XXVII - Girei
I rushed through the hallways, shouting orders left and right to the ROOT agents. "Hurry! All our forces must be on standby to protect the civilians!" My eyes turned hastily towards Foo and Torune, waiting at my side. "Foo, Torune! Deploy immediately to protect the jinchuriki! I want all our elite around his position."
"Yes Lord Danzo!" They gave me a snappy salute before vanishing in a Body Flicker. I lifted up my right arm, feeling the Sharingan within. Red cloth was wrapped around it, with a mechanical brace circling my elbow and wrist. Kaito and Shiro had performed amazingly—Iwa and Kumo's shinobi were already mobilizing, while Sand had entered the Land of Rivers.
"Lord Danzo, you called me?" Ah, Shisui had finally arrived. His ocular prowess would be essential in combatting the invasion. I knew that the Akatsuki would come running the moment they realized their idiotic plan was doomed to fail. Like flies to a candle, they would be caught in my trap.
But my target wasn't them—it was Zetsu, who I had to eliminate in order to prevent the revival of Kaguya. Everything had led up to this moment, and I couldn't fail. The world was counting on me.
"Shisui Uchiha, what you are about to hear us S-ranked confidential information. Do not repeat it to anyone else." At his nod, I continued. "Konoha is about to be attacked within a week. The exact date is unknown, but we will need to be prepared."
"Attacked-!?" Shisui's eyes widened, but the rest of his face betrayed no other emotion.
"Yes. Within this scroll your orders. Execute them immediately, and then report back to me." I handed off the instructions to him, and he clenched it close to his chest.
"I understand, Lord Danzo. You can count on me."
"Good luck, and godspeed!" I nodded sharply before moving once more to direct the necessary preparations. A soft thump reached my ears, and I smirked. Just the two I was looking for.
"I was wondering when you two would come back."
"Please, we did our job." Kaito smiled weakly, and I could see the effects of chakra exhaustion. Shiro was in a similar condition.
"That you did." I conceded. "Report to the Medical Division, and rest. The true crush shall happen in only a few days' time."
Shiro frowned. "If the Akatsuki really do attack, we'll have to fight Pein."
"You, yes." Kaito's head turned to the side in confusion, but I continued on. "Kaito, you have mastered the Yondaime's jutsu. You must bring this fight away from the village, to allow our people time to get to safety."
"I see." He looked down, before chuckling. "I'll do my best then."
"I suppose I'll fight then?"
"Yes. Your Mangekyo Sharingan will allow you to face Pein, or the rest of the Akatsuki. But we can't forget that the Akatsuki might drag the other villages into their assault."
"That means other Kage." It was truly frightening, the threat against Konoha. "Or other Jinchuriki, if Cloud decides to invade."
"Correct." Shiro scowled at my response. "It's best to get some rest now."
Kakashi hastily drafted orders, recalling more and more of Konoha's forces from the border back to the village.
He turned towards Fugaku, who was pulling reports of his own. "How many Police Force can you pull to protect the evacuation? The Hyuga are already on standby, watching for the threat."
The former Uchiha clan head scowled. "If we are to face other Bijuu, then the Uchiha must be present. My own Sharingan, along with Shisui's should be able to neutralize them." The unspoken question lay between them.
"Fine." Kakashi admitted. Looks like he would have to clean up one of Danzo's messes. "Shiro was one of Danzo's... experiments."
Fugaku scowled, and Kakashi sighed. "Think of the uproar it would have thrown in your clan! Now that there's no more of the old clan system, he can stand on his own!"
"I wish to speak to him after this crisis." Fugaku snapped, "Any Uchiha who has mastered the Sharingan's power to such a level is essential to teach future generations!"
"Please, Fugaku. Now's not the time." Shikaku paused, looking up from the reports. "We all have questions, like how Danzo had a secret Jinchuriki up his sleeve. Or how the Yondaime had a bastard..."
Kakashi knew that Kaito wasn't a bastard, but he couldn't believe that the boy was able to use Bijuu chakra to such a level. Either way, Danzo had a lot of things to explain.
"Lord Jiraiya is with Naruto, right?"
Fugaku nodded, and Kakashi sighed in relief. "Shikaku, ready the evacuation tunnels. Get our Chunin ready to seal them back up as well, and I want med-nin moved out of the village proper."
"Are we sure there's even going to be an invasion?" Shikaku questioned, and Kakashi frowned. Thankfully, Fugaku answered him.
"With the rather, shall we say, large, display ordered by Danzo, I'm sure all the other nations would love to wait patiently then strike." The response was dry, and devoid of any sarcasm.
"I guess you're right then." The Nara said, as he rubbed his chin in thought. "How troublesome, being surrounded on all sides by enemies. Knowing Iwa, they're probably going to go for Sand as well."
"We're on our own." Kakashi completed the Jonin commander's thoughts and spoke solemnly. "And facing an attack that dwarfs the Kyuubi's in scale."
Kami save them all.
Jiraiya sighed as he watched Naruto chat excitably with the bucket load of ANBU agents surrounding the bunker, they were currently in.
"Alright squirt, that's enough." He scooped up Naruto in his hands and plopped him down on the chair.
"Come on!" Naruto whined, crossing his arms in frustration. "I don't get it—why do I have to sit here when everyone else gets to be outside!?"
How the hell was Jiraiya supposed to explain this to the kid now, or make him shut up?
"It's alright, chibi!" The Uchiha—Shisui, right? - raised one of the frog toys into the air. "Woo-woo!" Naruto didn't react, continuing to glare at Jiraiya.
The Toad Sage massaged his eyes. He hadn't been able to sleep in the past few days, not since learning who was behind the Akatsuki.
Nagato... how could you?
The boy who he taught as a son had turned mad with power and grief, according to Danzo, who now planned to collect all the Bijuu and create a world of true peace—by killing thousands. Jiraiya didn't deny the veracity of the intel—Ame had closed its borders in recent years and would be the perfect place for such a movement. Not to mention Madara Uchiha, the same man who killed Minato all those years ago, was returning, all too eager to finish what he had started. His thoughts were interrupted by Hound.
"We should tell him, about his true identity." Jin whispered.
"Are you crazy!?" Jiraiya stared back. Telling Naruto in a stressful situation would only make this worse. "It's best to leave it be."
"What if he learns from the Masked Man? Doesn't he deserve to know the truth—it's his life that's in danger, after all. Imagine his anger when he learns after the Kyuubi is extracted from him..."
Jiraiya opened his mouth to respond, only to pause. The kid was... right. "Fine then, but you're telling him."
Jin nodded and leaned down next to Naruto. "Naruto, do you really want to know?"
The boy nodded eagerly, and Jiraiya turned away. "When the Nine-Tails attacked, the Yondaime didn't kill it, he merely... sealed it."
"Sealed it?" Naruto's eyes widened, as he began to connect the dots. "That... that..."
"He sealed it into you, Naruto Uzumaki. You are the vessel of the Kyuubi, and that is why the village hates you." Kami, Jin wasn't mincing his words here. Moisture began pooling in Naruto's eyes, as the young boy's body shook.
"There, there." Jiraiya said awkwardly, trying to provide some comfort. Naruto rubbed his eyes. "So, am I really the Kyuubi?" It was said so tiredly, like Naruto was done with life, that Jiraiya's stomach knotted into twists.
"No! Not in the slightest, kid. You aren't the Kyuubi, the Kyuubi's just sealed into you."
Jin nodded. "That's right Naruto! You shouldn't let others define you, instead show them who you really are—Naruto Uzumaki of the Leaf, future Hokage!" His smile was brilliant, and Jiraiya found himself chuckling.
"Not bad, kid."
Naruto looked up and started to wipe away some of his tears. "Really?" He asked.
Shisui decided to chime in, grinning widely. "That's right, chibi! I think you would make a great Hokage!"
And as Jiraiya watched this scene, he found his heart warming up once more. This was the Will of Fire, the reason why he still fought for Konoha. Let the Akatsuki, let Nagato come.
He would face them all to protect that smile- and, who knows, maybe Naruto was the child of prophecy he was searching for.
Hizashi watched the forests around Konoha, Byakugan searching for any foreign nin. At his side was Kaito, one of Danzo's most loyal agents, and the Yondaime's bastard(?).
"Have you got anything?" Hizashi was about to respond but suddenly felt a burst of chakra in the woods. Zooming in, he could see shapes approaching the village.
"I do! Incoming!" He shouted, turning to the side, only to see Kaito disappear in a yellow flash. Shifting his body up, Hizashi felt his chakra tense, ready for the fight of his life.
Six figures rose into the sky, towering over Konoha. Hizashi craned his eyes up, sun blocking him from making out their faces.
And then they spoke, akin to a God.
"This world..." Hizashi could feel goosebumps rising along his skin and swallowed.
"...shall know pain..."
"Hold your stations!" He called in a desperate effort to stand up to the sheer force of the chakra bracing down on them.
"ALMIGHTY PUSH!"