the upheaval," Hiruzen countered softly. While he had complete trust in young Kakashi's sealing abilities, he still preferred not to be too much of a distraction during a long and arduous task such as the Evil Sealing Method.
"Jiraiya believes Terumi will make Wave Country in the medium term her new base of operation, perhaps believing Konoha's shadow will protect her and her men from Yagura's more overt attempts of retribution."
The chamber grew quiet except for the steady brush strokes a few feet away.
"How do we answer to the disappearance of Gato and his wealth?" Danzo asked idly, and despite the lack of underlying tone, Hiruzen knew his compatriot saw the act as an attack on Konoha's interests, minor as they were.
"Not at all," the Third answered, and before Danzo could turn, let alone voice his disapproval, he continued. "for now."
"I can't help but think that with dialog and nourishment we might witness the birth of a new village. A buffer and ally like Kusa, perhaps."
If Danzo weren't on such thin ice, he would have been called an idealistic fool, of that Hiruzen was certain. Instead, he only heard a quiet sigh.
The alternative, Danzo's way, well, it led to problems like the unconscious boy that proved himself to be an ever-growing headache.
'Orochimaru or Itachi?'
"He's a headache, isn't he?" Danzo commented, incidentally mirroring the thoughts of the third Hokage.
"Indeed."
"What an absolute waste in times like these," Danzo shook his head, "imagine someone with his skills and talents wreaking havoc behind enemy lines during the last war," he continued wistfully until a note of disgust entered his voice, "he should have stayed in ANBU when he had the chance."
"Perhaps," the Third allowed, although he didn't sound convinced, "but despite his self-loathing, he somehow managed to influence the people around him for the better, significantly so."
"He could have been a fantastic teacher someday."
"Perhaps," Danzo echoed his compatriot, however, grudgingly.
"What-ifs aside," the Third shifted, now standing noticeably straighter, the time for reminiscing seemingly over, "the boy wasn't wrong. I fear too many have grown complacent, lazy," the last word he said louder as one such recipient of his criticism was firmly in his sights.
"There are too few of his caliber with his drive."
"He has shortcomings," the Third began anew, searching his memories for reports and conversations, "he's distrusting, dismissive, arrogant, brash, but,"
"These faults made him as strong as he is," Danzo finished for his former friend.
A nod by the Third.
"However unwillingly young Daiki also tends to take action when the situation demands it and is ready to suffer for those close to him, and by extension, Konoha," attributes both men recognized to an extent from one fallen prodigy, and alleviated certain apprehensions concerning another.
A sigh, and for what felt like the hundredth time his gaze slid over the top of the page to his team fighting a clone of his.
Although was it truly his team, or was he just the one in charge?
Even Sakura had learned more from the resident boy-wonder, who had all the panties in a twist, through Naruto than she did from him.
Naruto, like his mother, was a sledgehammer wrapped in profanity with a heart of gold.
Unlike most, who jealously guarded their techniques, from the very start, he had offered to teach his teammates everything he knew so they could better protect Konoha together.
Two traits he had seemingly picked from Daiki years ago, along with a wealth of scrolls the young Chunin had left him and his Inuzuka friend.
He idly wondered if Daiki would have been such an effective teacher if his little students hadn't been filled to the brim with energy and inherited talent.
Still...
The results spoke for themselves.
Control exercises and jutsus, which Naruto unsurprisingly still struggled with, were happily introduced to Sakura. Chakra strings, the Hiding with Camouflage Technique, and tags played to her strengths and made her a useful addition to the team's combat dynamic.
She was the figurative tripwire to Naruto and Sasuke's relentless assault.
Having seen his classmates progress during the academy the curious Uchiha had apparently spied on them, unsurprisingly unsuccessful given the Inuzuka. Still, it had gotten him roped up into the action by an ecstatic Uzumaki.
Perhaps honor-bound or simply grateful for the help, Sasuke had even taught Naruto and Kiba his Great Fireball Technique in return.
Both were strongly hampered by their different nature but happily making up for it with excessive chakra use.
Kids and their fireballs.
He couldn't help but shake his head. Without trying, his team was already strong with a healthy dose of teamwork.
It wasn't often that he felt this usel...
'Hold on.'
With a flick of his wrist, a kunai suddenly sped into a bush across the clearing.
"Maa, Naruto, only three Shadow Clones in training!" He admonished with a lazy drawl just loud enough for the boy in the orange t-shirt to hear. "Oh, and constant vigilance!" He liked that phrase.
Almost. It wasn't often that he felt almost this useless.
As much as liked what he was seeing, however, he was worried. They hadn't been truly challenged so far during missions and he sincerely hoped they were ready when the time was inadvertently going to come.