Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
...
Uchiha Itachi overlooked the group in front of him, those that he had been helping train over the past week. While it had been a mission assigned to him, one which he had had to temporarily be in the debt of some less than savory individuals, it had been worthwhile. Naruto and Sasuke aside, the fact that he had ended up teaching the heirs of several important clans was something which in turn gave him some credibility amongst some influential individuals.
On another level, it was good to watch his brother actively socialize and compete against others his own age. In the compound, Sasuke only witnessed the training of those older than him and as much as the young boy wished to emulate their feats, he didn't have the necessary experience. Being able to actively see his level of growth against those around him would be beneficial in the months to come.
He hadn't been the most senior person in the clearing for the last couple of days but he wasn't gaining any assistance. A senior member of the Hyuga branch family accompanied Hinata to and from the training sessions on the daily. Given the events that had taken place, that wasn't surprising.
Said events however would now require his brother to do something even he hadn't done, sit in the presence of another Kage. As much as he wished he could be there to protect his brother if necessary, he didn't believe that the Raikage would be as foolish as to do something which would result in all out war. All things considered, Itachi believed that his brother would have to hold his tongue while conversation went on around him. He just had to believe that his brother wouldn't accidentally anger the Raikage.
"Enough," stated Itachi, his words having the immediate effect as those he was training stopped and lined up in attention. "As much of a privilege as this has been, I am no longer able to continue training all of you. That is not to say that your training ends here. The lessons I have given you, from the simplest of stretches or how to read your opponent are aspects you should take with you moving forward. I for one believe that if all of you are able, do your best to find someone who can lead these trainings in my stead and continue growing as a unit. Konoha does not survive on the back of a single shinobi, it requires each and every person to be willing and able to give their utmost in every given situation."
The look the children shared amongst one another was one of pride and ambition. Well, all for except the heir of the Nara clan who actively looked as if he wanted to be anywhere else right now. Itachi hoped that of all the things he had taught, if one lesson stuck true it was that everybody here should be willing and able to provide assistance to their peers if the time came for it.
"Now, for the last time with me teaching you, you are all dismissed!"
...
Naruto was, for all intents and purposes, feeling somewhat out of place as he held his arms to the side as a man ran a measuring tape across his body. Given all the adrenaline that had been pumping through his body after his training, to immediately shower and then stand in place was definitely an unexpected change of pace.
Still though, this was where other aspects of his training were coming in. This was the man's profession and he was acting in a professional manner. Hence, he had to behave and do as instructed in order for the man to do his job to the best of his ability. He didn't know whether the man was indebted to Boss and was doing this as a favor or whether Boss was actively paying for what was happening. If it was the latter, then Naruto didn't want to do anything which would cause an issue. Makina had taught him that 'Time was Money' and while Naruto couldn't quite understand it entirely, he knew enough. The man was being paid for his time, hence if he had to spend more time measuring him because he was mucking about, then it would cost more. So the best course of action was to do as instructed and remain as still as possible, in order for it to cost less money for the man's time.
That felt right.
Speaking of Makina, she was the only other adult in the room and seemed to be watching this with a smirk on her face while she sat in the corner. Naruto figured that given how much the woman had watched Naruto run around like the child he was, it brought her entertainment to be so stoic. He also knew that at the end of this Makina would find some way to turn this into one of her lessons. She always seemed to do so. Given what he had learnt from her though it was all beneficial in one way or another.
Except for multiplication. Naruto struggled to spell the word let alone figure out how numbers separated by an X became a much bigger number. Numbers were so much easier when all he had to do was add and subtract them from one another. He could add perfectly fine and carry the one when necessary. Surely that was enough math that one had to know. There couldn't be anything more complicated than multiplication.
"And with that, I have everything I need," said the tailor as he folded up his measuring tape and placed it in his pocket. "You will have your attire ready the morning it is required. I shall meet you here and we will make any necessary adjustments."
"Thank you," said Naruto with a small nod of the head. The gesture was made in kind by the tailor as he made his exit.
"I have to say," said Makina as she stood up, "You performed quite admirably there kid. I was expecting some sort of quip or for you to say you were bored."
"I was bored," stated Naruto without a second of hesitation. "If I did or said anything then it would have gone on for longer and I would have been bored for longer."
"Of course, just because we don't enjoy something doesn't mean that we can skip it," said Makina. While her words didn't express any hatred, there was the slightest glimmer of darkness in her eyes for only a fraction of a second. Given Naruto had barely noticed something that may not have truly been there to begin with, he opted to let it be for now. "Whether we like it or not, we are required to behave in situations where we would rather be anywhere else. We make a better impression regarding how well we act in poor situations rather than how well we act in beneficial situations."
"So it's not about how good the good times are, but how good we make the bad times," summarized Naruto. "I think I understand."
"Good," said Makina as she rustled Naruto's hair, much to his disdain. "Given the meeting you have coming up soon, making the best of a shit situation is the hopeful outcome. Even then it's a stretch."
"I know, I know," conceded Naruto as he comprehended just what was coming. Makina wasn't wrong regarding it being a shit situation and how he handled it could have dire consequences that would linger for decades to come. You know, nothing too intimidating.
...
Sarutobi read through the report that Itachi had placed on his desk. The third Hokage chewed on his pipe as he flipped over to the fourth page. He hadn't quite expected such a large report but given how Itachi's assignment had grown with every passing day it wasn't surprising.
While the children would undoubtedly find themselves in the same class once they started at the academy, having them interact with one another now would strengthen their bonds exponentially. As much as he wished he could instruct one of his subordinates to continue teaching these children it would more than likely interrupt many of the heirs' individual training. If they could communicate and organize alongside one another then so be it, it wasn't for him to decide how they progressed.
Especially when a much larger issue was practically at his doorstep.
The Raikage was expected to arrive tomorrow with his entourage and Hiruzen wished that it would be a swift affair. The members of Kumogakure would meet him in his office while Naruto and Sasuke sat by his side. Hiashi Hyuga had demanded that he be in attendance but Sarutobi had forbade it. The man's daughter had nearly been kidnapped and Hiruzen could not trust him to keep composed. The irony wasn't lost in that he had to hope the two children would keep themselves restrained.
If the worse case were to arise, Konoha would be ready to act. He could only hope that such a thing would not be necessary.
...
Boss watched as his son was led away, feeling as comfortable as he could be in an awkward situation. While he wished that he could say that he had prepared the boy as well as he could, no matter what he had taught Naruto would never allow him to be able to cope in every situation. Naruto had watched as he and his men had been in a number of different types of meetings and negotiations, many of which had been successful.
Hopefully Naruto could utilize everything he had witnessed and adapt to a situation that he was ill equipped for. Naruto had seen him talk as the most powerful person in the room yet his power paled in comparison. If his son was to show a single sign of weakness it would be pounced on immediately. They had drilled that point down repeatedly but whether it had stuck was yet to be seen.
They had no ears in the room and the Hokage likely wouldn't retell everything that went on in the coming hours. While he wished Sarutobi would cooperate, he couldn't be relied to give much crucial information. As much as Naruto would tell him the truth, trusting the boy to take mental note of every hidden message was unlikely. He and his family would only receive the most basic points and while that was something, it wasn't near enough.
Still, regardless of what happened, they would adapt. Anything that was broken could easily be rebuilt with enough time and money. He hoped it wouldn't come to such but given that Naruto was still a child, he couldn't discount any possibility.
...
A grizzled as he strode through the streets of Konoha, the civilians all whispering amongst one another as they shot glances in his direction. He paid them little mind, they were not the reason he and his entourage were here.
In total, he had six Jonin join him on this trip. While he was more than capable of handling himself in regards to any ruffians on the road it would be improper for him to travel alone. While he could have brought his brother on this trip, A didn't know whether he would have been able to tolerate the menace for days on end. It was better for him to continue his training to master the Hachibi.
Arriving at the base of the Hogake's office, A glared at the Jonin who were lied up at the base. A number of them were big names in the Bingo book. Hatake Kakashi, Might Gai, Uchiha Shisui were the most prominent names that he could list but each of the shinobi before him were formidable in their own right.
A lady dressed in formal attire gave him and his warriors a polite bow before ushering them towards the entrance. How he hated this level of pompous that was practically demanded of his arrival.
The woman lead them through the halls and up the stairwells, remaining silent as she did so. The building itself was nothing special. While the walls were likely steeped in history, it didn't mean anything to the foreigners. It was just another building where paperwork was passed around without anybody looking over it properly while others did their best to make unspoken deals to benefit only themselves.
"Here we are," said the lady as she gestured towards the main office before striding away. A observed those in the office and was somewhat surprised by the fact that the Hokage was unprotected. No, unprotected wasn't the right word. Just because the man in front of him was past his prime didn't mean that he was incapable of holding his own. This was the man who had trained the Sannin, a shinobi known as The Professor. Just because there were no ANBU present didn't make this a safe space by any means.
Still though, the message was clear and a nod to his elite soldiers informed them that a majority of them were to remain outside. While they were apprehensive, they knew better than to question his judgment, proof that they were well trained.
Closing the door behind him, A marched in with purposeful strides with two of his men as he glared at the three people sitting on the other side of the table. In the center was the third Hokage, who looked as if he was well prepared to speak at length. The desk was clean of all paperwork which A knew was for decorative purposes only to not cause distraction. The paperwork a Kage had to look over was never ending.
On his left was one of the two children he had requested to be present. Uchiha Sasuke looked as if his clan had groomed him well. He wore the family emblem with pride and wore a blank expression, probably told not to cause any trouble for the village.
As for the other kid, A was somewhat surprised with what he saw. Uzumaki Naruto, first and foremost, didn't possess the typical red hair associated with the Uzumaki name. As for his attire, the boy had clearly dressed for the occasion and spared no expense. A sleek black suit that he would grow out of in a couple of months contrasted a pearl white shirt and blood red tie. Unlike the Uchiha brat, there was no sign of the Uzumaki emblem present which given what had happened to Uzushiogakure it was not surprising. The brat was probably one of only a handful left alive, if that.
From what he recalled, his father once had a squad infiltrate Konoha and try to abduct an Uzumaki previously. She had been the Jinchuriki from memory. It was a brazen attempt by his predecessor to acquire a third tailed beast and utilize her bloodline to strengthen their forces.
If this runt was her son...
Ignoring that tidbit of information, A made his way to his designated seat but before he could sit down, he was somewhat surprised as Naruto stood up and extended his hand. It was done in a very business like manner, as if they were about to conduct a deal.
While it was a small interaction, A couldn't help but wonder as to why this kid had gone for such a motion? Did the kid see the two of them as equals in this environment? If he took the hand was he immediately placing himself on the back foot?
Arguably, what irked him most was that for some reason he could see his younger brother with his arm outstretched, waiting to bump knuckles.
A had to remind himself that the reason he was here in the first place was because the actions of this kid directly resulted in the death of one of his operatives. Hence, A took his seat with his men standing on either side of him. He was somewhat surprised to find that Naruto didn't look dejected in the slightest as he took his seat.
"Lord Raikage, I hope your travels were smooth on the road," said Sarutobi.
"Spare me the small talk," scoffed A. He hadn't traveled halfway across the continent to exchange pleasantries.
"Very well," acknowledged Sarutobi. "As you are well aware, your operative attempted to kidnap the heir of the Hyuga clan. We believe that they were operating under their own course of action with the intention of bringing them to you in an attempt to raise their own status."
It was difficult for A to determine whether that was what Sarutobi actively believed or what he was saying was in order to mitigate as much damage as possible. The truth didn't actively matter, nor would it likely be discussed. Oddly enough, in his peripherals he believed that he could see the young Uzumaki going through the same thought process.
"Is that it then?" questioned A. "I have a dead delegate who had publicly signed a peace treaty in broad daylight marking the end of conflict between our nations. An elite ninja who is now dead and I am to believe it is because he broke that treaty mere hours after signing it? All I have is your word to go off?"
"It's because it's the truth."
A had to suppress a grin as he glanced at the Uchiha kid who had spoken out. It was the reason as to why he had demanded their presence in the first place. Children were much more likely to speak out when provoked and cause more trouble then they were worth. "My apologies then, all I have to go off is the word of a snot nosed Uchiha. If you say it's true then how could I even consider questioning your word?"
"Sarcasm is unbecoming of you honorable Raikage."
A was slightly taken aback with the fact that these were the first words said by the Uzumaki child. There was calculation in it, manipulation perhaps. He had thought that the kid would come to the defense of his friend and give him more fuel against Sarutobi. This had been unexpected and had placed him temporarily on the back foot. Even when the brat used the term 'honorable' he had done so purposefully, questioning his honor overall.
"Oh? And how do you recall the events that happened?" asked A, wanting to see how Naruto would react.
"To be fair, it is rather difficult for me to recount exactly what happened," said Naruto and A prepared himself to pounce on this moment of weakness before Naruto continued. "After your soldier drove his kunai deep into my chest everything became a blur to me. I do hope you understand."
A ground his teeth as he glared daggers at the brat. He was desperately trying to understand just how he was losing in a battle of wits to someone who hadn't even lived a decade. Turning to face Sarutobi, he needed to get things back in his favor. "I demand compensation!" he roared. "A Hyuga struck the killing blow so a Hyuga must bear the punishment!"
There was a small hint of defiance on the Hokage's and A knew that Sarutobi would fight tooth and nail to prevent such a thing. He would negotiate, bargain and barter until A got something of value out of this trip.
"Take my head."
Once more, Naruto's words rung out through the office and put A on the back foot again. "Had I not been there at the time, your man's kidnapping may have been a success and we wouldn't be here right now," continued Naruto. "Instead we'd have a furious Hyuga clan marching towards your village with fire in their eyes demanding the immediate return of the heir. But that's not the case is it. Instead you are demanding a head for a head and one is now being offered to you. As the honorable man that you are, I'm sure your subordinates would gladly hear that you've taken your revenge by murdering a child barely six years old. The man's family would surely rest easy after knowing that the boy who prevented his escape was dead at your hands."
Rage did not begin to describe the emotions A was feeling at that moment. This obnoxious brat had derailed everything and it seemed that the Hokage was content to watch how it presided. He knew that the old man would never allow him to take the life of a child but if he didn't accept the offer then it would be a weakness on his part. The entire time, the brat had been throwing around the word honor for this very moment.
While his men hadn't said anything, he knew that they were awaiting to see his resolve. He was their leader, the head of the village. If he said yes to it all, was he insinuating that he was content with the offer, to take the head of a kid who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? Not only that but given that the brat was potentially the last of his clan, that opened up an entirely different issue altogether.
A could not wait until he was out of this village so he could obliterate everything in his path to express his utter hatred for what this kid had done in the most destructive way possible.
...
Boss sat in his office, the sun long since set as he contemplated what his ward had done. While, as expected, he hadn't gotten nearly enough information as to what he would have liked, Naruto's retelling had been interesting in its own right.
Learning that he had offered his own head in compensation had caused him to be caught off guard but it had gone unnoticed as Makina scolded him for doing something so stupid. Boss had thought it a well calculated move and it seemed as if his son hadn't gone into this battle unprepared. It had been a gamble though, the riskiest of all. Still, the odds had been in Naruto's favor and he had acted as he saw fit.
The need to be the hero was a bit unnerving but he was still a child dreaming of being Hokage. Risking his own ambitions and sparing the life of a clan member in the process would prove profitable. The whole enraging a foreign leader aside, the day had turned out rather well.
He made a note to visit the head of the Hyuga in the coming days and tell them of how Naruto had risked his life on their behalf. He was sure that such a prominent family would not see such a deed go unrewarded.
Profitable indeed.
...
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