(Chapter 12: Illusory Elimination)
The month of November was nothing it not a productive one, for our heroes as what with the fall semester of the academy soon coming to a close, and both Sasuke and Naruto having progressed to where it was a 4 way tie between them and Naruto's twin siblings for Rookie of the Year status…Something that had the ire of the twins in question, considering that how could they be made equals to anyone in their generation, when they were trained to be the villages' shining stars.
All the while Naruto and Sasuke were both in very good moods for the fact that they were being assigned their very 1st joint mission, that concerned a former classmate of theirs; both of which had their attention, excitement and somewhat concern.
(November 11th 996 S.E, The Academy, 4:20 Pm)
It was nearly half past 4 in the afternoon as both Sasuke (who was still dealing with the fact that Iruka was a ROOT operative), and Naruto were getting their mission briefing from said Chunin on their latest mission at hand.
"So what kind of mission are we going on Iruka-sensei?" Naruto questioned
"This one is something that's considerably more internal, as what you two will be dealing with is your first assassination mission." Iruka told them
"As this is something that needs to be handled quickly and with complete discretion. Seeing as how this involves one of Kurenai Yuhi's former apprentice." Iruka further explained
"You mean Yakumo Kurama?" Sasuke questioned
"Correct, and if you know of her, then I can assume you know of what happened with her?" Iruka answered back
"Yeah, it was one of the few times I've seen my dad and Obito get pissed about when they found out…Honestly, I can't say I blame them. The woman claims to be a genjutsu mistress, and yet has no idea of what using seals can do to the human mind. What an absolute idiot." Sasuke said with contempt towards the ruby-eyed illusionist
"Can someone tell me what's so special about, Yakumo Kurama? All I know is that my sister used to be friends with her before she went crazy…Well, that and she graduated early because she was so stupid good with illusions." Naruto replied on the general gist of what he knew of her
"Do you want me to fill in the blanks, or should you, Iruka-sensei?" Sasuke questioned
"Why don't you do it, Sasuke?" Iruka replied
"Gladly." Sasuke said before clearing his throat
From there the teenage Uchiha told Naruto the condensed version of what'd gone on with Yakumo; from her powers with illusions having rapidly grown to where they could affect the material world as it were, to Kurenai in both her feelings of ineptitude of not being able to be a good sensei to her, and her great envy over Yakumo's innately greater illusory prowess had her seal them up. But Kurenai's lackluster skills in the sealing arts had caused Yakumo from what he'd heard to turn into a maddened recluse, that had to eventually be sequestered off from her mental state having deteriorated.
It was after the short explanation from Sasuke that Iruka filled the two in on the gaps within it, as the seal placed on her due to its faulty nature hadn't only wound up failing, but also released a much more malefic secondary personality within Yakumo; with said personality having been able to suppress Yakumo and remove the seal. From there it had been using its illusory powers to enslave and bewitch those within the Kurama clan to do its bidding, on top of that, with it having suppressed Yakumo it had been able to further grow its genjutsu abilities at a much more devastating rate without Yakumo to hold it back.
"...So it's thanks to Kurenai that we have to deal with a super strong illusionist, who has who knows how many shinobi under its belt…How fucking wonderful." Naruto said back
'How it is that they let an alcoholic asshat like that teach anyone, I'll never know.' Naruto said to himself
"Indeed…While we've managed to contain the situation, and prevent it from affecting the village too greatly. We have unfortunately had some of our operatives compromised, and as such are now under her control." Iruka told the two of them
"Even more wonderful...I swear it just keeps getting better." Naruto added
"Is there any more pertinent information we need to know about?" Sasuke questioned
"There is, this mission needs to be done with complete haste. While we are able to keep the area around her contained for the past few months. It seems as though her powers have begun to grow to the point, we had to keep our men who maintain the barrier on a semi-continuous rotation…Apparently, her genjutsu abilities have grown to the point of bypassing barriers." Iruka answered back
"What's the worst she's done?" Naruto asked
"We had to put one of our operatives in restraints, apparently it was bad enough that he tried to claw his own eyes out…Luckily we managed to stop him from causing any casualties, although 3 other operatives were wounded before he could be sedated. Nevertheless, in order to avoid this from happening again we have had to implement 3 to 5-hour rotations, so that we can mitigate another incident from happening." Iruka replied
"If her illusions are that powerful, then what are we going to be given to help infiltrate the premises?" Sasuke questioned the senior ROOT agent
"While Naruto here will be perfect for this mission thanks to his transformations being immune to genjutsu, due to the fact that they lack chakra for her illusions to work against…It is actually thanks to Naruto that you will be able to field test our newest in anti-genjustu technology." Iruka replied as Naruto's face lit up with a broad grin
"You mean the Scramble helmets, are actually ready to go?!" Naruto asked excitedly
"Yes they are, Naruto, and from what we've tested against some of our other agents; it has proven most effective against genjutsu…However, with what Yakumo is capable of, this does mean your helmet will be put to the test." Iruka answered back
"That is a good point Iruka-sensei. I mean I built these with the intent of holding off someone like Kurenai, or some of the other Uchiha. But against someone like an Itachi, or worse yet Yakumo who has illusion powers on steroids…This is going to put us on a hell of a time limit." Naruto remarked at the fact that the Scramble helmets were gonna have to put in work
"Then we make eliminating her as quick as possible…We're shinobi after all, and it is our prerogative to make sure all missions are dealt with as swiftly and efficiently as possible." Sasuke replied
"Agreed, which is why you two will go through the back entrance of the compound; where it is the least guarded. From there you two will have to traverse your way through the compound until you reach the 4th level of it, where she is housed. Afterward, you are free to terminate her at your own discretion." Iruka told them
"Are there any more questions concerning the mission?" Iruka asked
"Nope, this all sounds pretty clear to me. Get in, get to the 4th floor, and take out Yakumo with vengeance." Naruto replied seeing the mission as clear-cut as could be
"I agree with Naruto on this, Iruka-sensei. Just give us a few days time, and we will be ready to terminate her with extreme prejudice." Sasuke said in agreement
"...Oh, and there is one question I have to ask? How is it gonna go down about us killing off Yakumo?... I'm pretty sure that a mission report like that is gonna cause some red flags to go up, that the two of us were sent to take her out." Naruto questioned
"We have that covered. We will be redacting your names from the mission report, and subbing it in with other operatives." Iruka answered them
"Great to hear…Anyways, that should take care of my questions. Do you have anything you wanna say, Sasuke? Because I'm all good to go." Naruto asked the Uchiha beside him
"No, I am fine. If anything, I am ready to start preparing for the mission at hand." Sasuke answered back
"Alright. Well, I guess we'll see you after we get everything set and ready to go." Naruto said to the senior ROOT operative in the room
"And good luck to the both of you." Iruka said as the two then departed
'Well, time to figure out which alien I'm gonna use to rip shit up against a fucking illusionist.' Naruto said to himself as he and Sasuke exited the academy building
(2 days later, 8:40 Pm, Kurama Compound, November 13th, 996 S.E)
It was the following Sunday as Sasuke and Naruto who was in the form of Crystalfist were currently within the Kurama compound; doing their best to not make a sound as they traveled within its seemingly hollow depths.
"How's the Scramble Helmet holding up, Sasuke?" Crystalfist questioned the Uchiha who was garbed in navy colored tactical armor and a skull-shaped helmet
"So far it's holding up, its a good thing you made those last-minute adjustments. Otherwise, this would've been much more difficult." Sasuke answered back
"Thanks to Crabshocker being a super-genius, it wasn't that hard to figure out a way to make adjustments." Crystalfist replied
"That being said, the quicker we get this done; the better. This place gives me the creeps." Crystalfist added as even without the illusions this place gave him the creeps
"Agreed." Was Sasuke's sole reply
From there the two quickly ventured through the halls of the Kurama Compound, which despite it having the expansive area as with any clan compound; it was rendered barren and almost decrepit as with each step they took caused the floorboards beneath them to creak and groan, as though no one had dared set foot in the compound for years on end. Sasuke had a high-powered pistol in hand; raised and ready to fire, as his Sharingan darted from side to side for any potential threat; while Crystalfist had one hand turned into a flanged mace and the other into jagged spikes ready to fire off razor-sharp crystals at a moments' notice.
Their traversal throughout the 2nd floor went rather quietly as they managed to evade a considerable number of the genjutsu-controlled guards that Yakumo had under her thrall, and in the event they couldn't they were swiftly taken out by a few well-placed shots to the jugular vein or in-between the eyes from Sasuke's pistols. Or they had their chests filled with crystal shards that shredded their lungs and internal organs, or their skulls caved in by the flanged mace for a hand that Crystalfist used to great effect as their semi-headless bodies slumped over on the cold and cracked wooden floors.
The two also managed to intercept any would-be ambushes by the Yakumo-controlled thralls, with Crystalfist using his powers to cause thick gnarled-looking crystalline spikes to erupt from the walls and ceiling to impale them, or Sasuke quickly slicing and parrying a would-be tanto or knife to the neck or skull and retaliating with a well-placed thrust to their carotid or eye. The duo was able to also quickly dispatch the thralls that were patrolling by Crystalfist summoning forth thick masses of navy colored crystal to bind them up to the shoulders, allowing for Sasuke to shoot them with a quick head-shot before they could utter a word.
"How much longer until we reach Yakumo?" Crystalfist asked as they rounded a corner
"We have another several minutes before we reach her. From there we should be good to go; to eliminate her." Sasuke answered back
"Well, let's get on it. The less we're in this horror show the better." Crystalfist spoke in hating how this place made his skin crawl
"Agreed…" Sasuke said in agreement before leaping over Crystalfist to stab a Yakumo-controlled Root agent in the throat with his sabre alight with flame
"Also, you really need to work on your sense of perception, Naruto...If not for me then you'd be a deadman without the gauntlet of yours." Sasuke said as he twisted the sabre to go in another few inches through their neck
"Hey, I've been doing pretty good so far. Besides, not everyone can have one of the most broken pair of eyes in the village ya know." Crystalfist retorted whilst Sasuke wrenched the sabre free
"My having the Sharingan is no excuse for your middling awareness of your surroundings. You are good Naruto, but you need to be better." Sasuke spoke
"Whatever. Let's keep going." Crystalfist said with a roll of his eyes
From there the two continued their venture further into the Kurama compound to seek out and terminate their target in Yakumo, yet the closer they got to said illusionist; then the more of her thralls came forth to impede them. This led to Sasuke and Crystalfist to engage in pitched combat with them with Sasuke using his Sharingan to full effect to either quickly shoot them in the head, throat or heart, or engage them in close combat with his sabre with a quick series of thrusts to their lungs, or a single yet powerful jab at the center of their eyes or collarbone; whilst it was lit ablaze.
All the while Crystalfist used his crystalline powers to eliminate the thralls by either summoning forth swaths of deep azure-colored crystal to fully encase them to the walls or ceilings, impale them by the handful in the form of twisted and jagged spikes that pierced through and ruptured their innards like wet tissue paper. While at close range he swung his mace hand as hard he could to break ribs and crush skull and bone alike with an accompanying crack and crunch or bone and cartilage, whilst he turned his free-hand into curved scimitar to slice through armor and flesh as though they were wearing ragged and soaked cloth.
The duo carved forth a path of carnage as they worked in tandem to fight their way toward Yakumo, with Sasuke using his speed, agility and Sharingan to close the distance and quickly intercept anything that could blindside the Ultimatrix wielder or himself. Meanwhile, Crystalfist continued to use his powers to either restrain or trap them with bursts of crystal to slam them into and enshroud them into the walls, floors and any other place he could think of, or summon constructs made of crystal such as fists and large blades to bludgeon or further impale any that got in their way.
…Eventually, after nearly 10 minutes of constant carnage and evisceration of the genjutsu-controlled thralls, did they manage to reach the room where Yakumo had stowed herself in, with the twin guards who stood in position immediately rushing the duo. However, an irritated Ultimatrix wielder had quickly turned into Dash-Raptor and by the time they were within an arms' reach of Sasuke; they had fallen to the floor with one having her head turned 180 degrees around and upside down; whilst another had two fist-sized holes where their heart and liver would be.
"I'm getting really tired of fighting all of these goons." Dash-Raptor said flinging away the internal organs he'd ripped out
"As am I, let's take care of this nuisance already." Sasuke said as he reloaded his pistol
Not a further word was said as Dash-Raptor had rushed in faster than the human eye could see, and in seeing Yakumo had did what he deemed best to neutralize her which was first using his claws to slice out her eyes so she couldn't see to cast her genjutsu, round on her again to tackle her off her seat with such force it dislocated her shoulder and cracked her collarbone. From there he then dashed around again and unleashed a lightning-quick roundhouse kick to her back that sent her flying into Sasuke, who unloaded his entire clip into Yakumo's torso; making sure to aim at all vital organs possible as each of the 12 shots pierced through her with little resistance.
The corpse of the Kurama heiress fell at the Uchiha's feet unmoving and smoking from the gunfire wounds that peppered her body, as blood and ocular fluid leaked out onto the floor from her sundered eyes. Yet in still not fully trusting the scene should their be another trap in part to the immensity of Yakumo's genjutsu, Dash-Raptor proceed to rapidly vibrate his hand and send it through the back of Yakumo's head; turning the contents of her skull into a pureed mush of grey matter; for the next minute.
Once the deed was done and another 5 minutes was spent in bated breath should their be a last-minute genjutsu to mess with their minds; the Ultimatrix wielder who picked up the corpse of Yakumo, and Sasuke quickly made haste out of the decrepit-looking clan compound; rushing out the way they came, yet still on guard for any 'surprises' that could come about…The process took a full 20 minutes before they made it out the way they came from, and delivered the now-dead Kurama heiress to the nearest ROOT operative; who gave them their thanks for the mission and gave them clearance to leave the site while another group of operatives would go in and investigate the premises…
Upon being cleared and after handing off Yakumo's corpse the two after Sasuke climbed atop DashRaptor's back sped off into the night and back towards Naruto's house, and while the two didn't say a word as they traversed back, their was an agreement and contained excitement at a job well done on their first joint mission together.
(4 days later, November 17th, 996 S.E, Naruto's House, 3:47 Pm)
It was the following albeit chilly Thursday as the trio of Naruto, Sasuke and Ami had gathered at the Ultimatrix wielders' house in the aftermath of their first joint mission together, and as a small celebration of it.
"I'll give you two credit where credit is due, you two knocked it out of the park from what I heard." Ami said to both Naruto and Sasuke
"There wasn't a shred of doubt that we would accomplish our mission, Ami. Thanks to Naruto's equipment and our wasting little time to do our objective. It makes complete sense we would accomplish it in record time." Sasuke said back
"If anything, I had expected something more from Yakumo; given what we were informed of about her...Goes to show that technology trumps illusions." Sasuke added
"Well, we did get lucky, Sasuke. If it weren't for me making those last-minute modifications to your Scramble Helmet, and my aliens not having any chakra for her genjutsu to work on. Then we would've been absolutely screwed." Naruto spoke knowing full well it was because of those factors that they succeeded in their endeavor
"Naruto does make a good point. Since we can talk crap about Yakumo from dawn till dusk, but at the end of the day; her powers were not anything minor…Such a shame too, had we found a sealing method to alleviate or aid in the suppression of her id; then she would've made a great asset to the village. Unfortunately, the human mind is an incredibly complex thing and considering what was going on with her. The risk of tampering with hers any further could've been disastrous." Ami remarked over Yakumo's immense illusory powers
"After all, we can't discount the fact that she did take over an entire compound. So much so that we had to contain her, or otherwise the village would've been made her plaything." Ami added
"Yeah, you aren't wrong about that…Having the entire village get turned into someone's puppets would've been a total nightmare." Naruto said shuddering at the thought of such a thing
"I would agree with that as well. The thought of my own clansmen being taken control of by someone else, and made to do their bidding…sounds nothing short of horrifying. That very notion alone that Yakumo could've progressed to that point both terrifies and enrages me." Sasuke spoke feeling his heart nearly go to his throat at the image of his family and clansmen reduced to Yakumo's genjutsu-controlled thralls
"The thought of her illusions doing such a thing; makes me relieved that we eliminated her when we did. Someone such as that is rightfully too much of a threat to the village." Sasuke said
"You will not see me shedding tears over what you two did to her…That girl was a walking nightmare waiting to happen. Even if her genjutsu prowess was top-notch, it still doesn't excuse the fact that she was a cataclysm waiting to happen. So goodbye and good riddance to that crazy bitch." Ami said back in never having cared for Yakumo and very much didn't feel anything concerning her demise when weighed against the danger she presented
"All of which just had to be jumpstarted by our village's 'genjutsu mistress', who only has that title because Sasuke's mom retired. If it weren't for Miss. Mikoto being in partway retirement, then Kurenai wouldn't be shit right now." Naruto remarked at how before Kurenai, Mikoto was the reigning genjutsu mistress of the village
"How Kurenai thinks she's hot shit, when your mom can still run circles around her, escapes me. Especially, when she isn't bragging about how good she is with genjutsu; she's drinking enough sake, beer, and tequila to obliterate someone's liver." Naruto further spoke on the subject of the alcoholic illusionist
"You certainly are not wrong, Naruto. My mother is one of the main reasons why Itachi is so prodigious with genjutsu… While my brother is a prodigy, even he has to admit that even still my mother holds the title of one our greatest illusionists. Both within our own clan, and in the village itself." Sasuke replied
With Mikoto during her time as an active jonin had been feared for her skills in not only kenjutsu, but also in genjtusu as well; having used the latter to create such life-like illusions that she drove many enemy shinobi into madness with mirages and apparitions she'd conjure forth. So much so that she was nearly given a flee-on-sight order during her heyday, as those who would survive her encounters were often plagued with permanent visual and auditory hallucinations, that at their worst had those affected to be lobotomized.
"Its a shame that she did retire tho. Your mom was a fucking menace back in the day with my dad, Grandpa Dan, Uncle Obito and all of them." Naruto spoke in regards to his elders
"To be fair, they were in a time where it was required to be a powerhouse. Nowadays, thanks to the current peacetimes we are in. The chances to be a menace as Naruto put it are far and few between." Sasuke responded
"That's as far as everyone else is concerned, Sasuke. Considering that the three of us have the rare chance to be put in the meat-grinder, as it were. I say that our chances are far better than our peers." Ami spoke
"She does have a point, man. Plus the fact that aliens are real since I can turn into 14 of them and counting. I say that it's only a matter of time before we're hit up by real-deal aliens, and then before we know it we're fighting stuff from the stars and beyond." Naruto replied as a smile spread across his face
'The fact that I can one day spread intergalactic smoke, sounds awesome!' Naruto said to himself with a gleefully pugnacious smile spreading across his face
"That's right, aliens are a thing. Well, given how much we've been able to prepare so far thanks to our favorite blonde. I'd say that we have a decent chance against anything from the stars." Ami spoke up
"I will agree with that, Ami. If we were able to prepare against and terminate Yakumo within a matter of days. Then in combination with our current training regiments, I say that our chances of defeating an alien threat are quite high." Sasuke replied in feeling in rather good spirits and confidence after his first mission
"Hey, I'm not gonna crap all over the fact that we beat the odds against Yakumo. But taking out someone like her, and a mystery threat from outer space are two very, very, VERY different things. Since at least with stuff like her, we know what we're up against 85-90% of the time." Naruto spoke with a rarely-seen look of seriousness on his face
"I mean while we knocked it out of the park against her, the odds of that happening to an alien are a lot less likely. Since there's stuff out there that can do things that are a dozen times worse than her…Heck, there's a chance that something more busted than the 1st Hokage and Madara combined comes a long, and stomps our shit in. So if anything I say that this just means we gotta step up even further, since while we did awesome against Yakumo. We can do even better should something from outer space or in our home court comes to fuck our shit up." Naruto added knowing full well that this victory meant they had to up their game up even more
"Well, look at you, Naruto. I didn't think something like this would light a fire under your ass." Ami remarked
"Hey, after I had time to think about it, and the scope of what we're gonna be getting into down the line. Your main man, has had time to think about all of what can happen and how much we can still elevate ourselves to a higher level…So if anything, I'm just really motivated to get better than what I already am." Naruto said back knowing that after what happened, there was a lot of room for improvement
"He does make a rather good point all things considered. We could've been far more efficient in dealing with her thralls as it were. Now that he mentions it, if we were on top of things and not caught up in the thrill of our first team-up together, then we could've cut the time of our missions' completion by a third of the time." Sasuke said in agreement with Naruto's words
"Exactly, my man. So after we celebrate, I say we get back to it and amp things up…I mean if we're gonna be soldiers for the village, and protecting it against any and all threats; both internal and external. Then we owe it to everyone to be the best that we possibly can, otherwise…what are we really doing." Naruto replied
'Damn, he's got me wanting to take things up another notch.' Ami remarked at how she felt her sprit ready to go into high-gear
"So how about it, guys. After we finish celebrating a job well done, we hit the grindstone harder than ever, and show that we're just that awesome!" Naruto said to his compatriots
"I am ready to do whatever it takes to prove that I am worthy protector of our village…Not only that, but I am doubly committed towards doing whatever I have to surpass Itachi. Somebody has to be the new face of my clan, since he's all but declared his turning his back on us all." Sasuke spoke
"You don't have to say anything more to me, Naruto. My entire life has been dedicated towards doing whatever we have to, to make sure Konoha is safe. So what's a little bit more training, in order to do what I was meant for?" Ami said in seeing no reason why she shouldn't amp up her training regimen even further
"Then its settled, from here on, we're stepping our game up to be the greatest there ever was in this village…Before they know it we'll be the greatest protectors of the village, and then everyone from here to Kumo to Kiri are gonna have to recognize us as one of the best there is…" Naruto declared before the rumbling of his stomach interrupted him
"I think that before we set our sights on becoming the villages' greatest defenders, that we focus on alleviating our empty stomach." Sasuke suggested
"That is a great idea…How about ramen on me?" Naruto suggested
"Sure why not/ I don't mind." Were Ami and Sasuke's replies
"Good to know, and great to hear!" Naruto said as the trio then headed out to Ichiraku's for a late lunch
(The next day later, Hokage's Tower, November 18th, 996 S.E, 2:10 Pm)
It was the following afternoon, as Danzo was in talks with Minato in concerns of the aftermath of the Kurama clan, namely their clan heiress having been terminated as it were and the cleanup associated with it.
"So…given the current circumstances how do you wish to proceed, Lord Hokage?" Danzo questioned
"First and foremost, while I commend you for having prevented what would have been a catastrophe from spreading to the village. I am saddened by the fact that we could not prevent Yakumo's unfortunate death…I had hopes that we would have been able to do something to reverse what Kurenai had done in her haste." Minato answered back
"However, I want this kept quiet. The story we will go with for what happened with Yakumo's termination was that her genjutsu abilities became too much for her to handle. As such in her declining mental state, the poor young woman committed suicide; due to her inability to handle the mental durress her powers had caused." Minato told Danzo on what the cover story would be
"Given what became of her, and how the seal caused a second personality to form within her mind. This sounds like more than a credible cover story to put forth. I will have my operatives get too it, as soon as possible." Danzo said to the blonde Hokage
"Good…I still can't believe that someone that was the same age as my daughter was forced to be put down." Minato said back solemnly
"Given how things had progressed to that point, I doubt that there was much we could've done to save her. After all, our options in doing so were greatly limited if not non-existent." Danzo replied
"While yourself, Jiraiya and Kushina and even Obito to an extent are highly proficient in seals. There is still the fact that the human mind is a highly sensitive and fragile thing. As such even it you had pulled out every single trick in your repertoire, I doubt it would have done any good. If anything, and even with the help of a Yamanaka. I fear that it would have only worsened the Kurama heiress's madness, and brought things to a potentially cataclysmic level of events for the village." Danzo remarked
For even the Warhawk knew full well that the human mind was something that could only be warped, stretched and put through the paces; before it was rendered a mess of insanity and utter madness. As such even Danzo knew full well that even a fuinjutsu master like Minato would have a possibly worsened things and driven Yakumo into a deepened state of insanity and mental decline.
"That is a fair point, that you bring up Danzo. I am many things, but a master of understanding the human mind I am not…That is more Inoichi's forte, and even he doesn't fully understand the human condition." Minato spoke
"Indeed, however, I would focus on the fact that the village continues to remain in safety…While I am displeased that it came to this. I take solace in knowing that it had to be done, otherwise things could have spiraled out of hand, and before we know it; we would have a clan of mind-controlled illusionists, Anbu, and Root operatives at our doorstep. Something that neither of us would want, and something that would have caused potential bedlam in the village if allowed to spread." Danzo replied knowing that it had to be done for the greater wellbeing of Konoha at large
"Should I remind you, that not even the jinchuuriki are immune to illusions. While the 9 tails is able grant them resistance to such things, even they are not infallible to mental manipulations…Even if you do not wish to say it to their faces, those two are dangerous weapons." Danzo added
"My children aren't weapons, Danzo. They are still children, my children." Minato retorted
"They remain children for now. Yet the moment they wear that headband, that point in their lives ceases to be, and their time as soldiers of the village. Especially given what they possess begins, as even you cannot deny the fact that they are living weapons by nature of what they are as holders of the 9-tailed fox." Danzo countered knowing full well of what they were
"...While I understand where you are going with this, and as acting Hokage know of what role they will play in the future. I will not treat my children as weapons, despite the power they possess." Minato responded
"And I am not asking you to do so, Minato. I am merely stating a fact. That fact is that they are one of our villages' most important assets…Assets mind you that compared to the other 4 major villages are behind in terms of skill and strength, and are living under a false assumption of their own skills compared to the other 7." Danzo stated
"You don't have to remind me about that. The fact that both Iwa and Kumo possess fully realized jinchuuriki is still a frightening prospect to be reminded of…All the while Hayase and Naoya currently are at a ceiling of barely 3 tails worth of the 9 tails power, without risking a loss of control." Minato responded knowing that by comparison to the other strongest villages that his children were woefully underprepared to face them
"While they are powerful for up and coming genin, against threats from the hidden villages, and I mean elite threats that will outclass them in every capacity. That the risk of their going berserk on an actual mission is considerable...That alone is a wholly new threat we are not prepared to face; given the lack of seal masters and jonin strong enough to contend with berserk jinchuuriki in full." Danzo spoke
"Especially, when they haven't been taught to properly take and deal with loss. If they are going to eventually be operating in the field, then you and your wife need to prepare them to deal with every outcome…This includes the possibility of defeat or a mission having gone wrong, otherwise, they and their fellow comrades could risk serious harm to not only themselves but also future clients. Something that would look abhorrent if a client was harmed or brought serious injury, because the Hokage's children couldn't accept failure." Danzo added
"From the reports I've been hearing about them and moreso Naoya's temper. I am well aware of this, and have begun to rectify that…I just hope that I am not too late, to fix things." Minato hoped that the undertones concerning his family weren't missed by the warhawk
"I cannot say for certain Lord Hokage. However, I do know that there is still a chance to change things with your children before it is too late. Otherwise, everything they have been training for; will go up in flames because of their own hubris and inability to accept failure." Danzo said
"I truly hope so, Danzo. There is so much at stake with my children that I find it increasingly difficult to know what to do…." Minato replied with his hands folded over each other
"Once upon a time, I had figured that once I made Hokage that things would fall into place, and become so much easier…Now almost 20 years later, everything is so much different and even more confusing than what it was beforehand…At this point I can't tell what I'm doing right anymore with my family, if the twins and how distant things have become with Naruto are any indication." Minato added, having felt himself age a dozen years everytime he thought about his family
"The only council I can give to you now is to focus on your work as Hokage, and move forward from there. While I am not the best suited for familial matters, I am more than able to advise you when it comes to the village. After all, it is my duty as the Hokage's shadow to make sure that things continue to run smoothly in the village, as well as to aid you in making the best decisions for the village." Danzo said to the younger of the two
"That is something I have come to appreciate from you, during my tenure as Hokage. While we may come to occasional blows over your methods. I can at least trust and know that what you do, continues to help the village in the long run." Minato responded knowing that while Danzo came off as harsh, strict, and even stand-offish; he was still effective in doing what needed to be done
"And I will continue to do what is best for Konoha in the long run. The continued prospering, success, and safeguarding of the village, has been my life's work for over 30 years now. And will continue to be as such, until I lay upon my death bed." Danzo spoke with a resolute steel in his voice concerning his devotion to Konoha's longevity
"With your stubbornness, I'm pretty sure you will outlive me and Jiraiya-sensei." Minato replied
"I am certain that Jiraiya already has a short life with his exploits with the women of the village. In fact, I'm pretty sure that it an enemy shinobi won't end him. Then either Tsunade or Dan will do the deed, given how he continues to encroach upon their marriage." Danzo said back
"...I have told him time and time again to quit trying to 'win her over', yet the man persists on doing so anyways. At this point, it's more impressive that Dan hasn't put him through a wall yet." Minato noted at Dan's ever-growing ire towards his sensei
"...But we are drifting far, far off topic. Right now, with the Kurama Clan and how things had gone concerning the mission to terminate Yakumo. I suggest that we work on helping to repair the damages dealt, and see too it that any who were affected by her illusions and control are given proper help in recovering." Minato spoke
"I will have Fu work in tandem with some of the Yamanaka's to aid in counseling and rehabilitation. We both know that those who were affected will need time to recover from what they experienced." Danzo said back in knowing that being put through genjutsu and mental control for such an extended period of time warranted a lengthy recovery period
"Agreed, and while I understand that you have redacted the names of the operatives that had terminated her. I do have to ask if they will be able to speak with me at a later date? If they were this skilled in completing a mission, then I feel that as their Hokage; that I should be able to speak with and know them personally." Minato said curious of whom these mystery operatives were
"That is something I will have to work with them on at a later time. As they are rather important within my organization, and have specifically requested to keep their names in secrecy until a time they feel ready…Therefore, while I can guarantee you that you will be able to conference with them in the future. The date and time of which, is something I will have to talk with them about in the future." Danzo replied
"I'm sure you understand, their desires to have their identities remain hidden, Lord Hokage?" Danzo questioned the blonde
"I understand that, Danzo, and for now I will honor their wishes for the time being. However, I want to make it clear that I want to know of them in the near future. Do we understand each other?" Minato asked as less of a question and more of an order to his shadow
"You are crystal clear in that regard, Lord 4th." Danzo curtly replied
"Good…For now I say that we continue this next week. Until such a time, you are free to leave." Minato said to the warhawk who nodded and soon took his leave
'...I truly hope things will grow easier, otherwise, I may have to ask Tsunade where she orders her liquor from.' Minato said to himself as he slumped in mental exhaustion into his chair
So with Yakumo terminated before her illusions could spread and wreak havoc upon the village, our protagonists take the success of this mission and using it to fuel them in their training to come…it seems as though things continue to look up for those involved. But how long will this last? Find out in the all new chapters of, The Alien Soldier!
Alright, that takes care of that, as I hoped you guys enjoyed this chapter and everything that went along with it. Since I figured this would be a fun take on the whole Yakumo ordeal, since I figured that when you really think about it that even with someone as prodigious as Minato or Kushina at the helm. Given that even if they did try to repair the seal or remove it, there's no guarantee she'd snap back to normal and everything goes hunky-dory since the human mind isn't something you can just constantly mess with, and there not be severe consequences that come out of it.
Yet and still, with everything done and over with, I hope you guys will continue to enjoy this story for better or for worse, as any favorites, follows, reviews or suggestions are welcome. As per usual flames are ignored since if ya don't like then go on and read/support someone else's story that's more your speed.
All that said done this Nomadic Chaos using the power of said chaos to give you guys good stuff to read, with the next chapter having more developments within the academy continue, as well as some other things that I have planned. So stay tuned for the next one.
Prelude Theme Song: Regulate by Warren G and Nate Dogg
Random End Song: Illusion by Ross Lynch
Now then onto the reviews from the last chapter.
Kourtney Uzu Yato: Yeah, as when you have a team as dysfunctional as Tsunade and Jiraiya then its pretty much an obligation to be a peacekeeper between them. But yeah, the thing is that with Nawaki having died that was pretty much one of the final straws for him and as such just started spiraling from there considering that grief is a pretty powerful thing that can make monsters out of anyone. Also, yep we've got baby Mamoru who is an absolute unit as an infant, and as such you can imagine that Izumi is super fed up with Itachi's behavior given that is a gigantic dick move to not even show up for the birth of your own son...because trust me when I say that their are gonna be massive consequences going forward for his relationship with Izumi who already isn't a happy camper right now. Especially, since there's one question that should be asked...what bonds are even left in his clan?
volcasarion: Oh no he's royally fucked himself over to where he's pretty much shot himself in the foot with a shotgun, and keeps doing it with his actions. And you pretty much nailed it on the head concerning the Hokage's position that even if your a loyal shinobi that all your doing as the Hokage is basically the same thing as President, Minister, or etc would have to do on the daily concerning the daily ins and outs of maintaining things. As such Itachi is so consumed for the prestige of the position alone, and in combination in thinking that his 'Will of Fire' is strong enough in tandem with his record and resume he's built over the years that it'll make him in his mind the obvious candidate for the Hokage's seat. Yet its his forgetting that in order to get things like that you actually need to build up personal connections, and have people see you as someone they can and want to know outside of office hours instead of their taskmaster boss that's as fun/personable as stale tap water; especially when they see how you treat your own clan, and family no less. Also, yeah Jiraiya's luck in getting Naruto on-board with his world peace scheme really ain't gonna work considering as we get into it that their ideals on peace are gonna be diametrically opposed to one another
starravenwolf: Glad you like the story so far my guy, and I really hope you continue to follow for more of what's to come down the line. Also, don't worry I've got something in mind for the Toads and then revealing the prophecy; considering that with Ben 10 being a thing; there's gonna be forces out there that ain't gonna particularly like it when you play puppetmaster with the future's of others to a degree it can affect things on a planetary scale...So don't worry, there's gonna be a punishment for them to face down the road. Also, for the transformations you mentioned those are some tough choices to pick through but I'm sure I can settle on a good one for Naruto's next lineup.
God of Wind 200: Concerning Itachi, the thing is that no one put any seals on him to force him to act the way he currently is. This is mainly just his zealousness to Konoha being put out into the forefront. And as such is showing the ugly sides of his patriotism and devotion to the village affecting his personal life.