Naruto: The Uchiha Chronicles Re-Version:
Yo everyone, how's it going? Here is the latest chapter in the story. Chapter 50 is out now on my pa treon. Memberships begin at $1.
Chunin Exams Arc Part 2:
Chapter 48: The Path Forward?
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Sasuki stared at her hand, wreathed in chirping blue lightning. The lightning varied in intensity, before finally dying out. She let loose a disappointed sigh, she'd been hoping to maintain it longer. She let her hand drop to her side. The fingertips were reddened, burned from the consistent use of the jutsu. She stood amidst a field of wild grass, surrounded by a forest of towering oaks and slender ash trees with voluminous green foliage. In the background she could hear the constant rush of the Naka River.
Kakashi had been pushing her hard to learn this new technique, an ultimate assassination jutsu named Chidori. It was genius in its simplicity, a simple jab with a fist covered in concentrated lightning chakra.
"A minute, better. But you need to keep the flow consistent. Take a minute and we'll try again."
Kakashi was leaning against one of the multitude of trees surrounding them. A dozen meters away, a pair of their clones clashed with tantos. Thus far, that was how her training had gone. She practiced anything to do with chakra with a few clones. Meanwhile, a clone of Kakashi would teach her clone sword play that she could memorize using the Sharingan. It was a very efficient method of training. She'd yet to leave the campsite. Everything they needed was right there. A temporary shower to bathe, a river to get drinking water from, and all the small game and fish they could catch to supplement the rice and vegetables they'd brought.
"Alright, enough rest."
She followed her sensei's instructions and activated the jutsu again. One hand braced the opposite wrist, as lightning surrounded her hand. Sasuki kept her gaze locked on the lightning, she wouldn't blink or let it slip away. With immense focus, she kept it going well past the minute mark. As she stared into the crackling electricity, Sasuki found her mind slowly wandering. 'I wonder, how Naruto's doing?' She tried to squash the errant thought, but it was too late. Her concentration was broken, and the lightning died, the third time the past hour.
Under his mask, Kakashi frowned. "You know, let's take a break from training. I think it's time we took a trip into town, anyways. We're running low on vegetables."
Sasuki nodded, though she suspected Kakashi was only doing it because she was having issues with distraction. She cursed herself, hadn't she promised that the Naruto situation wouldn't affect her training for the finals? It was easier when she was just angry with him, she could be mad without needing to think. If she thought too deeply, she started to wonder just how justified her anger was, an uncomfortable thing.
She turned and began to amble towards the edge of the meadow. Underneath the trees was a bare stretch of ground, covered in a tangle of roots. Their tents were staked into the hard dirt on the only patches of ground free of roots. Between them lay a fire pit with a smooth stone ring and spit for cooking food. Just beyond the tree line the ground sloped down until it reached the constantly shifting waters of the river.
Sasuki washed off in the camp shower, then crossed to her tent and threw on a pair of casual pants and another shirt. She made sure Kakashi wasn't looking first. For the most part, she didn't think he was the type to peak at girls–especially in their teens–but you could never be sure with that pervy little book he was always reading. As she sat in her futon drying her hair with fire chakra, Sasuki frowned at her neatly stacked clothes. You could only wash them by hand so often before they wore out. While in town she'd have to swap them out for fresh sets.
The clothes were quickly sealed away, and Sasuki began the short trek into town. For once she chose to walk. It was slower than tree-hopping, but much more relaxing.
She spent the time admiring the peaceful forest. Birds flitted about. The air was thick with pollen. Cicadas were beginning to sing in the midday heat. Quite the contrast to the village once she reached the first street bordering the wilderness. Everywhere you looked, there were people going about their days.
It was a bit odd being around others after so long with just Kakashi as company. She wound her way through the streets, taking a few side alleys, until she finally reached her apartment building. Sasuki walked up two flights, to the third floor. At her front door, she found her wire warning trap undisturbed. Nobody had tried to break in. 'Or they were good enough to make it look like that.'
Inside, her flat was undisturbed.
Her camping clothes were quickly tossed in the hamper. As she laid out seven fresh sets of clothing, Sasuki couldn't help but glance at the door to her bathroom.
The idea of a hot shower was irresistible. The one at camp was always cold, the rubber bag couldn't handle fire chakra to heat it up. Her preparations got cast aside. Under the hot, fresh spray of the water, Sasuki felt all her worries melt away as her muscles loosened and she felt truly clean for the first time in days.
Fifteen minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom in fresh clothes. Her skin tingled pleasantly, that fresh clean feeling you just couldn't replicate. 'Now, time to get back to packing.' Sasuki got to work sealing up her new clothes, along with any training supplies. Kunai, shuriken, wire, sealing tags, all got placed into the sealing scroll and stored away.
Before she left, Sasuki gave the room one final sweep. Her eyes landed on the framed photo on her nightstand, one of Naruto and her at his grandfather's table.
The doorknob groaned in protest as she squeezed it tightly. She tore her gaze away from the picture and left the apartment. The door slammed harshly behind her. Sasuki wandered the streets for hours. Her foul mood drained away as she visited various shops, gathering food and browsing shinobi tools.
Though the anger was gone, the hurt and confusion remained. She didn't want to be angry at Naruto. Logically speaking, it was easy enough to understand his reason for keeping quiet, and even why it had taken him so long. But she still couldn't help it. Naruto was more than her best friend. In the rare moments she let herself dream of the future; she couldn't help but imagine it with him at her side.
To have that person be the one that stabbed her in the back hurt her, more than she ever expected. Fair or not, it made her question whether he was like her brother. That was a paranoid thought, but once upon a time Itachi was the person she was closest to and his betrayal was unthinkable.
'This is why I don't like opening up, you only get hurt.' She commiserated bitterly.
Eventually, Sasuki found herself wandering down a familiar path through the forest. It'd been over a year since she visited Old Man Madara's home. Perhaps there, she could begin to answer her questions.
So lost in her thoughts, Sasuki failed to take notice of the pair of familiar voices floating through the air around the last bend in the road. She came out into the clearing and froze. Sakura sat on the front steps, Naruto right beside her. Surely, there was a god of coincidences, and they had a sick sense of humor.
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Naruto wandered the streets, not taking any particular path to his grandfather's. He was content to wander the village and take in the festive atmosphere. The finals were drawing closer, and new stalls were popping up all around. Full of special goods from all across the continent. He whistled to himself weaved in and out of a busy street.
"Hey, Naruto!" Naruto looked around; his eyes finally landed on Sakura. Though she was different, there was a newfound confidence about her. Her lush hair had been cropped to an attractive shoulder length bob. She wasn't wearing anything special, but for whatever reason the simple red shirt and blue skirt were very flattering. For the first time, he realized how pretty Sakura was. It was a startling revelation. The pink-haired girl smiled as she pushed towards him through the crowd. "Taking a break from training, I see."
"Something like that." Naruto replied distractedly. "What about you?"
Sakura beamed. "Yamato-sensei gave me the afternoon off."
"Oh? Does that mean training is going good?"
She nodded enthusiastically. "Yep, we've come up with a three jutsu strategy and I've got one of them down already. Just you wait, I'll give that Gaara a run for his money!"
He wasn't quite sure what to make of her claim. This new confidence was different, easy and assured. She'd been increasingly confident as her strength grew, but there'd always been an edge of nerves. Now those nerves were gone. 'She says she's gonna give him a fight. Logically it makes no sense, but I believe her.' He withdrew from his thoughts, and answered his teammates question.
"I'm on my way to do some cleaning at my grandpa's. Feel free to come along."
Sakura flashed him a smile. "Sure, it'll go faster with two people anyways."
They kept a companionable silence, as Naruto led the way. He turned off the main streets and headed for the outskirts of the forest, down the familiar the well-worn path through the trees. Naruto got hit with a wave of nostalgia as they passed by the tall pines and mighty oaks. He was reminded of the first time he'd brought a friend down the path. The trees were bigger now, and it wasn't nearly as cold. Rather than the dread that thoughts of Sasuki had brought him in the past week, Naruto felt peaceful.
The path widened into a familiar clearing. As ever, Madara's two-story house stood proud beneath the towering trees. A tangled net of cobwebs hung underneath the overhanging eaves, and the wrap around porch was covered in a layer of dust.
Naruto motioned to the entryway. "We'll do the inside first. Come on, I'll show you where the supplies are." They took off their shoes in the stone-paved entrance room and left them in cubbies.. Inside, Naruto went to a supply closet and retrieved a bucket and some rags, as well as two mops. He filled the bucket with soapy water and met Sakura back at the entrance hallway. "Here ya go. Just wanna clean the floors and dust off anything that needs it."
"Okay."
They got to work. There wasn't an overabundance of dirt, so the floors were polished and dried rather quickly. It took a while longer to dust off the shelves throughout the house. Though Naruto noted with amusement when Sakura struggled to keep on task when they cleaned the library. Eventually both floors were \cleaned, and they turned their attention outside. With brooms and dusters in hand, they went about clearing out the cobwebs and sweeping dust from the wraparound porch. While they were resting on the front steps, Sakura finally broached the subject that he was sure had been on her mind.
"Earlier, you looked pretty distracted. Wanna share?"
Naruto withheld a wince. "Just … stuff."
She rose a manicured pink eyebrow, silently communicating her lack of belief. Sakura continued to stay quiet. Naruto sighed and relented. He told her about how distracted he'd been the past week. When it was done, he felt better, if only slightly.
Sakura frowned. "Have you spoken to her yet?"
"Well, there hasn't been a chance since training started, she hasn't been around."
His teammate rolled her eyes. "So, you haven't tried."
"I … don't want to distract her." The excuse was lame, and he knew it. Sakura didn't look very satisfied.
Just as she opened her mouth to speak again, the sound of dirt crunching underfoot caught their ears. It was faint, almost non-existent. But for shinobi it was easy to pick up. Naruto's head snapped up just in time to see someone rounding the corner into the property. His stomach dropped as he met Sasuki's startled gaze. She seemed like a deer caught in the headlights.
Sakura nudged him playfully with her elbow. "Well, there's that chance." She whispered into his ear. A light shove to the back made him stand up in a stumble. Embarrassed, he walked across the yard towards Sasuki.
The dark-haired girl looked as if she'd rather be anywhere else. "Hey, what brings you here?"
"Just … walking."
Her words were unconvincing to say the least. Naruto frowned. "I just thought maybe well ... it might have to do with … this." He gestured between them, uncomfortable giving voice to it.
Sasuki's dark eyes narrowed. "You're wrong." She protested; he wasn't convinced. "Kakashi gave me the day off because I've been distracted from …" She trailed off, her cheeks turned pink. She'd revealed more than she meant too. Naruto smiled in amusement.
"From what exactly?" His attempt at a joke wasn't received well. Embarrassment gave way to anger. Sasuki glared at him, as if she could burn him with her anger.
"Don't." She hissed, her voice was low and threatening. The smile slipped from his face. Naruto opened his mouth to apologize. He'd gotten caught up in the moment, momentarily forgotten the situation. But Sasuki didn't let him. She stepped forward and jabbed a finger into his chest painfully. "Don't just act like nothing has happened. I said it before; I can't forgive you!"
Naruto frowned. "I can't change the fact that I screwed up. As much as I wanna take it back, I can't. So, what exactly do you want from me?"
"I want you to practice what you preach! All this time, you tell me to open up, be honest with my feelings, let people in! Yet the one person I did can't do the same back. Not just you, Old Man Madara. Both of you lied to me and led me on. Just like Itachi did." Sasuki spat her brother's name as if it was poison. "For all I know, you're just like him, waiting to betray me. After all, being a traitor runs in the family."
Her words were a slap across the face. Quickly, his shock turned to anger. "Say what you want about me; but leave my grandfather out of this." He spoke in a low growl.
Sasuki faltered but steeled herself. "Does the truth sting?"
"Truth? You want truth, fine!" Naruto stepped forward. His words were angry, meant to hurt. "The truth is, I've spent years sticking by you, even when you were being a total ass to everyone, including me. Cause I got you were hurting. Now the one time I mess up because of my own issues, you won't give me the benefit of the doubt. You're the one throwing our friendship in the dirt, not me! Which one of us is acting more like him, I wonder."
She reeled back as if he'd hit her. Her lips trembled. Naruto felt a wrench in his gut, as her eyes glistened with unshed moisture.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Naruto jumped as Sakura butted her way between them. Her voice was like a cannon. The pink-haired girl looked angry, angrier than he'd ever seen her. "What's the matter with you two? You're best friends, but you're trying your best to hurt each other." She swung her eyes towards him. "You, you were just talking about how much you missed talking to Sasuki." Her attention then swung to Sasuki. "And I know you feel the same."
Sasuki shook her head vehemently. "No, I don't!"
Sakura scoffed. "You can try lying to yourself but it's the truth. Now stop acting like children!"
The Uchiha girl huffed. She gave Sakura a mean glare, before she spun on her heel. "Whatever. I've got better things to do than deal with this." She marched away, disappearing.
His pink-haired teammate shot him a look. "Well?"
"Well, what?" He asked.
Sakura sighed. "You're just going to let her walk off again? After you just said you wanted to patch things up."
He shrugged. "She doesn't seem interested. Besides, that shot at my grandfather was unnecessary. I get she's mad, but she's taking this too hard. I don't get it. It's like she's angrier because I didn't share things with her, instead of the fact I lied."
"Of course, she is. She cares about you."
Naruto looked at her oddly. "I care about her too, we're best friends."
Sakura rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath. Slightly louder, heard her say, "Leave it to a guy to be dense." After shaking her head, Sakura bid him goodbye. "I have to go home and rest, see you."
After Sakura had left, and his temperature had cooled down, Naruto sat on the porch and dropped his head into his hands. Somehow, he'd managed to do the exact opposite of patching things up. He regretted getting angry at Sasuki, even if her words had been uncalled for. Anger wasn't helpful, and it had the opposite effect than what he wanted.
'I agree with the pink-haired brat. You're an idiot.' The Nine-Tails chimed in.
'What else is new.' Naruto replied with a roll of his eyes. He sighed and got to his feet. The house wasn't going to finish cleaning itself. As Sakura said, he needed to get back to training tomorrow.
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The next day, Naruto returned to training, grumpy, but resolved to not let his issues distract him. Jiraiya didn't say anything about it. He seemed content that Naruto was making progress again. Naruto had thrown himself into training. The barrier jutsu he was working on came along nicely. Even his speed at shifting Senbonzakura's form increased.
Two weeks into the month break, Jiraiya brought up the Nine-Tails. The two were sitting and eating a lunch of rice and fish cooked over a campfire.
"I noticed you haven't worked with the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra, is there a reason for that?"
Naruto shrugged. "Not really, there's just no need." The Sannin rose a disbelieving eyebrow.
"Are you saying you don't use it?"
He laughed and shook his head. "Nah, you got it wrong. I've got plenty of experience using it, I can use a Version One cloak up to three-tails for up to an hour. More, if I'm using less tails. Four-Tails is the limit right now, just on the edge of control."
Jiraiya nodded in satisfaction. "Good. For a moment there I thought you were being pig-headed about it. Sort of like that thing with your little girlfriend."
Naruto scowled. "I don't want to talk about it."
His tutor waved off his concerns casually. "Whatever. The reason I mentioned that is you might need to tap into its chakra with the next jutsu I want you to work on." Naruto perked up in interest.
"What jutsu?" He tried not to be too eager.
Jiraiya smirked all the same. The man reached behind his back and pulled out the scroll that hung there. It was almost as tall as a small child, with a red exterior. The Sannin placed the scroll down on one end. "This here is the Toad Contract. It's the summoning contract your dad and I signed. Summoning takes a lot of chakra, but I think you're up to it. You should be the next Toad Summoner." He patted the scroll fondly.
Naruto stared at the scroll, intrigued. He had learned of them from his grandfather, getting his hands on one was always in his plans. To have it just fall into his lap was fortuitous.
"So how does that thing work?"
The Sannin spread out the scroll. Past users had written their names, with fingerprints at the bottom. The names started out black, but slowly changed to a dark red. It took him a moment to realize the names were written in blood.
"It's pretty simple, just sign your name in blood and place the hand you signed with on the ground after you've done the seals." Jiraiya waved his hand. "But be sure to sign a scroll first, if you don't it's … a hassle."
Naruto smirked. "Sounds like you're talking from experience."
The older man scowled at him. "You bet I am. The first time Sarutobi-sensei showed me the hand-signs, I did the jutsu before he could warn me. I ended up in the homeland of the summons I was most aligned towards, which happened to be the toads. It took me weeks to get back."
He perked up, interested. Jiraiya's words made him think. At first, he was simply going to sign the scroll … but now … "So, you're saying we all have a particular summon type we're most attuned with?" Jiraiya nodded. "So, theoretically, if you do it the way you did, it'll take you to the summons that will fit best with your style? The ones that will help you develop best?"
The Sannin nodded slowly. "Yeah, I suppose, why?"
Naruto took his time to gather his thoughts. "Well … I was thinking that I'd rather do it your way. As much as I admire my dad, we're different shinobi. I don't wanna partner with a summons cause it was his if there might be a better fit out there."
The old toad hermit rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Huh … that's pretty mature of you brat. Though you're overlooking something important. If ya use that method, there's no guarantee you'll make it back in time for the finals." The man was right, there was a risk.
"Well, I'm pretty fast. I can get to the Land of Rivers in under a day, so I'll take my chances."
"You're not gonna back down, huh?" Jiraiya crossed his arms and stared Naruto down. Still, Naruto wouldn't be deterred. Finally, Jiraiya smirked in amusement. "Different styles or not, you got your old man's hard head. Though Kushina was even worse. Figures you'd be the same." He stood up and dusted off his pants as he reattached the toad scroll to his back. "Fine, we'll do it the hard way. But you had better make sure you're prepared. And I'll be putting a tracking seal on you to be safe. Now, make sure you have enough supplies."
Naruto nodded. Those were easy enough concessions to make. After a short trip back to his apartment to stock up on food, clothes, and medical supplies, he made his way back to Training Ground Zero where Jiraiya waited.
Jiraiya uncrossed his arms as Naruto approached. He produced a pot of ink and a brush, before having Naruto bare his shoulder. The brush tickled his skin as Jiraiya painted the wet symbol on Naruto. Once it was done, the Sannin gave it one last look over, before using his chakra to dry the ink and set it into Naruto's skin.
"Well, that's about all I can do. All that's left is learning the jutsu." Jiraiya told him. Naruto watched patiently, as the Sannin guided him through the seals. Boar. Dog. Bird. Monkey. Ram.
Naruto ran through them slowly, even used his Sharingan to ensure he got it right. Once he was satisfied, Jiraiya gave a nod of approval and stepped back.
"Looks good. All that's left is to do it. Fair warning, it's gonna take a ton of chakra."
"One thing I've got plenty of, is chakra." Naruto felt confident as he prepared to perform the technique.
Jiraiya frowned, looking far more serious than usual. "Just look after yourself kid. Every clan has their own rules, make sure you follow them."
"Got it." Naruto took a deep breath and prepared to take the plunge. He felt a tingle of excitement as he formed the seals. After the last, he slammed his palm into the ground. As the summoning seal spread out beneath him, Naruto flashed Jiraiya a grin. "Well, here's to hoping I get back in time. See ya, old perv."
The look of mock anger on Jiraiya's face was burned into Naruto's memory with his Sharingan. Soon, that disappeared as a column of smoke erupted around him.
Being summoned was an odd feeling. Like he was sucked through a giant tube at impossible speeds. Yet, it was smooth. Sight and sound were sucked away into a black void.
After an eternity or an instant–it was hard to tell–his sense of hearing returned. A thick white haze hung around him, slowly clearing. The thinning smoke revealed a vast lake, larger than any he'd ever seen. The air was clean and crisp. White-tipped waters deeper than the deepest blue stretched further than the borders of the Leaf, almost beyond the eyes reach. At the edge he could make out a ring of snow-capped mountains that surrounded the lake. He turned around in wonder, noting several islands protruding from the gently rocking waters.
Then he heard the sound of water shifting. He looked in apprehension, as a gigantic shadow passed beneath him. Naruto's heart leapt into his throat at the long, serpentine shape. Then the water erupted.
Ice-cold droplet's fell from the sky like rain as a massive serpentine body rose from the water. Wickedly sharp teeth gleamed in a feline face, capped by a crown of horns. Blue-stones glittered like jewels, spaced with rings of lighter blue interrupted by an ivory underbelly. Water cascaded from a white mane. Menacing slit-pupiled eyes locked onto him, and the creature let out a growl that shook the water.
"Who dares enter Ryugu Lake without permission?" A dragon. His brain supplied the word automatically. For Naruto couldn't consciously think it. He was frozen in awe, and fear. In front of him was a beast of myth, something he'd only seen in paintings. The dragon let out a displeased snarl. "Have you nothing to say, trespasser? Then I, Mizuchi, will take care of you!"
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Omake: Chapter 47.5: The Professor and The War Hawk
Hiruzen frowned as he watched the door slip shut behind Naruto. He'd tried his best not to let his concern show, but Naruto was bright. Surely, he had noticed his concerns. Truth be told, the situation with the Sand Village concerned him deeply. 'The tension recently has been high. And that was just with their Daimyo giving us more missions.'
They were in a tough situation with the Sand. Village's took bloodline theft very seriously. In part, the attempt to kidnap Kushina is what had caused the Second Shinobi World War to extend longer. To have another village in possession of your village's most powerful ability was an afront on its own. For that village to be an ally who had recently been receiving more missions from your Daimyo? That might just be too much for the Hidden Sand to stomach.
Though, the most dangerous part was what would happen if he outright denied their demands. The Sand would dig into just who Naruto Uchiha was. Hiruzen feared what they'd find.
After he'd learned of Madara, he'd taken it upon himself to construct a false background for the man. A vernier of legitimacy to explain Minato's heritage, and thus, Naruto's. It was as airtight as was possible. But under too much scrutiny it would unravel.
With a frown, he got back to work on yet another piece of paperwork. Some request for approval of a merchant stall during the finals. Each one needed direct approval to ensure they weren't a security when he'd begun to write again, his door slid open unceremoniously. Hiruzen glanced up, expecting to see Tsuki poking her head through. Instead, he met with a much more unpleasant person, Danzo Shimura.
Danzo was a frail old man, or so he'd like you to believe. He had shaggy black hair, and his head was wrapped in bandages, covering his right eye, while on his chin was an x-shaped scar he'd had since they were children. He walked with an exaggerated limp as his wooden cane tapped against the ground. To complete his façade of old age and weakness, the man's right arm was cradled in a black mantle. Hiruzen didn't try to suppress his snort of amusement. He wasn't sure who Danzo thought he was fooling with his feigned decrepitness.
"Good afternoon, Hiruzen. I passed the Uchiha boy on the way in." Danzo greeted, his voice aged and weathered.
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes at the man. "Judging by your presence, I'm not so sure of that."
Danzo sat down in the chair across from Hiruzen without invitation. He tried not to show his annoyance at the silent disrespect. "Come now, is that any way to speak to your old friend?" Despite his words feigning insult, the man's black eye remained as cold an dispassionate as ever.
"Excuse me if I find the idea of dealing with your plotting off putting." Hiruzen bent over the form again and began to work through it. Right now, he had no interest in chatting with the man. Once they were simply friends, but over the decade that had been soured by years of scheming and disagreement over what was best for the village. Apparently, Danzo took it as an invitation to speak.
"I passed the Uchiha boy on the way in. He seems strong." Danzo commented. It was presented as a harmless observation, but Hiruzen knew better. "Quite interesting, you managed to hide that. Still, the important part is he shows much promise, and he's loyal to the village."
Hiruzen rolled his eyes. "Ah, so that's what this is about. You wish to give input on the situation with the Hidden Sand. Why bother with the façade?"
A narrowing of the eye was the only indication his words got to the old war hawk. "Very well, I'll cut to the chase. We owe the Sand Village nothing. To offer them any concessions would be to show weakness. Especially if it involves the boy being beholden to them in any capacity."
Hiruzen bit down hard on his corncob pipe. He breathed in a drag of smoke, willing it to calm his annoyance. Upon exhaling, he finally addressed his 'old friend' "Need I remind you, our relations with them are strained as it is. Ever since their Daimyo began supplying us with more missions."
"It's not our fault we're more competent." Danzo dismissed the concern with a wave of his hand. Danzo stared at him for a moment, studying Hiruzen. Whatever he found caused the man to harumph. "Did you learn nothing from the Hidden Cloud incident? We lost a valuable jonin over a bluff. And for what, to keep peace?"
He bit into his corncob pipe so hard it threatened to break his teeth. "Diplomatic advice from a man whose rogue order saw us lose our most powerful clan? How novel." He bit back. "And what of Orochimaru? We're already dealing with the threat of another attack from him. We can't afford another distraction now!" He grew frustrated with Danzo's rigid nature. It was always the man's problem.
"Come now Hiruzen, now is not the time for such pettiness. They were powerful, but disloyal. A hindrance rather than a help." Danzo chastised him, as if he were a child. "But very well, I'll drop the matter for now. Though, we should discuss what countermeasures you've taken against Orochimaru."
Hiruzen took a deep breath and returned to his paperwork. "You may see yourself out Danzo."
It was a little surprising when the old war hawk stood up. Hiruzen glanced up instinctually. His old friend wore the oddest expression. A mix between his cold apathy, and something unfamiliar. Regret, perhaps? He internally scoffed at such a notion.
"I'm afraid, I must insist."
Hiruzen shook his head in surprise, he glanced around. For some reason, he felt as if there was something he'd forgotten. He looked down at his desk and was surprised to see the large stack of forms still there. A glance at the clock told him it had been an hour since his discussion with Naruto. 'I must be going senile in my old age. These forms need to be completed.'
He began to work on his paperwork again, completely unaware of the important conversation that had slipped from his memory.
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Hey everyone, hope you're having a good day. The Omake was originally a half chapter I did and goes between chapter 47 and this one.
Well, what did you think? Originally the idea was to have Naruto and Sasuki talk it out and begin moving forwards, but that felt a bit too easy. Plus, we get to see more character progression from Sakura this way. At the beginning she wouldn't have felt confident enough to chastise Naruto and Sasuki, now she is. Don't worry about the summons for Naruto being too OP, they have unique abilities but also limitations like all summons. I'd say the boss is just slightly stronger than Gamabunta.
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed. As always thank you to all my patrons for supporting my work. Feel free to leave a review and favorite or follow.
⸻ Patron Shoutout Wall ⸻
Odin Darkfeather, Chillz90, Kit Arashi, CrusaderMoya, MASTERCHEIF1229, Cody Lyle, Cory Toler, Tyler J Renshaw, Aneeq Moodaley, Kyle Alexandr, hunter jensen, SIRDBZ, James lars, Jabes Affonso, Sankha123, Glizzy, Echoes at Dawn, Kirk O'Dell, firedemon12, Rúben Pais, Bobby, Lil Mickey D, Ty'Ree Gary, guncannon93, Ash Cascagnette, Horacio, Pope Gregory Trivium III, Damon Frey, John Brown, Matt Walther, Christopher Thomas, BigBadDetonation, Tyler Swigerr, anime gaming, Yuto, Arnzok, Diego Silva, Natsubi123, redacted, Stewart Willis, Flashfox, Michael Alvarez, Romane McLeod, William Hurst, WallaBenga, nasapeepolover116, Leeland, Lutescu Mihnea, Khristian Ingraham, Beepo2332, Leeland, Jorge Ramos-Barreto, John Chastain, Mark Parker, Benjamin Goffer, Vallyn Fera, Ron, Huong Do, Ricardo Adams, Currtsy, Ignaccio Besser, Devon Strand, SupremeRuler17, Calvonta Ard, Decoy_M9, James Hines, Jesse Monster, Navy Binghan.
Until Next Time,
RinneTaicho, Signing Off!
