Burdened Slave
Chapter 16
Fugaku sat in his office, rubbing his aching eyes. An Anbu suddenly appeared before him to let him know that Sarutobi Hiruzen was asking to enter. Fugaku nodded, giving his permission.
Not a moment later, Hiruzen entered.
"You should be at the hospital," Hiruzen greeted, a grim look on his face over recent events.
"I have faith in the Anbu medics," Fugaku replied and waved a hand over to a couch.
Hiruzen took the offered seat, looking older than he ever had before.
"Anko-chan is—not well," Hiruzen said, appearing extremely saddened. "I have identified that the seal on her somehow draws in Natural Energy, however, I don't know for what purpose. I have sent word to the Toads. Hopefully, Jiraya will be able to easily resolve this matter."
Hiruzen took out a pipe, lit it, and gave a few puffs. The action, however, seemed to fail at helping him relax.
"I am told by Inoichi that she has lost her will to live. Even now, he is trying to help her get it back. I've ordered him to change her memories so that her feelings of being abandoned, her feelings of love and attachment towards Orochimaru, all are to be made out as manipulated and falsely implanted."
Fugaku frowned. "Would that really work?"
"I can only hope," the old man replied and closed his eyes for a moment. "She was so bright. Her spark of life had been refreshing. Now, because of my old student and his ambitions, she may never recover. If she does, her colleagues and fellow shinobi may look at her with suspicion for a long time."
Hiruzen leaned back, a look of great regret on his face.
"That is why, whether she recovers or not, I will take her in as family and, if she so chooses, I will become her teacher." Hiruzen said, mostly to himself.
"What do you know about Yamanaka Yū?" Fugaku asked as he steepled his fingertips, resting his elbows on his paperless desk.
Hirzuen chuckled.
"Hm? I heard she was the one who found Anko-chan. Another lively young girl," he replied. "But also quite attached to Orochimaru, if to a lesser extent. I originally believed she grew closer to my old student because of her friendship with Anko-chan, however, I came to realise that she idolised Orochimaru's power as much as she idolised the man himself for being a teammate of Tsunade."
Hiruzen leaned forward.
"Keep an eye on her. She has the blood of two clans which has strengthened her Yamanaka half. My old teammate wouldn't take her at this stage, but I wouldn't put it past him to attempt to manipulate her to his own ends."
Fugaku nodded in understanding.
"With Orochimaru's escape, our village has been weakened," Fugaku stated, closing eyes as a hidden tremor went throughout his body. "How likely is it that Senju Tsunade can be convinced to return?"
"I'm afraid that there's no chance of that happening," Hiruzen replied sadly.
All three sat on top of the Hokage mountain as the hour drew closer to midnight. The night was cool and their breaths fogged as they exhaled. The stars shone brightly, the moon rising from the horizon, and the village below them was in a fitful sleep.
Yū sat cross-legged, her fingers to her temples, and an intense look of concentration on her face. She had been like that for three days and two nights. Bags could be seen under her eyes as she refused to sleep. In the coming morning, if they couldn't accomplish anything, they would fail their mission. So, Yū pushed every ounce of power she had outwards. She took control of any animal that could fly, walk, slither, crawl, or even swim. She gave them only one order. Search out. Find Yuhi Kurenai.
For three days and two nights, she kept this up nonstop. She didn't even stop to eat despite her stomach growling uncomfortably. She didn't stop to drink either. During those days, Haru didn't eat or drink anything in front of her or Dan, except for something small in the morning, and something small at sunset all the while disappearing at five different times each day. Dan chose to not eat at all.
All of a sudden, Yū jumped upwards. "I found the bitch!"
She whirled on her teammates. "Quick, get me some water and meat. I feel like I'm dying!"
Haru pulled out a scroll and some water. She jumped the distance towards him, snatched the water and drank it up. Then she took the scroll and unsealed some cooked meat. She quickly devoured it.
"You're amazing. We'd make some really strong babies together," she said offhandedly and without much thought in her tired brain. She wiped the grease off her mouth and was unaware of Haru taking a few silent steps backwards, nor did she notice the awkward fidgeting from Dan.
She took another gulp of water and sighed contentedly. She then put on a business-like expression.
"Alright, guys. Our target's camped just north of the village. If run really fast, we could probably get there in an hour,"
Dan shrugged, seemingly getting over his friend's antics.
Haru, on the other hand, seemed like a frightened deer for a moment. But gathered himself, though, his eyes remained abnormally wide.
"I see," Haru said. "We should start covering the distance,"
"Yeah!" Yū shouted, then she ran and jumped off the edge of the mountain. She skidded down until she reached the Yondaime's head, before she jumped. Her teammates followed her.
They ran to the village gate and straight past the gate watchers.
"Hey!" one of the gate watchers shouted. "Get back—"
"Let them," his partner said, equally surprised and shocked. "We just got orders to let them pass,"
"At this time of night?" the first gate watcher asked, exasperatedly.
"It's straight from the Jonin Commander," came the reply.
All three flitted through the tree branches.
"It is unwise to rush in like this without a plan," Haru stated calmly.
"Forget planning. She might get away if we take too much time. Besides, I think I've finally figured out how to read people's minds. So this should go much smoother than with that eyebrows guy,"
"We had information on Maito-san. We lack it for Yuhi-san," Haru said.
"We can't always have information when we like it," Yū shot back in annoyance. "Sometimes we just have to act and hope for the best. Besides, I get it now. I get why there's so many traitors from Konoha. It's because they're all following Orochi-ta—maru."
Writing in his scroll as he jumped between branches, Dan made his hand sign and his scroll spoke for him. "I don't know, Yū. I feel like you're overthinking this one. I still think this is a test. Otherwise, why would Sensei give us information on certain suspects but not others?"
Haru nodded in agreement.
Yū, however, stopped very suddenly on a large tree branch. She clenched her fists and shook with fury.
"Unless," she whispered. Then glared beyond the openings in the forest canopy up at the stars. "Unless Sensei is also traitor,"
Dan stared at her and scratched his head.
"It makes sense. I heard what everyone was saying. Orchi-ta—maru experimented on people. Who does our team consist of?" she asked and looked at both Dan and Haru, before pointing at them. "A Maboroshi, a really strong Uchiha, and—"
She pointed at herself, but stopped herself from saying anything, though, Dan seemed to to understand.
"So, a team consisting of really valuable subjects. Orochimaru still would have had influence to get a traitor-sensei to take us as a team. Orochimaru then suggests to that Uchiha Hokage that since we could be a really strong team, we should get a really strong test disguised as a mission. The mission would take us out of the village. Since that eyebrows guy failed, he gave us our next target which leads us to now, standing outside the village,"
"If Orochimaru was interested in us," Haru starts saying with a thoughtful tone. "Why could he not simply take us whenever he wanted?"
This makes Yū scratch her head. After some thought she sighs. "Maybe you're right and this is a test. Or maybe it's an actual mission. Or maybe it's a trap."
She turns around and looks into the distance. "We'll get our answers when we capture this bitch."
She leaps forward and they follow. Yū places her fingers in concentration once more. "She's still there."
She turns back to her teammates once more.
"Alright, Dan. You go ahead of us and wait for an opening," she ordered.
Dan nodded and slowly became invisible, surprising Haru.
"I did not know there was such a technique," Haru said.
Yū smirked at him. "Oh, you'll have to make do with Jiraya-sama's invisibility jutsu if you ever come across it. You won't be able to copy what Dan just did. It's special to his clan only."
The two stopped on a branch.
"I see," Haru replied.
Silence fell between the two as Yū stared intensely at Haru.
This made Haru clear his throat, successfully snapping Yū out of her stare. "What are we going to do?"
"Right," she said with a hidden blush. "We'll just do the same as what we did for Eyebrows,"
Haru frowned. "Which part?"
She gave a sharp-toothed grin. "All of it."
Haru stood on a branch, frown on his face, and arms crossed.
"Oh, stop being a sourpussy," Yū called out as she flitted all over, placing her explosive tags all over the trees around them. "If you're that concerned about the trees, then don't be. These aren't like the ones at the Nara forest. These ones were made by Shodaime himself. They're pretty tough."
"Still," Haru said quietly, but didn't continue.
All of the sudden, Dan reappeared next to Haru. Yū noticed.
"What are you doing back here?" she asked.
"She's not there," Dan's scroll voiced.
Yū frowned and placed her fingers in concentration. She opened her eyes. "That doesn't make sense, she's still there,"
All of a sudden, a strong killing intent hit them, causing Yū and Dan to sweat a bit, while Haru looked around warily, having uncrossed his arms and gotten into a fighting stance.
A feminine chuckle echoed around them.
"That's quite the skill in tracking, kid," a woman's voice echoed. "But even the smallest insect can fall to genjutsu,"
All of a sudden, vines shot at Yū and trapped her.
"Did you think," the woman's voice continued. "That just because you controlled them, that the information you received was reliable?"
"I wonder," the woman spoke and frightening shadows flitted through the trees. Incomprehensible whispers brushed against Yū's ears. "What is it that you're most afraid of,"
The forest canopy above Yū suddenly opened with a frightful sound, like a giant gate creaking open or maybe like a giant dam breaking; a rush of water with a horrible flood promised.
There, covering the sky, red eyes looked down at her. Nine tails swirled about the being. Yū knew she was in a genjutsu. She did her best to break it, but it wasn't enough.
"Hm, you guys broke out pretty easily," Yuhi Kurenai's red eyes stared at the two boys on the branch across from hers.
She let go of the girl's head, letting her start falling off the high branch. The Maboroshi jumped after Yū, while the Uchiha remained.
"Yuhi-san," Uchiha Haru spoke. "Why all of this for a test?"
So cute! And so polite! His cheeks look so soft and pokeable.
"You're Hokage-sama's nephew. I'd imagine you'd know more than me," Kurenai replied.
The boy suddenly broke the subtle genjutsu she had thrown at him while speaking.
"Do you honestly believe that?" Haru asked, tilting his with curiosity.
Dang, Hana's got a real treasure. Colour me jealous.
She shrugged in reply. "Of course not."
Suddenly, the boy stumbled and she smirked. "Ah, it seems you've never encountered smell-based genjutsu,"
The boy activated his sharingan. She frowned. "I didn't know you already had those eyes. I heard you can only get them through pain and tragedy."
The boy closed his eyes and a small breeze engulfed him. He opened his eyes, standing more stable.
"You have heard mostly correctly," he stated calmly. "Strong emotion is the basis for the Sharingan's activation."
This made Kurenai's heart clench in sorrow.
"I'm sorry," she said.
Haru smiled kindly. "Whatever for, Yuhi-san?"
The smile was going to haunt her forever. She put a hand behind her back, and unsealed a small bell from a storage seal placed between her fore and middle fingers. She put chakra into the bell, and with some concentration, she gave a small jingle.
The result was Haru falling to his knees, his hands grabbing his head.
"Sound-based genjutsu," she said. "It's a pain to deal with,"
"I-indeed," Haru said through clenched teeth.
She shook the small bell once more, causing Haru to collapse into unconsciousness.
All of a sudden, a kunai came out of thin air and dug deep between her eyes. Her clone popped as she now stood on a different branch. She stared in surprise at the Maboroshi.
"Did you know that I switched with a clone before you did that?" she asked.
Maboroshi Dan shook his head in the negative.
Kurenai's eyebrows twitched. "Then kid, you've got some anger issues."
Dan made a hand sign for his scroll. "Yū almost broke her neck in that fall."
Kurenai winced. "Sorry about that. I thought she was at an angle where she'd just sprain her ankle or dislocate her arm or something."
Dan just stared at her through his mask.
What a creepy mask.
Then he growled and became invisible.
She looked around herself slowly. "I've heard about the Maboroshi. They have the ability to evade all senses. Impressive."
She jumped to a higher branch just as another kunai came at her.
"I'm sure if you were more experienced, I'd be dead before I knew it," she said.
Dan reappeared next to Haru and he shook the younger boy, trying to wake him up.
"I'm afraid he'll be quiet out of it for a while," she said.
And right after she said that, Haru groaned and got to his knees.
She looked in surprise once more. "Nevermind. You guys are going to be monsters when you grow up."
"I'd rather not be one," Haru said as he shakily stood.
"Sorry honey, that's just the world we live in," she said, holding back tears.
"Then I'll just change the world," Haru said with a smile.
All of a sudden, an angry roar was heard far below them.
"Huh," Kurenai said. "Maybe she's the one with the anger issues."
Dan nodded.
"Well, I'm honestly impressed with you guys. I don't think we need to go further. I'll just tell Aoba you passed his tests. What do you think?"
"Yosh!" Maito Gai suddenly appeared behind Dan and Haru, clapping them on their backs quite hard. "These young ones are most youthful. You have indeed passed the tests,"
"Where's Aoba anyway?" Kurenai asked. "Did he fall asleep at our camp?"
All of a sudden, Yū yelled from below. "Take cover guys!"
Haru looked confused for a single moment, but that moment could have cost him. Dan quickly took Haru's arm and allowed his phasing abilities to affect the young Uchiha.
The world suddenly brightened as all the explosive tags went off.
"Seriously, you need to hold off on the explosives," Aoba said, his three genin standing in front of him while his accomplices stood next to him. "Do you know how much I've been chewed and spit out because of you?"
Yū stared at him. "So—you're not a traitor?"
Aoba chuckled and shook his head. "No, I'm not a traitor."
She pointed Gai. "And he's not a traitor?"
"Never!" Gai replied and stuck out his thumb with a bright grin.
"And the bitch isn't a traitor?" she asked pointing at Kurenai.
Said woman's forehead twitched and she unconsciously let out a retort. "You're the bitch."
Yū scowled and looked offended for a moment. Then she huffed and put her hands behind her head. "Well, at least you're still hot."
This made Kurenai splutter for a quick moment and Gai bellowed out a laugh.
Aoba just smiled and started speaking. "Honestly, I was just planning on giving you guys a smaller test. To find out if you could work as a team or not. That's how it's mostly been done for the past few years.
"But Hokage-sama ordered me to come up with something intense. He wants a strong team that could eventually replace the Sannin in power or exceed. I had to come up with something good. So, I took inspiration from Nidaime-sama who once tested his team for a whole month. Mind you, this was during war.
"So, I just dialed it down a bit. Shikaku-sama was expecting something else." Aoba chuckled. "I'm glad I could defy his great mind. You guys have shown a lot. You've shown me that you can work as a team.
"Yamanaka Yū, you've shown me that you can make solid plans if given enough information and the right parameters. Your combat ability is alright, but your ability to set traps as well as use your innate abilities of your Yamanaka blood is beyond impressive. I'm sure that one day, you'll have the right attitude and power to become Hokage."
Yū grinned.
"Uchiha Haru. You are a true prodigy of combat. I'm certain that with more training, you can one day surpass even Madara. Plus you're smart, funny, and the village likes you. So I'm sure that, if you put your mind to it, you could give Yū-chan a run for her money at being Hokage."
Yū narrowed her eyes at Haru while the latter just replied: "I don't gamble."
Aoba chuckled and shook his head.
"Maboroshi Dan." Aoba paused as he realised he couldn't gather much on the boy. "You're a good friend. You support your team well."
When it looked like Dan was expecting more, Aoba had to wrack his brain for more words. "Always seek to improve."
Dan took out his scroll and started writing. After a few moments, nothing happened. Aoba blinked.
"Are you taking notes?" he asked, uncertain.
The boy looked up and stared at Aoba through his mask, then proceeded to nod, before focusing back on his writing.
"Right," Aoba said, chuckling awkwardly. "Well, you guys aren't done for the night yet. You'll have to go give your reports,"
"Reports?" Haru asked.
"Yeah, what do you mean reports? I thought you said this was a test?" Yū protested.
"I said it was a mission," Aoba said.
Yū looked annoyed and pointed at him. "You just want us to do your paperwork."
Aoba chuckled as did Kurenai.
"Trust me," Aoba said. "The new system is way more fun. We'll even come do it with you at the same time,"
"Yosh!" Gai cried out. "Whoever gets there first must do a thousand push ups and if they can't do that, then we'll do ten-thousand laps around the village!"
Gai leapt into the trees towards the destination.
"What an inspiring man," Haru said with awe.
Fugaku stood in darkness. He frowned.
"Why have you brought me here again?" he asked.
However, there was no answer.
After a while of walking in the darkness a familiar voice called out.
"Father,"
He turned and saw his son, Itachi, standing still while tears fell down his face. Fugaku noticed that his son had activated the first stage of the sharingan.
"What makes you cry, Itachi?" Fugaku asked, with a hint of worry.
But his eyes widened as a sword suddenly pierced his son's abdomen. A shadow coalesced behind his impaled son into a fearful figure with a mask. A single eye hole present and a Mangekyo Sharingan blazing with rage.
Fugaku jerked awake. He found himself in front of his desk in his office. He reached a shaky hand to the center of the desk and tapped it. A map of the entire Country of Fire appeared before him. Thousands of names moved slowly around various locations or stayed still. His eyes landed on his son's team and the Daimyo's convoy. They were camping for the night.
"Inu," Fugaku called out and an Anbu, with dog-like markings on their mask, appeared. "I need you to catch up with my son's team. Leave now and take your own team. Protect them from all threats,"
The Anbu nodded and disappeared.
'Do you base all your decisions on mere dreams, Fugaku?' Orochimaru's voice spoke in his mind.
'How?' Fugaku wondered at the violation of privacy.
A dark chuckle spread through his mind. 'I told you. This seal is an antiquated prototype. It was made known in order to weaken other villages by making their Jinchuuriki unstable. Only Sunagakure didn't have the minds to make their own seals. I wonder. Did you get this from Sarutobi-sensei's old teammate? Oh my, oh my. Is this an assasination attempt? Oh, the intrigue!'
Fugaku clenched fists. He stumbled out of his chair and went through a string of hand signs. He slammed his hand into the ground and summoned an obelisk. He touched a certain area and found himself teleported to place only he will ever know and be able to access.
With further hand signs, he slammed his hand once more into the ground and a single coffin rose from the ground and stood upright.
'To think that you would go as far as to use this technique. Truly Fugaku, you are an inspiring specimen.'
The lid to the coffin opened and fell to the ground. Fugaku took his shirt off and kneeled, baring his back to the open coffin.
"Fix this," Fugaku ordered.
Out from the shadows of the coffin, a fair-skinned man with shaggy silver hair and dark red eyes appeared. He slowly walked towards the Uchiha Hokage and sent a pulse of chakra into the man's back, revealing the seal.
"I thought I destroyed this," the man spoke. "Which Bijuu did you seal?"
"No," Fugaku said. "Orochimaru."
The man blinked in surprise. "My grand-niece's teammate?"
To be continued.
