Last chapter ended on quite a cliffhanger, didn't it? I won't waste any time in delay so, happy reading, everyone!
I do not own anything.
Fox Tails and Whirlpools
Chapter 21 - What's Worth Protecting
Facing down a god.
It had been a semi-common occurrence in ancient times, back when divine and supernatural had more of a presence on Earth. Time passed, and the divine departed from the world. However, what remained in the past wasn't set to continue on into the future.
Hakuno Kishinami had without a doubt lived an interesting life, one that had led him to meet a wide variety of people. Some good, some bad, and everything in-between. He'd met demons and angels and gods, beings whose existence defied mortal comprehension, yet in his meetings, Hakuno had found some of these creatures shared some similarities to ordinary mortals like him. For starters, like an ordinary person, they could be angered. The difference was, a mortal's wrath was limited, a god's wrath…could be quite far-reaching and destructive on multiple levels. Common sense would tell one not to anger such a being.
Honestly, Hakuno had lost track of how many times he'd earned the ire of the Shinto sun goddess. An uncomfortable rumble in his gut told him this time could potentially be the last.
Amaterasu was not happy, at all. The gigantic divine temple in which she rested in was as silent as a grave. Oddly enough, it wasn't as hot as a volcano on the verge of erupting. No, the heat was contained solely to the divine incarnation whose might could make even the most violent volcanic blast look like a mere firecracker. Clear to his honey-colored eyes was the aura of golden energy that clung to Amaterasu's skin like a fine coat. As usual, it was strongest in her nine tails, white and golden torches that cast mountain-like shadows over the lone human. Still, they were nothing compared to her eyes. They were smoldering hot yet icy as glaciers, and directed solely on him.
His shoulders slacked and his body eased in spite of the situation. Hakuno sucked in a breath, mentally steeling himself for what was to come next. But first, he had to say his piece. "Amaterasu…I'm sorry."
There can a brief eyebrow twitch. "Sorry…sorry…sorry…SORRY?!" The hammer that was her fist fell, creating a small-scale earthquake. In spite of it, Hakuno remained on his feet, and kept his gaze on her. It's not like he could have looked away if he wanted to. At last came the blast of heat, hot enough to melt flesh from bone, yet the seventeen-year-old remained mostly unharmed. He had broken out into a sweat. "That's all you have to say after a stunt like that!?" Righteous anger flashed through the goddess' eyes as she struck out at the human teen.
Hakuno saw the massive hand coming. His survival instincts screamed for him to at least attempt to get out of the way. Instead of listening to them, he simply let himself be grabbed then held in the mass hand. It wasn't like this was a first-time experience; he'd pushed Amaterasu's buttons before and found himself in less than ideal positions that usually involved his feet being off the ground, and him hovering above a set of open jaws. The last one had been particularly traumatizing as it brought back memories of his struggle against the Sakura Five. This time, he didn't have to worry about being eaten, just being squeezed to death, or roasted alive, or both. He grimaced as he felt the godly strength of the Divine Spirit bearing down on him from all sides. Again, his survival instincts screamed for him to do something, yet he chose to do nothing.
Amaterasu had been watching him, waiting for some sort of struggle on his part. When she saw he gave none, her temper further flared. "You foolish, lying, ungrateful little insect!" She roared, raising her right hand up, then slamming it back down. A pained gasp left the human's lips; normally, it would have been sweet music to the goddess' ears - instead, it only made her feel worse. She blamed Hakuno for that. She stared down at him, completely sandwiched between her palm and the cracked floor. Blood trickled from his lips as he stared up at her with saddened but resolute eyes. "How dare you…must I remind you of the price of threatening to break your word to a god!? Are you that eager to die again!? Are you that eager to die for good!? To pass from into Izanami's realm away from me?"
"No, I'm not!" Few people could have found the strength to respond in his position, and do so with such certainty in their voices. "I didn't want to die, but I rather would have taken that chance than risk Comstock and Kabaiel killing thousands of innocent people, or you or Naruto getting hurt!"
"Don't treat me like I'm some fragile doll!" Barked back the goddess, her voice booming through the empty temple like a clap of thunder. "You know, you know damn well that my other self could have easily defeated them, you know that we could have…we could have…why…why did you not…you made her…you made us a promise!" Just barely was a sob held back, something that Hakuno knew well. Gold-tipped pink strands hid the goddess' eyes from the human's view, but he could still make out the expression on her face. "I will not…I already told you that your life belongs to me and me alone, bug, I will not have you running off to gamble with it on a whim!"
"Amaterasu," Hakuno began ever so softly. She hated that about him. In the beginning, he'd been utterly terrified of her as he should have been. After all, he was just a mortal to a cosmic deity like herself, one who could have easily snuffed out his life as if it were a candle. That's how it'd been in the beginning…but things had changed since then. "I know no amount of apologizing will ever make up for what I did, it was stupid and reckless…but…if push comes to shove, you know what I'll do. I won't sit by while innocent people are in harm's way. That's not who I am."
"That's your curse." Amaterasu nearly snarled, looking at him from the shadows of her hair. Even that didn't last long as evident by the slackening of her palm against Hakuno's chest. "Even without the other tails…I have enough power that should I so choose it, I could flatten this entire village with minimal effort, reduce it to nothing but a glassed crater in the middle of the forest. Through that one-tail, I have all that power…and yet…you insist on protecting us…"
"Well, Tamamo's always been the one who protected me, and admittedly…I haven't always been the best Master I could be to her." Somewhat sorrowfully replied the Japanese teen. "I know that's no excuse, and a part of me did go out to fight Comstock for selfish reasons-"
"Naturally, it was a chance for you to stroke your manhood, which I must remind you that all you need do is ask and that request shall be fulfilled." At last, a seductive grin spread across the Shinto goddess' face while the human's was engulfed in an all-consuming blush. Giggling in amusement, she cupped the embarrassed youth in her hand which she rose so they were eye-level with one another. At her command, a golden aura enveloped Hakuno, repairing what injuries she'd inflicted upon him mere moments ago. "Bug, I will allow this transgression, but only because it was your first time in this new world which reminds me so much of my own. It must have me in a good mood."
"Yeah, even though technically it's about four-hundred years or so ahead of the Heian period when you decided to come on down for a visit." Finally, he'd composed himself enough to speak, and make a smart crack such as that.
The sun goddess let it slide. "Point. Another possibility may just be given what's coming, I suppose getting mad at you for this slight is rather childish." This time, the smile was far more insidious, which only served to deepen the frown that Hakuno wore upon hearing her words. "Oh, would you like a hint as to what's coming? Are you feeling like barking at me for getting angry over one little incident while knowing that others are coming, perhaps sooner than you'd expect?"
"Yeah, I am…but, I know that you have faith in me to handle those incidents, whatever they are." Hakuno sighed.
Irritation flashed in the sun goddess' eyes. "I never said that, bug."
Now it was the human's turn to smile, and do so he did. "You didn't have to; I can see it on your face. Whatever else is coming, you have confidence in me to keep myself alive. I know that I scared you, and I'm sorry…but don't worry, I don't have any intentions of dying. Especially since I'm pretty sure the underworld will be preferable to whatever punishment you have in store when you reach down and bring me back to life…again." He finished with a hearty laugh that most would have thought unthinkable in his situation.
Amaterasu responded to his laughter with some of her own. It was quite telling in how their relationship had changed since their first meeting. He'd been as fearful as anyone would be in his position, facing down a cosmic force with the potential to destroy not just him but all of humanity, and her, a divine goddess laying before yet another lowly bug. Time had passed, and this bug had shown himself to be a tad different than the rest. Not that Amaterasu would ever openly say that to his face.
Her hand rotated, causing the human in her palm to fall off into the air. Hakuno fell with grace, his warm eyes looking up into the divine golden orbs of the goddess before him.
He'd be seeing her again, he promised her that.
Snapping his eyes awake, he was immediately aware that it was still nighttime out, the moon had yet to fade from the night sky. Quietly, he looked around, finding he was still in his hospital room. And his wife and son were still at his side. Tamamo was slumbering peacefully at the side of his bed with Naruto safely held in her arms. Normally, hospital policy would have had them leave, but something told him that a word or two had been put in to allow them to stay. Hakuno was immensely grateful for that.
His enhanced eyes saw beyond the glass and curtains to the outside world. For all intents and purposes, the village looked peaceful, maybe a tad too peaceful. Hakuno knew that based on the goddess' words something was about to happen to shake up that peace. Something likely very, very bad.
There were times when Hiruzen Sarutobi so dutifully wished that he'd managed to find a successor and return in peace. He knew for a fact that he was well past his prime, physical and mentally.
"Hiruzen," Came the voice of his one-eyed old teammate and friend, cold and detached as always. "You know what must be done."
Returning his attention to the present, the old Kage looked around the room. The expressions of his old teammates were all as grave as one would have expected. Koharu and Homura were looking at him with fairly resigned expressions. It was clear that they'd arrived at their respective decisions. Hiruzen couldn't blame them.
Yet, a part of him couldn't come to the same conclusion. "Do I?"
Danzō's eyebrow knitted. "Don't play the fool. You know as well as the rest of us what this latest piece of information means. The Uchiha are not only plotting a coup, but they have with them a Servant, one who is supposedly capable of subduing Tamamo and the Nine-Tails, our greatest assets. We must act now, least we have a full-blown village wide-civil war on our hands. Have you lost your nerve so much you'd sit by and allow such a thing to happen due to your indecision?"
Hiruzen's eyes were suddenly sharp and focused. It came as a bit of a surprise to the other three elders seated around the table. Rarely did their old teammate's eyes possess such fire in them. In fact, they would say the last time they'd seen such determination had been years ago. "No, I will not. But I will not authorize a genocide within our own walls, Danzō. It would be a betrayal to those Uchiha who have worn the Leaf headband and laid down their lives for the village, including Kagami, or has he already faded from your mind?"
As he expected, his words hit home, even if his old rival attempted to hide it. Brief as it was, there was a small reaction from the one-eyed man. Homura and Koharu were more open in showing their emotions, namely the grief on their faces at the memory of their old teammate. They'd done their best to block out the memories they shared of him, of the original Team Tobirama. It was just the four of them now, having lost two of their members going on over twenty-five years ago. Such a time seemed like a lifetime ago.
And now they were debating wiping out the entire family of one, Kagami, who'd given his life for the village just as their sensei had given his life to save the rest of them.
Danzō regained his composure, or rather, his stubbornness. "Hiruzen…none of us takes joy in this prospect, I certainly do not. But we must think of the present and the future, namely that we will have neither if we do not act."
"I am not saying that we don't act. I am merely suggesting we must seek out other resolutions to this! Danzō, what you're arguing for is the genocide of an entire clan, something the village hasn't seen since the time of the First Hokage! This isn't a decision that can be made lightly!"
"No, but it is one that must be made here and now." Ever cold and detached, the cycloptic war veteran kept his voice from rising, but that didn't mean that the edge couldn't be heard in it. His three teammates, especially the Hokage himself, could detect it. If this argument went on any longer, there was a chance Root's leader's infamous mask of stoicism would begin to crack even more. "What we are discussing is the weight of everyone in the entire village, thousands of lives…versus those of a single clan. You know what decision-"
"Danzō!" Naturally, the goateed Kage was the first to erupt. "Don't you dare invoke Tobirama Sensei in this! We both know how he felt towards the Uchiha, but he never would have green-lighted something as heinous as this! You say the time is now to act, but first we must decide how!"
"You're insisting on pursuing possibilities that are simply nonexistent." Came the cold and direct reply.
"Simply because you don't like them doesn't mean that they're nonexistent." Cut back the Professor of Shinobi. "I'm well aware of the situation, the Uchiha have a Servant under their thumb, one that can pose a threat to the entire village…but we do have a way to counter him, and I am not referring to Tamamo."
"Then who?" Pressed Homura. Beside him, Koharu's eyes widened as she came to the realization before her glasses-wearing teammate.
"So, Hakuno has recovered that fast, has he? It seems the boy's abilities might surpass what we originally theorized them to be." She mused.
Behind his ever-stoic mask, Danzō filed away the latest piece of information. It was something he didn't know, but something he could use in the future. As for the present, he leveled his gaze at his rival, bringing the room's temperature down into the negatives. "You'd trust those…outsiders over the rest of us?"
"I trust in their willingness to help stave off a tragedy." The Third Hokage's retort was calm and focused, showing that he was just as in control of his emotions as his one-eyed critic. Silently observing them were Homura and Koharu, both silently noting that they hadn't seen a standoff such as this between the two old friends in years, perhaps even a decade. "I will not say I know everything about either of them, but I do know of this, particularly Hakuno, if there is a means to avoid meaningless bloodshed, then they will strive for it. More so than that…are you of all people truly advocating for the complete destruction of the village's most battle-efficient clan?" Eyebrows rose on the sidelines as the two elders were somewhat surprised to see the old Kage pull out such a card. They were also pretty sure that the collective Uchiha must have felt a pleasant sensation at having their egos so rather blatantly stroked.
Koharu and Homura wondered how many of them would have felt any sense of gratitude towards the Third Hokage if they knew he was fighting for them in spite of no doubt plotting his removal from power by any means.
Even Danzō himself was impressed, but he was far from detoured. "Tragedy…yes, that is what we are working so desperately to avoid. Hiruzen…do you know of what has been going on outside of our village's walls? As we speak, the Hidden Grass Village is attempting to recover from a level of destruction it hasn't seen since the Third Shinobi World War, two major threats to it, a criminal organization and a depraved lunatic, are unaccounted for as far as we're concerned. The Grass Village itself has come into possession of several dangerous weapons that may or may not pose a threat to the Leaf Village in the future. The Stone Village itself has two Master-Servant pairs within their number already, whose abilities I'm still trying to ascertain."
"And can we trust that once you have you shall inform the rest of us?" Questioned the wearer of the Kage hat with a raised eyebrow.
The Hokage's question went unanswered as the Darkness of Shinobi Kind continued on, unimpeded. "According to some reports, there has been an incident in the Land of Snow, yet another scuffle between Servants, one that demolished an entire mountain and set the surrounding forest ablaze. Similar incidents have flared up across the continent, and beyond. It is very clear that the 'peace' that has been established in the wake of the last war's end will not hold…and the Uchiha Clan is threatening to put the village in the worst position imaginable with this attempted overthrow of the government. It is clear that the safety and security of the village are no longer a priority in their minds, meaning we cannot coddle them as you insist on doing, Hiruzen."
Silent tension completely filled up the meeting room, dimly lit by the light of several candles placed about the room. It went without saying that no one was smiling, and they probably wouldn't be until morning broke and they were forced to go out in public, Danzo excluded. Not only were they facing down a monumental threat to the village, but no agreement could be reached on how to counter it. Center to the discussion was the conflicting opinions of the Hokage and the village's shadow, two men as different as light and darkness, which they also embodied.
Determined, the two men held one another's gaze making it clear that neither was willing to back down. That left it to the two elders who'd sat on the side watching to step in.
"Sarutobi, Danzō," Began Homura, looking between the two of them. Right about now, he so desperately wished their sensei was still alive, or even that Minato were still with them. Maybe then things would have been easier. "We can reconvene in the morning, arguably when we can go to the Kishinamis for some input, particularly Hakuno as he may have some knowledge of who this Lancer the Uchiha possess is and what he is capable of. Regardless of what we choose to do, we cannot act with so little information, especially since the Uchiha seem to be confident that this Servant is strong enough to overcome not just Tamamo, but the Nine-Tails as well."
"An assumption whose blame we must accept responsibility for." Quipped the one-eyed war veteran.
Two of his teammates barely reacted to his statement, keeping their opinions to himself. The last one though shot him a sharp glare that he casually brushed off.
That was how the meeting adjourned, arguably unconcluded, yet that was not the worst outcome that could have come about. Not for the young Uchiha who'd been listening in. He had some time at least, though how much of it he couldn't put a number on. The same went for Hiruzen, who left the meeting with oddly enough, a slight spring in his step.
Of course, opposite of him was his old teammate, who emerged into the darkness of the night, his wrinkled and bandaged face briefly illuminated by the light of the moon. Fittingly, the darkness of the clouds gradually moved across the celestial lantern casting darkness across the land. Danzō looked up at the cloudy sky with a distant expression.
Hiruzen, how long has it been since you've given me such push back? Are that boy and his wife the cause of this? What is it that makes them so special? Why is it you're willing to entrust our home's safety to them over me, a man who has bled for this village and done what has been necessary many times over? Something bloomed within Danzō, something hot that gave dark warmth to his usual cold existence. He knew what the feeling was - anger, betrayal even. Quickly, he attempted to stomp it out knowing that dwelling on such feelings wouldn't do him any good, or get his village out of the mess it'd stumbled into. Noble intentions you may have, they are only dreams, fantasies at best. The Uchiha will not go quietly, nor will this unrest fade away into the night. What began with Madara must not be allowed to continue onward, we must put a stop to it here, by any means necessary. It pains me that you can't see that, Hiruzen, but you were always too soft-hearted to make the tough choices.
These "visitors" from another world were about to make their already dangerous world all the more complicated. For the Hidden Leaf to survive, action was going to be needed. Action that only he was willing to carry out.
Before he was even within a quarter-mile of Gunjomaru Village, Jiraiya knew something was terribly wrong. He could feel it in his bones, a simple gut feeling he couldn't quite explain. Experience had taught him to listen to that feeling, especially when he knew that trouble was lurking around the corner.
Naturally, his suspicions were confirmed when he saw a massive violet-tinted spiral shoot upward toward the night sky, right where the normally tranquil forest-based village sat. Well, that settles it, seems like I'm going to be seeing some action tonight after all! At heart, he already had a faint idea of what it was he was going to be running into. Again, his suspicions were proven right as he ran closer the greater the sense of dread grew in his stomach. It was like he was running towards death, not at all a strange thing given his line of profession.
That barrier that had been erected around the village was visible, a yellow-tinted screen of glass-like material that he reached out and touched with his hand. It throbbed and pulsed; Jiraiya realized a minute later that it wasn't because of his hand but because the barrier was actively being strained against. A battle was going on inside of it in spite of the fact that from the outside, everything looked to be entirely normal.
In front of him lay a life-like replica of Gunjomaru Village, a decently populated urban center that was frequented by a decent number of people, most of whom were seemingly going about their daily night life before him. At least to the untrained eye. Men, women, children, and entire buildings all flickered like light bulbs seconds away from going out. A mirage, genjutsu, he deduced. "Well, now's a good time as any to give it a test run." Mused the white-haired Sannin, making for the trees that surrounded the village. He'd done it several times before, even having marked certain trees for making good viewing points to oversee the village. Upon reaching his preferred vantage point, the Toad Sage pulled out one of his newly acquired telescopes, one with a deep violet lens through which he peered through.
What he saw made took his breath away.
Two battles were being waged in an artificial city, one between humans and another between a man…and what Jiraiya honestly believed to be a werewolf or something of the sort.
So…I take it that's what one of these Servants look like. Or maybe two. The creature had a humanoid form, but crossed with a wolf. A body of around six feet of fur and muscle, all of which moved with lightning-fast speed. Claws that glittered in the silvery moonlight that tore through the air like a set of knives. In tandem with them were a set of fangs attached to a very canine head that snapped and bit at the creature's human opponent. Oh yes, there were also the eyes.
They was no humanity in them, only bestial rage and hunger. That alone told Jiraiya that the creature, the "Servant" or whatever it was called was little more than a beast set loose. Remembering the information sent by his old teacher regarding the classes Servants could fit into, his mind jumped to one in particular.
Berserker, Heroic Spirit of Berserk Rage. Watching the beast now, Jiraiya had a hard time wondering how such a being could in any way be called heroic. Then again, there was still so much he didn't know about these supernatural spirits from another world. What he did know was that they were strong, a belief that was being reinforced based on what he was seeing.
The other Servant was human, or at least he appeared to be a human. He was rather tall with black spiky air and orange robes with silver accents. He waved his hands about, bringing forth a series of shifting gears and metallic bars from out of thin air, almost like a musical conductor. Clearly, he was on the defensive, but from what Jiraiya saw of his face, the flow of battle clearly laid with him. At his behest, gigantic cranes and metallic arms sprung into existence, smacking away and impeding the giant beast's animalistic charges. Some of them it tore through, others it was forced to dodge.
What truly caught Jiraiya's eyes was the scuffle happening across from the two supposed spirits. Two human beings, a male and a female, one wielding knives and the other firearms. Jiraiya had to admit, he'd never seen firearms quite as advanced as the ones that the woman wielded, or with such skill. That said, her opponent was rather skillful as well, deflecting her bullets with his knife blades. Curious, Jiraiya shifted his focus to him.
He had a lean body that moved as swiftly as the wind; a torn white button-up shirt covered his upper body. The Toad Sage theorized some of the blood splatters on the white clothing wasn't his; call it a hunch. From what Jiraiya could glimpse, the man might have been called handsome, possessing golden blonde hair that clung to his face as he worked up a sweat. What prevented it was the absolutely homicidal look in his green eyes, which occasionally flashed with a multitude of purple, blue, and from what he could tell even shades of green. What happened next deeply surprised the Toad Sage.
The woman hastily jumped to the side; where she'd previously been standing, the very air and ground, distorted and twisted. Through his lens, Jiraiya saw the air distorting as if some invisible force were forcing it to do so. It didn't take much for him to realize what would happen if a human found themselves caught in such a distortion. Ah, I see, some sort of genjutsu, distorts whatever the user looks at. That means evasion is likely the best choice available. You know that, don't you, Miss… Quietly, he observed, noting several details about each of the combatants.
It was easy to tell who was allied with who, the beast and the knife-wielder fought like lunatics, clearly having bloodshed being their only goal. Naturally, it made their movements somewhat easy for their opponents to read. The man-beast was dealt a massive blow by the gear-user, one of those gears being used to deliver a devastating uppercut; on the other side, the female called forth a wave of earthen spikes as a diversion. When he dodged to the side, he took a well-aimed shot to the left shoulder. Jiraiya whistled. It seemed that he wasn't going to have to get involved after all.
However, as with countless battles, the tide changed.
Throwing its head back, the wolf monster let loose an ear-piercing howl that made even Jiraiya's blood chill. Seconds later and more howls joined in, followed by feral barking and snarling. Out the darkness they came running, black fur-bodies that all went at the gear-user and the gun-toting woman. Both of them held strong, but it was clear the reinforcements were going to cause them to slip up, at which point their enemies would strike.
That did it for the white-haired Sannin.
Sheathing his scope, he jumped across the branches, biting his thumb to draw blood for his summoning jutsu. Away fell the greenery of the forest and closer came to the barrier separating the battleground from the real world. Jiraiya didn't intend to completely break the barrier, just open up a small enough crack to slip and provide some assistance. The toad he summoned would help him do just that.
"Gamasora, I need a hole in this thing, no more than five feet or so!" Declared the Sannin, slamming his hand down upon the tree branch he was on. There was a puff of smoke, then he was rising into the night sky atop the back of a dark blue toad the size of an ox-drawn cart.
"Ah, that's a barrier the likes of which I haven't seen in a while!" Commented the talking amphibian with curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "Right then, let's get to work!" Its dry hands came together, forming a set of hand seals while the animal drew its head back. Upon completing the final seal, Gamasora threw his head forward, his mouth stretched open releasing a visible ring of soundwaves towards the golden barrier.
Upon impact, the barrier rippled like a rock thrown into a lake. Within seconds, a hole opened, growing larger by the second until a manhole-sized rift had been formed. Not missing a beat, Gamasora reached back to grab hold of his ready summoner then threw him forward. Jiraiya flew like an arrow shot from a sling, his hands performing hand signs of his as he passed from the real world into the enclosed structure he'd spent so long observing.
"Hey! Coming in to help, Miss Gunslinger!" Jiraiya shouted, catching sight of her batting and shooting off the attacking wolves.
Amidst the moonlight, he was finally able to get a better look at her. Short black hair tied into a shoulder-length ponytail and an athletic upper body covered by a gray tank top which had several cuts in it. Her almond-colored eyes found his black eyes. In that one instant, that one exchange, they agreed to an alliance.
Her next words were directed to her partner, her Servant. "Archimedes, levitate, now!" She called before slamming her freed right palm into the ground. A ring of yellow appeared around her. The ground cracked, then rose into a small enough platform for her to remain on as the Toad Sage finally made contact with the ground.
"Earth Style-Dark Swamp!"
From the point of impact, the ground began to liquify while at the same time giving way to murky black and brown liquid that could only be called water in the faintest term. His surprise attack did the trick as the attacking wolves and knife-wielder were caught completely blindsided by the attack, just as the Toad Sage had hoped. Yelped cries and shouts of alarm rose as beast and man alike found that they were unable to move, their legs bound in the murky liquid.
"Mind if I help!" Shouted the gunslinger woman from her position above the ground.
"By all means, show me what you can do!" Shouted back the Sannin.
There was a grin on her face as she brought her floating platform down. Gold characters burst from her and spread out along the now terraformed ground. To Jiraiya's surprise, he found the swamp he'd created grew deeper and the mud thicker. The struggles grew greater, yet it all amounted to no good in the end. Not even the giant wolf was immune. Its ferocious howls and snarls rose into the cloudy sky.
"Well, well, seems like you got one over on me, Rong, thanks to that little friend of yours. Hey, who the hell are you?" Barked the blonde. Somehow, he'd managed to avoid getting completely sunken into the dark swamp, but only barely. Now that the mud had hardened into a concrete-like material, breaking out would take nothing less than the magus full strength, and it would leave him wide open to attack from his opponents.
Jiraiya crossed his arms and returned the man's venomous smile with a self-assured smile of his own. Another world he may have come from, but his personality wasn't anything new. "Who, me? Just a handsome traveling sage who was passing through. This village is the home of a friend of mine whom I was visiting. I came by to talk to him and imagine what I find, a little war going on."
The man's grin grew far more insidious. "And how exactly do you know you chose the right-gah!" Suddenly, a loop of mud rose up and wrapped around his eyes, which Jiraiya guessed had to be getting ready to fire off again. Naturally, he struggled and cursed, throwing profanities the way of his opponents as he continued to struggle against his earthen binds.
"I'd say I chose the right side." He said, knowing his answer likely flew over the man's head and ears. Finally, he turned to the woman he'd chosen to throw his lot in with. "Hey, are you alright?"
"No broken bones or major injuries, pretty lucky considering who I was going up against." She said, holstering her gun before he could get a better look at it. Standing eye to eye with him, Jiraiya admitted she cut an impressive five-foot-nine figure with a moderately muscled body that told him whoever this woman was, she spent her time out in the field. Her eyes shined with sharp intelligence as she sized up Jiraiya. There was an air of tension to her as while she was grateful for his help, she still had no idea who he was or what his intentions were. "By any chance, you wouldn't happen to know a man named Yuuma Makinohara?"
His eyes lit up immediately. "As a matter of fact, I do! He's an old friend of mine, just who I came to see actually!"
The woman's face fell. Jiraiya's fell a second later as he realized what had happened, what had taken place in his absence. Grimacing, he looked to the still struggling man. Distantly, he heard the furious howls of the beast he saw the gear-using fighting. "I…see, was it him?"
She gave a resigned nod, a look of deep pain on her face. "Out of curiosity…have you ever heard the terms, 'Master' and 'Servant' before?"
"I have, in fact, I came to Gunjomaru Village for some information on them. Seems I…got a bit more than what I bargained for." Stated the Toad Sage.
"Well, that sick bastard struggling over there is a Master like me. His name is Stefano Elce, in the world we originally came from, he was a serial killer. That noise thing you hear over in the distance is his Servant, BB, the Big Bad Wolf."
Jiraiya stared at the woman with an openly flabbergasted expression. "The Big Bad Wolf? As in from the children's fairy tale? You've got to be kidding!?"
She raised an eyebrow while crossing her arms. "Just that statement tells me that you don't know much."
He grimaced. "Alright, point, but I've been hoping I can find someone who can inform me. Are you and you friend willing to do that?"
For a moment, she stared at him, continuing to size him up. A small window into his combat abilities had him off to a good start. The woman's arms crossed as while her eyes studying him in a way he was all too familiar with. It solidified what Jiraiya had theorized while watching the battle - this woman was sharp.
And she was at least willing to give him a chance. "Yes, we will. You're in luck as my Servant's probably the best when it comes to knowledge, he was a Systems Administrator on the Moon Cell, basically one big egghead. Since you're the one who dropped in, think you could give me your name so I know it is I'm speaking with?"
At last seeing his moment, the Toad Sage sucked in a breath and prepared to respond, only to be cut off by a positively dry and bemused male voice.
"A pervert. My drones observed him while he was observing us, he seemed far more concerned for your safety than mine, watching your posterior with his little telescope."
Visibly tensing, the white-haired war veteran spun on his heels to face the approaching man. Just as he'd deduced earlier. As with his Master, the Servant had several cuts and gashes in his skin, yet none of them seemed to hamper him too much as he walked with a steady beat and calm air around him. In one hand was a strange glowing cube that Jiraiya couldn't help but linger on. He saw no sign of the giant wolf anywhere, but something told him that the cube had something to do with it. Shifting his eyes up, he stared back into the man's unimpressed brown eyes. Silently, he signaled him to diver this attention elsewhere with a glance.
"Um, n-n-now wait for a second, I can explain!" Cried the sage, throwing up his arms in defense of the piercing glare that was now being directed at him. "While, I'll admit, my eyes did do some wandering, I promise you, I came to your defense out of the goodness of my heart! Honest! Besides, I could use the information as it could prove crucial in protecting my own village!"
Ironically, as he spoke those words, the illusionary village around them began to crumble away into pieces of mud and mist. Normally, it would have been quite an interesting sight, but Jiraiya's attention remained on the black-haired woman looking at him with a glare that promised only one thing - pain.
Finally, a sigh of exhaustion came. "After I've seen that Stefano is put away in a cell, me and Archimedes will talk with you, Mister-"
"Jiraiya." He said, offering out his hand feeling a sense of overwhelming relief.
Which was quickly crushed a second later as his hand was indeed taken, and the next thing the Toad Sage knew, he'd been flipped over onto his backside. He yelped in pain feeling his wrist being twisted to the point of breaking. Suddenly, the traveling author and master ninja so desperately wished for a simple megaton punch to the face that being the end of it. Biting his lips in childish agony, he glanced upward finding himself staring into a pair of hard dark brown eyes.
"Very well then, my name is Rong, Guo Rong. In my world, I wasn't exactly a magus or a wizard, I was a police officer, and regardless of how this world works, I'm a woman of the law. So, Jiraiya, if I catch one whiff of sexual misconduct from you, we're going to have a problem, is that clear?"
"Yes ma'am."
Finally, a smile came to the woman's face. Off to the side, the Servant, Archimedes, shook his head in annoyance, albeit Jiraiya could have sworn he saw the faintest hint of a smile on his face. It seemed he was getting some amusement out of this in spite of his stoic façade.
Well, it looks like my next report's going to be quite detailed and full of surprises, Sensei. Here's hoping these two will be of help to the village, provided I can get them to come to the Leaf.
"Hakuno! Hakuno! My husband, I demand you wake up this instant, and tell me who is this other woman that you're dreaming off!"
That alone was enough for the male brunette to push through the drowsiness that had previously shackled him down. Nothing good would come of continue to dwell in the sweet darkness of the realm of sleep. Besides, if he did, who knows what his Servant-turned-wife might have done?
She was already furiously attempting to shake him awake. It helped, somewhat. "Tamamo! Tamamo! I'm awake! And relax, I wasn't dreaming of a woman, I was dreaming of a man!"
In spite of possessing the thinking power of a supercomputer, Hakuno Kishinami was still a teenager, thus he was still prone to saying the wrong thing at the wrong moment. This was one of those times.
His vision finally cleared up, he was able to drink in the shocked, horrified expression on his lover's face as she stumbled backward. She wasn't alone as there was one another adult in the room, on Mikoto Uchiha, and at her side stood Naruto and Sasuke. The former had a look of visible amusement on her face; the latter two, naturally looked confused.
"Oh my," Mouthed the black-haired woman. It was clear she was just barely keeping her laughter held back.
Tamamo, on the other hand, wasn't laughing. "A…a…a…a man…a man…you were…dreaming of a man…" She stammered, the color draining from her face as she stumbled backwards, her foxy ears and tail falling downward. "I…I see...so, my fate is to be the same as Kiyohime's!" Cried the Caster, moving to the corner of the room in the blink of an eye.
Hakuno threw off the sheets and rushed over to her, his arms encircling her waist. "No! No, not like that! Look, I can explain!"
"Um, Mrs. Uchiha, how come mom's all depressed? And what's wrong with dreaming about a guy? I dream of beating the snout out of some bullies all the time." Innocently questioned Naruto, not sure what to make the scene playing out before him. Admittedly, he knew his adoptive mother could be a tad…overly dramatic, but this was something he'd never quite seen before. He wasn't sure rather be amused or worried.
His question seemed to only further humor the married woman. "N-Naruto," she said through barely contained bursts of laughter. "Y-You'll understand a bit of what your mother's going through when you're older, and odds are you'll be in your father's place, give or take. You too, Sasuke."
"I hope not, girls and romance are way too complicated." Grumbled the young Uchiha, looking away with a childish look of defiance on his face.
"Now you sound like Shikamaru, Sasuke." Noted the blond jinchūriki. "Seriously, why does everyone make a big deal out of talking or being around a girl? It sounds so stupid and crazy!"
A short fit of laughter finally escaped the kunoichi's mouth. It took her a moment or two to get it under control so she could address the academy's student's question, and get a word or two in regarding her son's attitude. "Naruto, you're pretty young right now, so you probably won't understand, but you will as you get older. The bonds between people can become quite…peculiar, sometimes moving beyond mere or platonic friendship between certain people, men, women, and so forth."
Naruto looked back at his adoptive parents. It seemed that his mother had calmed down somewhat, at least enough that she was hugging his father like her life depended on it. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there was something…comforting in the sight, especially since he himself had been on the receiving end of such comfort before. "I don't get it, as usual…but I'll remember it. Now that I think about it, mom always gets a little…er, angry whenever another woman talks to dad or gets real close to him."
"That's called jealousy, and women do a lot of it." Sasuke offered with a wave of his hand.
"So too can boys," Coyly sniped the Uchiha matriarch, causing her son to blush pink. "Remember, Naruto, the people around you don't like being ignored, especially if they really like being around you such as how your mother does your father."
"And should you choose to ignore them anyway, know there are consequences, big nasty ones you're better off not experiencing." Came Hakuno's exhausted but still oddly upbeat voice. His soothing had done the trick, mostly. One could have gotten the impression the Japanese Caster was attempting to wrench his arm off given how tightly she was holding onto the limb. The pouty expression on her face only added to the impression. It grew darker as the male brunette's eyes fell upon the metallic cart that stood half between his hospital room and the hallway. Piled atop of it were flowers and boxes from which rose the delicious scent of food. "Is all of that for me?"
"Harpies." Came malicious growl of the pink-haired fox.
"I don't know if you're aware, Hakuno…but you've become quite popular, especially once news spread you practically saved the village." Mikoto giggled, shooting Tamamo an aside glance that the Servant brushed off.
"Alright, that's overselling it." The teenager retorted.
"Nope, it sounds just about right! You went out, fought some bad guys, and keep them from attacking the village! Just the sort of thing a hero would do! Besides, hehe, me and Sasuke have kind of already taken a bite out of the some of the food so can we…um, keep it?" Naruto couldn't help but grin, hoping his plea reached his parents, namely his mother's ears. Sasuke, more reluctantly to openly speak, turned his head to the side and silently threw his lot in with Naruto.
The decision was made in an instant. "Not a bad way to wake up, and not bad for Sunday breakfast." Smirking, he leaned over and planted a light kiss on his wife's forehead. "But I'll be looking forward to next Sunday because I'll be eating your cooking."'
A jubilant giggle slipped past the fox's lips. Were they not in the presence of family and a friend, she would have gone further; when they departed the hospital and returned to their home then she'd have the chance to do that.
"Mrs. Mikoto, Sasuke, thank you both for coming to see my family, it…means a great deal to us."
"Oh, think nothing of it. Ever since coming to the village you two have certainly shook things up, and made life a great deal more interesting and dare I say it, righted some long-standing wrongs."
All occupants of the room were well aware of who and what she was referring to. Particularly, the two youngest members of the group. A bright smile manifested on Naruto's face as he took his place beside his parents; Tamamo couldn't help but reach down and lightly pat the blonde's spiky locks. That said, Hakuno caught the stray glance sent his way by his wife. Recognizing it all too well, he internally readied himself for the discussion that was to come about in the next few minutes.
"Right then! As so much was given, it'd be a waste to let some of these…delicacies go to waste. Anyone up for handing them out to some of the slightly less fortunate?" Offered the foxy-eared woman.
"Tamamo, that sounds like a wonderful idea, and Sasuke you can help. It'll certainly help you get out a bit more and learn some more people." Echoed the Uchiha matriarch.
Naturally, grumbling came. "Really? Why do you have to keep on doing that?"
"Because I want you to turn out a tad more socially capable than your father or brother." Affectionately responded the black-haired woman. "A master ninja you can be, but I only ask you're one that knows how to interact with people."
"I'm able to interact with Naruto, that counts for something, right?"
"Why do I feel like that's supposed to be an insult and a compliment?" Mused the whisker-faced boy while the adults snickered.
"It'll happen to you as you get older, and as you get smarter, you'll learn how to do the same to others." Stated the male brunette.
Hearing that, Naruto got a very fox-like grin on his face, one that was leveled directly at Sasuke. It was abundantly clear who would be the target of his future wisecracks. Of course, said target wasn't one to take such a thing lying down and made his own silence promise in the form of a equally sneaky grin. Tamamo felt her heart swell with joyous pride, both for her adoptive son and his apparent closest friend. It seemed her time in the Leaf Village was going to be more than well worth it after all. As for Mikoto, well, she began to ponder in the back of her mind just how much of Naruto's trickster personality might bleed into her youngest son. Strangely, she was somewhat open to the idea, especially in light of how the rest of her family would take it.
Before long, it was down to the male brunette and the spiky-haired jinchūriki, who'd taken his place across from the former on the bed. Naruto had been with his adoptive parents for roughly half a year at best, but he'd liked to think he'd picked up a few things "normal" kids learned how to do - like when to expect a talk from a parent. As he somewhat nervously bit into his sweetly flavored breakfast bun.
"Naruto, I'm sorry."
He knew exactly what his father was referring to with his downtrodden face and somber voice. Naruto hated seeing and hearing it, especially in the wake of such a lighthearted mood. Quietly, he lowered his head, his emotions swirling within him as he attempted to put them into words. "Dad, you…don't have to apologize. Mom told me that if those two had gotten into the village they would have…well, she just told me she didn't want me to see what would happen. They would have…killed a lot of people, wouldn't they?"
An honest answer was choked out of the teenage father, seeing the genuine sadness in the young boy's eyes. "Yes, they would have. I…I couldn't let that happen, but there were other ways I could have gone about doing it. You could say the way I chose was pretty selfish."
"But you defeated them! You saved the village and everyone in it!"
Hakuno gave him an apologetic smile. "Yeah, I probably did…but I scared the living tar out of you and your mother, didn't I?" Expectedly, his face fell recalling the fear and anxiety that had filled up his sudden absence, and no doubt being rushed to the hospital where he was being treated. Hakuno reached out placed a hand atop the boy's head, causing him to look up. "That said, I'm happy I did it because I was able to keep everyone safe. When it comes to protecting the things and people you care about, sometimes you do have to make tough choices, and the people you're trying to protect aren't exactly going to be happy with you. Heh, especially when you nearly get yourself killed doing so."
For a moment, the young Uzumaki was silent. Gradually, he looked up meeting his adoptive father's eyes. "But if you can protect those things…it's worth it, isn't it?"
"Always." Laughed the Victor of the Moon, which in turn got a laugh out of the blond. "Naruto, honestly, I don't really consider myself a fighter. I'm not as adventurous or outgoing as your mother or even you, but I do get roused when the things I cherish are put in danger; anyone does. When something close to you is threatened, you'll find yourself moving without thinking, throwing yourself into harm's way to protect those things. Nothing will be certain; there are times you'll feel like you're facing down a falling mountain that'll crush you into a greasy smear. There's nothing wrong with being scared at times like that, I can tell you when facing Comstock and Kabaiel, I was a little scared."
"That they'd kill you?" He asked somewhat nervously.
"…No, dying isn't really something that…phases me too much. What scared me was failing to stop them and allowing them to get to the village and destroying it and killing everyone, including Tamamo and especially you." Came his honest answer. It was a testament to how much he'd seen that he could picture exactly that happening. A rain of stars falling in the middle of the day, annihilating everything they fell upon, flesh being seared from bone and blood running in the ruined streets. Hakuno could so vividly picture it all as he fought the two Templar operatives. It made his blood pump faster and his mind race all the harder.
"Um, dad, can I…say something, honestly?" Following a quick nod, the academy student took a deep inhalation. What was coming was no doubt going to be pretty big, emotionally speaking. "I think…um…to me…I think that's what makes you a hero. The fact that you did go out there in spite of being scared. I…don't know if I would have been able to do that, I mean…I'm just a runt who just barely knows how to do a couple of jutsu. Plus, you…you and mom haven't been in the village for a full year, and neither of you are ninja, but you…went out there to protect everyone. And I do mean…everyone." The hidden meaning was clear as the sun shining outside the window. Slowly, his eyes drifted down to the half-eaten pastry in his hands. Would the one who'd cooked it have anything to say about who was eating it now? Not the brave young man who'd gone out to stop an approaching menace, but the "Demon Brat" whom he looked after? "If I'd gone out and fought, do you think that would have changed people's opinions of me? I mean, if I could have?"
"It would have been a start, let me put it to you that way." Responded the veteran adventurer. Recognizing his tone of voice, Naruto sat upright, his face focused and serious. Hakuno knew the way his adoptive son was now was no doubt how Iruka and the instructors at the academy wished he could be all the time instead of only fifty-percent of the time. "If you had, it would have begun to open people's eyes. I won't sit here and sugarcoat things for you as you're far smarter than everyone gives you credit for." The serious demeanor was broken by a proud smile. "Sometimes, it takes time for people's opinions to change; there are also times when their thoughts and feelings never do change. What I'm saying is that actions will always speak louder than words, and people have a tendency to believe what they see with their own eyes. For example, if they see someone behaving like a monster…they'll see that person as a monster."
"But…what if that person that they think is a monster…doesn't act like a monster?" Naruto shyly asked. "What if he acts the opposite?"
Hakuno smiled, "Then they'll get them to begin questioning their assumptions. Once you learn something new that contradicts what you already known, you'll find yourself doing that."
"What happens then?" Asked the young jinchūriki with noticeable interest.
The male brunette fell backward, his body incredibly relaxed in spite of the weight of his words. "You have to come to your own conclusions, and other people have to come to theirs. Ultimately, you have to take everything you know, think you know and feel, and decide on it all. Anyways, back to your original question. Naruto, go out to defend the people that despise you once…and they might write it off. Do so a second time and they'll ask you why, a third time and they'll question who and what you are, a fourth and they'll question themselves and their past actions…and the fifth…well…" The more cynical side of him told the seventeen-year-old to stop talking, that he was filling the boy's head with false hope. He knew himself that hope was a terrifying thing…but sometimes, it was what one needed to crawl out of whatever dark abyss they'd found themselves in. If anyone needed that precious light, Hakuno would say that Naruto did so it was worth a shot. "All of this said…I'm certain that if you stand up and do the right thing, even if it gets you all banged up, there'll be at least one person who acknowledges you, and sometimes that's all you need to do so again and again."
Naruto's hands fell, his head falling down as an intense expression came to occupy his face. Hakuno read it in a minute and smiled.
"Seems you might already have some people like that already, huh?"
"I…like to think I do. I mean, if anyone tried to hurt them, I'd be pretty mad and try to stop it." Admitted the future shinobi.
"Then keep that mindset, Naruto, and everything else will fall into place. I know you're pretty eager to grow up, but take your time and enjoy your youth while you've got it." And enjoy your innocence while you've still got it. Odds are this world's just as brutal to innocence as mine was. Gloomy thought the battle-tested youth. He had no idea how long he could protect the optimism of the whisker-faced youth, or rather, what remained of it considering what he'd already been through.
"Um, dad?"
"Hm?"
"Is it possible that one day…I'll be…fighting to defend you and mom?" There was an edge of nervousness in his voice. It wasn't hard to understand why; Naruto had learned well enough that it was the job of parents to protect their children, not the other way around.
Except Hakuno knew sometimes the latter could happen; he'd seen it with his own eyes. "You may end up doing just that, no matter how much me and Tamamo hope it won't come to pass."
"I won't let either of you down!" Shouted the Uzumaki. "I know it's usually supposed to be the other way around, but I can protect you two at least a fraction of how you both have protected me! I mean, it's the least I can do since you two have looked after me."
"You'll never have to repay us for that." Kindly retorted the teen, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Naruto, when it comes to family, you don't keep scores, you do it because you love them, plain and simple."
They started out eating and talking, and it ended with a bear hug that made Hakuno completely forget the warning of his lover's inner self. Wrapping his arms around his young charge, he did his best to forget that danger was just around the corner, that another horrific tragedy was on the horizon. For the moment, all he wanted to do was bask in the quiet little moment of peace. It was moments like this that made him go out and confront two of his many, many pursuers. It was why if push came to shove, he'd do so again and again.
Years from now, a similar drive would propel the academy-aged jinchūriki in his arms to follow in his footsteps, just as it had done so for his biological father and countless before him. The will of a protector, some could call it.
"So…an interesting little coup brewing right here in this cozy little village. Ah, now this does bring back fond memories of the old days." Mused the orange-eyed swordsman, leaning back in his chair having absorbed the wealth of information presented to him. It was all quite a bit to take in, but none of it was practically unexpected to him.
Which was precisely why Danzō had sought him out. From the briefing he'd received from the Kishinamis to his operatives passing along first-hand information, he knew that Izō Okada was exactly what he would need in case an emergency ever arose in the village the likes of which required urgent action. Action that his old friend and rival refused to take. Fortunately for the village, Danzō had just about everything he needed to ensure the Leaf's security's remained uncompromised.
It had been all too easy to lure the Assassin away from his Master, who himself was busy shoring up the village's defenses against external threats; a complete and total waste of resources and manpower that had proved more costly than any had imagined. The Uchiha had already made their move - somehow finding a way to incapacitate almost a quarter of the ninja on guard, sending them to the hospital for matters as mundane as stomach pains. They were useless, easy prey for a possible assassin to slip in and slit their throats. Hiruzen suspected foul play, and he was right to. Where he was wrong was believing that the culprit lay with someone other than the Uchiha, who knew full well they were under suspicion.
"Having been briefed…can I expect of you to live up to your legend, or is the title of 'Manslayer' merely for show?" Baited the old war hawk.
To his satisfaction, the super-powered familiar took the bait. Scratch that, he lunged for it. "Now wait just a moment! What you're telling me is that this potential coup can only be averted with the slaying of an entire clan, the same clan that is this village's strongest! Hmph! Lead by that Mystic Eyed bastard, Fugaku, it doesn't surprise me that he's the ringleader of this little conspiracy. I knew I should have cut him down when I had the chance. Well, now I'll have the chance to rectify that mistake!"
Behind a stoic frown, Danzō smiled, sweet relief flooding his system. Truly, he couldn't have asked for anything better, a sharp sword, skilled hands, and an ego vulnerable to flattery and subtle words. "I feel I need not remind that this task must be carried out with the utmost secrecy, not even your Master can know of it. Is that clear?"
"You're asking secrecy of me, Lord Danzō? Worry not, I have done plenty of covert assassinations such as what you're asking of me, especially those that cannot be revealed to the public. That said," The breath came, causing a halt in the war hawk's good mood. He'd seen it coming, but it was still quite a sight to see a hint of…discontent in the bloodthirsty swordsman's eyes. Discontent tied to his Master instead of aimed at him. "I…our link as Master and Servant, it'll probably reveal what transpired eventually."
That was one detail the one-eyed war veteran had let slip his mind. Truthfully, he still only had half a working idea of how the mental link between a Master and Servant worked. If he could bring a pair over to his side so the bond could be observed from all angles then he'd have a better idea of what he had to work with. Alas, there was no time for that. Such things could be focused on after the Uchiha threat had been put down.
"That issue can be dealt with in the future, after the threat to the village has been eliminated." Danzō pressed. The normally excitable swordsman was patiently sitting before him, waiting until he'd finished explaining everything he needed to. He supposed he should have been grateful for that, at the very least it showed that the supposed Manslayer was capable of following instructions when delivered by a firm voice, something his own Master must have lacked. "I will…take steps to ensure that your Master does not meddle with this operation, it is a top-secret order that will be known only to the highest levels of the village's leadership."
"Meaning that fox is being excluded from all of this, yes?" Came the expected snort.
"Yes, yes she is. As I said, this is an issue of security and stability."
"Exactly, two things that fox knows nothing about! And I'm far better at ensuring the latter than that little farmer's brat!" Roared the dark-haired Assassin, angrily shaking his fist about.
Danzō's interests were piqued behind a stoic mask. Farmer's brat? Could he mean…could it be that Hakuno Kishinami's enemies know more about his true identity than he himself? The only way that could be possible is if he has a sort of amnesia. Combing through his memory, he realized that the boy had been immensely guarded regarding personal details regarding his life and history prior to the Moon Cell Holy Grail War. This too can prove useful for later on. "Okada, you must know that the fate of the Village rests in your hands, I am placing it in your hands because I believe this mission, as vile as it may be, is best left to you, one whose hands are already red with blood."
An approving snort came from the Japanese Servant. "Red with blood…yes, that is true." It all felt too familiar for him, yet from that familiarity, Okada couldn't help but derive an odd sense of comfort. Head rolled back and his eyes shut, he could almost hear the running of water out in the pond and the evening chirping of birds along the tree branches. Briefly, his eyes opened, the face appearing before him being one of the person he probably hated most…yet at the same time respected the most, even until the very end. Ryoma…it'll be me this time. My ideals…my sword that'll cut a path to the future. Just you watch…watch me from the Throne of Heroes! I'll show you, ya' hear me!
Hiruzen, you never would have had the spine to do this, so it falls upon me. Perhaps it is better than your way. It's becoming obvious I can make more use out of these Servants than you can, than you're willing to. Internally declared the cycloptic elder. "You have your orders. Time is of the essence so you cannot stop for anything, you cannot spare anyone, not even the children for one day-"
"They shall grow up to carry on the will of their parents, to carry their vengeance. Yes, Lord Danzō, I'm quite aware of how the cycle works." Interrupted the scarf-wearing Assassin, rising to his feet. He was practically giddy with excitement. It was quite telling considering what he'd signed on to was not a frontal battle the likes of which any samurai worth their salt would have agreed to. It was an assassination mission that could only be carried out by the most cold-blooded and capable of killers.
Which was perfect for him. Izō Okada wasn't a samurai, he was a Manslayer, and it was high time he earned that title, and put his abilities to good use. No one would know of his deeds, but he'd long since resigned himself to secrecy. Mostly anyway.
Danzō barely reacted as the man completely disappeared from his line of sight. From what he knew, that was the specialty of the Assassin Class, appearing and disappearing in the blink of an eye. Even better, their traditional method of usage was targeting the Masters instead of Servants, which was exactly what was needed. They had an idea of who the Uchiha's Master was; interestingly, it wasn't Fugaku, the clan leader himself. Understandable as Servants drew their strength from their Masters, and if Fugaku possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan, then there was a possibility that he was going to be targeting the Nine-Tails. That act alone would require most if not all of his strength, meaning he couldn't serve as a Master to a Servant.
To Danzō, that simply meant they couldn't afford to fool around, but that didn't mean that Fugaku Uchiha could be allowed to live. The Man was simply far too dangerous.
Which was exactly why Danzō had a contingency plan in place.
Making his way out of the office onto the walkway, he found a suited and armed Itachi Uchiha standing before him. Within moments, four Root ninja stood behind their leader's back. Ten more waited above the two in the rafters, and countless more out of sight. The oldest son of Fugaku Uchiha was completely surrounded, a fact that he knew.
"They have no intention of standing down, do they?" Began the bandaged elder.
Itachi's body tensed. "The sudden sickness that seized the village's patrol, it wasn't the Uchiha."
"That is irrelevant. If anything, it means they have outside help that you are unaware, which further puts your usefulness into question." Coldly snapped the war hawk without missing a beat. "The coup will be happening tonight, I take it?" Silence answered his question. "Itachi…I know the Uchiha have more than just a Servant at their disposal. I know that they have mystical weaponry, the same weaponry that now lies in the hands of the Hidden Grass Village. They have all that they need to seize control the village." More silence. "Itachi…you know as well as I do that this coup will not be bloodless, quite the opposite."
"…I…I can stop it."
"I'm sure you can…but not on your own. Against a Servant, a superhuman spirit who can stand on even level with perhaps a Kage…you will fare poorly, extremely poorly, and that's if you're able to muster up the strength required to protect the village."
Everyone present saw the seconds-long tick in the teenage Uchiha. His Sharingan was seconds away from activating, and the various Root ninja would be on the clan prodigy the moment he did act. It was only a matter of time.
Danzō stomped the butt of his staff against the ground temporarily, causing Itachi to tense up. Only at his insistence did he look behind him to find two of the ninja stationed behind him, presenting him with a large wooden box lined with paper seals. They did little to mask the dark, malicious aura that leaked out from within the box. Itachi had a faint idea what was inside before the old war hawk even started speaking again.
"This blade was procured from that skirmish in the Hidden Grass. I have had my scientists study it and they have found the weapon proves a general boost in strength, speed, and durability. Add such a boost to your already exceptional skills and they should be enough for you to slay the Uchiha Clan, including Lancer's Master, in a hopefully covert manner. Is that understood?"
Itachi quickly looked between the box and the leader of Root. It was clear this deal was a case of taking it or leave it, no middle ground. In the future hung the fate of his village, his home…and his family. He knew he couldn't save them both. He'd known that since Shisui asked him to help commit suicide to keep his remaining Sharingan out of Danzō's hands. Why not simply brainwash me with his eye…or…have you already used it? Do you think I've built up some sort of resistance to it?
He felt it, a throbbing ache in his hand, and a ringing in his head. In seconds, he knew when and where it was coming from.
Once again…you've underestimated your opposition, Danzō. Mentally sneered the black-haired Anbu member. There were few people Itachi hated in the world, but he had to admit, the leader of Root was one of the handful, him and Yashiro. They'd both driven the conflict between the Uchiha and the Leaf to the point now where bloodshed was the only possible way for things to be resolved. Itachi had no choice but to accept that, and the fact that he was going to have to be the one to do it. But that didn't mean he was completely powerless.
Rather openly, he flexed out his right hand, silently returning the call of the weapon that had been calling to him.
The sealing talismans exploded in burst of red and orange, as did the wooden box containing the weapon. Splinters showered the two ninja while explosive light; they were paralyzed just as Itachi would have hoped.
A second after his fingers just barely touched the grip of the sword, Itachi felt a dark rush of power fill him. If he'd been a second too late, he would have let the power consume him, and he'd have taken Danzō Shimura's head clean off his shoulders. Instead, he had his rune-inscribed blade stop just barely half an inch from his neck.
Rather or not he was frightened by the sudden loss of control, Itachi couldn't tell, at least not from the war hawk's face. His heart, on the other hand, he could hear beating like a drum. Already, his senses had been enhanced by this mystical weapon the Root leader had so foolishly presented to him.
"I have terms of my own, Danzō." He could notice the dark edge in which he spoke with. Some of the rage and malice he'd held up was slipping through, all because of this apparent cursed sword from who knows where. It would make for an ideal weapon, but Itachi knew ultimately, he wouldn't be able to hide behind it when the time for his judgment came. A sword was just a tool, those it cut down, the blame and guilt for such actions lay with its owner. Now him. "You already know what they are."
"Enlighten me." Came his cold response. Only his silent order kept the dozens of Root ninja surrounding the two of them at bay. Something in Danzō's gut told him if he did order them to attack, Itachi would take his newfound sword and use it to slaughter all of them. Afterwards, well, he didn't entertain the thought any further because he had no intention of letting things get that far.
"Sasuke," Came his answer in a near growl. "My brother lives…otherwise, I will kill you here and now."
His glare was nearly as sharp as the glowing blade now leveled at his throat. "No, I believe the alternative is all of you die." The edge of the sword came closer, now biting into the war veteran's skin. Just barely did he maintain his composure. So…this is how a blade forged…by a Caster-class Servant feels. He couldn't risk getting out of the way in time, nor could he risk causing a scene here and now with a pawn as valuable as Itachi. His brother…what is so important about him? Is he not the pride of the clan? Pushing the thought to the side, Danzō refocused his lone eye on Itachi's, cold black meeting murderous red and black. "Your brother…very well, he will live, but in return…the rest of the clan. Will you accept this mission?"
At this point, there should have been a scream or roar of defiance, a spray of blood and a head sailing through the air while a body toppled to the floor. There should have been a refusal followed by all that had been listed. But there was none of that. There was instead, a single word, a single statement that spelled damnation and dishonorably eternal.
"Yes."
Far, far away from the Five Great Nations, stretching beyond into the "minor domains" to the far west, a certain Servant looked up from his forge and smiled. It was a dark, wicked grin, fit for a wretched soul such as himself. Leaning back, he took in the sweet whiff, almost like a freshly cooked pastry emerging from the oven. Reginn the Dwarf, foster father of the "King of Warriors", Sigurd, could feel it in his bones.
One of his creations had been picked up by soul bound for tragedy. Perhaps he could use some of his magecraft to take a glance and see what sort of tragedy it was…and how he and his Master could profit from it. After all, this new world was one of the great opportunities, was it not?
In retrospect, I'm a little happy I wasn't able to post this on Thanksgiving, seems a tad dark and foreboding chapter overall, don't you think? Well, I tried to lighten things up a bit by showing Jiraiya finally making an appearance and the father-son talk between Hakuno and Naruto. Both were meant to sharply contrast to just about everything else happening this chapter.
Yep, the Uchiha Downfall is happening, and no, it isn't going to be stopped…but it's sure as hell going to play out radically different. First and foremost, yes, Danzō set up two highly skilled killing machines on a collision course. Regarding Okada, now I know Fate's taken several historic/mythological figures and given them some quirky personalities…but this story is going to explore them beyond those given quirks and exam their real-life legends, especially the nastier sides. In Okada's case, he isn't a "Manslayer" for nothing; historical, the four Hitokiri ("man slayers") carried out some pretty gruesome murders in the name of the Imperial Government, some of which actually got them executed as in Okada's case. As anyone who's seen a lick of say, Rurouni Kenshin can tell you, the Meiji Restoration was extremely violent with noble and not so noble deeds carried out, for all manner of reasons.
Okada is a pretty prime example of how dark things could get as while he was a naturally gifted swordsman, he was weak-natured and easily manipulated, which you can get a feel of in Grand Order as his personality clearly shows a man still coming to terms with his life's tragedies and pitfalls. As Tamamo herself explained as far back as Chapter 12, he was little more than an attack dog for his boss, Takechi Hanpeita, who in his later years treated Okada rather coldly for a number of reasons, one of them being the fact that Okada had no formal education and was himself the son of a low-ranking samurai. When arrested, Okada didn't commit seppuku leading Takechi to supposedly consider POISONING him for fear of him talking. By what records are known, Okada himself was merely a "tool of assassination" and nothing more; all of this sounds like everything Danzo could ever want, doesn't it?
Speaking of Danzō, I'm going more with the anime's interpretation of events in which the entire massacre was caused by him going behind the Third Hokage's back; for me I considered it quite in-character. Now, this chapter Hiruzen pushed back a bit more and he's not going to happy when he finds out what his old friend has done. One thing that came to me while writing this chapter was all the known Leaf elders had a teammate and possibly friend in Kagami Uchiha, Shisui's father. Which…means that Danzō ripped one of the eyes out of the son of one of his old teammates because he was so paranoid of said son (who was just as loyal as his father) targeting him…can you say what a dick?
Now, next chapter will see nightfall…and the accumulation of the last couple of chapters which have been building up to this moment. Everyone has a plan, yes even a certain "good boy" and a glasses-wearing Assassin in the background…and few of these plans will go as expected. It's going to be quite a ride, so, until then!
