Chapter 14

The council room was stifling, the air charged with unspoken tension. Koharu and Homura sat rigid in their chairs, fidgeting slightly despite themselves. Neither dared to meet the Hokage's eyes. Gone was the Hiruzen they'd grown accustomed to—the placid, conciliatory man who often deferred to their advice. The figure before them was something else entirely, a man whose presence seemed to fill the room with a suffocating weight.

The fire in Hiruzen's eyes was unmistakable. They had seen it before, during the wars, but this was different. Sharper. More focused. And they had seen what that fire could do—watched him cut down Danzo with a precision and fury that had left no room for debate. They had seen the way he fought afterward, better than he had in decades, the sheer force of his will overwhelming.

When Hiruzen finally spoke, his voice was quiet, but it cut straight through the oppressive silence. "Did you know?"

The words struck like a blade. Both councilors straightened, their faces paling. There was no need for elaboration—they knew exactly what he meant.

"No! Absolutely not!" Koharu's voice cracked slightly, and she cleared her throat, scrambling to regain her composure. "If we had known—if there had been any inkling—we would have stopped him."

Homura nodded quickly, his hands gripping the edge of the table. "Danzo kept his intentions hidden from us as well, Hokage-sama. We would never have allowed such actions to continue."

Hiruzen's gaze didn't waver, his silence louder than any rebuke. The councilors squirmed under the weight of it, the seconds stretching into what felt like an eternity.

"The Council," Hiruzen said at last, and the two stiffened as if struck. "Do you still believe you deserve to sit on it?"

The question hung in the air like a physical weight. Koharu and Homura exchanged a glance, both unwilling to answer. The silence grew unbearable.

Homura was the first to break. He stood slowly, his movements deliberate but heavy with resignation. "No," he said, his voice low. "No, I do not. I failed in my duty. I should have seen it. I should have acted. A place on this council requires vigilance, wisdom, and judgment, and I have not displayed any of these." He bowed deeply, his expression somber. "I resign, Hokage-sama."

Koharu's jaw tightened. Her hands gripped the chair arms so tightly her knuckles whitened, but after a moment, she stood as well. "I... I will do the same," she said, her words clipped but tinged with an unmistakable bitterness. She bowed beside Homura, though the effort looked painful.

Hiruzen watched them both for a moment, his face unreadable. When he finally spoke, his tone was calm, final. "Good. The Council is disbanded. You are dismissed."

The words hit like a hammer. Koharu and Homura straightened slowly, their heads bowed. Without another word, they turned and left, their footsteps hollow against the polished floors.

As they stepped into the hallway and the door shut behind them, a figure blocked their path. Ibiki Morino stood waiting, his arms crossed over his broad chest. His scarred face was expressionless, but his dark eyes seemed to pierce straight through them.

"Sir. Madam," Ibiki greeted, his tone almost cordial. "I trust the meeting went well?"

Koharu flinched, and Homura tensed visibly, his face paling further.

Ibiki stepped forward, the barest hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "We'll need to have a little chat. Routine, of course. Nothing serious... unless it is. I'm sure you understand."

Naruto skipped down the street, singing loudly and shamelessly. The tune made no sense, but it didn't matter—it was his song, and the world could deal with it. Today had been good. Math had hurt his head, sure, but less than crocodiles did. That was a solid win. He leapt over a rock in his path, laughing at his own energy as his apartment came into view.

The laughter stopped the moment he saw his door.

Naruto's eyes narrowed. The small piece of paper he always wedged between the door and the frame was gone. His chest tightened. Someone had been inside. Again. His fists clenched as frustration bubbled up. Villagers? Probably. Most did not care about him. But some of them? They hated him, and he didn't know why.

His throat tightened, but he shoved the feeling down. Ninjas don't cry. I'm a ninja. I don't cry.

With a burst of bravado, he kicked the door open so hard it banged against the wall. "WHOEVER'S IN HERE, YOU'RE DEAD MEAT!"

"Interesting technique for an ambush, Naruto, very discrete" came a calm voice from inside.

Naruto froze mid-kick, one leg awkwardly raised as his brain processed what he was seeing. There, sitting casually at his tiny table, was the old man Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi himself. The man looked completely at ease, as if he belonged there.

"Old man?" Naruto croaked, lowering his leg.

Hiruzen smiled, his expression warm and familiar. "I thought I'd drop by," he said, gesturing to the table in front of him. "I brought dinner."

Naruto's eyes darted to the table and locked on the bag from Ichiraku Ramen. His earlier fury and dread melted away in an instant. "Ramen?" His voice cracked with sheer joy.

Hiruzen chuckled softly, but before he could say another word, Naruto barreled toward him. "THANKS, OLD MAN!" The words were half-shout, half-laugh as Naruto flung himself at the Hokage, wrapping his arms tightly around him.

The smell of ramen filled the air, but it wasn't just the food. For Naruto, in that moment, everything felt lighter. He clung to the Hokage like a lifeline, his grin stretching wide. "You're the best, old man!" he said, his voice muffled. And for a while, the small apartment didn't feel so empty.

After a few seconds, Naruto dove into the ramen with the intensity of a hurricane, noodles disappearing faster than Hiruzen could blink. Between slurps and gulps, the boy's words came out in an unrelenting torrent, his stories of the last weeks blending together in a whirlwind of half-finished thoughts and exaggerated gestures.

"Okay, Old Man—sluuurp—you're not gonna believe this! So, Gai-sensei—right? RIGHT?—he shows up, like, outta nowhere—WHAM! Throws a log! A LOG! At Sasuke! Right in the—gulp—FACE!" Naruto slapped the table, nearly toppling the empty bowls. "And Sasuke, he's like—pfft—'Hn,' but you could tell, totally embarrassed. So funny! Then Gai starts yelling about YOUTH or something—who even knows with that guy?"

Hiruzen opened his mouth to respond, but Naruto powered on, his voice climbing in volume.

"AND THEN—this part's CRAZY—there were CROCODILES. Actual, real—sluuurp—teeth-snapping, man-eating crocodiles, just—BAM! Outta the ground! Kakashi-sensei? Doesn't. Even. Look. He's all, 'Adapt, Naruto,' while I'm out there trying not to DIE!"

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow, but Naruto was already onto the next topic, waving his chopsticks like weapons.

"Oh, oh, OH! And Sasuke—" He paused dramatically, leaning forward. "Guess what? He didn't call me an idiot yesterday! NOT ONCE. You know what that means, right? Respect. Absolute respect. He's scared now. I mean, he has to be after—slurp—after I dodged Kakashi's water dragon jutsu! Okay, maybe it kinda grazed me, but I didn't FALL! That counts! It counts, right?"

Hiruzen opened his mouth to answer, but Naruto plowed ahead, his words tangling into a frenzied blur.

"And Sakura? She only hit me once this week! ONCE! That's progress, right? I mean, she still yelled when I told her and Shikamaru they'd make a great married couple—" He paused to burst into laughter. "But only a little bit! She totally likes me now."

He slurped more ramen, not bothering to chew, before launching into another story. "AND THEN I tried this new clone thing? It was BRILLIANT. Okay, so there were exploding tags—don't worry, it was safe-ish—and I was gonna prank Kakashi-sensei, but then—BOOM—Shikamaru got all mad! Like, 'Naruto, I was napping,' and I was like, 'Dude, get over it!'" He laughed so hard he snorted, banging the table for emphasis.

Hiruzen watched with a mix of amusement and disbelief as Naruto inhaled the last noodle from his twelfth bowl, leaning back with a satisfied sigh.

"Best. Ramen. EVER!" Naruto declared, before letting out a burp so loud it rattled the walls.

The Hokage pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. "Naruto…"

Naruto erupted into laughter, clutching his sides, his voice bouncing off the walls of the cramped apartment. "What? I'm just celebrating, Old Man!"

The Hokage's eyes drifted around the room, his expression softening but his gaze sharp. The apartment was a disaster. The walls bore faded stains, the furniture looked like it had been dragged from a trash heap, and the floor seemed to have a permanent layer of grime. "And will you also be cleaning this flat to celebrate?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

Naruto froze mid-laugh, his grin faltering for a second before he scratched the back of his head, eyes darting to the side. "Eh, cleaning's kinda... for losers, right? Ninjas don't have time for that sorta thing! We're too busy training!" His voice was too loud, and his exaggerated enthusiasm gave away the dodge.

Hiruzen didn't press further. Not immediately. Instead, he took another long look at the room, then turned his gaze back to Naruto. "The paper in the door," he said, his tone shifting slightly. "Why was it there?"

Naruto stiffened, his face trying—and failing—to look innocent. "Oh! That? It's ninja training! Yeah, like stealth stuff, you know? Keeping my senses sharp and all that!" He laughed nervously, the sound hollow and unconvincing.

Hiruzen's eyes narrowed slightly, the concern etched into his features deepening. He waited.

Finally, Naruto's shoulders slumped, and he avoided the Hokage's gaze. "Sometimes," he mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper, "people come and... they mess up my stuff. Trash the place. Steal things."

Silence fell between them, thick and heavy. Hiruzen's expression didn't change, but the fire in his eyes burned brighter.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Hiruzen asked, his voice steady but firm.

Naruto shifted uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck. "Because—because I'm a ninja!" he burst out, words tumbling over themselves. "I'm supposed to be grown up and handle stuff on my own! Ninjas don't go running to people every time something happens. That's just... weak, right?" His voice cracked slightly on the last word, and he quickly looked away.

Hiruzen studied him for a moment before letting out a gruff "Hmph." He crossed his arms, his gaze sweeping over the shabby apartment once more. "Whatever. This flat is ugly and dirty. You're moving out."

Naruto's jaw dropped. "What?"

"Now," Hiruzen said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"WHAT?" Naruto's voice shot up an octave, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"Take your belongings, Naruto," Hiruzen said, already standing and motioning toward the scattered items around the room. "We're leaving in ten minutes."

"WHAT?" Naruto shouted again, his hands flailing. "Old Man, wait—hold on! What do you mean, now?"

"Exactly what I said," Hiruzen replied, his expression unyielding. "Pack your things."

Naruto stared at him, stunned, before scrambling to grab his belongings. "You're serious? Like, serious-serious?"

"Nine minutes," Hiruzen said, glancing at an imaginary watch.

Naruto panicked, grabbing clothes, scrolls, and ramen cups in a flurry of chaotic movement. "Old Man, you can't just—where are we even going?"

"Eight Minutes".

"YOU'RE CRAZY!" Naruto shouted, but he didn't stop packing. Despite his protests, a small, unspoken hope flickered behind his chaotic movements. For the first time, it felt like someone was truly looking out for him.

"Fuck," Yamato muttered under his breath, the word barely audible over the crunch of leaves beneath his boots. His expression remained carefully composed, but the tightness in his jaw betrayed the spiraling thoughts in his head. The amphitheater could've used more time. A few extra floors, maybe some unnecessary carvings—anything to delay this mission. Why, how why did he finish it so quickly?

"What's that?" Kakashi's voice drifted over lazily, his visible eye curving in faint amusement. "Did you say something, Yamato?"

Yamato shot him a sidelong glance, his lips thinning. "Nothing."

Gai's booming laugh erupted from his other side, loud enough to shake the trees. "A LONG FACE ON A YOUTH LIKE YOU? IMPOSSIBLE! YOU SHOULD SHINE WITH THE RADIANCE OF SPRINGTIME!"

The sheer volume made Yamato wince. He glanced at Gai, his expression deadpan. "Shining is not the issue here. We're tracking a team that includes Itachi Uchiha and Hoshigaki Kisame. Two S-rank missing-nin. Forgive me if I'm not beaming."

Gai's teeth seemed to sparkle in defiance of Yamato's tone. "EXACTLY! TWO WORTHY FOES! YOUTH THRIVES ON CHALLENGE! OUR BATTLE WILL BE LEGENDARY!"

Yamato muttered something unintelligible and looked straight ahead, doing his best to block out Gai's exuberance. His hand twitched toward the hilt of his weapon as a nervous habit, his unease settling like a stone in his stomach. Tracking a pair of the most dangerous shinobi alive with the objective of killing them wasn't exactly the mission he'd been hoping for this week.

Kakashi's gaze flicked toward his kouhai, his tone as nonchalant as ever. "Relax, Yamato. You'll give yourself wrinkles."

The comment drew a glare from Yamato, but Kakashi didn't elaborate. It's not like he's entirely wrong to be nervous,Kakashi mused silently. If only he knew... Itachi might not even be hostile if the right words are spoken. But the Hokage's instructions had been clear. Need-to-know information wasn't something to throw around lightly, even to soothe Yamato's obvious tension.

Gai, on the other hand, looked positively thrilled. If he had any nerves about the mission, they were buried beneath his palpable excitement. The mention of Kisame had brought a dangerous gleam to his eyes. Kakashi didn't need to ask; Gai's long-standing grudge against the swordsmen of the Mist was practically legend by now.

Pakkun came to an abrupt halt, his ears twitching as he raised his nose to the air. The sudden change in pace snapped Yamato out of his spiraling thoughts. The small pug sniffed deeply, turning his head toward the group with a gravelly voice that broke the silence.

"I've got them," Pakkun said. "Their scent's fresh. Two, maybe three days old."

Yamato's stomach twisted. His hand hovered near the hilt of his blade as his eyes scanned the trees.

Gai grinned wider, his posture shifting into something more aggressive as his excitement practically radiated from him.

"We're close," Kakashi murmured, the calmness in his tone doing little to ease Yamato's unease.

The night was quiet, the silence of the Uchiha compound pressing down like a weight. Sasuke stared at the ceiling, his body still but his mind restless. Sleep was a distant hope, unreachable through the churn of his thoughts. Images of the Hokage—calm, powerful, untouchable—flickered in his memory, the man's words and actions from the day before replaying endlessly.

Unable to bear the stillness, Sasuke swung his legs off the bed and dressed quickly. He grabbed his shuriken pouch and headed to the training grounds. The air was cold against his skin as he moved through the empty compound, the emptiness gnawing at him like it always did.

At the training grounds, he took up his stance and began throwing shuriken with methodical precision. His movements were sharp, his focus intense—until a familiar voice spoke from the shadows.

"Your grip is too rigid again."

Sasuke froze, his eyes snapping toward the voice. "Hokage-sama," he said, turning to bow quickly.

The figure stepped closer, the moonlight revealing the same calm, knowing expression. Sasuke hesitated, his voice quiet. "You came again?"

Hiruzen smiled faintly, as if reading the boy's thoughts. "I'm merely a solid clone. Like yesterday."

Sasuke's eyes widened. A clone? His chest tightened at the realization. Clones typically held only a fraction of their creator's power. The Hokage had humbled him yesterday, and it hadn't even been the real man. The thought made his failure cut deeper.

Before Sasuke could respond, the clone moved, effortlessly demonstrating the move Sasuke had failed to counter before. The sight ignited the frustration in his chest. He roared and attacked, charging forward with every ounce of skill and strength he possessed.

And failed. Again and again.

Each strike missed its mark. Each counter failed to land. The clone dodged, blocked, and dismantled every attempt, not even needing to move an arm of feet, offering corrections between exchanges. By the end, Sasuke was sprawled on the ground, his chest heaving, every muscle trembling with exhaustion.

Thanks for reading! Don't worry, it's not an AbusedByVillagers!Trope for Naruto - all will be a bit more clear in the future.
Chapter 22 Released on P.a.t.r-eo.n

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