Author Notes- Hello fellow readers! I really wanted to get done with this arc of the story, involving the Uchiha Massacre and showing glimpses of his time in the academy. Well, this arc will be mostly over by next chapter.
In this chapter, I have shown as to how Hinata and Naruto came close to together. How Naruto feels about Hinata and the intricate relationship between the two. This chapter also begins portraying the countdown to the Uchiha Massacre which will take place. There was a comment which mentioned how was it that Naruto was not able to sense the Iwa shinobis when they attacked him. Well, the senseing ability of Naruto works only when he wants it work. More specifically, in that chapter I had mentioned there were no Iwagakure sightings near the Fire Nation border for almost a year. Naruto is still a child and does not have much experience. So, he had let his guard down thinking it was safe now compared to as it was a year back. Also, in this chapter, as the Hokage Minato will have to make certain tough choices. Naruto will not always agree with Minato and there could be a possibility of a rift forming between the two as a result. But as the story goes on, Naruto will understand the decisions made his father and will realize it was childish and naive of him to be angry at him. No relationship is without ups and downs. Minato's and Naruto's will also have, so will Naruto and Hinata's. But that will be later.
[Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.]
Anyway lets continue with the story
Chapter 6: An Uchiha's love
The soft and gentle touch of her hand.
That was all he could feel as he hugged her. As he rested his head on her shoulder, his eyes closed, all he could feel was the gentle strokes of her hand on his hair.
He didn't know how long had passed since they were standing in this position. But it did not matter to either one of them. Naruto liked this comforting feeling and Hinata liked being near him.
She felt him shake lightly and held on to him more firmly. She may not know what exactly was going through Naruto's mind, but she understood him whenever she looked into his eyes. His unspoken need to have someone close to him when he's feeling down.
A few seconds passed and Naruto lifted his head and gazed into her eyes. Those white eyes which he always found to be enchanting. He could see the warmth and care in them. The understanding which her eyes held. It made him feel calm. It made him nostalgic about the time when he shared his darkest secret with her and she still accepted him.
Flashback Two Years ago
The late evening was beautiful with its borderless flow clarity: the vast, seemingly empty sky stretched out far and wide. It had a multitudinous amount of flat clouds that were spread out to the horizon, waiting to shower the earth.
A pair of violet eyes were intently watching the darkened hue of the sky as the sun settled. Several thoughts were flowing through his head as his eyes searched for answers beyond the horizon.
Why do shinobi kill each other?
What feeling do people obtain in revenge?
It was a simple, yet intricate, notion in Naruto's mind. He understood that shinobi kill to protect someone close to them. But he often wondered, was killing the only answer? Was peace such a materialistic and hollow term that people abandon the very idea of it for their own desires?
He felt Hinata's presence as she walked towards him but did not bother to move from his place. They were in a training ground beside the Hokage Monument. It had been a few days ever since Naruto, Hinata and Sakura had started training together and had decided to meet few days a week so that they could train and study together regularly.
Sakura had left a few minutes earlier since it was getting late, leaving Naruto and Hinata alone in the training ground.
Hinata silently observed Naruto as he stared up at the sky. He intrigued her greatly. The night they were attacked by the Iwa shinobi, she was astounded by the potency of chakra she felt from him. She had never felt anything like that before. She was sure the entire village had felt it. The look she saw in his eyes that night, she knew she would never forget it. She never really found the right way to describe it, but there was a sense of looming darkness in him that she felt. Despite that, he was probably the kindest person she knew.
Whenever she thought she had him figured out, she would find out something new that would baffle her.
Naruto Namikaze was an enigma she wanted to solve.
She sat beside him and turned her eyes towards the sky. She presumed it would rain, looking at the clouds. The two sat in comfortable silence for a while as a light breeze began to blow over the area.
"What is your dream Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked. Startled by the sudden question, Hinata looked at the blond curiously.
"Dream? I never really thought about it till now…" Hinata replied. As she reflected over the question, images of her parents, her baby sister, Hanabi, and that of her friend Sakura and even… Naruto came to mind. To always see them smiling and safe. She averted her eyes from him with a small blush, wondering when she had started to consider him to be so close to her.
"I guess to always see my family and friends smiling. I never want to lose them." Hinata said in a whisper.
Again, Naruto couldn't help but be awestruck by how innocent she looked right now. The dream of a naïve girl who believed there would be peace someday, that the senseless killing would stop just because a few wish it.
"This shinobi world we live in, has no order in it. If it continues to go forward the way it is, there would be nothing but death… There is so much hatred in this world. It's not easy to let go of that hatred…" Naruto muttered as he continued to stare at the sky.
'Naruto…' Kurama thought, wary of Naruto's words.
Even though it was said in a very low voice, Hinata had heard each word. She stared at Naruto in disbelief. She did not know what made him think like that and it scared her slightly. But looking at the sad expression on his face made her wonder what he had gone through to make him think this way. She knew Naruto was not well liked in the village. In their earlier years, she had heard many times some civilians call him by names which no child should ever be called. It made her wonder, was it because of his lineage? No, it couldn't be. The Yondaime was loved by everyone in the village. Then, why Naruto? Was it because of the endless amount of malicious chakra she often saw in him? The chakra that was different than his own?
"Why do you say that, Naruto-kun?" asked Hinata, moving from her place and sitting right in front of the blond.
Naruto stumbled a bit back as he was surprised by how close they were sitting so suddenly. As it started to drizzle, some of the rain drops fell on Naruto, making a few locks of his hair stick to his face. Hinata slowly moved closer to him and moved his hair so that she could see his face.
"You can tell me Naruto-kun. You can trust me." Hinata said gently.
The look in her eyes. He had never seen it before. The warmth and calmness she was radiating, it was comforting and mesmerizing, Naruto thought. He could feel how concerned she was. For the first time in his life, Naruto was confused about what he should do.
"I… I… well… I don't know…" Naruto whispered.
As he averted his eyes from her, the very next second he felt a soft hand on his cheek and found Hinata staring at him with such affection.
"You know, my Kaa-san always tells me to understand people when they are in trouble. Once you understand them, it becomes easier to get to know them. I… I want to know you better, Naruto-kun. I know you are different from other people." Hinata said affectionately.
Naruto stared at her, hypnotized by her words. He never had a mother so he never had someone talk to him with such gentleness. His father tried to fill the role of his mother in his early childhood but Naruto understood it pained Minato too as well sometimes. He felt the love his father had for his mother. It was the most beautiful emotion he had ever felt from anyone. Despite the loss Minato suffered, he always did his best to make sure Naruto grew up not feeling alone.
Naruto didn't know what compelled him to do it. Maybe it was the look in her eyes? The gentleness with which she spoke? Taking a leap of faith, Naruto gazed into her eyes. Hinata was surprised when Naruto's eyes morphed into the sharingan and started spinning slowly. She felt hypnotized looking into those eyes and the very next moment, she found herself standing in a gigantic hall.
Turning around, she found Naruto standing with an unsure expression on his face. Looking behind him, she noticed a large golden gate with a paper stuck to it in the center. She could feel the oppressing chakra that was behind the cage and she took a step back in slight fear.
"Where are we Naruto-kun?" Hinata questioned.
"Do you really want to know about me, Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked warily. Hinata sensed the uncertainty in his voice and moved closer to him.
"Hai. You don't have to bear everything alone. That night when you saved me, I saw it in your eyes. How scared you were to lose us… I saw how strong you are… I saw how kind you are…" She replied.
"…We are in my mindscape. This is my subconscious. I will show you the truth, if that is what you desire." Naruto said.
Hinata saw him turn around and walk towards the large gate. She wanted to stop him but her intuition told her to trust him.
"You can show yourself, Kurama." She heard him say. She was confused for a second as to who he was talking to. However, her eyes widened on seeing a large creature, easily the size of the Hokage Monument, appear out of the darkness. She stared in disbelief as the nine tails behind the creature swished around lazily. The red slit eyes stared at her intently.
"Na…Naruto-kun…?" Hinata stammered.
Naruto looked at her sadly as she again took a few steps back in fear.
"…This is my truth Hinata-chan. The nine-tailed fox that attacked Konoha eight years ago was never killed. Bijuu can never be killed by any mortal. They can only be sealed into human beings. The Sandaime Hokage sealed only half of the Kyubi in me due his immense amount of chakra and sealed the other half in himself. People like me who have bijuu sealed within them are called jinchuriki, Human Sacrifices." Naruto said slowly.
He felt the storm of emotions that were rising in Hinata's heart. He expected her to call him a demon like the rest of the villagers and never look at him the same. A lone tear dropped from his eyes as he turned around and walked towards Kurama. They were both considered demons, monsters by the entire village. Yet, the fox was the only one who understood Naruto completely.
However, after he took a few steps, he felt two soft hands envelop him in a gentle hug.
"Is…that…why everyone calls you a demon, a monster… and look at you differently Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked in between tears. She felt him nod his head slightly and hugged him more tightly.
She moved around him, so she could look at his face. She gently wiped away the tears that were flowing from his eyes and laid a soft kiss on his forehead.
"You can always trust me Naruto-kun. I will be always there for you… no matter what happens."
At that moment, Naruto felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his heart. For the first time, he had trusted someone with everything and for the first time he had seen the look of complete understanding in someone's eyes other than Kurama.
'You're not alone anymore, Naruto…' Kurama thought.
Flashback End
"Thank you." Naruto muttered.
"Are you feeling better?" Hinata asked. She was aware that Naruto never took it lightly when someone belittled or mocked his friends. He had very few friends to begin with. He cherished the moments he spent with them and she worried about him whenever she saw the look of darkness in his eyes. She was not naïve as many thought her to be or even Naruto thought her to be at times. She knew when he hid things from her but she never confronted him openly about it. She understood he would tell her eventually.
"Hai. I feel better." Naruto said.
"I… just need to be alone for a while now." Naruto said as he got out of Hinata's embrace and walked in the opposite direction.
A lie. She knew the moment he spoke those words. But she still stood in her place with that innocent little smile on her face. A smile which always made Naruto's day.
However, when Naruto took a few steps away from her, the next words he heard made him freeze for a moment.
"I understand, Naruto-kun… Remember, you don't have to hide it from me. I will be there when you need me." Hinata said softly.
Naruto kept walking in the opposite direction knowing full what Hinata meant. It broke his heart to hide things from her. But it had to be done. He couldn't let her get caught up in his darkness. Her soul was pure, gentle and as innocent as that of a new born. He would keep her safe, even if he had to fall into the darkness.
As he shunshined away, Hinata's heart fluttered, hearing his last words.
Thank you for always being there… Hime
A Few Blocks away from the Konoha Academy
"You shouldn't hide your feelings from her, Naruto." Kurama said.
"I don't know Kurama… I just want her to stay safe." Naruto replied to his friend.
"You care for her, idiot."
"That is why I must do what is necessary to keep her safe… even from me." Naruto said sadly. He had shunshined a few blocks away, so he could search for him. He was the only one right now the blond wished to talk to. Somehow, he always knew what to tell Naruto in situations like this.
'I'm sorry Kurama. I will make it up to her. But, I need to talk to Itachi now.' Naruto thought as he closed his eyes to extend his sensory abilities to search for Itachi's chakra signature.
A few seconds passed and he was able to locate him in the old clan Uchiha Clan compound near the Naka River. He was confused as to why he was there, since none of the Uchihas ever went there nowadays. He also found Shisui there with Itachi. He smiled inwardly at the prospect of seeing Shisui again. It had been ages since he had met with him.
Without waiting for another second, Naruto disappeared to meet with his brother like figures with a shunshin.
Within the forests of Old Uchiha Compound
Over the course of years, Naruto perfected his shunshin to such a degree that no one could sense the slightest use of chakra when Naruto performed it. So, when he appeared on a tree a few distances away from the place where Itachi and Shisui stood, none of them were aware of Naruto's presence.
Naruto moved to go talk to them immediately, but looking at the serious expressions on their faces, he stood his ground. Wanting to know what they were talking about, he sent a minuscule amount of chakra to his ears to expand his hearing range.
"…the last few clan meetings have been troubling, Itachi." Shisui stated.
"I know. There's little even Hokage-sama could do now to persuade tou-san from stepping down. The villagers and higher ups have been suspecting the Uchiha Clan for years now." Itachi said.
"You know what will happen if the clan goes ahead with the coup. There will be a…"
"… there will be a civil war in Konoha." Itachi finished. He knew of the conclusion very well. He had seen the result of the Third Shinobi War and the memory was still etched into his mind. Countless numbers of people lying dead on the ground with kunai lodged into several parts of their bodies. The earth around them shattered and destroyed with blood spilled everywhere. It was gruesome and inhumane.
"If a civil war breaks out in Konoha right now, it could mean an end to our village. During my missions with Root outside the village and from Danzo, I have heard some troubling news about Kumogakure and Iwagakure meeting with each other over a temporary alliance. If the two nations decide to attack us during the civil war, Konoha is as good as… finished." Shisui said dreadfully.
Itachi stared at Shisui with an impassive face, but on the inside, he was worried too. He was a loyal Konoha shinobi, who only dreamed for the welfare of Konohagakure no Sato. And knowing that his village was headed towards mindless destruction troubled his heart greatly.
He knew for a fact that the Uchiha Clan could never successfully finish the coup once they start it. Not with people like the Yondaime and Jiraiya still loyal to the village.
He was aware that if the Uchiha Clan went ahead with the coup, the Yondaime and Jiraiya would annihilate the entire clan, albeit regrettably. He didn't even want to think about what Naruto would do if anything ever happened to Minato or Jiraiya. He knew of the boy's prowess. It was terrifying… even to him. But what after that? What would happen if Iwa and Kumo actually attacked right after Konoha dealt with the Uchiha Clan?
From what he personally knew of Minato, the man would never give out the exact reasons of the Uchiha Clan for their actions. However, that is where the problem would arise.
It would cause a lot tension among the other clans in Konoha. The fact that the Hokage and the higher authorities killed an entire clan because of a disagreement would make the other clans wary. It would cause distrust between the clans and the Hokage and afterword they may even lose their faith in the Fire Daimyo. If the other nations did not end up destroying Konoha, the uprising brought by the Uchiha Clan will certainly make the village crumble in the long run.
"What do you propose we should do?" Itachi questioned.
Naruto, who was standing on a tree branch, stared with wide eyed at the two people whom he considered his brothers. His heart broke with each passing second as he heard his own clan was planning to take over the village. Yet at the same time, he was angry at the village. He had seen how some of the villagers kept their distance from the Uchiha Clan members but he never understood it why. He wondered what Shisui meant by his missions with Root as he had never heard of it before or of any person by the name of Danzo. There were a multitude of questions going through Naruto's mind and no definitive answers to them.
What were the Uchiha Clan being suspected of?
He knew Itachi was an ANBU captain now, but who did Shisui work for?
Who was Danzo?
How does Shisui know about Kumogakure and Iwagakure meeting with each other? Does his father know about this?
Were the Uchiha willing to go as far as to destroy the whole village for their own gain?
However, one fact he concluded was the imminent destruction of Konoha if the Uchiha Clan went ahead with the coup or if Iwagakure and Kumogakure decided to attack Konoha when their defenses were down. His mind instantly thought of his father, his oji-chan, Hinata, Itachi, Shisui, Kakashi and his friends and the imminent danger they might be placed in and his heart had a morbid feeling. He, himself, didn't know what he would do if anything ever happened to those he loved. He certainly did not want to see his village destroyed… but he cared for those people more than the village.
The only way Naruto knew he would get some answers was to confront Itachi and Shisui. With that in mind, he jumped down from the tree branch and landed softly on the ground beneath, making the leaves rustle.
Itachi and Shisui immediately turned their heads in the direction of the sound. They stood frozen in place as Naruto walked towards them with a grim expression on his face. They realized he must have heard the entire conversation and judging from Naruto's expression he was more shocked than worried.
Itachi, being more controlled of his emotions than Shisui, stepped forward towards the blonde who was standing in front of them now.
"Naruto-kun. What brings you here?"
"I know about the coup…" Naruto answered.
"I know that you do now." Itachi said. He was surprised as well as worried to see Naruto here now since he had thought he would be in class. It had been a few months since he had met Naruto, but he never wanted to meet his gaze under such circumstances.
"Why…? Why Itachi?" Naruto asked under his breath.
Instead of answering, Itachi simply stared at the young boy. Some might say Itachi was staring at Naruto with no emotion whatsoever, but Naruto could see the sadness in those black eyes. Itachi knew how much Naruto had suffered in his short life. He didn't want Naruto knowing his own family was betraying something that he loved dearly.
Naruto looked at Shisui hoping that he would say something, but all he saw was the downcast look on his face. He clenched his fists tightly as seconds passed.
"Tell me WHY!" Naruto yelled as he glared at the two with his sharingan.
"It's not so easy to explain, Naruto." Shisui answered calmly as he stepped forward. He knew he had to phrase his answer carefully. He was meeting the blond again after a few years. His time in Root did not allow him to spend that much time with his family or in the village. He knew he wasn't the same person who Naruto knew a couple years back. All those missions he did for Root, all the innocent people he had to kill on Danzo's orders took away a part of him. But there will still moments in his past that kept him sane. His time with Itachi and Naruto being the most important.
"Try me…" Naruto demanded. Shisui closed his eyes briefly as he sighed.
"It all started after the Kyubi attack ten years ago. There were rumors being spread that it was the Uchiha Clan who were behind the attack that night because of the sharingan. The civilian council and the elders of the village protested that the Uchiha Clan be relocated to keep better eye on them. But Hokage-sama had put a stop to any accusations against our clan. But that did not stop the villagers from being wary of our clan. As the years passed, all seemed fine from the outside but one of the elders, Danzo, still considered the Uchiha Clan to be a threat to the village. Without the Hokage's knowledge, he got a direct order from the Fire Daimyo himself to relocate the Uchiha Clan, which your father couldn't ignore. So, in the end, he had to. The Uchiha Clan felt that their position within the village was being threatened. They weren't included in the meetings also as much." Shisui explained.
"…so, they want to start a coup in Konoha to assert their dominance?" Naruto asked. He was surprised as to how much he did not know about what was going on in the village. All this time, he only thought of his pain, of the darkness that keeps growing within him day by day, that he never thought much about the suffering that other people go through.
"Hai." Itachi answered. He saw the sorrowful look on Naruto's face and he couldn't help but frown at the current shinobi system. The wall that has been erected between different villages and even within a village makes peace only an abstract idea.
"But it wasn't the Uchiha clan's fault. The Uchiha Clan could speak to tou-chan about this matter and settle things peacefully." Naruto stated.
"It's not easy to change the opinion of the people Naruto. People live their lives bound by what they accept as Correct and True. That's how they define 'Reality'. No one really knows what it means to be True or Correct, they are mainly vague concepts. Different people fight for different reasons and have their own versions of reality and perceive the meaning of Correct or True differently. One man's reality may as well be an illusion to another. My father believes that the Uchiha Clan have been wronged and this coup is his reality where his actions are Correct or True." Itachi said.
Naruto stared at Itachi, contemplating the meaning behind his words. His words were profound and Naruto could sense the meaning behind those words as he could relate to it himself. His whole life he had been hated by the villagers and after a single incident which involved in him saving a clan member made him get into people's good books. It showed how fickle reality was in people's eyes. His eyes morphed back to his original violet color as he understood the situation behind the Uchiha Clan's actions.
"You have to talk to tou-chan about this. He can probably find a way around it, to avoid further bloodshed." Naruto requested.
Itachi and Shisui exchanged a look between themselves and nodded, much to Naruto's confusion.
"We were planning to Naruto-kun." Itachi said.
"Also, not many people outside of the Clan know about this Naruto. So, we would like you to come with us to Hokage-sama when we talk to him. I trust you Naruto, but it's just to make sure no one else knows about it." Shisui said seriously.
"You should go home now Naruto-kun. We'll meet you tomorrow at your house at noon." Itachi said. Naruto nodded his head as he was about to walk away.
"And Naruto… congratulations on passing your test today. I'm sure you did better than everyone else." Shisui said with a smile.
"You know it nii-san…" Naruto said as he disappeared in a shunshin to his home.
"…Are you sure about this Shishui?" Itachi asked again.
"The coup places the Hokage's life in danger. We were tasked to get close to him, so we could assassinate him Itachi. We are Konoha shinobi and our loyalty lies with the Hokage. We must do what is necessary to keep the peace in our village, even if it means betraying our clan. We have to protect the future." Shisui said honestly. He smiled sadly as he too disappeared from the old Uchiha clan compound.
Itachi stood all alone in the forests as he stared at the sky. His eyes landed on a small bird on a tree branch, who looked to be a few days old. It tried to flap its wings to fly but failed every time. He saw the bird's mother try to help her child to fly as he realized something notable.
The children… they are the future of this village and must be protected for the village's welfare.
Tomorrow noon, Namikaze Compound
Naruto was standing in the library of the Namikaze compound with Itachi and Shisui standing before Minato's desk. Minato sat in his armchair as he looked at the two raven haired Uchiha. The library had some privacy seals, so Minato knew whatever the three wanted to discuss must be something important.
"So, what did you call me here for?" Minato asked cheerfully. It had been some time since he had seen Naruto, Shisui and Itachi together. The last time he had seen all three together was probably when Naruto was five or six years old he supposed.
"Hokage-sama, we have some significant news prevailing to the Uchiha Clan which we think you should know." Itachi said flatly.
Minato's face became serious as soon as he heard Itachi's words. He had noticed how the clan was acting strangely over the past year and it worried him. He knew the villager's behavior towards the Uchiha Clan and it pained him to see them treated that way. But the past few months he had become slightly more suspicious of the Uchiha Clan after the Elders of that clan came to him demanding to have an extra vote in the shinobi council. Of course, Minato had outright denied the demand, but he knew it was just a start. Also, the sudden increase in the Uchiha Police Force members as well as their increased patrol over the village was questionable too, but Minato did not have any reasons not to deny that request.
"What is it?" Minato asked.
"This information cannot leave this room Hokage-sama. The less people know about it, the better. I trust you know who all to discuss this information with to make further plans regarding this." Shisui said.
Shisui saw the Hokage looking at Naruto and understood his dilemma. "Naruto knows about it. He found us talking about it… accidentally." Shisui said the last part rather sheepishly. Naruto chuckled inwardly, knowing how a ten-year-old got the drop on the Uchiha Clan's two best shinobi.
"There is a coup being planned in order to overthrow you." Itachi said gravely.
"WHAT!?" yelled Minato angrily.
"That's the truth Hokage-sama." Itachi said passively.
"How do you know this Itachi? Tell me the truth now." Ordered Minato, losing all the kindness he had. He loved Itachi and Shisui greatly and knew them well enough to know they wouldn't do anything to betray the village. But still, as Hokage he would have to get rid of any threat for the village's security. Additionally, with the information that he received from Jiraiya a few weeks back, he knew what he was going to hear wouldn't be anything pretty.
"Ever since the relocation of the Uchiha Clan outside the main premises of the village, my father and the elders have lost their trust in you Hokage-sama. They believe your leadership to be hindering the advancement of the village. Also, the Uchiha Clan, being one of the founding clans of Konohagakure no Sato, believe that they should be treated better than they are being treated now and should have more say in the shinobi council. So, to reinstate their position within the village, they want to overthrow you so they could run the village on their own beliefs." Itachi said.
"That is not all Hokage-sama…" Shisui intervened.
"Continue." Minato ordered.
"I believe Danzo to be involved in this coup as well."
"Danzo? Do you have any hard evidence against him, that would be testifiable against him?" Minato asked.
"I have been with Root ANBU for a few years now and I'm a Root ANBU Captain currently. I have escorted Danzo to several illegal meetings. He approached me three years ago and asked me to join him. He told me his ideals on what he wanted Konoha to be based on. I knew at that moment that Danzo is not what he wants people to believe he is.
I am sure you are aware that Root is functional despite Sandaime-sama ordering Danzo to disband it years ago. Danzo receives much of the money for his activities from his business with traders outside of the village, either form the borders of Hi no Kuni near Kusagakure or Yugakure. He is cautious Hokage-sama. All the meetings and transactions are off the record, so there isn't any proof of him ever indulging himself in such activities." Shisui explained briefly.
Minato closed his eyes and rested his chin on his hands to think clearly over the given information. He was shocked on hearing Shisui being part of Root. He knew the type of work that was done in Root and it was hard for him believe the kid whom he had seen grow up had become skilled enough to be an ANBU Captain. He supposed that everyone had to grow up at some point in time and in the shinobi world, it was better if one grows up fast. He was aware of the Root ANBU still being functional but he couldn't prove anything without any solid evidence. Danzo seemed to be extremely paranoid about his activities, otherwise he wouldn't be so cautious, which allowed him to survive for so long. But the most shocking news to him was the coup planned by the Uchiha Clan. He was surprised, he never got any hint of what was going on behind his back.
"Was this coup the elders' idea or Fugaku's idea?" Minato asked Itachi and Shisui.
"You're too good a man, tou-chan. You trust too easily. You should have noticed when Fugaku-sama came to visit you more regularly in the past year that something must have been suspicious. He is a shrewd man and was gathering intel on the Namikaze Compound so that he could plan a perfect attack on you when you are most vulnerable. Whoever this Danzo is, knows you are not someone to be trifled with directly. The best option for him and the Uchiha Clan to overtake the village is to eliminate the Hokage and the Jounin Commander strategically. If you want to destroy a nation, you need to destroy its leadership first. It's the most efficient way. As for your question, you should already know the answer to that." Naruto said impassively.
Everyone in the room were stunned by the explanation and thinking that Naruto showed. At this moment, he did not look like a ten year old, rather a veteran shinobi.
'Your astuteness terrifies me sometimes, Naruto-kun.' Itachi thought.
"…I assume you both were ordered to assassinate me?" Minato asked.
"Hai." Answered Itachi and Shisui simultaneously.
"You should get away from Root, Shisui. I will deal with them. Regarding the Uchiha Clan, I will have to speak to Jiraiya and Shikaku further about this." Minato said firmly.
"I'm afraid that is not possible, Hokage-sama. I know you have the numbers on your side and you alone could do it if they are all gathered in one place, but that is not the case. There are several bases of Root operations all over the village. Some of which I don't even know, mostly because Danzo does not trust anyone explicitly. If you act now hastily, it won't be just the Uchiha Clan revolting. It will be the full force of Root ANBUs and the Uchiha Clan. Also, the Root ANBU agents are far more skilled than our regular shinobi. The best way to currently deal with Danzo is to execute him legally. We will need to know his every strategy and how he is involved with the Uchiha Clan in this coup." Shisui confessed.
"How long will it take for you to gather further knowledge on Danzo's actions? It's a dangerous gamble dealing with Danzo. You know that Shisui. You have to get out of there soon." Minato requested.
Both Minato and Itachi were surprised by the calm look and the small smile Shisui had on his face. Even though Naruto could not see Shisui's face, he felt his emotions. The love he had for the village was beautiful indeed.
"I know what I was getting myself into when I joined Root, Hokage-sama. I'm a descendant of Kagami Uchiha. Fighting and dying for the village in the shadows, all for the village's safety, runs in my blood. My life is not important right now. I shall get the required intel in the next few days." Shisui said.
Minato wanted to argue, but looking at Shisui's face, he understood something. Shisui had accepted his fate and just wanted to see his village safe.
Minato, Shisui and Itachi discussed the course of action they could take for the next hour and eventually the two raven haired Uchiha left the Namikaze Compound to return to their duties. Shisui returned to his Root ANBU base and Itachi left to the Uchiha Clan Compound.
As Shisui and Itachi left the Namikaze Compound, a couple of shinobi standing on a tree few distances away from the main walls of the compounds watched the two Uchiha leave and narrowed their eyes ever so slightly. But no emotion was visible on their faces. That's how they had been trained their whole lives. That emotions leads one to make mistakes in the field and to be an efficient shinobi, one must get rid of them completely. The two shinobis had their chakra completely masked which made it difficult for even seasoned shinobi to sense their presence if they weren't looking for it specifically
"We must inform this to Danzo-sama immediately. Looks like Danzo-sama's suspicions were correct about Shisui acting strangely." Said one of them monotonously.
Four Days Later
Minato had contacted Jiraiya three days back and had asked him to come back to Konoha as soon possible through the Toad summons. However, it had been a few days and Minato had received no word from the Sannin. He knew his sensei was behind enemy lines in Kumogakure gathering information about the intel he received a few days back. Even though Minato didn't need any reassurance about Jiraiya's battle prowess, he still worried about his sensei.
Since, he couldn't discuss the matter with Jiraiya, he had called in Shikaku, the Jounin Commander, after his talk with Shisui and Itachi four days back to fill him in on the subject. Shikaku had been his good friend since his academy days and knew his son Shikamaru was good friends with Naruto. He trusted Shikaku with the village's most well kept secrets and knew the man was extremely loyal to Konohagakure no Sato.
Shikaku Nara was a Jounin level shinobi, head of the Nara Clan as well as the Jounin Commander of Konoha. He was undoubtedly a powerful shinobi who Minato trusted to be a good Hokage if anything ever happened to him. He was regarded as the sharpest and most intellectual shinobi in the village and some even regarded him to be on par with the Nidaime Hokage in terms of strategic analysis of a situation. Shikaku had two scars on the right side of his face, which were probably his two most noticeable features. He had long dark hair tied up in a ponytail, dark eyes and a goatee. His ears were pierced which often earned him a wild look. Shikaku mostly wore a meshed shirt underneath his Jounin flak jacket and a deer skin coat over that and hand guards.
Shikaku, too, had noticed the strange behavior of the Uchiha Clan but thought nothing of it at first as he always found that clan to be strange personally. However, even he was left speechless on hearing about the coup. Based on what Minato had told him, within minutes he had come to the same conclusion as Minato, Itachi, Shisui and Naruto if the coup took place. He already had a counter measure formed up but he wished to talk to Minato with both Itachi and Shisui present since what he had come up with was a drastic measure.
Unknown to the others, Danzo had some of his best men follow Shisui around inside the village to keep an eye on him. He had suspected the boy to become a traitor in the long run when he had readily accepted his request to join the Root. He was aware of Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan, which Danzo knew was invaluable. Danzo was a strict follower of rules and guidelines, a habit which he had developed when he was under the tutelage of the Nidaime Hokage, Tobirama Senju. His whole life, he had served in protecting the village from the shadows. He was a man of great strategic brilliance who would go to any length to form his utopia where he wished to see Konoha atop every other village. Even if it meant to kill another Konoha shinobi in cold blood.
It was late afternoon in Konoha and inside the library of the Namikaze Compound several people could be seen gathered. Minato was sitting in his armchair with Shikaku standing beside him to his right. Itachi and Shisui stood before Minato's desk while Naruto stood to Itachi's right on the side of the room.
"What were you able to gather, Shisui?" Minato asked.
"As you know, the Uchiha Clan's reputation was not that good among the villagers of Konoha. Danzo took advantage of that and formulated this plan with the Uchiha clan taking the blame for the entire coup. He had met with the elders sometime last year and made them an offer of giving them a prime position in most decisions that will be made within the village after he becomes Hokage. However, I believe it was Fugaku-sama's suggestion to launch a coup to overthrow the current Hokage and Jounin Commander. Danzo is aware that if anything happens to you and Shikaku-san, it will be either him or Jiraiya-sama as the prime candidates for the Hokage's position. But due to Jiraiya-sama's spy network, which is invaluable to the village, he would have a much better chance at being Hokage. Also, the Fire Daimyo's grandson, Senzo, will be mostly colluding with Danzo in directing the Fire Daimyo's decision." Shisui explained.
"And how did you come by this information?" Shikaku asked.
"Well… I put a genjutsu on Torune Aburame. He is Danzo's right hand man who oversees all his meetings and has detailed information about some of the important matters pertaining to Danzo. I couldn't hold him for long as Danzo might get suspicious. I have erased his memories of the interrogation ever happening." Shishui replied politely.
"I have a plan that could give Konoha an opportunity to get rid of Danzo from the village through which even Lord Senzo wouldn't be able to argue a case against him. But I would like to hear if you have anything on your mind Shisui, Itachi?" Shikaku asked as he folded his arms over his chest.
"We discussed it earlier, but I suppose there is a way to diffuse the situation without any casualties. My Mangekyō sharingan has a special attribute allowing me to use an exceptionally powerful mind-controlling genjutsu on people. It's called Kotoamatsukami. The technique allows me to enter the mind of any individual within my field of view and manipulate them by giving them false experiences, making it seem as if they were doing things of their own free will. I could make the elders' and Fugaku-sama confess to the planning of this coup with Danzo as their partner. This way, I'm sure we could make up a strong case against Danzo and even the Uchiha Clan will be spared of needless killing." Shisui exclaimed.
"I'm afraid that won't work completely. It may work out temporarily, but in the long run, we may have another coup before us…" Shikaku said curtly with closed eyes as he stroked his goatee.
"I can see your reasoning Shikaku. What do you propose?" Minato asked.
"What you are planning to suggest Shikaku-san is a violent last measure." Itachi intervened dangerously. He had a vague idea as to what Shikaku was going to propose. Even though he had thought of that, he hoped that he would never have to do it. He understood Minato's and Shikaku's concerns from their point of view. In the coup planned by the Uchiha Clan, all the registered shinobi within the clan were involved, including some of the civilians. If the elders' and his father were made to come forward and confess to their crimes, it would further deteriorate the Uchiha Clan's reputation within the village. In the long run, it could change the mentality of the remaining Uchihas and other children in the clan and cause further damage to the village. It was circumstantial, but its chances of probability were high.
Naruto, who was standing quietly, looked between the two shinobi curiously as his mind thought of the different scenarios that could be possible in this situation. His eyes widened as he concluded as to what the two were talking about and his anger rose simultaneously at the thought of seeing his entire clan dead.
No. Butchered.
"THIS IS MY FAMILY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT! YOU CAN'T KILL THEM ALL!" Naruto yelled as his sharingan glowed bright red and his chakra rose to dangerous levels, forming cracks on the floor.
Shikaku was utterly surprised at the amount of hatred he saw in Naruto's eyes. He knew the Uchiha's love for their own was unimaginable and right now he was witnessing it. The amount of chakra the boy was releasing was easily greater than his own, he summarized. But he met Naruto's gaze without flinching for a second. He knew Minato's kid was strong but he had never seen him in a battle. He also knew that his plan was the only viable course of action, given the circumstances. With the threat of Iwagakure and possibly Kumogakure lingering on the verge, it was best to get rid of the problem entirely rather than having further loss of military when the coup starts. He knew it wasn't the best decision morally, but strategically, it was the best.
"That's enough Naru." Minato stated sternly, releasing large amounts of chakra himself. Itachi, Shisui and Shikaku found it unbelievable to witness the amount of power these two possessed. It made them wonder how powerful Madara Uchiha was if their descendants seem to possess godly amounts of chakra.
Naruto stared at his father in shock, having already felt his emotions. He couldn't understand what his father was thinking, siding with Shikaku. The Uchiha Clan were their family. Families are supposed to protect each other. Take care of each other. That's what his father always told him since his early childhood. He thought of Mikoto oba-chan, who came to visit him when he was a kid and a few tears dropped from his eyes at the thought of her being dead. But then, why was his father agreeing with Shikaku? Why would he want to see his own clan dead? He couldn't think of a clear answer and it was infuriating him. He glared at his father as his chakra levels rose even more and his entire body got covered in violet colored chakra and the surrounding walls began to crack slowly.
"I SAID THAT'S ENOUGH NARUTO!" Minato yelled as his chakra levels increased even further. Looking at his father's eyes, Naruto realized his father was not going to change his decision and he had no authority to change any decisions made by the Hokage or the Jounin Commander. He brought his chakra under control and so did Minato as the pressure within the room dropped.
Shikaku, Itachi and Shisui looked around hazily, wondering how the room did not break down with the amount of chakra that was being released.
Minato sat down on his armchair and sadly looked at Naruto who had wiped his tears from his face. This was the first time he had raised his voice against his own son and it hurt him. He understood what Naruto was going through. The loss of the only family he had ever known would be a heavy burden on his own heart too. But right now, he had to be the Hokage. It's never an easy job. Making decisions that would inevitably hurt someone deeply while benefitting someone else. Regrettably, he could see the benefit in following through with Shikaku's plan. If the Uchiha Clan were eliminated, the coup would be successfully defused and Danzo's further plans would be greatly hindered. Danzo had bet the progress of lot of his plans on this coup. If it were to be negated, he would have to come out from the shadows. That would make him flee from the village, considering that the Uchiha Clan elders would have some evidence of Danzo's involvement in written documents. And once Danzo is named a missing ninja, eliminating him wouldn't be an issue.
"Shisui, I believe even Itachi sees the problem in your plan. You can't get rid of the hatred that would develop in the hearts of the rest of the Uchiha Clan members." Minato said with a sigh.
It wasn't any easier for Shikaku too. Even though he found the clan to be strange at times, he had some friends within the clan who had fought beside him in the Third Shinobi War and gave their all to protect the village. But even he couldn't think of any other option which wouldn't lead to Konoha's destruction. He knew the loss of the Uchiha Clan would greatly decrease the number of veteran and experienced shinobi within the village, but this way, the casualties will be much less if the coup took place.
Shisui blankly stared at the Hokage, considering his own options. After considering the fault in his plan in the long run as well as the distrust that may happen between the remaining Uchiha and the other clans, he understood their point of view. The distrust may lead to catastrophic results on the battle field which won't be beneficial for Konoha. He looked at Itachi and saw he had already made peace with the decision. He knew Itachi was the sharper one between them and he must have already thought of this scenario earlier. He closed his eyes and released a deep breath as he made up his mind.
"We'll execute the mission tomorrow and become missing ninja. That way, we could keep a better eye on the enemies of Konoha and supply you with further intel." Itachi said as he bent on his knee.
"I'm sorry Itachi, Shisui… Naruto. But sometimes for peace to be maintained, we have to make larger sacrifices." Shikaku said grimly.
Both Minato and Shikaku looked at the two boys in front of them sadly and yet they couldn't be any prouder of the sacrifice they were making. Minato felt a heavy burden on his heart as he nodded. He loved them both dearly and to watch them throw away everything because of the ideals of a single man… He cursed himself for being so naïve and not noticing anything earlier.
"Hokage-sama, I have one request." Itachi said.
"What is it Itachi?" Minato asked.
"I will complete the mission, but I will not be able to kill my brother. He has no part in all of this. You must make sure he stays safe Hokage-sama. That is my only request." Itachi said as he bowed his head.
Naruto looked at Itachi with a heartbroken expression. He would be losing two of his brothers tomorrow. He would have to stay in this village and watch others hate the very people who saved them from a civil war. More tears slipped from his eyes as he thought of the kind of life Itachi and Shisui may have to go through to live as missing ninja. To accept hate in place of love. Disgrace in place of honor. A life of misery in place of happiness. It made him wonder if there can ever be true peace in this world. If people can ever trust each other completely or understand each other. It made him lose faith in the shinobi system even more.
"Father, I will join Itachi and Shisui in killing off the Uchiha Clan. I cannot let them bear the burden of it alone. They are sacrificing their entire life for this village. For the people who will be hating them from the day after tomorrow. I… I want to share their burden. I can't let them do this alone…" Naruto said firmly.
Everyone in the room looked at Naruto incredulously, wondering what on earth was he thinking.
"Naruto… you don't have to do this…" Shisui whispered.
"Naru…" Minato started.
"I wasn't asking father. Itachi and Shisui are like brothers to me. And I will do what is necessary for my family." Naruto stated as he stared into Minato's eyes with his sharingan.
Minato smiled inwardly, seeing the love he had for his family. He wished that things could have been simpler, but unfortunately, they never were.
"I cannot allow you to leave the village however." Minato said. Naruto nodded as he folded his arms over his chest and closed his eyes looking away from Minato.
Looking back at Itachi and Shisui, Minato stood up from his chair and walked towards the two raven haired boys.
"I give you my word that Sasuke will be safe here. I will look after him personally. You shouldn't worry about him." Minato said gently.
"Hai, Hokage-sama." Itachi replied.
"I will make the arrangements for you and Shisui to get away from the village after the mission is completed so you both can get away without the Hunter ninjas coming after you for a few days." Minato added.
"That will be appreciated, Hokage-sama" Itachi said. Meanwhile Shisui stared at Naruto who was standing quietly in the corner with his eyes closed. He had no words to say to him. He was immensely proud of him and yet sad that he wanted to join them in the mission. He walked towards the blond and bent down in front of him keeping his right hand on his shoulder.
Naruto opened his eyes to look into Shisui's black ones. He saw a wave of emotions going through them.
Sadness and Gratitude being the major ones.
Shisui's left hand reached to the chokutō that was hanging to his right side of the waist. He took it out of the scabbard and put it in Naruto's hands.
"Keep this Naruto. It's my last gift to you. That's what brothers do, eh? Giving their siblings a present? Shisui said with a sad laugh.
Naruto immediately hugged Shisui tightly and whispered "I swear nii-san. I will bring you and Itachi-nii back one day."
Even though he had said it in a whisper, it was heard by everyone in the room. They all smiled sadly, seeing the bond Naruto shared with them.
Eventually Itachi and Shisui left the room to prepare for tomorrow night and Naruto left without sparing another word to his father who was looking at him intently.
"He will understand your decision soon, Minato." Shikaku said slowly as everyone else left the room.
"I can only hope he never has to make the same decisions as me…" Minato sighed as slumped back into the chair.
With Shisui
After leaving the Namikaze compound, Shisui decided to go to the Hokage Monument for one last view of the village before he had to leave to execute tomorrow's mission. He laughed sadly again, wondering how the situation turned out like this. He thought how Itachi kept his emotions in control so much. He could never do it. Even after spending almost three years in Root, he couldn't let go of his emotions. But he had made up his mind to complete his duty. He could see the logical reasoning behind Shikaku and Minato's decision. Even though he didn't like it, he understood why it had to be done.
As he reached the top of Hokage Mountain, he stepped towards the edge to look at the village. It was evening now and the sun was just setting. It made the village look so elegant in his mind. A picturesque sight. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply to remember every detail he could of his village.
His sharp senses suddenly kicked in as he jumped away from his position to miss several shurikens and kunais that were thrown. He looked at his assailants and was surprised to find at least a dozen of Root ANBU agents standing before him. He looked around carefully to look for Danzo but did not find him anywhere and that troubled him.
"So… Danzo ordered you to finally take me out." Shisui said as he took out his own kunai.
So, that's a wrap for this chapter. I will try posting the next chapter by March 26 or March 27, 2017. After that, I will wok on my other story, Advent of Mokuzai.
In next chapter, it will conclude the Uchiha Massacre taking place. There will be some twists and turns compared to the canon. I wonder how Sasuke is going to confront to Itachi, haven't really thought about that yet. But, it won't be something similar to what the canon Itachi says to his brother. I have other plans for Sasuke in the future along with Naruto. After the Uchiha Massacre is over, Kakashi and Hinata will be two people with whom Naruto will be extremely close to. The rift formed between Naruto and Minato will eventually come down sooner than you think. Iwagakure is obviously not going to keep quiet. Whatever they are planning along with Kumogakure or without them will happen soon too. Naruto's extent of power will shown when Iwagakure takes action. Or maybe before that, depending on what he plans to do after the massacre and when he sees the world through his Mangekyo sharingan.
Well, I have been posting almost all of my chapters with 9k+ words for everyone to enjoy. So, it would be great if more people could write a few words of review for me to look over and know in which direction the story is going. Do Follow and Favorite the story, if you come to like it.
Until next time!