To Become Hokage
Chapter 2 – Who have I become?
Chapter 2 has arrived, as always I own nothing. Naruto is not mine. Do not sue me. And thank you for everyone that has followed/favorited and commented so far, I appreciate it.
Hiruzen pov:
Hiruzen still thought about that night 4 years ago when the 9 tails wreaked havoc in the village causing much loss and devastation. He regretted that his successor Minato had to sacrifice himself for the village so young; He regretted that he simply had to watch Minato and his wife perish, leaving their son alone in a cruel world. Most of all he hated seeing the blonde newborn screaming beside the dead bodies of his parents knowing that he wouldn't be able to protect him the way he wanted.
'God, who have I become?' He thought as he rested his head in his hands taking a break from the towering piles of paperwork he had to get through today.
It had been 3 and a half years since he last saw the child, It was decided by the council elders and himself that the best chance Naruto had to experience a normal life would be at the orphanage with the rest of the children made orphans from that painful night in October. With the enemies his father had and the beast locked inside the young boy, he couldn't take the chance of someone linking the boy to him.
He still received annual reports on the boy from the mother of the orphanage, a woman his advisor and former teammate Koharu Utatane had vouched for. He wished he was in the position to adopt the child but fate had called him back to lead the village with responsibilities that outweighed the overlooking of a single child's growth even with the beast the child hosted within his small body.
It was the knocking of his office door that drew him out of his thoughts, "Come in" said Hiruzen.
His assistant Taki walked in, "Hokage sama, you have a meeting at the T&I department in 40 minutes to discuss funding for the training of new candidates Ibiki san mentioned" informed Taki with a clipboard in her hand.
"Ah yes, of course, thank you Taki you're dismissed" replied Hiruzen.
Hiruzen put on his official robes and hat and made his way to the torture and interrogation department located near training grounds 44 otherwise known as the forest of death. He could feel a chill as he made his way further underground the smell of blood growing stronger with each step. The scarred face of Ibiki came into view as Hiruzen reached the bottom.
"Hokage sama" Ibiki bowed, "Thank you for agreeing to meet me, why don't we take a seat in my office and I can run you through the training plans and the amount we would request for funding," said Ibiki.
"Very well," said Hiruzen following the scarred man into a nicely furnished office. Hiruzen always found the contrast between the cold, dark and murky T&I torture rooms and the warm plush staff office equipped with Ibiki's favorite lavender candles to cover the stench of blood quite humorous.
Over the next hour and a half, Hiruzen listened to Ibiki in interest as he explained the training proposal. It was a good idea, taking rookie genin and training them to extract information and resist torture while on missions. This sort of training would usually happen later in a ninja's career but he didn't see a problem in installing these teachings earlier, especially if it helped Ibiki with the second part of his plan; finding candidates that can act as live informants, trained in picking up even the most subtle of body language and expressions of deception. To find spies and traitors in his own village would be worth its weight in gold, information is money after all.
Hiruzen left his meeting at T&I with the promise of funding and resources for Ibiki. As Hiruzen made his way back to the center of the village he thought of how this new project could change the village, He knew since he took the Hokage hat back that certain people were acting against him such as the old war hawk Danzo. The problem with just knowing is that the people in high places such as Danzo would always be protected. No, to get his village back to how it was he needed proof and to get proof he would need his own spies separate from Anbu.
It was with these thoughts running in Hiruzen's mind that he bumped into a small blonde child.
Hiruzen looked at the child, from his bloody dirty shoeless feet to his ripped clothing that seemed to hang off a worryingly thin frame and finally looking up at the boy's face with sunken azure eyes and…whisker marks.
'Surely not … this can't be the boy…he was obviously abused for some time…who would treat a child like this?' Hiruzen thought in denial. As the boy was walking off Hiruzen quickly grabbed his shoulder, he had to know.
"Wait child, what's your name?" Hiruzen asked in fearful anticipation.
"Naruto" the young boy responded.
And just like that Hiruzen's worst fears had come true. This was his fault, he left the child and this is what had become of him.
The council often thought of him as a soft old man since he returned as Hokage but they forgot he was a murderer just like any of his ninja. He would kill again, betrayed by his advisors and fooled by the council, oh yes there were lives he would yet extinguish.
Looking back to the young boy in front of him he made a decision; he would take the boy under his wing and make him strong, he wouldn't fail him again.
After watching Naruto nod his head in agreement to his offer he felt relief. He swore to himself that he would change this village no matter what it took, he would rule with an iron fist and those who had betrayed him wouldn't live to feel the consequences.
If you like this story please follow/favorite or review so I know not to give up. I have made good in updating 2 weeks in a row so far and I hope to do the same moving forward as there is nothing worse than a half-finished story.