Sealkeeper: He Who Binds
Chapter 92 – Danzō's Lecture
They slipped through the trees like a fog, leaving no sign of their passing. Nami no Kuni might have belonged to them, but the forests of Hi no Kuni were their home territory and they knew them as well as any veteran Konoha Shinobi.
There would be boats in Nami no Kuni they could use to reach Mizu no Kuni quickly, set aside specifically for the House of Wolves, but getting there would take time.
It would not, however, take as much time as it should. The presence of their lord had all of the Wolves filled with a sense of purpose and energy that had them pushing themselves far more than they normally would. They would still need to stop for a rest as they neared Nami but the majority of their recuperation would take place during the trip across the southern Kaizoku sea.
Naruto would have preferred to not stop- and his Wolves were more than willing to press on for however long they had to- but he also didn't want to endanger any of them or risk having them exhaust themselves getting to enemy territory only to be exposed as they recovered.
If taking a small break before they reached the sea meant they didn't need to stop once they reached Mizu no Kuni then that's what they'd do.
The land of water would burn soon enough. If it took an hour or so more to ensure it was reduced to nothing but ash so be it.
Tsukuyomi's will would be done.
The smell of tobacco filled the room, twisting wisps of smoke curling up from a well-loved pipe until they splashed against the ceiling of aged oak. The advisers' office in the Hokage Tower was nowhere as large as the Hokage's office but with only one occupant it was certainly nice and cozy.
Homura and Koharu had probably been a bit cramped over the years but with one of Asuma's first actions as acting Hokage being to remove them from their role that was no longer an issue.
That was good, Hiruzen wasn't keen to spend any more time with those two and he certainly wasn't stepping aside to let them advise his son. It was probably better that way. For them, of course. Asuma wasn't quite as patient or well-suffering as Hiruzen was. The two of them would have been cut to bits by wind Chakra within a week.
With himself being the only person to use it regularly he had wasted no time chucking- quite literally, actually- their old furniture from the room and replacing it with aged woods and dark leathers. The two fossils had favored impressive looking pieces which provided absolutely no comfort- possibly a reason they were always in a sour mood- but Hiruzen had spent far too much time as Hokage to not take what comforts he could in life.
If an assassin didn't manage it, old age could take away his chances of enjoying his retirement at any moment.
Well, that or stress but he had more or less nipped that possibility in the bud by dropping the mess of Hokage-ness on his son.
Poor bastard.
No, that was wrong. He and Biwaki had been very much married when Asuma was conceived.
That was probably the only downside to assuming this position in his "retirement"; he had too much damn time to think. As Hokage he had plenty of paperwork and annoying council members to deal with which occupied his thoughts but these days he just relaxed in a chair reading whatever reports were delivered to him so that he was ready to advise should Asuma need it.
Really, it was a damn cushy job if he thought about it but he wasn't exactly in need of money at this stage of his life. Being Hokage paid well, after all, and he had been Hokage for a very long time.
If there was someone he could trust for this position he would happily spend the last of his days back at the clan compound or relaxing on a beach somewhere.
Even gambling away what he had earned over the past few decades in Tanzaku-gai would be preferable to sitting here with only his thoughts. It seemed the gods smiled upon him today, however, as he very quickly found himself with company.
Realizing who that company was, unfortunately, had him instead wondering if the gods were bored and had decided to torment him for their amusement.
Two sharp raps on the door- wood on wood rather than flesh- told him exactly who it was even as they let themselves in without waiting for an invitation. There were only two people who ever let themselves into his office and one of them was in Kaminari no Kuni looking for inspiration for one of his latest books.
That one had been kind enough to send some pictures back and Hiruzen hadn't bothered trying to be discrete about them. Proudly they had been hung around his new office, on full display to any visitors, and Homura nearly had a heart attack when they came looking for their favorite vase.
Hiruzen had taken no small amount of pleasure tossing that vase out the office window hours prior but hadn't minded letting the former adviser look around his office in horror at what it had become. It was more like a personal den at the moment than the office of the Hokage's adviser but Hiruzen was old and that allowed him to get away with more.
Well, that's what he always told his children and grandchildren, anyway.
Only his daughter in law had ever called him out on it, but that hot-tempered woman wasn't his concern at the moment. In fact, he'd much rather have an angry Fuki scolding him about being a bad example than have to deal with the grim-faced – and he was rarely otherwise – Danzō that stepped into his office.
Unlike what he had expected, the man did not help himself to a seat and instead opted to stand before the desk looking down at his old rival.
Hiruzen was pleased to note that the man's one eye swept over the room and paused for a second or two on each of the pictures he had added. The faintest of smirks twitched at his lips for a second, too, but was quickly replaced by the scowl he was known for.
"Hiruzen." Danzō cut to the chase. "Would you care to explain to me why Konoha is currently making active moves against the House of Wolves?"
Hiruzen's first response, naturally, to say something sarcastic but before his smart response left his lips he realized what Danzō had actually said.
"...What?"
"Konoha." Danzō repeated, taking only a little pleasure at Hiruzen's baffled expression. "Is currently acting against the House of Wolves in Mizu no Kuni and has recently slain three of its members."
"Why?" For the life of him Hiruzen couldn't see any immediate benefits to such actions but the repercussions of Konoha attacking the ally of their patron Daimyo immediately came to mind. Asuma was smarter than that, he knew it, so what was his son seeing that he wasn't?
Or, perhaps it was a matter of what he had failed to show his son. Hiruzen, after all, had dealt more with Naruto and the Wolves than Asuma had.
"I was hoping you might know, seeing as you're supposed to be the one advising him."
"He certainly never asked for my opinion on something like that." Hiruzen frowned. The twice-retired Hokage took a few long draws from his pipe before exhaling it all at once towards his old rival. As a paranoid Danzō stepped to the side to avoid contact with it Hiruzen emptied his pipe and set it on the desk before pushing himself out of his chair with a groan.
Grabbing his cane and hat, Hiruzen tossed on his suit coat and followed the smoke out the still open door, leaving Danzō to trail curiously behind him.
"Where are you going?"
"To figure out what my son is up to."
Danzō gave an understanding grunt before looking to the cane in his rival's hand. "Finally got one, I see. I told you they were great."
Hiruzen gave an amused snort. "You need one because you're old, Shimura. Mine's here because I make it look good."
Danzō gave another grunt but couldn't disagree. He didn't know why he hadn't considered going for the dapper gentleman look but Hiruzen was sure pulling it off. Maybe he'd give it a try too.
Technically, High-Captain Keigo was supposed to be resting in the Nami Medical Facility – which had received quite a few upgrades recently including being an actual building rather than a temporary shack- but the good thing about outranking most of the other Wolves was that when he ordered them to let him leave they didn't have too much of a choice.
The only real hard part had been avoiding the actual medical personnel. They, apparently, didn't give a damn about rank and would have Tsukuyomi himself tied to as bed if they thought it best for him.
Well. That's what some of the stories from Konoha said, anyway. The Wolves here- and the occasional civilian that had shown interest in the field – hadn't yet been corrupted by the ways of Shizune-sensei who was currently remaining in Konoha to look after their lord so maybe he would have been able to order them away too.
He hadn't been willing to risk it.
Instead, he had slipped out after interacting with as few of his fellow Wolves as possible and assigned himself one of the patrols around the city of Nami. You know, they should probably rename it. The country was Nami no Kuni but the town itself had never actually had a name. It was probably better to do that sooner than later, especially with how quickly they were growing.
That rather minor issue aside- Tsukuyomi would probably just name it after Hana if he had to come up with something- Keigo really shouldn't have been out on patrol and certainly not alone but aside from some wounded pride and a bad case of guilt he was fine. Having to lay in a bed doing nothing was harming him more than a patrol or two ever would.
In his opinion, at least- he didn't really care for the opinions of the medics, mainly because it was the kind of thing he didn't want to hear.
So what if he had two broken ribs and three more were fractured? Or if he had been mildly poisoned by one of their blades? Or even if some of his wounds were being held together by spare fishing line and the grace of Tsukuyomi-sama and if they reopened this far from the medical facility he would bleed out and die?
All of that was trivial, he wasn't useless quite yet. Even if they didn't want him in Mizu no Kuni- which he could grudgingly admit he probably wasn't in the best of health for- he was still plenty capable of a patrol or two during his downtime.
Besides, how else was he going to be able to witness a group of Wolves tearing through the forests to the shores of Nami no Kuni?
Taking a break to lean against a gnarled tree Keigo watched his siblings dash towards the water, taking special note of the crimson hair that followed the one in a broken mask he knew well.
Behind his own mask Keigo smiled.
It would seem as though his package reached Konoha and Tsukuyomi had heard the prayers of his children.
Everything would be alright now.
Asuma looked up from his papers to watch his father stride into the office without a second's though. Understandable, he supposed, the old man had called this office his own for decades. It was probably second nature top let himself in at this point.
Didn't make it any less irritating, though.
He also hadn't quite come to terms with what his father had taken to wearing. As long as he could remember his father had worn the robes of Hokage but now that Asuma was draped in them had decided to go with something as un-robe like as he could manage.
It didn't seem right, but at the same time it fit oddly well.
Despite personally wearing the robes that denoted the highest office in the village, Asuma felt under-dressed compared to his father's three-piece suit and matching hat.
The cane was a nice touch, too.
Trailing behind the sharply dressed man was Danzo, his own cane in hand.
It was going to be that sort of visit, then? Lovely.
"Sarutobi-dono, Shimura-san, do please come in." They already had and his tone was only slightly biting. As both men also helped themselves to a chair he continued, ignoring Danzō's' smirk as much as he could. "No, please, make yourselves comfortable."
Danzō was evidently amused- and there was an anticipation twinkling in his one eye that Asuma really did not like- but his father was notably less so. One might even say that despite being as dressed up as he was he wasn't really dressed at all, because you're never fully dressed without a smile.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was not smiling.
Really made him seem like an old Yakuza boss more than the gentleman grandfather the look would have otherwise lent him, but Asuma was used to a serious Hiruzen as much as he was a jovial one. Well, more used to, actually, but he was familiar with both.
Knowing how his father could get, Asuma decided to continue talking rather than provide the time for the old man's tongue to sharpen. The longer Hiruzen waited to speak the more cutting his words became.
"Was there something I might aid you two gentleman with?" He asked, hands clasping before his mouth. It was addressed to both of them but his eyes never broke away from his father's. When a single grey brow slowly rose Asuma realized that his decision to speak first may not have been a mistake but his word choice might have been.
"I suppose you might start by helping me understand why you've decided to start antagonizing the Wolves." Based on his father's expression, it was not a request and, Hokage or not, Asuma knew better than to try avoiding the question.
The Professor was not to be crossed.
Even so, Asuma took a moment to collect his thoughts. For a split second he did debate the value of denying Konoha involvement or, probably safer, asking how they had learned. In the end he took the safest route- compliance.
Still, he wasn't going to sit there spilling his guts like a schoolboy caught by his teacher despite how apt that might be in this situation.
"What do you currently understand of the situation?"
"Personally? That my son has decided that he should start poking the sleeping Wolves who live in our village with a pointy stick as if they aren't the group who brought one of our major clans to their knees and, more than likely, aided in the coup of the Hyūga branch family." Hiruzen gave a stern look before continuing. "Let's not forget that they're here as allies to the Daimyo and have control over the most valuable shipping town in the elemental nations."
Danzō cleared his throat. "Perhaps I can shed a bit more light on the situation before our Godaime explains his plans." The warhawk offered. Asuma gave him a nod to continue while Hiruzen shot him a suspicious look.
"The House of Wolves is currently within Mizu no Kuni supporting Mizukage Yagura in his fight against the bloodline rebels. A majority of their forces had been redirected there, leaving minimum forces in Konoha and Nami no Kuni for security. My own agents have backed up from Nami no Kuni for the time being as a sign of good will while the majority of the pack is away. That and we didn't want to risk them being more aggressive because they're more vulnerable at the moment." He admitted with a frown.
"Even so, we have been able to identify Inuzuka clanmembers within the growing town which indicates ties to another of our biggest clans. We can say with certainty that the House of Wolves has connections to the Yamanaka, Hyūga, Inuzuka, and through Gennin Naruto have a connection to the Uzumaki. They are allies to our own Daimyo, who has taken over Kaze no Kuni, control Nami no Kuni, and are currently working alongside the Mizukage who, with the rightful Daimyo having been slain by Hoshigaki Kisame years ago, runs the entirety of Mizu no Kuni. Beyond that, they are said to have lessened the recent invasion by causing Otogakure no Sato to withdraw despite being the original source of the plan. It is believed that the Otokage is none other than Orochimaru of the Sannin, so for them to be able to turn them away from striking at the village is nothing short of a miracle and displays an influence over them that is, quite frankly, terrifying."
"All members are trained to ANBU-level at Konoha standards, some of which display an aptitude that exceeds them. Their pack mentality and nearly fanatical devotion is a result of less than successful conditioning which makes them easy to identify among civilians if you know what to look for but when operating on the field are almost indistinguishable from standard Konoha ANBU. Only two groups have records involving Wolf identities, the Imperial Record House of the Fire Court and myself."
"With all that said, perhaps now you'd like to explain your reasoning, Godaime-sama?" Danzō finished with a small, sly smile and leaned into his chair comfortably. After that there was no way Hiruzen wouldn't be chewing out Asuma's ass after his explanation. It had been far too long since Danzō had been able to enjoy such a show.
Hiruzen turned his attention from his rival back to his son, his brow rising inquisitively.
Asuma, who hadn't been quite so well informed, took a moment to process what he just learned. With everything laid on the table like that, his plans seemed a bit too hasty. He had not realized the Wolves were that well connected when he decided to try hindering their rapid expansion. Still, someone had to do something to slow them down and if they really did have such influence then it needed to be done before they were in a position where nothing could stop their growth.
Allowing the House of Wolves to reach critical mass in a year or two of emerging into the global scene would more likely than not mean war throughout the elemental nations. Not that it wasn't already looking like a distinct possibility. Hi no Kuni had just annexed Kaze no Kuni and had two factions at work in Mizu no Kuni.
Iwa and Kumo were bound to be getting nervous.
"While I had not been aware as to all the connections the House of Wolves has at the moment, I did notice their rapid movement since entering the global field and the danger it possesses to Konoha in the long run. Not only are they likely to start a war with their...habits...but because the House of Wolves has been granted allowances to station themselves here in Konoha it becomes far too easy for someone to infiltrate them abroad and simply walk in our gates."
Danzō was looking positively giddy while Hiruzen's face was being kept carefully blank.
"The best solution to this issue seemed to be keeping them deadlocked alongside Yagura's troops in Mizu no Kuni. If nothing else it would give us time to stabilize things in Kaze no Kuni so we wouldn't be stretched so thin should the Wolves cause issues- intentionally or not."
Hiruzen took a deep, calming breath and Asuma knew he only had time for one last addition to his argument. He figured the only thing he really had left to add was pretty strong.
"Seeing as the Daimyo himself approved my plans and he is the Wolves' greatest ally it seemed to be a perfect opportunity and any repercussions should be minimal."
"Repercussions...minimal..."Muttered Hiruzen, shaking his head in disbelief. He opened his mouth to say more but caught himself, taking another calming breath instead. "It would seem I did not stress enough Konoha's relations with the Wolves before thrusting the office of Hokage upon you. This is my mistake- I was too hasty."
"Father?" Hiruzen held up a hand to stop him as he shook his head again.
"If you'd like, Hiruzen?"Came Danzō's offer.
"Please."
"Very well," Danzō stood from his chair- pushing it back to the desk with his cane- and began to pace across the room. "First, Godaime-sama, you're an idiot."
It was only the fact that both men before him were decorated, highly experienced heroes of Konoha that had Asuma holding his tongue. Well, that and the fact that one of them happened to be his father who was nodding in agreement to his rival.
"Our Daimyo, while certainly interested in Konoha's well-being, is not focused on it. He cares about what's best for Hi no Kuni and for his new dynasty. He's started a new age for the Imperial Fire Court if he manages to hold onto Kaze no Kuni, one that won't soon be forgotten by history. But that's not enough, not for Iroh, he's too damn ambitious and the opportunities have shown themselves most temptingly. He'll have you and the Wolves both working one side of the Mizu no Kuni conflict and no matter who wins he has connections to a unified Mizu no Kuni. The chances of him managing to 'aid' the recovering country to the point where it's dependent and wholly reliant on Hi no Kuni is high, which means he'll be combining three of the greater countries into one under his rule.
"Certainly, that might spark a war with Kumo, Iwa or some of the lesser countries, but at the same time it's a major deterrent. The manpower alone is staggering, but the resources? He'll have so much control over the global economy that he can simply wait out the other countries as they slowly starve on what little they can produce or smuggle in. It wouldn't be worth it. "
"Despite his ambitions, Iroh is no fool. He will know that attempting to extend even further than that in a single generation would spell ruin for all he's managed. It will be at least five before the new Hi no Kuni has stabilized and acclimated enough for its people to be unified in any further expansion. I have no doubt he'll leave instructions for his dependents to that affect."
"At the moment, the only thing he's risking is, perhaps, access to Nami no Kuni depending on your victory in Mizu no Kuni and the Wolves' discovery of his authorization for your actions. Again, considering how many resources he'll have at is disposal it would also be in their best interest to maintain a cordial relationship with the Imperial Fire Court so that they can profit from it as the leading shipping hub of the world. In short, Iroh has everything to gain and almost nothing to lose."
"Moving on," Danzō continued, still pacing. "The Wolves themselves have major pull within the village. Even in their absence they can influence some of our largest clans with but a word. If they want to cause damage there is no doubt that they can do so in a heartbeat. History has shown that they are not a merciful group, something Inoichi knows first hand and the late Gato wont be able to learn from. With their access to Konoha, as you've motioned, it would not be hard for them to cause irreparable damage or, more likely, remove the source of their problems."
Danzō gave Asuma a pointed look. "That's you, if it wasn't clear."
Asuma narrowed his eyes at the implied threat but remained silent.
"And don't for a second think they couldn't manage it if they wanted to. ANBU has always been a limited position, only requiring a handful of guards and operatives for the Hokage's personal use, but the Wolves had no such limitation. Their numbers, while not large, are still greater than your own ANBU operatives. With similar skill levels, it is more than believable that they'll be able to overwhelm your guards and overpower you. Whether or not they actually kill you even I wouldn't be able to say for sure."
"They would loose more than a few." Injected Asuma. "And they don't seem keen on that. They rushed off to Mizu no Kuni after just three."
"...Or because they realized there were other players they had not accounted for and wanted to minimize risks." Danzou countered. "But you are correct that they would suffer losses. With their fanaticism, however, they wouldn't give it a second's thought. In fact, their lord Tsukuyomi might not even order their attack himself, fearing that very loss of his subjects, but the Wolves are Shinobi and if it means serving their lord's interests they'll go behind his back to see it done."
"So, I'll end this here with a simple warning; "Do not act out against the Wolves, lest we have to find ourselves a Rokudaime."
"You honestly believe they'll try to assassinate me?"
Danzō shrugged. "They might. They could also try tarnishing your reputation, burning Konoha to the ground, or slaughtering your family. One can never really tell with the Wolves. They could simply remove themselves from Konoha as you'd prefer, for all we know. Are you really willing to risk it now that you know how many strings you'll end up tugging by moving against them?"
Asuma remained silent. Contemplating, before turning to his father.
"And you agree with him?"
Hiruzen gave a solemn nod. "Aggression against the Wolves will never end well, dealing with them will require diplomacy. Remember when interacting with them that they do not subscribe to the idea of villages and that the pack always comes first."
"Don't subscribe to the idea of villages?" Asuma scoffed. "What does that even mean? The Hidden Villages have been a thing for generations."
"They do not see Konoha as anything more than a great city filled with clans. Their mindset is akin to those during the great clan wars and the only authority they recognize are the Daimyo themselves. If someone attacks them, they won't go after their village." Hiruzen gave his son a serious look. "They will go after their clan, Shinobi or not. Do not attack their pack unless you're prepared for them to do the same."
That was something Asuma hadn't expected but, mulling it over, seemed to fit with what he knew of the Wolves pretty well. Of course they wouldn't hesitate to go after civilians, they were Wolves. Mongrels and wild dogs, the lot of them. Almost humorously he noted his indignation at their lack of honor or mercy- he thought ill of them because they acted as Shinobi should.
Like the clan wars indeed.
After a few moments of silence the Godaime gave a single nod. "I see, thank you for bringing this to my attention. I will take your advice into consideration."
It was a dismissal that earned an amused snort from Danzō who- having never sat back down- made his way sedately to the door. Asuma would be more cautious going forward, that much he could tell, but he wouldn't be leaving the Wolves alone. The boy was just as stubborn as his father.
Hiruzen gave a few of his own nods, understanding and accepting the situation, as he pushed himself up out of the chair and grabbed his cane.
"Just because they're a potential threat doesn't mean they'll be an actual threat down the line, just as today's ally may be tomorrow's enemy or our greatest foe may become our dearest friend. Don't forget that."
"Of course, father." Despite his words, they were both aware he had no intention of changing his plans.
Hiruzen left the room with a sigh. Asuma was a patriot with his heart in the right place but his good intentions were going to get him- and many others- in more trouble than they could handle. He just hoped he was ready to shoulder such consequences. Years had taught Hiruzen just how heavily guilt could weigh on one's soul.
He had enjoyed the smell of ocean air the last time he visited Nami no Kuni but as droplets of water whipped past his face, occasionally pelting his mask, he hardly even noticed it. His hands gripped the railings of the ship tightly enough that they had nearly become numb. That too he paid no mind.
A pair of arms encircling him from behind and a sudden softness pressed against the back of his head, however, he most certainly did notice. He took a moment to simply savor the feeling, leaning back slightly into the soft warmth and letting his eyes close for a few sweet seconds.
"Hmm, enjoying that, are you?" Came a teasing voice near his ear. He opened his eyes to see a grinning Anko leaning over him and gave his own small smile behind his mask.
"I am, Anko, thank you."
One of her hands left his chest to wag a finger at him.
"No, no, no. You know what I said about trying to thank me, if you're going to do it you have to do it properly."
"Not now, Anko. Maybe when we get back home."
"Don't give me that, you know you want to." She pouted playfully. It alleviated the weight of his heart somewhat to see her usual antics but he really wasn't in the mood.
"No, Anko, my children are out there-"
"As they would be if you hadn't learned." Anko interrupted. "The only thing that's changed is that their daddy is now on his way to help them, but as he has to wait for his other children to rest and for the ship to reach the shore he's got some free time that could be put to better use than worrying about them."
"...I suppose you have a point."
"Of course I have a point, now lets' have some fun."
He wasn't going to be getting much rest on the way to Mizu no Kuni, but he was certainly more relaxed by the time they arrived.
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Until I next have your attention,
– Eyazahrid