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Chapter 1- A secret revealed!Kakashi HatakeKakashi Hatake learned an important life lesson: people could be quite fickle. Fickle. Cruel. And they were capable of changing in seconds. They would worship you, place you on a pedestal, and then, in the next second, curse you and call you names.Just mere weeks ago, the same people now made faces at him as he walked past them on the streets. They sneered and murmured behind his back, cursing. Cursed child. Honorless cur. Pathetic.Kakashi heard them all. Initially, he had been angry and wanted to argue, yet his father had stopped him, apologizing that it was his fault, that they were just angry. Kakashi hated that. Hated seeing them shame his name.They blamed him for the war and for not completing his mission. Even those whose lives he had saved had turned their back on him and joined the populace.He should have let them die. They did not deserve to be saved."How can they show their face around here?""They should have expelled him from the academy?""The nerve!"He heard their murmurs, his enhanced hearing allowing him to hear each of their words, yet he only clenched his fists as he picked up his pace and walked toward his house. He adjusted his mask and walked into the clan district. Not stopping to greet anyone, he made his way to their house at the end of the street.Despite only having two occupants, it was the largest house in the surroundings, though there had been a time when it had housed more than just him and his father. Coincidentally Kakashi frowned as he found the door open, and shouting came from inside the house.He frowned as he approached the door, and the voices became clearer."I told you! I warned you so many times, yet you still chose to save those fucking bastards!" shouted a voice quite similar to his, cracking slightly. It was Ohashi, his half-brother."I know it's been hard on you, and I am sorry for all this, Oha…" his father apologized once more, but the voice from earlier cut him off."I don't give a damn about that! You put your life in danger all to save those curs! And those bastards are using you to hide their incompetence! And you are not even retaliating!" shouted his brother, and Kakashi agreed with that statement.The truth was that Kakashi had seen little of his half-brother, for they were quite a bit apart in age. Ohashi. He knew that his brother had only visited their home a couple of times and lived alone."I am their leader, Ohashi! I am the one who should carry the blame," his father replied."Bullshit! They all should be investigated, and their records should be examined on how they even made it past genin! Even Sarutob-sama wouldn't have been able to manage that mission with such baggage!" came the retort, and as his father was about to reply, Kakashi felt eyes focus on the door, onto him."Who is there!" Kakashi's hair stood up as his father's sharp voice cut through the air. And he gulped before he suddenly opened the door and entered the door, behaving as if he hadn't listened to anything that had been said earlier."It's me, Kakashi," he said as he walked in and found his father standing opposite an early teen shinobi opposite to him. Ohashi was a bit older than twice his age and was already a chunin, evident by his uniform. Both of them shared little besides the coloring of their hair, while his hair resembled their father's in their Ohashi's were flatter.His father smiled at seeing him and greeted him as usual."Welcome back, Kakashi. How was your day at the academy?" his father asked him as usual, and Kakashi just shrugged, not mentioning their teacher's hateful and snide remarks once more."It was ok," he replied before facing his half-brother, who tried to give him a smile as he waved hesitantly."Hi, Kakashi," Kakashi nodded as his father spoke up again."Ahh, Ohashi had come in to deliver some stuff. He will be joining us for lucn…." But before his father could finish, Ohashi cut him off once more."I am afraid I can not join you for lunch. I have to leave for a mission in two hours, and I need to pack up," came the reply, and Kakashi noticed his father stiffen up at that."Oh, I am sorry," his father apologized once more, and his brother just waved away the words and began to walk past him to the door."Don't worry about it. Just don't beat yourself up. Things will get better soon. Don't do anything idiotic. Please!" came the plea, and had Kakashi known his elder brother more, he would have noticed the nervousness in his tone. Yet alas!"Don't worry about me! And be safe!" said his father, and his brother nodded before vanishing into a puff of smoke.Kakashi began to take off his shoes and also spoke up."You do know that he is right. Don't blame yourself like this. Things will sort themselves out soon enough," and he saw his father turn toward him with a frown before a smile came over his face."AHH! So, you do care about your poor old dad! How lucky I am to have such filial children!" gushed his father making Kakashi scrunch up his nose. And his father broke into a small laugh, something Kakashi had not seen the man do for quite some time. So, he decided to keep the retort he had come up with to himself.Kakashi then glanced behind him at the place where his half-brother had stood a minute earlier and decided to ask again."Why doesn't he stay with us?" Kakashi asked his father once more as they moved towards the dining table.His father sighed and replied the same way as he always did to questions regarding him."Ohh! You are too young to know. I will tell you when you are a bit older," he replied as he ruffled his hair, and Kakashi struck away his hand as he looked up."I am not too young. I will be a genin soon enough, giving me the same status as an adult!" he retorted. And saw his father's eyes focus on him before he sighed, and his face saddened a bit."Well, perhaps it is time," he said before he sat down and closed his eyes. Kakashi patiently waited for him; after a bit, his father finally began."Well, years ago, I saw someone else before I met your mother. There were some circumstances, and long story short, Ohashi was born, and she died giving birth to him, and due to some huge lapses, he ended up in the Orphanage."And Kakashi's eyes widened as he heard that. Orphanage!"What! Why? Why didn't you bring him home?" he questioned, and he saw guilt appear on his father's face."It was a huge mess, mostly because of the war. I was continuously running missions those days, and truthfully, only years later would I come to know of my son's existence. But by then, he was already old enough to enter the academy."And Kakashi was shocked by the words. Exactly what was going on with the village? How many shinobi had silver hair like that? How the hell had they missed it?"So, he doesn't stay with us because he blames you for all that?" he tried to guess, and his father just shrugged."I don't know! So, when I heard from him, I met him and tried apologizing. I had just married your mother, and she also met him."And Kakashi was surprised to hear that, and his mind raced. Was it because of his mother? But from what little Kakashi remembered of her, she had always been happy to see his elder brother. Perhaps seeing his perplexed state, his father added."Your mother also tried to have him move to the house, but Ohashi refused. And despite our insistence, he refused to budge. He did not blame us, but he had grown up quite by then. He graduated from the academy at seven, is now a highly acclaimed chunin at ten, and could be promoted again by the end of the year."And Kakashi's head snapped towards his father as he heard that. And he saw a look of guilt though there was some hint of pride on his face as well as he continued."Despite his circumstances, he grew up to be an excellent shinobi."Kakashi began to process everything he had heard, and everything began to fall into place. Those awkward dinners and those awkward smiles all made sense now, as well as his status as the Hatake heir."Is that also why I am the clan heir?" and his father nodded."Ohashi said that it was your birthright, and he didn't want to steal it from you. Though your mother had him registered in the family so he could officially carry the Hatake name."That was good. By the laws, no one could use a clan's name without having registered into it, which meant all children born out of marriage had to be registered by their parents. And that power usually lay with the matriarch of the clan. So, this was why Ohashi carried the name Hatake despite everything else.Though something still bugged him in all this, he looked up at his father and asked away."But what's so complicated about all this?" His father just spluttered at this and laughed once more, perhaps thinking his question was a joke."Haha!" his father laughed.However, if anyone were to ask him, Kakashi thought that it was completely valid. None of it was as complicated as he had expected it all to be. Honestly, he found it more tragic than complicated."Well, I should have expected that," his father began after stifling his laugh and looking quite relieved."No matter. That is the gist of it. Despite his behavior, Ohashi cares a lot about you, so try to get along with him. Maybe you could ask him to spar with you the next time he comes. Perhaps he could give you some tips!" his father said, and Kakashi nodded, considering the suggestion. Maybe he would. Perhaps he would have some tips on dealing with annoying classmates like that, Uchiha."Maybe I will," he replied, and his father smiled once more, relief apparent on his face and a certain glint in his eyes."Well, that's enough of that. Let's eat before the food gets cold!" his father cut off his thoughts as he began to place food into his bowl. Both of them ate in silence and finished their meals, and just as his father had tidied up the table, Kakashi spoke up once more."What was her name?" he asked and saw his father halt at his words momentarily."Sumiko. Her name was Kato Sumiko." came the reply seconds later, and Kakashi frowned as he tried to recall exactly where he had heard that name before, for he was sure he had heard it before.'Kato Sumiko? Kato?'0000Outside of Konoha, a whole platoon stood assembled, waiting to move out to their destination. The platoon commander, Uchiha Fugaku, stared at the men assembled before him and frowned, finding one notable shinobi missing from the line.Just as the clock was about to strike four, a shinobi appeared with a pop right in front of him, his approach remaining unsensed by everyone. There were some murmurs as everyone recognized the silvery hair of the iconic."Ohashi Hatake, reporting for departure to commander Uchiha Fugaku," said the young chunin as he knelt before him.Fugaku nodded and scanned the platoon before him."Fall in! Let's move out!"0000JIRAIYAJiraiya had returned to the village after quite some time. His skill set was essential for the village; hence he had not been able to return to the village at all. Now, though, upon his return, he had been shocked to find the behavior of the people in regard to Sakumo.Of course, he had heard rumors about this, but the reality had been much worse than he had thought. It was all so idiotic. It was like the people had lost their senses. That or someone was orchestrating all this from behind the scenes. But for what reason?As he walked towards Sakumo's house, these thoughts ran through his head, planning to invite the man to one of his relaxing trips.Though he saw that the door to his house was open, he frowned as he walked up to the house, and his eyes widened as he saw the scarlet blood on the ground. And the scene inside would shake him to the core.Hatake Sakumo lay there, unmoving, with a knife plunged into his heart, his body pale and soaked in crimson blood. A number of bottles of alcohol were strewn across the room, and his six-year-old son lay unconscious beside him in the puddle of blood.0000
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Chapter 2HIRUZEN SARUTOBIBeing a Hokage was the dream of every shinobi, yet few understood the weight of the hat. The sacrifices that the position demanded. The burden it carried. He was reminded once more of that burden as he stared at his student's disappointed and enraged face."How could you let this happen? How could you!" Jiraiya screamed, his face filled with anger as he stared him straight in the eyes, and Hiruzen could see the damage this had done to his image in his student's eyes. Jiraiya had always been the idealist amongst his students, a trait he shared with the First Hokage, yet this very trait had been the source of the man's ultimate demise."You allowed them to vilify him for saving his comrades! YOU ALLOWED THEM TO MAKE HIM THE VILLAIN! SAKUMO!" Jiriaya screamed, and Hiruzen tried to intervene."It can not be denied that the man broke the rule…." yet Jiraiya was having none of it."FUCK THE RULES! IF THOSE RULES WERE SO FUCKING IMPORTANT, THEN THE SANIN WOULD HAVE DIED THAT DAY IN AMEGAKURE!" Jiraiya screamed, and Hiruzen was reminded once more why his stubborn student often reminded him of the Shodaime."JIRAIYA!" Hiruzen let go of his chakra and felt it fill the room. Yet Jiraiya did not relent as he did not cower as he would have years ago. He continued to glare at him."One word! You could have prevented this with ONE WORD! Yet you chose to do nothing and let everyone vilify him. Gods, if he weren't covering for those incompetent bastards, the mission wouldn't have been a failure. Yet they blamed it all on him to hide their incompetence! BASTARDS!" his student said through gritted teeth cursing the incompetent teammates of Sakumo."Debating over the past is useless. We cannot change what has already happened, Jiraiya," Hiruzen replied to Jiraiya as he reeled in his chakra though Jiraiya's temper did not change. He had always been close to the Hatake clan head, having a unique friendship."You could declassify the mission report and let the whole village know what went wrong! Then those bastards will learn exactly what Sakumo went through," and Jiruzen shook his head."You know I cannot do that. Doing so would lower the morale of our forces. In these trying times, it would cost us greatly in the war," Hiruzen reasoned. He was not happy with those shinobi as well. Yet he couldn't public the report. Though that did not mean they would get away scot-free, neither them nor the one behind all this mess."And Sakumo's loss will not! He could easily rival you in strength. The man's very name made our enemies tremble. The White Fang was a name to fear. Are you saying that to you he was just a regular shinobi?" Jiraiya said through gritted teeth, and Hiruzen shook his head. Standing up, facing the window, and looking over the village."NO! Jiraiya. I did not mean that. But Sakumo is gone, yet the war rages on. We are on the back foot. We cannot have our forces face a second morale collapse. However, I assure you that I will deal with them. I promise," and he would. He definitely would."You better, or I will, and you will not like what I will do to them," Jiraiya said as he turned and walked out of his office, though he did stop at the door, his eyes glaring at a certain corner of the room before he closed it behind him with a bang.Hiruzen brought his pipe to his mouth and took a huge puff, savoring its effect for some moments before he exhaled it out.CRACK!And then he let go! His chakra roared as he finally let his eyes focus on the shadow in the corner."WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, DANZO?" and his old friend walked out of the shadow, his body bandaged, his cane clicking into the ground. And not a shred of remorse on his face."Your student has improved. He seemed to have sensed my presence," Danzo remarked casually."If the next words out of your mouth aren't the answer to my question. I will cut off your tongue!" Hiruzen said, focusing his chakra on his bandaged friend. He saw Danzo gulp before he spoke."I did what was needed. What was necessary. War is won by following orders and respecting the chain of command. Not with compassion and love," Danzo snarled derisively as he continued."With Sakumo's death, all of the force will learn to follow orders to the letter lest they suffer a similar fate! This will make Konoha stronger. Plus, I did not kill the man. It's all his fault if he couldn't even handle such pressure. I would say it's a net positive, for his name was thrown out as the next Hokage. Imagine what would have happened if such a man had gotten the hat!""You don't fool me, Danzo. The rumors, the propaganda. I know exactly what you did, and from the look, Jiraiya gave you, he knows as well," Hiruzen said. Danzo simply snorted."So what? As I said, I did not push the knife into Sakumo's heart. The man did that to himself," and Danzo shrugged. A part of Hiruzen wanted to strike down Danzo right there. Kill him and be done with it.Yet a smaller part of him saw the sacrifice the man was willing to make for his village. The extent he was willing to go for his village. In the end, he decided not to deprive Konoha of such a devout leader out of sheer ideals.So, he reeled in his chakra, his face softening as he sighed."You may be right, but the cost is too great. Too great, old friend," and it was. It truly was. Even with the benefits, Danzo pointed out, losing the white fang, losing Sakumo Hatake was a huge blow for Konoha."Yet it is only temporary. The man left two children. And if the rumors are to be tru….""NO!" Hiruzen immediately cut down that conjecture, gazing at Danzo again."You will stay away from both Hatake children. I forbid you from recruiting them into it. And don't test me on this, Danzo. DON'T!" Hiruzen clarified the threat, and Danzo gave him a nod, backing off."All right, but I am right in saying that his children are prodigies. The elder is on the border holding back Kumo under Fugaku's command. There have been many recommendations to promote him to Toukubetsu jounin. Some even propose a direct promotion to jounin," Danzo finished, and Hiruzen thought about the elder Hatake son. Hiruzen still remembered the whole debacle surrounding his living circumstances. How a child like that had been placed into the orphanage had been a mystery though he had his suspicions."Maybe we could have him return. He could even train his own team a couple of years later," he mused, and that would be good. There was a mark in the boy's file about being a good teacher."Maybe, but the younger one is even more promising. Sakumo has trained him and is extremely skilled for a six-year-old," mentioned his friend, and Hiruzen lamented the fate of the young kid. Perhaps he would have to call back the older one to the village for some time."I will have the boy apprentice under someone before putting him onto a team. He is set to graduate early, right," that would help round out the boy's skill set, and hopefully, the mentor would be able to help guide the young Kakashi."A sound idea. May I suggest Orochimaru? I believe he would be a suitable mentor," and the suggestion didn't fool Hiruzen. Jiraiya would never agree to something like this, not that he thought that Orochimaru was suitable for this.Kakashi needed someone more human than his student. Someone who couldn't just turn the boy into a deadly shinobi but someone who could act as a role model. Sakumo's son deserved that. And thankfully, he had someone quite suitable in his mind. However, he wouldn't mention it to Danzo."I will need to think about it. Now, about Sakumo's team. I want you to take care of them. Throw them to the wolves and leave no loose ends!" he commanded seriously, and Danzo nodded."It will be done. Though, I believe I have heard a received a rather interesting piece of information," muttered Danzo with a smirk, and Hiruzen could feel a headache coming."I believe there are rumors that Princess Tsuande is coming back," and those words took Hiruzen aback. And suddenly, he remembered the middle name of Sakumo's elder child and sighed.It was going to be a big headache.0000UCHIHA FUGAKUUchiha Fugaku watched the young Hatake crouch before closing his eyes, as he placed his hand on the ground. An action reminiscent of the Second Hokage's special long-range sensing technique. Though from what he knew, the boy had yet to master this but was proficient enough to outclass any long-range sensor in his platoon.Minutes passed in silence as the boy remained still before he finally opened his eyes and stood up."There are three platoons surrounding us. It's a pincer attack. We need to act immediately," and the whole platoon became queasy at this. This was an intelligence failure. Their movements had been leaked beforehand. That was the only explanation.Fugaku frowned as he scanned his own platoon and thought about the numbers. There was no time to focus on the intelligence failure now. There was nervousness in the shinobi. Though the environment was favorable to them, with the forests giving them an advantage, they were still outnumbered three to one."Three platoons!""We need to retreat! Perhaps we should move back to the border outpost and then ask for reinforcements!" spoke one of his subordinates, yet Fugaku did not respond as he thought up any other plan.Retreating would not be a good option. They would be letting enemy shinobi into their territory, something which should never be allowed. But facing three platoons being outnumbered three to one wasn't a good option either.Perhaps he would have to use those eyes finally."Permission to speak, commander, Fugaku," spoke out the young Hatake, and Fugaku nodded."Commander, I believe instead of retreating, we should attack one of the platoons," and everyone was stunned by these words, including Fugaku himself."Explain!" he ordered, and the silver-haired chunin rolled out a map on the ground."The three platoons are at our North East, East, and South, respectively. Their movements make me suspect that they have just landed and plan to encounter us as soon as we enter the Land of Hot Water, hence losing our advantage from the terrain."And Fugaku nodded. That was his assessment as well. But that still did not answer his earlier question."Indeed. But you are proposing that we attack them ourselves, heading straight for them. Why?" he questioned once more and could see that the commanders under his command were also intrigued."Indeed. I propose that we send one small unit to distract one of the platoons and attack the other one with the rest of the force. I can give you pin point locations of their commanders and their strongest membered, and we could try and attack them as well. Since they have yet to detect our movements, we would have the element of surprise."And the plan was sound. But the issue was that they weren't facing two. They were facing three platoons."But what about the other one," Fugaku began pointing towards the one at the North that had been left unmarked. That was the one platoon that was further inland than the rest but still near enough that it could overwhelm their forces."After you have defeated one platoon, we simply retreat back into our territory. We can lay the traps right now, and then if the two remaining corps join up and attack, we could take them out with the trees as our cover and already prepared traps. It would be easy."Fugaku nodded and looked towards Nara at his side. Ensui Nara was his second in command and probably one of the smartest shinobi in the whole platoon. The Nara clan jounin seemed t be in deep thought before he shook his head."The plan is solid. But we don't have someone to engage the second platoon while we ambush the first with our main force. Unless?" the man said, looking at the chunin, who nodded."Yes, I would be able to do this. Give me a team of ten shinobi well versed in genjutsu and fire release, and I can distract the second platoon for enough time for you to annihilate the other one."Fugaku looked at the Hatake again, examining him from head to toe. This was a huge risk, and Fugaku was tempted to end this plan. Yet it was also the most viable option they had."Hatake, stay. Rest of you leave us," he ordered, and his commanders vanished with a nod leaving him alone with the silver-haired shinobi.And Fugaku sighed as he looked at the young chunin once more."I know you are skilled, Ohashi, but this could go wrong at any second. Holding back a hundred shinobi with merely ten is no easy task," he told the young kid, who nodded slightly."Of course, you are right, but this is the only option," the boy said, pointing at the map, and Fugaku nodded, sighing again."Ok. But I want you to understand this, Ohashi. If things go awry, you retreat instantly. Understood!"And the boy nodded. "Understood, commander."And Fugaku hoped that the boy would listen to his orders, for if anything were to happen to him, Mikoto would kill him. After all, the boy was her student."So, tell me your plan. How do you plan to keep them occupied?" Fugaku questioned, and the boy seemed hesitant before he finally replied."I believe you must be aware of Mikoto sensei's special genjutsu technique," and Fugaku's eyes widened. Of course, he was aware. So, he nodded, already dreading the next words of the young Hatake."Yeah, so I have somewhat replicated it. It's different, of course, but the base idea is the same."And Fugaku nodded, shaking his head at the outrageousness of the kid in front of him."Well, that will be good enough. We need to time this to perfection."0000
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Chapter 3OHASHI HATAKEWar. It had been a rather foreign concept to him long ago. Yet now, he had been involved in one for about half a decade. The very acts that would have made him nauseous, were now the source of his livelihood.Ohashi shook his head as he shelved all those useless thoughts, for his time on the battlefield had taught him one thing. Any small distraction at any time could be your downfall. Though despite his efforts, he couldn't stop thinking about his father. Ohashi had not gotten to know the man intimately. The misunderstanding and his subsequent marriage with Fumiko-san made it queasy for him to return. Plus, as a genin, he enjoyed the feeling of being an adult, and Sakumo had been very generous to him with money and other resources, so he did kind of like the man.Yet the man was a mess at this time, and while Ohashi would have loved to be in the village to keep an eye on the man, he could not. Now, he could only pray that the man would be wise enough to listen to his words and not take any rash action.He raised his hand as he landed softly on the ground. His team landed similarly behind him, and he closed his eyes as he put his hand on the ground. The sensing technique of the Nidaime Hokage was something he had asked Lady Tsunade about, and she had indulged him, and after five years, he had brought it up to an acceptable level."Ok, they haven't sensed us," he began speaking in a muffled tone as he brought out his map. The ten shinobi that he had been given were all a bit tense, probably at being commanded by someone who wasn't even a teen yet. Though they kept their mouth shut, for Commander Fugaku's orders had been quite clear.Though, he suspected his own reputation also played a part in that. For he wasn't exactly an unknown entity."All right, I will need you all to run the perimeter along the North- East and don't. Your objective is to stop any kind of communication between this platoon and the one further inland," all ten of them nodded, and Ohashi realized that he did not know the name of even one of them. However, he couldn't care about that. And one of them raised his hand in question, and he nodded, prompting him to speak."So, you plan to engage the whole platoon yourself!" asked the Uchiha jounin, and Ohashi recognized him as one of Fugaku's aides."Technically, no. I will simply try to contain them for some time so Fugaku-san can ambush them. Right now, they would have already begun their attack. So, I must engage this platoon, distracting them so they can both not provide backup and become vulnerable to an attack," he explained and he could see that they were feeling a bit queasy.In the end, he did not mind. He would have to let his skill talk.So, he closed his eyes as he began to cycle through a series of hand seals. He felt his team vanish from behind as they probably went to take their positions. And soon, he felt a substantial drain on his chakra reserves, and he began to exhale.The Nidaime Hokage was said to have such a mastery over Suiton that he could use massive Suiton techniques even in the desert. Sadly, Ohashi wasn't at that level. Yet. But what came out of his mouth was Mist. Clouds and clouds of thick mist began to spread across the area.A trick that he had realized early on was that water generated by using his chakra was much more versatile. It behaved as an extension of your body. It was extremely draining, and if not for his massive reserves, using it like this wouldn't even be an option. But it was! And it was all that mattered.And just as the whole area had mist covering it, he stopped. And the drain on his reserves stopped. He closed his eyes, and felt his presence fade into the very air. Ohashi then stepped into this mist, and his senses were enhanced. He felt connected to each and every drop of moisture. He felt like the master of an orchestra.A rather bloody orchestra."NINPO: SHIMMERING MIST!"And he vanished. The mist had already taken their opponent by surprise, and their various efforts to get rid of it had failed, for they had failed to notice how chakra had been manipulated to tie it down to the very ground.And soon enough, chaos descended on the Kumogakure army."AGHHHH!""AGHHHH!"There were screams. There were shouts."He is right behind you!""What are you doing attacking me!""I hit him! Yet my attack simply passed through!""That hair! Is it the White Fang!""It's more than one shinobi! It's an ambush!"And right in the middle of that chaos was a single shinobi. A single silvery shimmer.This would be the first showing.Konoha's Shimmering Mist.0000OROCHIMARUOrochimaru wasn't fond of war. War was messy and time taking. Time that could be spent on much more useful ventures. Yet it was also an opportunity. War brought with itself a plethora of opportunities for growth, rare specimen, and little foresight.He walked through the tunnels under Konoha to meet his sensei's paranoid friend. People thought of him and Shimura as allies, yet they couldn't have been more wrong. Orochimaru was sure they would both take the first chance they could to gut the other one. They were not friends, just two people with similar moralities.He stopped at the large intersection. Shimura stood there facing the giant sealing stone placed in the center. Orochimaru had not missed how Shimura's mindless dolls seemed to be getting ready for deployment."Sakumo Hatake died yesterday. The man took his own life," began Shimura, and Orochimaru scoffed. He had heard about that as well. Jiraiya had been shocked by the man's demise, filled with rage and pain. He had left the village shortly after the funeral."And that calls for a meeting?" Orochimaru asked, and Konoha's Warhawk turned to face him."Kumo has gotten its hands on this intel." Orochimaru scoffed at that, as he saw right through that. The man had leaked the information himself.Yet for what."They have pushed up their plans to attack the northern front. Uchiha Fugaku is in command over that border," finished the bandaged paranoid man, and Orochimaru shook his head at the level of man's treachery and ruthlessness."The man will have to make a request for reinforcements. I plan to propose your name for leading this," and his eyes narrowed as he looked at Danzo."You do know I do not like being disturbed! So, why would I take on such a demanding mission!" he spoke up. Shimura simply tapped his cane, and two body bags appeared before him."This should be payment enough! Though I believe you would be interested in knowing that Princess Tsuande is set to return to the village any day now."And Orochimaru was surprised by the news. Tsunade was coming back. He was in no mood to see her, for Tsuande Senju was way more preceptive and stubborn than the idiot. Though unlikely, he did not want to have her sticking her nose in his business. After the death of Nawaki, their relationship had never been the same.He glanced at the two body bags with the symbol of a certain clan on them and licked his lips. Yes, this was payment enough. He gave Shimura a small nod. And the man threw him a scroll which he caught."These shinobi will be placed on the reinforcing force as well. Take care of them discreetly!" Orochimaru scanned through the list and recognized the names. These were shinobi that had been on Sakumo's team.Shimura was purging the loose ends though he did not mind."You can deal with them as you wish!" added Shimura, and his lips turned up at the prospect of gaining so much material.Ohh! He was going to have so much fun!0000UCHIHA FUGAKU"I need everyone ready for this. We are already late for the ambush," Fugaku ordered through gritted teeth as they approached the second platoon. The plan had gone awry. Despite having the element of surprise, he had underestimated the resilience of the Kumo forces.He frowned as they rushed through the forest, his mind going through the worst-case scenarios. His eyes blazed red as he scanned the sky above the location of their target, looking for any sign of an emergency flare. Yet there was not even a hint of smoke. That meant either things weren't dire enough or they were beyond dire."Medics! I want you to be ready! Rest of you, get ready for the attack!" he ordered, not pausing to stop for a second. However, his eyes widened as he came to a halt and saw the huge cloud of mist covering their target platoon."Hyuga Hitori! Tell me what's going on," he commanded the Hyuga captain, who jumped to his side and activated his Byakugan. And Fugaku noticed the color fade from Hyuga's face as he spoke up after gulping."It's….. It's a massacre," Fugaku's heart hardened as he heard those words, and he regretted not having given the kid more backup."The kid is slaughtering them. But he won't last a minute at this rate! He is heavily injured, and his chakra reserves are gone!" reported the Hyuga.Fugaku's eyes widened as he heard that, and a small smile appeared on his face as the man pumped chakra into his eyes."Send out the flare! And begin the attack!" he shouted as he rushed into the mist along with his platoon, his Sharingan not missing the scattered corpses."AGHHH!" "Where did these guys come from?""They have gotten reinforcements!"And Fugaku dodged the desperate attacks from the Kumo shinobi, slitting their throats as he continued to rush towards the silvery shimmer he had sighted earlier. Now that he was near him, he could see the injuries on the kid and was concerned to see his body battered with cuts and cruises. His whole body was bathed in blood, much of it his own.Ohashi was still surrounded by three Kumo shinobi who were at least chunin, and he saw the kid struggling to dodge their attacks. Fugaku pushed chakra into his legs and shunshined right in front of the kid, intercepting the attack."What the? Where did yo…." but he did not let the Kumon finish, as their enemies made the fatal mistake of looking an Uchiha in the eye. And then, before they could react, his kunai had slashed through their necks.He glanced back at his wife's ex-student. Ohashi had now fallen to the ground and was heaving."Hitori, take him to medic!" he ordered the Hyuga, who came and carried away the kid. By then, a number of shinobi had now surrounded him. They had taken quite some losses in their first assault, yet that had been expected, so they held a numerical disadvantage going into this.A disadvantage that had been corrected by the kid single-handedly. And Fugaku couldn't let a kid outdo him. So, he pushed chakra into his eyes, and when he opened them again, he was sure the pattern in his Sharingan wasn't the regular one but rather a unique one."Fujin!" he whispered as blood dripped down his eye, and Fugaku felt his senses expand, and the very air around them call came under his command.He saw the eyes of the Kumon nin widen as they tried failed to breathe, and watched as Kumon in all in his surroundings began to collapse, each clutching their throats, struggling to breathe. Yet he stood there as Konoha nin slayed the suffocating Kumo rapidly before moving to take care of the rest. Fugaku closed his eye, cutting off the chakra to them as he wiped away the blood from his face."Take care of it all. We retreat back in three minutes!" he commanded before rushing forward again through the now-clearing mist to join the ongoing battle.By then, the Kumo forces had lost all hope and barely held on. The battle would be concluded in less than two minutes, and they would retreat back into the Konoha territory, a territory that they had riddled with traps.This battle would be Kumo's first major defeat since the start of the war and would allow Konoha to focus a bit more on the threat from Iwa in the Amegakure. Konoha had also sustained significant damages, yet they had not lost any territory and had thwarted Kumo's plans for a quick invasion along the Northern border.But the greatest loss for Konoha wouldn't take place on the battlefield. No, it occurred in the village as they laid the infamous White Fang to rest in his grave. Laid to rest a man whose very name kept Konoha's enemy at bay.0000
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Chapter 4UCHIHA FUGAKUThe forces of Kumo had taken a huge setback from their offensive, and a kind of stalemate had been achieved. Both sides were now waiting for reinforcements, for they might have won the previous battle the war was far from over. His forces had now made camps and filled the whole area with traps, making any offensive from Kumo highly unlikely."What the hell even was that technique? How the hell did he manage to stall a whole platoon singlehandedly?" muttered his second-in-command for probably the hundredth time. Fugaku did not reply to him as he continued to read the missive from the village, feeling pity for the young Hatake. However, Ensui Nara had another question as he suddenly turned towards her."Didn't he learn under Mikoto as a genin? Did she teach him that?" Nara questioned her, and he shook his head."No. He developed it on his own. And I hope I don't need to remind you about how unprofessional it is to question a shinobi about their technique," he warned the Nara, who shut up immediately. Though according to the message, Nara wouldn't have much time to question the kid.He passed the message to Ensui as he looked up at one of the guards at the camp entrance."Bring Ohashi Hatake to me!" he ordered, and one of the guards nodded and walked out of the camp. He watched as Ensui gasped as he read the letter."Sakumo-san is dead! How?" the Nara questioned, yet he had no answer himself. The Nara placed the missive down as he looked at him."I have no idea. The missive doesn't mention anything about that," he replied to Nara's question."Was the kid close to him?" questioned the Nara. He nodded."They were cordial," he replied, and suddenly his guard entered his tent, followed by the boy in question. The boy's injuries hadn't healed completely a week after the confrontation. Even now, his whole body was covered with bandages, and Fugaku was sure some of those injuries would leave permanent scars."You summoned me, Commander Fugaku," the boy greeted him and gave Ensui a nod. Fugaku could tell that the kid was a bit nervous. However, there wasn't any easy way to do this, so he decided to be straight."There is no easy way to say this. But Ohashi Hatake, you have been ordered to return to the village. Your father is dead," and he watched as the words registered to the boy. The kid's face became pale, and Fugaku watched the kid's eyes tear up a bit.Ensui got up to comfort the boy and guided the kid to a seat and left the tent along with his guards. Fugaku was quiet as he let the kid process the news. And a couple of minutes later, the kid finally spoke up."When can I leave?" questioned the kid."As soon as the reinforcements arrive. According to the missive, they are a couple of days away," and then Fugaku glanced at the kid's injuries and asked once more."Shall I send a team with you?" he questioned, and the kid shook his head."There is no need. I will be fine," replied the young silver-haired shinobi, and Fugaku nodded. Then he picked up another piece of paper and passed it to the kid."What is this?" questioned the young Hatake as he opened the paper, his eyes widened as he saw its contents."These are your promotion papers. You have been promoted to a jounin. The youngest since Lord Third himself," he finished with a bit of pride. Miktoto would be happy for him. After all, she adored the kid. The kid seemed taken aback by the news."Two promotions at once!" the kid spoke out, and he nodded."Indeed! Though I must say, you deserve this. I believe that they must have been impressed by your showing in the last mission," and the kid glanced at him at that."Thank you, commander," and Fugaku nodded."You should go rest and make preparations for your journey back. You can leave as soon as the reinforcements are in sight," and the kid nodded and began to walk out of the tent though he did stop at the exit."Commander, may I ask, whom are they sending as reinforcements?" questioned the kid, and Fugaku was surprised a bit at this but still answered him."Orochimaru. They are sending a new platoon under Orochimaru's command," he told the boy, and He noticed the boy's fists clench a bit at that. And with a final nod, Ohashi Hatake left his tent, leaving him alone to plan how to deal with the Kumo forces.0000KAKASHI HATAKEDeath for shinobi was meant to be grand. Fighting enemies, protecting the village, sacrificing yourself for a greater cause. You were meant to be honored as you were laid to rest in your final resting place. People were supposed to cry and wail. Yet there was no such thing for Hatake Sakumo.There was only quiet. And the rising smoke from the incense he had brought, and nothing else as he stood alone in the dripping rain. There was no one else here.Kakashi balled his fists as he stood there all alone. The rain made his hair fall and covered his eyes as he stood rooted."You were a hero. A hero! They worshipped you. Yet here you lie, and none of them even bother to show up," he complained, his voice raspy from his week-long silence. He looked up to stare at the sky, hoping that he was looking at him."Why couldn't you just complete the mission? Why did you have to save those ungrateful bastards!" he cursed, and his eyes were wet as drops dripped down from his chin.Suddenly there was the sound of footsteps, and Kakashi's head snapped towards the source, and his eyes widened as he saw his half-brother, clad in a black mourning dress walking towards him. He hurriedly wiped his eyes as he spoke up."They told me you were away on a mission. When did you return?" he questioned as Ohashi came and stood by his side and nodded."I was, and I just returned. My posting was changed, and now I will be in the village for the foreseeable future," replied Ohashi before bringing his hands together and praying. Kakashi joined him, and only the sound of falling rain remained as the only two of people prayed for one of Konoha's most prolific shinobis."How are you managing?" questioned his brother suddenly, and this was now the longest the both of them had talked from what Kakahsi could recall. However, Kakashi understood the underlying question."I am fine. Kimiko-san comes in the morning and cleans and makes the food. She brings the groceries as well. It's working," he replied, and Ohashi nodded, and Kakashi found it refreshing that Ohashi did not push further. Kakashi was getting tired of the fake sympathy.He saw Ohashi glance at the sky as the rain's intensity increased."Let's walk. We can talk on the way," and Kakashi nodded as they began to walk out of the cemetery. Ohashi removed an umbrella and pulled him in, covering him as well."Let me take care of the water. You could get ill if you stay wet in this weather," and he watched as he placed a hand on his clothes, and suddenly Kakashi felt the water coalesce out of them as they become dry in a second or so. He glanced up to see a ball of water in Ohashi's hand, which he had extracted from his clothes."My chakra nature is water. It's a small trick," his half-brother commented lightly as he swatted away the water ball. However, Kakashi knew better. What he had just observed must have taken excellent nature and chakra manipulation mastery.Something not many could boast."So, how's the academy going?" questioned Ohashi, and Kakashi became quiet as he thought of a suitable response."It's ok. I will be graduating by the end of the year," he replied, skipping over all the prejudice and biased behaviors."That's impressive, that is very impressive. I was seven when I graduated. You will be graduating even earlier than me, but there are no team placements during mid-term. Perhaps they will apprentice you under someone for some time," replied Ohashi, sounding impressed."Maybe," Kakashi commented as they rounded the last corner and reached right in front of their home."Oh, we are here," Ohashi said, leaning down and handing him the umbrella."Now, I know we haven't talked much. And you probably don't know much ab….""I know," Kakashi cut him off, and his half-brother seemed a bit surprised. And Kakashi nodded."Father," and Kakashi stopped at that as he recalled the last conversation with the man before continuing."Father told me about you when you came here the last time. So, I know," he finished, and Ohashi nodded slowly."Well, that makes it a bit easier. As I said, I will be in the village for some time and moving into the house down the street. So, if you ever need anything, you can call me, and I will be there," Kakashi nodded as he glanced at the house his half-brother was pointing at.He knew the previous owners and guessed that his half-brother had probably bought or rented the house to keep an eye on him. So, he gave the unmasked Haktake a nod as he finally turned toward his house.Just as he was about to open the door, he stopped and glanced back at the silver-haired shinobi outside as he contemplated voicing the question before finally deciding to say it."Would you be willing to spar with me? In the morning, if you have time?" he asked slowly, expecting an apology, yet the answer came promptly."I will be there. The hospital will clear me by tomorrow, and then we can spar the next day. I will be here at dawn," came the reply as Ohashi gave him a smile."Thank you," Kakashi spoke up, turned to face the door again, and opened it with shaky hands. Suddenly as he glanced at the familiar corridor, he began to hyperventilate as he remembered it being covered in scarlet.Kakashi was rooted to the ground once more as he simply stood there, unable to move. His chest heaving as he hyperventilated. Suddenly he was broken out of his stance by a hand on his shoulder.He snapped back and saw a silhouette of his father smiling at him though it was just Ohashi."Perhaps you would like to help me move. I have some stuff to move, and then I could make you dinner afterward," said his half-brother, and after glancing at the gloomy halls and corridors, he nodded slowly."That's good. I was thinking I might have to call my old classmates," began Ohashi. As he closed the door, they began walking towards his house, with his half-brother carrying the light conversation.And if Kakashi found himself sleeping in one of the rooms of his brother's house, he was just too tired from all the moving.0000Deep into the night, when the commotion in the village had died down, a shadowy figure entered the Konoha's hospital. Yet in the morning nothing from the whole hospital would be missing except a single post mortem report. A report of a recently conducted post mortem of one Sakumo Hatake.Days later another shinobi would try and search for the report yet would fail to find it and hence would have to return empty handed to his master. The masked shinobi kneeled infront of his master as he reported."The report was missing, Lord Danzo. Someone has already taken it away," and Danzo would stiffen at that."Was there any trace to who it was?" and the masked shinobi nodded, as he took out a plastic bag with a single strand of hair. A very uniquely colored strand of hair."I found this in the room," and Danzo recognized the coloring and smiled as his mind raced to understand the implication behind this."It seems we have a small problem."During this whole ordeal, Ohashi Hatake sat in his room, his fingers touching the floor as sweat dripped from his forehead."Ohh, I can assure you Danzo. Your problem is anything but small!"And it didn't matter that the same report that was being talked of, sat there right in front of him.0000
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Chapter 5TSUNADE SENJUDisappointment wasn't a foreign concept to Tsunade. Neither was disgust, yet when she sat on the chair opposite her sensei, she felt disgusted with herself for returning to this cesspool of hurt, treachery, and pain.Her sensei seemed a bit heavy to see her, a sentiment she did not share at all, given the recent reports she had gotten about the village. Reports that made her remember the deaths of Nawaki, Dan, and the rest of her family."I had never thought you could condone such behavior," she began, finally breaking the silence of the Hokage office. The smile on her sensei's face stiffened as she continued."I just think what Grandfather would have done in your question?" she finished as she glanced at the portrait of the Shodaime Hokage on the side wall. She felt her sensei stiffen at her words, for they knew exactly how he would have reacted.The Third Hokage sighed at her words, and she knew that had this been anyone else, such words would have gotten them killed. But there were perks to being Tsunade Senju.Her sensei put down his smoking pipe and began slowly."You blame for things you don't understand, Tsunade. I did nothing….," and she scoffed as she cut him off."And isn't that the issue? You did nothing! You think grandfather would have done nothing! You think Granduncle would have done nothing! You just let the whole village turn Hatake into a villain and pushed him so much that the man killed himself," she finished in a single breath, and it seemed her sensei was surprised by the vehemence in her tone. But her sensei did not relent as he narrowed his eyes, his back straightening as he spoke up in a much stronger voice."The man failed a critical mission, as he prioritized his teammate's lives, jeopardizing the whole village's safety. I was merciful that I did not have him executed as soon as he stepped back into the village," and before she could retort, he continued."And don't talk to me of duty and legacy. You and I both know what would be the fate of anyone who would abandon the village like you!" she saw a glimmer of the professor as his chakra began to radiate off of him in waves. Yet she wasn't the young student as she had been years ago and did not cower off as she let go of her own chakra.Their chakras clashed, and she sensed the ANBU getting agitated by this, yet they correctly chose to stay out of it."You speak of duty! Then what about my clan, my family? Can you tell me how the hell does a whole line from one of the major clans gets picked off one by one? Answer me!" she shouted through gritted teeth. Yet there was no answer.Just as there had been no answer all those years ago. She scoffed,"Tell me, did you even carry out an investigation? Did you even try to look for any…," but she stopped as she heard a knock on the door. Her sensei frowned a bit though immediately reeled in his presence when the door was opened suddenly to reveal the bandaged form of his old friend.She groaned internally as she reeled back her chakra as Danzo Shimura walked into the Hokage office. The frown was wiped away from her sensei's face as he looked at the interrupting party."Why are you here, Danzo? Is there an emergency?" her sensei questioned the bandaged man who was now standing to her side and seemed to be staring at her with his sole eye."Ahh! Princess Tsunade, you arrived earlier than I expected. It is good to see you in the village once more. One would have thought that you would have returned when the war had started," the man criticized her though Tsunade did not deign the man with a reply."Danzo," her sensei interjected once more, probably knowing that her temper was running short, "why did you interrupt us?" questioned her sensei once more, a bit more forcefully. Shimura turned away from her, took out a scroll, and passed it to her sensei."There are reports of movements in Iwa. I believe they could be planning an attack. We need to fortify our border on that side," spoke the bandaged man, and suddenly she felt his eyes land on her once more as her sensei skimmed through the scroll.And Tsunade knew she wasn't liking where this was going."Perhaps you could serve as the commander on that front. Having a Senju as a commander would go a long way to boost the mora…..""NO!" her sensei cut him off before she could retort."Shikaku will be fine as the commander on that side. Tsunade will be serving in the hospital to retrain our medical corps," her sensei ordered, and she had truly had enough. So, with a small nod, she got up and began to walk out of the room."It seems even after all this time, you haven't changed Princess. You refuse to carry on the legacy of your forefathers as you refuse to lead from the front," muttered Danzo derisively, making her stop as she opened the door."You are a disgrace to your famil…."CRACK! BOOOM!There was the sound of an explosion as the piece of the door she had thrown was blocked by her sensei's earth wall. She glared at the bandaged man as he stood there behind her sensei, who seemed livid. A part of her wanted to squash Shimura like the bug he was, yet the look on her sensei's face stopped her."Don't you ever run your mouth about my family again, Shimura!" she warned as she let go of her chakra, making the very ground she stood on crack up. And with that, she finally walked off.Perhaps she would go and finally see that cousin of Shizune's she had been hearing so much about.0000KATO SHIZUNEKato Shizune had learned of her cousin Ohashi about five years ago. She wasn't in the village and was traveling with Tsunade-sama when she received a letter about one of her cousins having a child. Along with the official letter had arrived another letter from her unknown cousin as well, hoping to obtain a writing partner.She had consulted Lady Tsunade and, with her blessing, had decided to take up a correspondence with her distant family member. They had kept up their correspondence over the years, with him asking her for advice and her asking him about the village. This was her first time seeing him, and she felt a bit saddened by their lack of resemblance.Ohashi's features resembled his father more than the Kato side of the family, especially with his silvery ashen hair. However, she did notice they lacked the special Hatake prickliness and were rather tame. She smiled as she finished the family examination, and it wasn't a surprise that they would run into each other in the hospital minutes after her arrival in the village."So, your injuries are healing nicely though I would advise you not to exert yourself for a couple of days to avoid any needless complications. Otherwise, you are clear to carry on with your regular activities," she concluded as she gave him the slip and took the seat opposite to him."Thank you," he replied, taking the discharge slip and looking up at her continued."So, what brings you to the village? Weren't you enjoying the delicacies in the capital the last time you wrote to me?" and she nodded, for indeed, their return had not been planned and had been rather a spontaneous decision from Lady Tsunade."Yeah, but Tsunade-sama seemed a bit concerned over the worsening of the war and decided to return. And I am sorry about what happened to Sakumo-san," she began slowly, and Ohashi nodded as he replied with a small smile."Thank you," came the reply as Ohashi stood up."So, how about you join me for lunch? We could catch up and have a nice chat," proposed her cousin, and she nodded. It would be good to have a nice and candid talk with him face-to-face."Sure, why not," she said as she joined him as they both stepped out of the room. At the outpatient desk, she told the med-nin to inform Tsunade-sama of her leaving. Though suddenly, she heard someone call out Ohashi's name."Ohashi, is that you?" came the whisper, and she looked to find Ohashi looking at a kunoichi. An Uchiha kunoichi with a child by her side. Ohashi seemed a bit surprised to see her, and the smile on his face made it evident who the lady was."Mikoto-sensei, what brought you to the hospital?" questioned Ohashi, a bit abashed, as the Uchiha patriarch scrutinized him like a mother, examining him for any injuries."Nothing, it was just the time for little Itachi's regular check-up. On the other hand, why didn't you visit me? I had thought you still had returned from that mission of yours!" commented the Uchiha matriarch as Shizune finally stepped forward. She noticed the eyes focus on her and saw the realization dawn on her as she gave her a smile."Oho! Is she your gir…" but Ohashi cut her off."Cousin. She is Kato Shizune, my cousin from my mother's side," Ohashi intervened, and the Uchiha matriarch smiled as Shizune greeted her. They exchanged pleasantries, and she found the lady to be as perceptive and intelligent as Ohashi's assessment. Though suddenly, Ohashi intervened from the side"You said you were here for a checkup for little Itachi. Perhaps Shizune can look him over. She has been trained by Lady Tsunade herself," but the Uchiha matriarch waved away his request."Ohh, it's fine. You both should go. The regular healer will do just fin…," but Shizune decided to speak up."No. No. It's no hassle," she said as she kneeled down to the young Uchiha's level and put forward his eye."Hi, I am Shizune. How about you join me in the room," she asked with an encouraging smile on her face. The almost two-year-old child seemed a bit hesitant but shook her hand after a while.The Uchiha matriarch thanked her for her help as they all began to move toward her room. Though, Ohashi suddenly stepped forward and came to her side as he whispered to her in a barely audible tone."Please examine his lungs thoroughly?"And Shizune nodded, remembering his interest in inherited respiratory system diseases. Then her eyes focused again on the quiet two-year-old walking by her side.Well, there was nothing wrong with being extra cautious.0000OHASHI HATAKEOhashi sat on the benches outside the examination room as he thanked for the circumstances of having brought Mikoto-san to the hospital at such an opportune time. It was as if the stars had aligned in his favor for once. Now, hopefully, Shizune-san would be able to find Itachi's illness, and that would prevent the kid from dying early.He sighed as he waited for the other kid that Mikoto-san had brought with herself to show up, his mind going to the times he had first met her. Ohashi had been surprised when he was assigned to a team under the Uchiha matriarch. Their team had lost one of their teammates, and he would be the replacement.Getting a good jounin sensei was a rarity. It would literally be the thing that could make or break your career. And he had been lucky that he had been assigned to Mikoto-sensei. With their modus operandi aligning, she had helped him reach his full potential. Hence, this was his way of repaying her, hoping that Itachi's illness could be discovered and treated earlier.Suddenly he spotted the other little chipmunk that had come with her, as a kid with curly black hair looked around with wide eyes, probably searching for Mikoto-san."Hey, little shrimpy, here," Ohashi spoke from his place, and Shisui's eyes immediately snapped towards him, and he rushed towards her. Stomping his foot as he came to a stop right in front."I am not a shrimp. My name is Shisui, and look, I have even gotten taller since we last met," rattled out the young Uchiha as Ohashi smiled, seeing the little kid getting irritated by his words. Though suddenly, Ohashi ruffled the young kid's hair as he motioned for the kid to sit beside him."Mikoto-sensei is inside with Itachi for his check-up. I was sitting here waiting for you to come back," and the kid nodded as he glanced at the door. Ohashi decided to continue the conversation to pass the time, for it had been quite some time since he had met the kid."So, how old are you now? You should be three now, right," Ohashi asked teasingly, and the young Shisui just huffed."Four. And I will be turning five soon," the kid said before he turned to face him."Mikoto-san tells me she will train me once I am five," and Ohashi raised his brow at that."Oh, did she. Then I will become your senior officially," and the young kid's eyes lit up. And before the kid could reply, someone else decided to interrupt them."Ohh. So, you are the kid that's been bugging Shizune for all this time," came the voice making him look up, and his eyes widened as he found Tsunade Senju staring straight at him, examining him from head to toe with a complicated expression."Who are you? And what do you want with Ohashi-senpai," muttered Shisui with a frown as he stood up in front of me. Tsunade-sama's eyes shifted from him to the little Uchiha.Ohashi immediately stood up and bowed to the Senju princess."It is good to see you, Tsunade-sama," he greeted her and watched Shisui's eyes widen as he finally recognized the person standing before them. But before the kid could speak up, Shizune-san had come out of the room and was already by Lady Tsunade's side."Oh! It is good that you are here! I need you to look at something Tsunade-sama!" she said, her voice serious and grave, and Ohashi thanked the gods in his heart for this. Then she turned to face him."Ohashi-kun, this could take some time. Mikoto-san asked if you could look after Shisui for a bit more?" He nodded as he ruffled the kid's hair again."Tell her that it's fine with me. And about that lunch, we could meet up at dinner instead?" he proposed, and Shizune-san nodded with a stiff smile."Yes, that will be more manageable," and with that, she and Lady Tsunade vanished into her room again, leaving him alone with Shisui again."Is everything okay?" Shisui questioned him, and he nodded."Hopefully, it will be," he replied before he stood up."So, how about I treat you to a sumptuous lunch? It's been quite some time since I have eaten out. Perhaps you could recommend someplace good," the kid was still a bit concerned but nodded and joined him as they left the hospital.0000Just our Ohashi, casually saving a life.
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Chapter 6OHASHI HATAKEHis new house did not have a dojo for sparring, so he was in the ancestral Hatake's home dojo as he sparred with Kakashi. Shziune-san had been unable to meet him yesterday, so they had postponed their meeting to today. And he still had to go and visit Mikoto-sensei.Yet all that would come later, as he focused once more on the silver-haired monster that was attacking him relentlessly. Even at six years old Kakashi's skills were highly polished as Ohashi parried a barrage of attacks. He was sure that he had not been that skilled at six or seven for that matter despite his advantages.Suddenly he grabbed Kakashi's wrist, and it caught him off guard, and he tried to twist his arm using his body weight and aimed a kick at his head, yet he decided to simply let it go as he finally retaliated and began his own attack. Kakashi tried to block them, yet Ohashi was both stronger and more skilled, and with a kick, Kakashi was sent tumbling back."Ok, that will be enough for today," Ohashi spoke, stopping Kakashi as he looked at the clock. They had been at it for over an hour, and the whole floor was covered with sweat from their excursion. Ohashi walked to the side, sat down, and gulped down water."Here!" he said as he passed Kakashi a bottle Kakashi sat down next to him, still huffing from the sparring. Ohashi looked at the six-year-old, who seemed to be in a better place than the day before yesterday. Ohashi looked around the dojo once more and found it impressive, the wooden flooring was robust, and the latest equipment was stored in closets along with weapons for training."So, I must say I wasn't expecting you to be so skilled. I bet you could take on most genin and even take them down despite your age," Ohashi complimented the kid, and Kakashi's only response was a small nod."How about ninjutsu? How far along are you with it?" he questioned Kakashi, and the kid replied after placing down the water bottle."I have mastered academy three, and father had me working on the basics of nature transformation," Kakashi replied, his voice getting a bit low as he mentioned his father. Ohashi nodded at that, highly impressed."Well, I haven't worked on lightning nature myself so I won't be able to help you with that. Perhaps I could teach you Shunshin. With your fast reflexes, it would be a perfect technique for you or some genjutsu would be helpful," Ohashi thought out aloud as he considered his options."I can learn both. There is still time for my graduation, and you could train me in both," Kakashi interjected in a strong voice, and Ohashi was taken aback a bit."We could try, though. You will find out that genjutsu isn't as simple as it is made out to be. But sure, we can begin training in them," he relented. It wasn't like he was busy with much himself. Though he noticed Kakashi nod and glance towards his home from the window."Are you sure you want to stay here? There is plenty of room in my house?" Ohashi asked once more, and Kakashi just shook his head as he clenched his fists."I will be fine. Kimiko-san is already here. She will take care of the chores. I would like to stay here," he concluded, and Ohashi nodded. Well, he would be checking in on him every day for their sparring session, and he knew Kimiko-san, so it would probably be fine."Ok, as you wish. But if you need anything, you can call on me anytime," Ohashi began as he got up from the dojo and began to stretch his muscles. It was almost time for him to go and meet Shizune-san."All right, I will see you tomorrow. Don't forget to stretch and be safe," he finished before he began walking out of the dojo.0000KATO SHIZUNEAfter the whole emergency situation yesterday, she hadn't been able to make time for the lunch with Ohashi, so they had pushed it to the next day, and hence here she sat in Akiniku Q with the silver-haired jounin, something she had only just heard."Why didn't you tell me you had been promoted to jounin! Jounin at thirteen! That must be some kind of record!" she congratulated him, knowing that few in his life would be there to celebrate such news for him. Though Ohashi simply shook his head."Not yet, actually. I still have to be cleared for active duty to get that promotion officially. Moreover, this isn't a record. Lord Third actually holds it for being promoted to a jounin at age eleven or twelve, I think," he replied downplaying his achievements, and she shook her head in disbelief."Gods! You cannot be serious. Do you have any idea what it takes to become a jounin even in wartime. You didn't even mention it to me at all. I haven't even gotten you anything," she said a bit ashamed since Ohashi had always mailed her a gift for her birthday over the years."There is no need, though tell me about Itachi," and her smile stiffened as she thought about the case of the Uchiha youngling. And that brought another question that had been bugging her since yesterday into her mind as she looked ahead once more and asked with a frown."Tell me did you study medical ninjutsu?" Ohashi stopped eating and placed down his chopsticks, and wiped his mouth as he shook his head."Not except the basics. My focus is in other fields," and this was what had been bugging her."So, how did you know? Itachi Uchiha's condition was so subtle that even a normal medical ninja would have missed it yet you were able to catch it. How?" she asked, and she saw him stiffen at her question before he began slowly."You remember when we started corresponding how I made you ask Tsunade-sama about the sensing technique of Nidaime-sama?" her eyes widened as she nodded. Tsunade-sama had been intrigued by the interest in her grand uncle's sensing techniques and had given her a bit of information to share with him.Though she hadn't known he had been able to make progress on it."So, over the years I have been working on it, and while not as proficient as him. I am quite good at sensing and I had sensed something wrong with the chakra tenketsu point in Itachi's chest. I asked a medic to check yet they found nothing wrong so I asked you for confirmation and I was proven right," he finished, and she nodded, still reeling from the shock that he had been able to replicate one of Nidaime's techniques at his age. A technique that even Tsunade-sama had not been able to replicate despite being a direct descendant."How long?" she questioned, and when he frowned, she clarified."What's the longest distance you can sense accurately?" and she saw him hesitate a bit, before he leaned forward and spoke while covering his mouth. And the number shocked her."That much. And why are you whispering like this? Don't they have privacy seals for these booths?" she asked him, and he just narrowed his eyes as he suddenly looked at the tinted windows."These days, you need to be overly cautious," and she frowned as she glanced out of the window.Had he sensed someone?"Well, that is how I knew something was wrong. But you still haven't answered me what is wrong with him?" he questioned her once more. She thought about what she could tell him, for her duties as a physician prevented her from telling him everything without the patients' consent."Well, I obviously can not tell you everything. You can ask Mikoto-san if you want to know it all, but it was good that you caught it early on. At the stage his illness is right now, it can be managed easily, but if it had gotten beyond a certain time, then it could have been disastrous," she told him all she could, and he nodded."That's good," and with that, they began to discuss other mundane topics as the meal went on, and just before it was about to be concluded, he spoke up."For how long are you in the village?" he questioned her, and she put down her chopsticks as she replied."I don't know. Tsunade-sama hasn't told me though we might be here for a couple of months if the situation of the war doesn't improve," and he nodded."And Lady Tsunade will be in the hospital?" and she nodded."Probably. Do you need something from her?" and he shook his head."Nah. I just had a gift for her, for telling me about Nidaime-sama's technique. I thought I could give it to her," and she nodded though she was a little intrigued by what he had gotten her."You can come to the hospital. Though can I ask what it is?" he nodded and replied slowly."I had heard rumors that she liked exotic drinks. So, I got her a box of some special sake from Land of Iron," and alarm bells rang in her head as she heard those words."Rumors! You are telling me there are rumors about Lady Tsunade's drinking problem!" and he nodded, making her sigh. Though knowing Lady Tsunade, she would probably laugh it off and enjoy those rumors."Gods save her reputation! And what were you doing shopping for Sake at your age? Don't tell me you drink at your age Ohashi because you need to put a stop to this!" she immediately began to question her cousin though thankfully, as of right now, she was only associated with one person having a drinking problem.0000MINATO NAMIKAZEMinato Namikaze stood in the Hokage office as the Hokage rifled through a file in front of him. He had been surprised when he was suddenly called into the office. Perhaps he would be re-enlisted though he had just returned a week ago from his deployment near the Earth border. Or he might even be sent to Amegakure to hold the line there."Minato, it is good to see you. Come have a seat," spoke the Third Hokage in a rather jovial tone as Minato took the seat, still unaware of what he was doing here."Is there any specific reason you called for me, Hokage-sama? Am I being deployed?" he decided to ask directly, and the leader of Konoha shook his head."No, not yet. The situation at the Iwa border is turning dire though Shikaku says he will be able to hold the line. I have called you here for a different matter," began Lord Hokage as he passed him a file.Minato opened it and found himself staring at the file of an academy student, Kakashi Hatake. And the file would have been impressive for any graduate, let alone for a six-year-old. The younger Hatake was a prodigy, much like his elder brother, it seems."What do you think of him?" questioned Lord Third, and Minato looked at the man and found his piercing gaze focused on him.Was this a test? So he decided to take his time as he thought of everything apart from the file he knew of and about the kid. And after thinking for a bit finally began."I would say that his skills are impressive for an academy student and enough to grant him the rank of a genin. However, I wouldn't be in favor of having him graduate so early. He has just lost his father in an extremely tragic way and probably suffers from mental trauma due to that," and he saw the Hokage's eyes tighten a bit at that though he continued."So I would have him remain in the academy for some time mayhaps a year or two, before he is allowed to graduate," he finished, and the thought of the death of Sakumo-san made his heart bleed. He had not been in the village when the whole debacle had taken place, and even now, he could hardly believe the man's fate."So, you would disagree with my opinion," and Minato seemed a bit surprised that it had been the Third's opinion on the file yet the facts remained the same. So, he decided to nod his head."I respectfully would, Lord Hokage. Putting him in the field right now would be detrimental to him and whichever team he is paired up with. Kakashi Hatake is too young and needs some nurturing before he is ready for the field," he spoke resolutely. The room became quiet after his rant as Lord Third leaned back into his chair. Minato's eyes lingered on the ceremonial hat lying on the table as he thought of wearing it one day. Lord Third would cut the silence after a while."I agree with you. Moreover, I believe you are the best man for nurturing young Kakashi," and as the implication behind those words registered, Minato was taken by surprise."Me?" he asked once more, and the Third Hokage nodded."Yes, I believe you are the right man for the job. And so, I want you to apprentice young Kakashi for six months after he graduates," and Minato was surprised by the news. This meant that he would soon be getting a team to train. He stared at the file again and saw the picture of the young Hatake before giving the Hokage a nod."It would be an honor to train the son of Sakumo-san. I will work hard to live up to your expectations, lord Hokage," he said, and the Hokage nodded.And he thought how excited Kushina would be with the news. Perhaps he should invite her to supper and share this with her.0000
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Chapter 7OHASHI HATAKEOhashi Hatake sat on the porch as he stared at the starry sky. The silence in the Uchiha district was calming, and distinctive for the rest of the village was rarely this quiet. He sat on the porch as he waited for his sensei to come back, she had gone to tuck in young Itachi and Shisui. Both of whom had fallen asleep after their hour-long excursion with him."Thank you for playing with Itachi and Shisui, they were both excited to see someone they could play along with," Mikoto sensei spoke up as she sat down beside him and he waved away her apology."I don't mind. They were both pretty well-behaved," he replied and she gave him a warm smile as she nodded though he noticed how her eyes were a little strained. And he could guess the reason for her stress."So, what was the issue with Itachi-kun?" he asked and he noticed her eyes drop at that as her smile vanished and was replaced with a forlorn look."Lady Tsunade told me that his lungs are chakra sensitive and that could affect his life as a ninja. It can be managed but I am quite concerned about it and don't know what to do," she told him and he nodded along. He turned to face her, and found her fists clenched in frustration, and decided to assure her."It will be fine, sensei. Itachi's an extremely bright kid and he will not be affected much by this," and he noticed her smile at the praise for her son before he continued."Have you told the rest of the clan or Fugaku-san?" and she shook her head."Not yet. I plan to tell him when he returns, such information is too risky to be written in a letter," and he nodded though he saw her eyes narrow suddenly as she focused on her."Speaking of Fugaku, he wrote to me about your recklessness during the mission Ohashi. How many times must I tell you to not take such risks? He said you were barely breathing when he found you, what were you thinking taking on such a risk?" and she scrunched his nose as the conversation turned towards him. And then his ear was in her hands and getting twisted."What if anything was to happen to you? Did you even think at all before you risked your life like that?" she twisted it a bit more making him shout out in pain."Ouch! Ouch! I am sorry sensei. But there was no other choice!" he begged her and after a minute or so leaving him whimpering in pain, as she shook her head in stark disapproval."Honestly, you haven't changed a bit from your genin days. And they have even promoted you to a jounin now. Though listening to me Ohashi!" she made him look towards him as her tone became serious again."I don't care whether you are a chunin or jounin, you cannot do something like this," and he noticed her voice tremble a bit as she continued."I cannot have you die as well. So, please. Promise me you won't do something so reckless again!" and he nodded along as he thought about his lost teammates. Izuna and Ikumo had both died in the chunin exams in Iwa when their team had gone to participate in them. They had been with Mikoto-sensei for a year longer than him when he had joined the team though he had served as her apprentice as a chunin as well. He nodded at that, knowing he had taken an irrational risk during the last mission. Something which he did not plan to take any time again."I promise, sensei, I won't do something so risky again," and she saw him nod at that as she leaned in and wrapped her arms around him. And Ohashi felt her care and maternalistic warmth wrap around him as he let himself get lost in her warmth for a second."I am so proud of you, Ohashi. And I know if Sakumo-san was here, he would have been equally proud of what you have achieved," she muttered as they separated and she wiped away the tears welling up in her eye. He bit his lip at the mention of his father before he nodded.Sakumo Hatake had been one of her instructors from what he knew. There was not any official file though Ohashi had his suspicions about how much mentorship had happened in a rather infamous masked organization. He looked at the darkening sky and stood up."Well, it was nice seeing you, Mikoto-sensei, but I think I will leave now," though she shook her head as she stood up as well."It was nice seeing you, Ohashi. Please be careful in the field," she advised him one last time as he said the final goodbye and left the Uchiha district. Outside, the village was still bustling with activity. He stopped to look at one of the stalls selling musical instruments, his eyes lingering on a harp placed on display before he continued walking with a shake of his head.Not missing the shadowy silhouette following him throughout it all.0000HIRUZEN SARUTOBIHiruzen watched the young shinobi standing in front of him and smiled, for this was the future of the hidden Leaf standing there. Ohashi Hatake was still a teen and, from his file, had recently turned fourteen and was now the third youngest jounin in Konoha history.His mood soured a bit as he thought about the fate of his father, Sakumo. Yet, it was done, and he couldn't change the past—only the future.The kid's white hair was darker than Sakumo's, and his eyes were of a different color together, favoring his mother, a cousin of the famous Dan Kato."Congratulations on your promotion, Jounin Hatake," he told the young shinobi, who gave him a bow."Thank you, Lord Hokage," and Hirzune recalled the first time he had seen the young kid. He had been brought into his office from the academy by a teacher who had caught onto the uncanny resemblance between the kid and his father. A very strange debacle that had been but thankfully it had resolved itself without any major mishap."I must say, I was highly impressed by your efforts on the Northern border. Your commander Uchiha Fugaku mentioned that you were instrumental in the success of the offensive," and the kid perked up at his praise, and Hiruzen motioned for him to take a seat.The kid nodded and sat down on the chair opposite him. He wore a simple dark blue uniform, and instead of the regular jounin jacket wore a black one over it."Commnader Fugaku is very kind. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't even be sitting here," the kid replied and Hiruzen smiled at that."Yes, Fugaku did mention your recklessness as well. But I believe that greatness often lies on the edge of such daring. Though I would caution you to be careful in the future, you have made quite a name for yourself with your last mission," and he picked up the latest edition of the Bingo book from Kumo and passed it to the young man.Ohashi opened the book to the folded page, and Hiruzen saw his eyes widen a bit."The Kirameku kiri- The Shimmering Mist. An apt name considering the special technique you used," he mused, and Hiruzen was quite intrigued about the technique itself. He hadn't seen it for himself yet from what he had. He mused it was a combination of all three of the basic, ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu.Quite impressive for any shinobi, let alone a fourteen-year-old. Hiruzen felt the chakra of the young shinobi sitting in front of him and was reminded of his sensei. Their natural affinity for Suiton gave their chakra a calming edge to it, and yet such affinity wasn't the only thing he shared with his sensei."I must say I was quite surprised with your progress in Nidaime's special sensing technique," he said, breaking the kid out of his trance. The kid closed the bingo book."Thank you for the praise, Lord Hokage but it never would have been possible without the help from Tsunade-sama. She was kind enough to give me some guidance in my early days," and Hiruzen shook his head."I can assure you, you weren't the first person to ask her about it yet none before you have ever succeeded. It is quite an achievement that you were able to replicate it," he praised the kid who nodded again at the praise."How is young Kakashi, I believe you have been helping him train for some time," Hiruzen questioned him and the kid nodded slowly."Yes, I often spar with him. He is still adjusting but it is expected with all that happened," and Hiruzen sighed as he thought about Sakumo's fate."Indeed. What happened to your father was tragic and you have my condolences for your loss.""Thank you for your concern, Lord Hokage," and Hiruzen hadn't missed the slight sharpening of the young Hatake's chakra. But this was enough small talk, it was time to get to the real reason he had called the young jounin into his office."I believe we must now speak of the issue at hand. Our forces are now engaged with Iwa and Kumo along the two borders. But there are rumors that they have made common cause with Kirigakure. This is troublesome for us as this would could open up a new front," he began in his official voice as the silver-haired Hatake straightened up.Hrizuen pointed at the map, at the southern border along the shoreline."We have a small force guarding the border here, yet they wouldn't be able to hold back a large invading force. So, I am deploying you with a small team to bolster the defenses and hold back any invading force from Kiri," Hiruzen finished and passed the kid the mission scroll."This is an A-rank mission, and you will be serving under Minato Namikaze as his vice commander. The names of the rest of your team are inside," and he noticed the young Hatake perk up at that name. Well, it seems Minato had left a lasting impression on the kid."Will that be all, Hokage-sama," Hiruzen nodded."Yes, you are dismissed, jounin Hatake," and with a nod, the silver-haired shinobi left his office, leaving him alone once more. Hiruzen picked up the file of the young jounin once more and began to skim over it. And it would be an understatement to call it impressive.He had consulted his sensei Mikoto Uchiha about his promotion, and she had supported his decision staunchly. A shame that she had retired now. She had been an invaluable asset and an extremely good teacher. She had also served as an ANBU under Sakumo for a time, and that had been one of the reasons, young Ohashi had been assigned to her."Perhaps, I should assign him a team to train," he thought as she thought of the graduating class. There was still time, and Ohashi would be nearing fifteen when the graduation would come along, and from what he recalled there was someone who would flourish under someone like him."Perhaps, I will consult Danzo over it,"0000Deep underground, a bandaged man stood tall as he read a scroll."Ohashi Hatake. Jounin. Impressive," came a whisper before he closed the scroll and burned it to a crisp."Such a shame that he got away from us," All that effort to obtain a Hatake had been wasted by a single mistake. Danzo Shimura shook his head as he stuck his cane on the ground summoning a ROOT operative."Has there been any communication from Orohciamru?" he questioned. Ohashi Hatake had soured his plans when he had helped Uchiha Fugaku defeat two of the three Kumo platoons. Kumo had doubled down despite their losses and sent reinforcements to the border."Not yet, Lord Danzo," and this news troubled him. With the fighting resumed, Orochimaru should have sent a confirmation about completing his mission. Perhaps, he shouldn't have trusted the man with such an important task.Well, it was good that he had prepared alternatives."Leave me!" he ordered, and the masked operative vanished again. Danzo closed his eyes as he sensed any presence around him, and when he found none, he began to cycle through a series of handseals."NINPO: Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal: ACTIVATE!"Miles away on the northern border of Konoha, a dozen or so shinobi suddenly choked before their bodies exploded, destroying friend and foe around them indiscriminately.
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Chapter 8TSUNADE SENJUIn the hospital of Konoha, Tsunade Senju sat in her office as she took a break after working for more than a day straight. She had felt exhaustion creeping in, yet she couldn't stop. There was so much work to be done. The hospitals had been ravaged by mismanagement, and the med nins lacked proper training. The hospitals had lost their standard since the last time she had been here.Her office was filled with mess, as reports of various cases lay strewn across the room, and she knew she would need to clean up soon. Or she could just wait for Shizune to show up. Yeah, that plan was much better.Just like the wine she was drinking, she once more looked over the shinobi sitting in front of her. Ohashi Hatake, son of the White Fang and a Kato Sumiko. Kato, and hadn't that name been a surprise to her? A cousin of Dan's whom she had never met, she had been surprised when she had first heard of his existence.The kid belonged to two prominent bloodlines yet had been raised in an orphanage. He had refused any help from his father Sakumo, an idiotic move in her opinion. The kid should have sought every advantage, for that was what kept Shinobi alive, and that was all that mattered.However, he had written to Shizune about his reason, and she found it honorable, if not naïve. And so when he had asked for some instructions about her Grand Uncle's techniques, she had decided to tell him the basics.And then he went on to do the impossible. He went on and reengineered it. A feat that even she hadn't been able to achieve. They had maintained communication ever since and she would often send him some training tips, and the kid had continued to shatter her expectations.And coincidentally, the kid even looked like her Grand Uncle. His hair was a shade darker, yet she noticed both had similar facial structures. She picked up the bottle and brought it to her mouth as she took another gulp of the special wine from Land of Honey, a delicacy that must have cost him quite a pretty penny."AHHH!" she brought it down and placed the bottle back on the table, using her chakra to wipe away the excess alcohol in her system. She was in no mood to get wasted."You didn't have to bring this kid. From what I have heard, you would have been able to succeed even without my help," she said as she looked over him and felt a pang of regret as she saw him in that special jounin vest.Nawaki would have been a jounin by now.The kid was abashed by her praise and replied awkwardly."I don't know about what kind of rumors are going on about me, and I am flattered that you think so highly of me, but your help was instrumental in the breakthrough I achieved. So, consider it a token of my appreciation," he said with a smile, and Tsunade was surprised for a bit as she saw the resemblance the kid shared with his father."Ahh, well, it's just the standard kind of rumors. Youngest jounin, upcoming prodigy," and she took another gulp of the bottle before she looked the kid straight in the eye as she added with a huge smile on her face."And I also remember hearing about a fiery forbidden romance with a very fiery Kiri nin," and the kid spluttered at that as his eyes widened, and he spoke out scandalized."Where the hell did you hear about that?" he asked her, and she laughed, for the small flush on his face told her everything she needed to know about that. Many would have asked her to discourage the kid, but Tsunade would never stand in the way of young romance. Especially one as speicy as this one."Ahh, it seems it's true. Well, you've got a challenge on your hands kid. You might even have to steal away that girlfrie…." And he cut her off."She isn't my girlfriend! Gods, I am going to kill whoever spread that around!" he said through gritted teeth and Tsunade shrugged as she stifled her laugh. It seemed it was worth reading those letters from her old teammate."Yeah. Yeah, and it's a complete coincidence that you saved her life in the chunin exams and have somehow run into her on every other mission you take," she said with a raised brow, and the kid shook his head.". I didn't save her. We made a strategic alliance in the chunin exams. It happened thrice, and it was a pure coincidence each time. Three! And I have completed over fifty missions now," he argued, and Tsunade smiled as he tried to rebuff her claims. However, seeing the kid, she was reminded of the times when she had been young. Young and unbroken."Well, whatever you say, kid. But I heard that you were deployed on the southern border once more. Perhaps you might even run into her again," she teased him again, and the kid just sat down and huffed. And Tsunade's mood soured as she thought about the kid's deployment. Even though he was a jounin, he was still barely fourteen, and now he had already served on the front lines.She looked down at her hand, and clenched them as she lamented her own powerlessness. Before she suddenly stood up and looked straight at the kid."Well, why don't you tell me if the rumors are true? I wanna see just how strong is the Shimmering Mist of Konoha?" she challenged the kid, who seemed a bit taken aback at first before his eyes hardened and she got her first glimpse of the jounin ninja sitting in front of her."You want to spar with me, Lady Tsunade?" he confirmed in a serious tone, and she nodded as she felt excitement bubbling inside her. How long had it been since she had sparred with someone? She had kept up her training, but sparring was another ball game."Well, then I would be honored. But I am to leave for my mission tomorrow, so when do we do it," he questioned."Why don't we do it right now. I have the keys to a special training ground. We can use that," and he nodded as he got up from his seat as well. And then she began to walk out of the room with him following her."And don't worry, kid. I will heal you up when I beat you to a pulp," she challenged jollily and noticed a smile on his face."I am afraid you will find bashing me to the ground isn't as easy as you think," he replied before they were interrupted by an intruder—an intruder who seemed to be staring at her."Where are you going, Lady Tsunade?" questioned Shizune as her eyes narrowed as she glanced at the bottle in her hand. Tsunade smiled as she looked at her apprentice."I am going to have a spar with your dear cousin, and could you please clear up the mess in my office for me? It's becoming a hassle," and she walked past her student, who was still processing her words. And when she did, all Tsuande heard was a small shriek."WHAT?"0000KATO SHIZUNEShe had decided to follow Tsunade-sama and Ohashi to the training ground in the end, as both of them had been adamant about having that spar regardless of her reservations. Tsunade-sama had a special permit to Hokage's training grounds. And hence here they were, with both Lady Tsuande and Ohashi getting ready for their spar.And they had a special guest. She looked to her side at the excited face of Konoha's greatest prodigy, Minato Namikaze. Unlike her, Namikaze-san seemed excited about the spar, and finding him in the training ground had been a rather welcoming surprise."Thank you for agreeing to referee the match. I don't think I could have done anything if both of them took things too far," she thanked the famed jounin once more. He seemed a bit abashed as he spoke."Ahh! I don't mind it all. There is so much that I could learn from this fight, so I should be thanking you," she smiled as she straightened up and sighed once more as she watched Ohashi and Lady Tsunade doing stretches."I just hope Tsunade-sama holds back appropriately. I wouldn't want Ohashi-kun to go to his mission tomorrow with an injury," she said with a shake of her head when the jounin by her side suddenly interrupted her."Well, I think Ohashi-kun is going to surprise you. And I believe Lady Tsunade will not find it as easy as you think to face him," and her head snapped towards him. Of course, she was aware of Ohashi's prowess, but they were talking about Tsunade Senju here, the Senju princess, the strongest Shinobi of the continent.Yet Minato Namikaze seemed dead serious. She looked over at Ohashi once more, who had his eyes closed in concentration."I know that he is strong, but we are talking about Lady Tsunade here. She will win, right?" she said with a frown, and arguably the fastest shinobi alive answered her."There is a high chance that she will win. But it's not a surety. Ohashi can be a very tricky opponent," he argued, and she frowned as she looked at him again."Why do you say that?" she decided to ask him directly. Shizune herself wasn't focused on the martial side of things, so having his insight would be helpful. Minato-san seemed to think about it for a second before he finally began."Do you know why Lord Third is called the God of Shinobi?" he countered with his own question. She nodded as she answered his question."It's because he has mastered all the known techniques and, with his wealth of experience, can counter any offensive in the most efficient way," she replied before her head snapped towards Ohashi, and she frowned."Yes, that is the gist of it. I would say Ohashi-kun is a crude replication of Lord Third," and she frowned at his words."I do not see it. From what he told me, he is still working on mastering his third nature, and even then, his arsenal of ninjutsu isn't quite as vast as Lord Third," and Minato-san broke out into a chuckle."Yeah, Ohashi-kun is struggling to master fire release right now. But as I said, he isn't a complete copy but rather a crude one. He doesn't have Lord Third's experience or arsenal, but he has an uncanny ability to have counters to whatever you throw at him," and he suddenly reached into his pocket before taking out a kunai. The special kunai for his infamous Hiraishin, a technique the man had mastered."When I first met him about a year ago, I had almost mastered my technique. We talked a bit and then we decided to have a little spar ourselves," he continued to her surprise, and she had never heard about this from Ohasi at all."And what happened?" she questioned, rather excited about the outcome of their spar. Minato-san smiled while looking at the serious combat-ready form of her cousin as he replied."To this day, he is the only shinobi who lasted over thirty minuted while facing me," and her eyes widened as she heard those words. Minato-san stepped forward and looked over at both Lady Tsunade and Ohashi-kun before he raised his hand, and suddenly brought it down."BEGIN!"BOOOOM!And Shizune barely saw her sensei move as Tsunade-sama suddenly vanished into a blur, leaving a huge crater in her wake. She looked towards Ohashi, and she was right in front of him. In the blink of an eye, with a punch headed straight t his head. Her heart nearly gave out when Ohashi did not move to dodge, but before she could say anything, Tsunade-sama's fist hit him.Her body moved on instinct to help him as she noticed a splatter, but before she had taken her second step, she felt herself getting pulled back."What are you doing? Gods! Look at all the bloo…." But she stopped mid-sentence when she got a good look at Ohashi-kun's body. And she found no blood, as his body suddenly dissolved the water itself."Didn't I tell you before? It's not going to be as one-sided as you think?" suddenly, she felt the air around them thicken as mist began to cover the whole training ground.Thick Chakra-laden mist that made it impossible to see through it at all. She looked toward Minato-san as he jumped back."How will you keep track of the spar with all this mist?" she questioned as they landed on the ground. His eyes were closed in deep concentration as he answered her."Don't worry. I placed special seals on them. Even with the mist, I will be able to intervene instantaneously if anything goes wrong," and she nodded, feeling a bit more reassured."I will guide you through what's happening as well," he suddenly added, and she nodded as she leaned in closer as he began to tell her of what was happening inside the thick mist cover.0000
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Chapter 9TSUNADE SENJUTsunade Senju was impressed as she looked around and found herself surrounded by a thick chakra-laden mist that made it impossible to see or sense the location of her attacker accurately. Her initial attack had passed through the kid's body, which dissolved into mist, something which reminded her of times when she had faced the famed Hozuki clan of the Kirigakure."Well, at least now I can see where he gets his moniker from," she muttered as she suddenly ducked and blurred past exactly where her head had been moments ago. She punched the space yet only hit the air. Before suddenly, she felt a cut on her arm that began to bleed lightly.And then the assault began, and she dodged on instinct alone as her body got littered with cuts. Each time her attacks would fail to hit anything and would only hit the air. Then she finally had enough."CHAAAAA!" she pushed chakra into her arm and punched the ground.BOOOM!The whole ground cracked up, and Tsunade jumped up to escape the prison of Mist that she had been entrapped into. And as she had predicted, She felt a shadow appear in the mist right above her, and she smirked at her plan working."Found you," she said as she finally glimpsed the young Hatake. She punched him. However, just like all her previous attacks, it went right through him, and her senses screamed at her when he suddenly placed a hand right on her torso."SUITON: WATER DEVASTATION!"And Tsunade felt herself getting blasted by a jet of water as she was pushed back violently. Her back hit the ground, making her Vince a bit as the ground cracked beneath her. An attack like this would have killed many shinobi, but Tsunade Senju wasn't any regular shinobi.She stood up once more and spit the blood in her mouth, smiling as she felt excited for a spar in a very long time. She looked ahead and found the mist thickening as Ohashi's body began to materialize once more. Gone was the usual cheer on his face, and his eyes seemed sharp, like a wolf eyeing his prey."I must say your technique is quite impressive. No wonder you fought a whole platoon with this," she commended him for his self-made technique. Shizune had told her that he had a small arsenal of techniques and his stubbornness in focusing on his Suiton over trying to master other natures. And the results spoke for themselves. Tsunade was sure that even at this stage, he was one of the best Suiton users on the whole continent."Using sensing, genjutsu, taijutsu, and ninjutsu in such harmony with extreme precision like this is extremely impressive," she complimented him. She still did not fully understand the mechanics of his technique. However, she had gleaned the basics from their short interaction. Technically it was a mix-up of a couple of Kekkei Genkai of Kirigakure."There are very few shinobi who could pull this off, but let me tell you something," she began as she pushed chakra through her coils, harmonizing it with the one in her surroundings. She then closed her eyes as she felt her senses expanding through the mist. She noticed his body stiffen as his chakra rattled as she almost hijacked his technique."Impossible," she heard him whisper as he tried to wrestle away her intrusion; however, she pushed back and glanced to her right, exactly where his real body was. And then she pushed chakra into her feet."FUCK!" he screamed as he shunshined away, but inside this mist, she had complete awareness. So, she kicked the ground hard and turned to her left as she chased after him once more."CHAAA!" she shouted as she pushed chakra into her arm, but he had cycled through a series of handseals before she could hit him."DOTON: GREAT MUD WALL!"And an earthen wall rose up in front of him. However, she didn't stop as she punched through it.CRACK! BOOOM!It was blasted off, but it had given him enough time to establish distance between them. He was panting slightly now, looking at her with thin lips. Then he suddenly raised a tiger seal and pulled his chakra from the mist, allowing it to disperse.The thick mist cleared up, and Tsunade smirked as she saw him grunt as he put away the tanto in his hands. To the side, Shizune and Namikaze stood gazing at them with narrowed eyes. She noticed the look of surprise on Jiraiya's prodigious student.Tsunade had her own bag of tricks, just like Jiraiya."I can see why the other villages fear the Sanin so much now," said Ohashi as he stood up, and despite his words, there was no hint of that fear in his eyes."Well, the number of shinobi who could pull off what I did can be counted on the fingers of one's hand," she replied as she got in her regular stance. The young jounin did the same as they both got ready for round two.And this time, it was he who initiated the fight as he vanished into a blur as he appeared right in front of her. And their taijutsu brawl began. She dodged his barrage of attacks. Suddenly just as she was about to block a punch to her face, her senses screamed at her to move, and her eyes widened as a jet of pressurized water shot out of his hand.SCHING!It blew apart the tree behind her, but it also gave her an opening to retaliate, and she aimed a punch straight at his torso. Surprisingly, he did not move. However, as her hand was inches away from his body, she felt her body getting pulled back. She glanced back and found hands extending out of a puddle behind her pulling her legs.Ohashi did not miss the chance, and a chakra-coated fist was headed straight for her neck. Tsunade was highly impressed. Yet she was the taijutsu master, and this was her domain.So, she pushed her feet inches off the ground before she brought it down instantly with full force.BOOOM!0000MINATO NAMIKAZEMinato had offered to officiate the spar between Lady Tsuande and Ohashi out of sheer curiosity. He trusted both of them not to take things too far, yet he would be an idiot to miss the chance to see a Sanin battle someone like Ohashi Hatake.Minato had been lauded as a prodigy for a number of years, and the truth was that many shinobi in their youth got labeled with that title. Yet few lived to fulfill the promise of their youth. Death took half of them, and the rest failed to match the expectations placed on them. That was the reality of the ninja world. Minato had proven to beat the odds when he had risen above those expectations despite his ordinary pedigree.Ohashi Hatake was the second prodigy after him to show the promise of greatness. And from what he had witnessed, he had fulfilled his promise. Despite the difference in their age and experience, going toe to toe with Lady Tsunade showed him that he had been right about the young Hatake.BOOOM!And had he not been paying rapt attention, he would have missed the trickery employed by Lady Tsuande as the ground cracked and smoke covered the area of their tussle when suddenly Ohashi was blasted away, and Minato winced as the young Hatake hit a tree and grunted in pain before falling to the ground.The dust cleared up to reveal the form of a triumphant Lady Tsunade eyeing the young jounin who was now struggling to get up. However, Minato could tell that the fight had not been as one-sided as one would think, and it was made evident by the cuts and bruises that littered the Sanin's body."What the hell just happened?" spoke the other spectator, Kato Shizune, with a frown, and Minato did not blame her for missing the exact move of Lady Tsunade."She just kicked away the hidden water clone. Her chakra control must really be mind-boggling for her to generate so much power under these circumstances," he explained, and the medical ninjutsu specialist nodded, understanding his point."Lady Tsunade is in the ninety-ninth percentile in the Uzu-Mi-Ko scale, so she practically has perfect control. However, Ohashi's control is pretty impressive as well. I suspect him to be above the ninetieth percentile, at least with the control he must need for that Mist trick of his," Minato agreed, and given his larger growing reserves and his gender, that was quite an accomplishment. He himself had just crossed the ninety-second percentile, and any improvements now would be incremental.Ohashi finally got to his feet as they got ready to continue, and Minato thought about whether he should intervene to stop the spar now, yet the look of excitement on the faces of Lady Tsuande and Ohashi made him hesitant to stop.Ohashi cracked his neck as he adopted a rather loose posture."I haven't used this before, but I believe this is as good a time as any to try this," and Minato frowned as he felt Ohashi's chakra thicken, but he did not seem to be planning on using any ninjutsu. He noticed a frown on Tsuande-sama's face, meaning she had no idea about this technique. He noticed chakra in his body getting concentrated in the brain's left hemisphere, and suddenly he understood what he was doing."Impossible," he muttered, and Shizune-san caught his whisper."What is he doing?" she asked, and he didn't take his eyes off Ohashi as he replied to her."I am not sure, but I think he is opening the eight inner gates," and her eyes widened at this."WHAT! You have to stop him. It will kill him," and his common sense screamed the same thing yet the chakra buildup was too controlled and deliberate. This meant that Ohashi knew what he was doing.However, he still got ready to intervene."KAIMON: KAI," shouted Ohashi as he opened the first of the inner eight gates and his muscles got flooded with chakra. But he did not stop there."KYUMON:KAI!" and he also opened the second gate. Tsunade-sama seemed taken aback as well. Minato sensed Ohashi's chakra, which was controlled, meaning that he had mastered the technique."Well, now let's get this party started," said Ohashi before he vanished in a blur, and Minato could barely keep up with him as Ohashi appeared right above Lady Tsunade in an instant. A kick aimed straight at her head.Yet she wasn't a Sanin for no reason, as she managed to duck just in time to dodge the attack. However, Ohashi simply blurred away once again, his speed substantially greater than it had been earlier in the fight.The high-paced battle gave him goosebumps, and while he wasn't aware, there was a smile on his face as he witnessed the clash of the titans.0000OHASHI HATAKEHis body aches had vanished, and he was feeling reenergized as he blurred past Tsunade-sama's attacks before he appeared behind her and pushed her back, and he knew he had the initiative again. He still had room to push himself further, for he had opened up to the fourth gate, yet he needed to conserve himself for the mission he had tomorrow, so two were enough.Lady Tsunade ducked and tried to kick him in the gut; however, he used her leg as a platform to jump up as he aimed his heel at her head. She was smart enough to jump back as his chakra-laden heel cracked the whole ground.CRACK!Lady Tsunade had also gotten serious now and did not give him time to relax as she plucked out a tree and swung it straight at him, Ohashi decided not to dodge as he rushed forward instead and pushed chakra into his fist."IRON FIST!" and as he grounded his feet, he punched the tree, and broke it into pieces, and just as he was about to rush forward again, Lady Tusande appeared in front of him. She ducked under his punch and, before he could react, aimed a well-timed kick at his torso. He could only bring his arm up to block the major impact but he was still sent blasting off.However, he wasn't done yet, as he took out a scroll out of his pocket and unsealed the gourd of water he had brought.POOF!And then he began to cycle through a number of handseals as the water coiled around him and cushioned his impact with the ground."SUITON: FLUID DEFENSE!" and the water cocooned around him as it protected him, and then he finished another set of handseals."SUITON: WATER BULLE…." But then suddenly, a blonde figure blurred right into the middle of the field, stopping the fight."That will be enough," Minato spoke resolutely, and Ohashi let go of the chakra as the water dropped down. On the opposite side, Tsunade-sama eased up as well before she turned to face him."Consider me impressed, kid. It has been years since someone has managed to push me so hard," and Ohashi nodded as he eased off the chakra flow through his coils, closing off the inner gates. A wave of fatigue hit him immediately, and he faltered when he suddenly felt someone support him."What the hell were you thinking, messing with the inner gates? Do you have a death wish!" Shizune-san berated her as she ran a diagnostic scan as Minato-san and Tsunade-sama joined us. Only after double-checking did she sigh as he could stand up without help."At least you had some idea of what you were doing. But still, you better rest as much as you can before you move out tomorrow," she advised him, and he nodded."Well then this has been a pleasure, I will be expecting you at the gate at 0800 tommorow then," said Minato-san before he gave Tsunade-sama a nod and vanished. Tsunade-sama was looking him over when she suddenly spoke out."Since you have such good chakra control. Have you ever thought of learning iryo-ninjutsu?" and he frowned as he nodded.And then she smiled as she nodded."Take him to his home, Shizune and Ohashi. Before you leave, visit me in the hospital for a moment," Shziune-san nodded, and then they began to walk out of the room with her continuously berating him over his carelessness.Later, in her own room at the hospital, Tsunade Senju stood in front of a mirror as she looked at the various cuts and bruises scattered across her body. However, they weren't anything to be concerned about, but when she put her shirt up, there was a huge laceration there bleeding out. She winced in pain as she brought her mystic palm there to heal it."Either I am way out of shape, or the kids these days are just freaking monsters!"0000
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Chapter 10KAKASHI HATAKEKakashi Hatake finished his wiped the sweat from his forehead as he finished his morning katas. Over the last couple of weeks, his routine had become quite regular, with him sparring with Ohashi in the morning, followed by going to the academy and returning home, doing some cleaning and training before sleeping again. It was a rather monotonous life, yet he had gotten used to it.His brother had also been helping him train, yet that was about to come to a halt. Ohashi had been redeployed and would be leaving for his mission today. It was supposed to be their last spar, yet Ohashi had fought someone else yesterday and had been advised to rest completely. He still came to watch him and corrected his mistakes, yet they did not spar today."Well, you are improving rather quickly," said his half-brother from his side as he simply sat there watching him. Suddenly he threw a notebook at him, which Kakashi caught on instinct. He looked down and found himself looking at a manual, and from how it was worn out, it was a used one."That's my manual, and it has some of my notes from when I was a genin. You might find something interesting in there," said Ohashi. And Kakashi nodded as he opened it and found it filled with jotted notes about basic techniques and training schedules."Thanks," said Kakashi as he sat down as well."So, do you know when you will be returning from your mission," asked Kakashi, and Ohashi shook his head."No, but I don't expect it to be early. There is a chance I might miss your graduation. I apologize in advance for that," and Kakashi shook his head. There was no need for him to be there. Already, he had done more than enough for him with their regular spars and guidance."That's okay," Kakashi replied. Ohashi looked at the time, got up from his place, and stretched out as he spoke out."Well, then, this is it. I will be leaving now. Take care, Kakashi, and don't overexert yourself in your training," advised Ohashi, and Kakashi nodded as Ohashi began to walk out of the dojo, leaving him all alone.0000TSUNADE SENJUTsunade Senju sat in her office, lost in nostalgia, as she stared at the notebook placed in front of her. It had been years since she had gathered the courage to finally take it out. And even now, staring at the familiar handwriting on it made her heart scream in pain.Property of Dan KatoShe sighed as she picked up the book and began to flip through it. Each of those pages reminded her of their past, his dreams, and her failure to save his life. The notebook was filled with notes, ranging from medical ninjutsu to his special Spirit Transformation technique. Shizune had failed to replicate the technique and had given her back the book when she had first given it to her.But perhaps, Ohashi could succeed where Shizune had failed. Though his style differed greatly from Dan's, Ohashi was still young and could probably pick up a thing or two from it.There was a knock on her door, and as she leaned back, the door opened to reveal the form of the person she had just been thinking of as Ohashi Hatake entered her office in his proper mission attire."Good morning Tsunade-sama," he said, and she returned the greeting as she motioned for him to sit. She looked him over, and he was dressed in a modified uniform that was colored black. He had a backpack strapped to his back. There were several storage scrolls tied to his back as well."So, you mentioned that you had looked into iryo ninjutsu before," she got straight to the point, and he nodded."Yes, I have, but it wasn't my priority at the time, and I haven't had the time to get into it again," he replied, and she shook her head in disappointment. On the inside, she cursed Sensei for his nonsensical graduation policy."Well, at least you know the basics. That is good. But I believe that with your chakra control, it could be a massive boost for you," she began, and Ohashi seemed a bit hesitant, not that she blamed him. Iryo ninjutsu was hard. Actually, it was very hard and time-consuming, which was why so few shinobi focused on it."And from the fight yesterday, I believe you could seriously boost your taijutsu with it," she said and saw the gears turning in his head. Opening the eight gates like that was something she had never seen."Nonetheless, this belonged to one of your family members, and I want you to have it. It has his notes on his techniques. I believe they might help you progress further," she said as she slid Kato's journal forward. Ohashi picked it up, and his eyes widened as he read the name before they looked at her, and the glint in his eyes told her that he was aware of her connection with him."Kato Dan," he began slowly as he looked at her."Wasn't he your…." And she nodded."He was," she did not let him finish the words. Even now, years later, the word fiancée made her recall all her painful memories. His face morphed through a plethora of complex emotions before he nodded slowly as he placed the book in his pocket."Thank you for this, Tsuande-sama. I will be sure to look into it," he said, and she nodded as he stood up, getting ready to leave."Be safe out there, kid," she spoke just as he was about to step out of the room, and Ohashi stopped with a final nod."I will try," said Ohashi before he closed the door behind him, leaving her all alone. Tsunade leaned back in her chair as she closed her eyes, thinking about the man whose legacy she had just entrusted Ohashi with."I hope you wish him well, Dan," she whispered as she sat there dusting off old memories in search of a better future.0000MINATO NAMIKAZEMinato watched Ohashi skimming through a book as their squad journeyed toward the southern border. They were equipped with two long-range sensors, and it was now the Hyuga's turn to serve as a sensor as Ohashi rested. He could still see some hints of fatigue in the young Hatake, so he decided to move up as he tried to talk to him."Ohashi," he said as he jumped near him as the squad continued to move. Ohashi closed the book as he turned to look at him."What is it, Minato-san?" questioned Ohashi as they jumped through the forest side by side. Minato looked at the young Hatake and asked with a smile."Are you fine?" he questioned, and the young jounin nodded."I am. You don't have to worry about me," said Ohashi as he put the book in his backpack and continued."So, you will be with us only for a week after we reach our destination?" questioned Ohashi, and Minato nodded. The mission details made it so he would stay with the squad for a week once they reached the southern border."Yes, and then you will be the leader from that point onwards. I have to return to the village after I complete an errand to the Amegakure," and Ohashi nodded before a smirk appeared on his face as he looked towards him and spoke in a hushed tone."To meet your new apprentice," and Minato was surprised that Ohashi knew that. There had been no official announcement about his placement as a sensei. His surprise must have been apparent, as Ohashi added."Kushina-san told my sensei when she came to visit, and Mikoto-sensei shared it with me," and Minato sighed at Kushina's antics. Well, now it was out of the bag."Yes, and I believe you also know who that student is," and Ohashi nodded. He had a proud grin on his face as he spoke of his brother."It's Kakashi, well he is lucky to have you as a sensei," and Minato felt a bit of pride at having the confidence of Ohashi though this also presented a good opportunity to know a bit more about his prospective student."So, how is he?" he began as Ohashi nodded his head indecisively."Well, he seems fine, if not a bit quieter, but that's expected. As for his skillset, let's just say he is his father's son," and Minato nodded as he remembered the kid's file. It was anything but extremely impressive. Though given the pedigree, one could say it was expected."He is already working on his lightning nature chakra training. In the end, he had to pause it since I don't know Raiton yet," said Ohashi in an equally impressed and bamboozled voice, and Minato was also impressed. He hadn't started working with nature transformation until age eight, and Kakashi was six."Well, I could teach him that. I mastered Raiton nature transformation some time ago," and he had, despite it not being his main chakra affinity, learning it had helped him with his Hiraishin a lot."Yeah, that's why I had him pause ration training. I didn't want to cause an accident or something," said Ohashi, and that was mature of the kid. Suddenly Ohashi frowned as he turned to face him."Have you mastered Katon?" questioned the young Hatake, and Minato nodded, already knowing where the conversation was going."Then could you help me with it? Katon is giving me the most trouble," said Ohashi and Minato smiled."With suiton as your natural affinity, that is reasonable, tell how far along are you and I will see what I can do," said Minato and just as Ohashi was about to speak up, they were interrupted by the sound of a crow.CAW! CAW! CAW!Minato looked up, and his eyes narrowed as he saw a crow circling over their squad. The unit came to a halt as they recognized the signal."It's a messenger crow," said the Hyuga, their other sensor, as the crow rushed down towards them, settling on the shoulder of their Hyuga. And Minato noticed a scroll tied to its feet. He jumped near the sensor and began to untie the scroll slowly.CAW. CAW. CAW.And just as he finished, the crow cawed as it took flight once more, leaving him there as he unfurled the scroll. He skimmed over its contents, and his eyes widened with each word he read."It's from the Southern border," and he saw the whole unit perk up at his squad perk up at his words."They are under attack," and the tension in the air was palpable when he said those words. He saw everyone's eyes focus on him as they waited for further instructions."We make haste towards the border. I want everyone ready for combat," he ordered, and the men nodded."Yes, sir," they chorused as they got into formation. Ohashi joined him on the side as the vice commander, his eyes narrowed."What are the enemy numbers?" questioned Ohashi as they began to blur through the woods."It's a small force, they aren't sure, but they suspect it's not more than twenty," and he saw Ohashi frown at his words."Twenty? Shouldn't the border forces be able to deal with such numbers?" said Ohashi as he seemed surprised by the numbers as he should be. The force present at the border should have been able to deal with such a force. Unless they were special, and in this case, they were."Normally, that would be the case. But the force is being led by three members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist," replied Minato, and he saw Ohashi frown at his words as the young jounin vocalized his inner thoughts."Fuck!"0000SHINKO YUHIShinku Yuhi was pushed back once more as he tried to block another attack, yet when he felt a sudden pain in his left leg, he knew he had failed."AGHH!" he grunted in pain as he swung his sword again, yet it was futile as it hit nothing but the thick mist that had spread everywhere. He looked down and found a cut on his leg, though thankfully, it was shallow."Do you even know how to use that thing?" came the crackling voice of his enemy, and Shinko Yuhi could openly admit that compared to the monster he was currently facing, he was indeed mediocre at using a sword.Mangetsu Hozuki was amongst the youngest members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist yet was more skilled than any other kenjutsu user he had ever faced."Everyone remain alert and group together. Sensors in the center and everyone else protect them," he ordered his unit, and the dozen or so chunin huddled into groups though he knew that it was futile.The Silent Mist Killing Art used by the Kirigakure's special squad made it impossible to sense anything.Suddenly his senses screamed at him, and Shinku ducked as a sword passed and cut through exactly where his head had been seconds ago. He jumped back as sweat dripped from his head, as he remained alert."Stop playing with him, Mangetsu. My patience is running thin," came the crackling voice of another shinobi, this one sharper and cut through the air."Don't tell me what to do, Ameyuri," came the retort, and hearing them argue over taking his life like that made him grit his teeth, yet he couldn't do anything rash. All he could do was stall, wait, and pray."Tch, you brats are idiots wasting so much time in your petty games. I will have to take care of it myself," came the voice of the last member of the Kiri special squad that was leading the attack.And for the first time, a silhouette appeared in front of him, a huge sword raised in the air. And Shinku Yuhi immediately put up his sword as Juzo Biwa brought down the famed Kubikiribōchō aiming to cleave him into two.CHING!There was the sound of metal clashing though Shinku's eyes widened as he saw his sword crack, and before he could react, his blade shattered, and he watched as the blade descended straight at him.THUCK!SCHING!Yet the pain he was expecting never came, and the sound of metal clashing again reached his ears. He slowly opened his eyes and found a shadow covering him, and his eyes widened as he saw that mane of characteristic white hair.The White Fang, he thought, yet the shinobi in front of him was shorter than Sakumo Hatake. And Sakumo Hatake's recent demise meant that there was only one shinobi with those hairs in the force.Metal screeched against each other as the young jounin blocked the attack before he finally noticed the special kunai stuck on the floor."Well, it seems you win this round, Ohashi," came the sound as another shinobi blurred in front of him, and relief ran through Shinku's body as he saw those characteristic blonde hair and blue eyes.They were all saved, for Konoha's Yellow Flash was here!0000
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Chapter 11MINATO NAMIKAZEMinato scanned his surroundings and saw the littered bodies of leaf shinobi around him. Behind him, he saw barely over a dozen leaf shinobi huddled together, most of them barely cut and bruised but alive nonetheless.Such savagery, he thought as he looked at the bodies littered around before his eyes finally landed on the one responsible for all this carnage.Ohashi stood there, blocking the attack from Juzo Biwa, one of Kiri's seven ninja swordsmen of the mist, yet the man wasn't alone. And Minato stiffened as two shadowy silhouettes walked out of the mist, each with their signature sword in hand."White Fang?" questioned Biwa Juzo as he pushed down his sword, yet Ohashi did not budge as he ground his feet and held his place."NO! Have you already forgotten the report," cut in one of the shadowy figures, and Minato recognized the considerable sword strapped to his back? It was the Hiramekarei, which meant that the person wielding it could be the infamous Mangetsu Hozuki, the young kenjutsu prodigy from Kiri."He isn't the White Fang. That old geezer died a month ago," and Minato's eyes narrowed. He knew that the news of Sakumo's death would spread, but he was surprised that it was already out there."Huh, then who are you?" said Juzo as he stared at Ohashi with a narrow gaze."He is a fucking imposter, he is. A fucking faker!'" snarled Mangetsu with heat in his voice as he glared at Ohashi, and Minato seemed a bit surprised at being ignored, but it seemed Ohashi and Kiri's rising prodigy had a bit of history."Oh, hello there, Mangetsu. What a shame that you are still alive," japed Ohashi, and it seemed his guess from earlier was right as the young Hozuki's eyes flared in rage.Minato quietly took advantage of the opportunity, reached into his pocket, and threw his special kunai at the Kiri nin. And instantly, he was behind Juzo Biwa, his kunai aimed at his neck."Not so fast, blondie!" came a snarl.But his senses prickled, and he vanished from the spot, appeared on a tree nearby, and watched as a storm of lightning arched right behind Biwa, exactly where he had been.Juzo Biwa and Ohashi disengaged, and the Kiri shinobi landed with his group. Minato decided to join Ohashi as well."It seems our intel was wrong. Konoha decided to find someone to send in the big guns with their newest rising jounin," and Minato's mind raced at those words. This meant only one thing.A breach. No, a massive breach of intelligence. It seems that the Kiri nin were aware of Ohashi's arrival yet weren't aware of his arrival.The wielder of the infamous Kiba Blades, Ameyuri Ringo, stood there and pointed her blades at him."But it's good. I have always wanted to see all this commotion about this yellow flash business," said the lightning mistress with a huge smile."Tell me the details, Shino Yuhi," Minato ordered the injured jounin who stood behind him, and the man nodded shakily."Yes," said the man as he began. " we were doing regular patrol when the visibility suddenly dropped to zero at 0800, and then the whole force ambushed," and the jounin stiffened at that. However, he continued after gritting his teeth."Our opponents were three members of the seven Ninja swordsmen of the mist, and they cut through unit after unit. We tried to regroup and retaliate, yet all our efforts were rebuffed. The only members alive are the dozen or so shinobi behind me," finished the man, and the veteran jounin seemed deeply traumatized by the whole ordeal.And Minato could understand why. The man was in command of the whole force, and most of his men had just been butchered. It was enough to shake any man."Thanks for the report, Jounin Yuhi. The reinforcements are en route and have medics with them. Take your injured men and rendezvous with them. Leave the three of them to us," and before the man could protest, Minato got into his stance as he finished in his hardened tone."That's an order," the man gulped, and Minato noticed how the three kiri nin shifted at the change in his demeanor. The veteran genjutsu master behind him nodded and sheathed his sword."Yes, sir," and with that, the man rushed towards the remaining men of his force and began to convey the orders. He finally looked up and found himself looking straight into Juzo Biwa's eyes."Huh, I don't like that look in your eyes," muttered the man as he crouched down. Minato saw Ohashi getting ready for his stance."I will take Mangestu. Can you handle Ameyuri and Juzo?" questioned the young Hatake, and Minato nodded at the plan. With both of them beings sensors, they could provide support to the other if needed.He saw Juzo Biwa cycle through a characteristic set of handseals and felt the Mist thicken, but they were truly helpless either as Minato and Ohashi began to cycle through the same set of handseals."NINPO: HIDDEN MIST TECHNIQUE!""FUTON: MONSTEROUS GALE!" they shouted as they spewed the equivalent of a tornado from their mouths and watched as a storm began to brew in front of them, a massive storm that began to tear out trees and even cracked the very ground they were standing on.But it was also clearing out the mist that had begun to gather unnaturally, and Minato watched as the three Kiri nin stood there, shocked at the spectacle in front of them, as they cut the uprooted trees headed at them."What the hell is this!" screamed the young Hozuki as he looked at the storm in front of him with sheer horror in his eyes. On the other hand, Ameyuri Ringo had a huge grin on her face as her swords crackled with lightning."OHO! This is going to be so much more fun than cutting through all that fodder," Minato took out his kunai and swung them at the storm, and they were sucked up and began to circle in the storm like everything else. He began to cut off his chakra supply to the jutsu, and just as the storm eased up a bit. Both he and Ohashi vanished from the side.He appeared in front of the young Hozuki, and before the Hiramekarei wielder could react, Minato had kicked him in the gut sending him barreling away. Minato ducked as he avoided the massive swing from Biwa Juzo and vanished once more to appear right below the man, kunai in hand.He saw the wielder of the Kubikiribōchō's eyes widen as Minato tried to plunge the kunai straight into his chest, yet he was interrupted once more. By none other than the lightning mistress, Ameyuri Ringo herself, as she swung her swords, trying to cleave his head off.Minato abandoned the attack, ducked down, and swiped Juzo off his feat before he parried away the Kiba blades and cycled through a set of handseals instantly."FUTON: VACCUM BULLET!"And highly compressed air bullets were shot out his mouth straight at Ameyuri, who could only bring forward her sword to block his attack. But not all of them, and he heard her grunt in pain as one of his bullets passed right through her shoulder."AGHH!" she grunted, but this had given Juzo biwa enough time to attack him again, but by then, Minato had long vanished from his location and appeared a couple of yards away from the two Kiri nin, his eyes sharp and focused and his signature kunai in hand."Are you still excited, Ameyuri Ringo!" he challenged as he saw the Kiba blade wielder glare at him as she cradled her injured arm while lightning arched around her body."I am gonna enjoy tearing you to pieces!" you bastard.0000MANGETSU HOZUKIMangetsu grunted in pain as he was sent crashing back into the forest by the Yellow flash. He somersaulted in the air, landed on a branch, and was about to spring back when suddenly, the major reason for his annoyance appeared right in front of him once again."You faker!" he snarled as he was forced to jump back to avoid the Hatake's attack.Mangetsu Hozuki had met Ohashi Hatake over half a decade ago in the chunin exams in Iwa. Mangetsu was at that time training to become a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, and for that, he needed the rank of chunin.And that fucking faker had stopped him from achieving that."How many times do I have to tell you, Mangetsu? I did not steal from you. Our techniques are different!" Mangetsu gritted his teeth as he took out his sword and pushed chakra to his feet, heading straight at the lier."Shut up, you liar! I am going to tear you to pieces for insulting the Kekkei Genkai of the Hozuki clan," snarled Mangetsu, and his temper flared as he saw the white-haired bastard's lips turn up in a smile at his words.Mangetsu pushed chakra into Hiramekarei, separating it into its two parts as he swung at the bloodline thief."AHHHH!" he screamed, yet the blades simply passed through the kid as Hatake's body dissolved into water, just like the Kekkei Genkai of their clan.And it was only his instincts that forced him to duck when suddenly a tanto passed from where his head had been earlier. He looked up and found Hatake right there, smiling down at him."See, I don't even see a single resemblance between our techniques," the bastard teased her before he began to circle through a set of handseals. Yet Mangetsu hadn't gotten to his place with sheer luck."SUITON: WATER DRAGON BULLET!" screamed Hatake as he spewed a water dragon straight at him.He twisted his body in an inhumane way to an almost one-eighty-degree turn. He felt his backbone twist, but the special nature of the Hozuki clan Kekkei Genkai made it so that it didn't even hurt."SUITON: AQUA MIRROR!" he screamed as a water mirror appeared in front of him, surprising the white-haired bastard. His attack hit the mirror and then was reflected back at him."AGHHH!" Hatake grunted in pain as he hit a tree with massive force and vomited blood before his body began to fall down. Mangetsu raced towards him, aiming to end his miserable life.When suddenly, he felt someone grip his feet. He looked down and found a pair of hands gripping his feet."DOTON: HIDING LIKE A MOLE TECHNIQUE!" Mangetsu grunted as his body was suddenly pushed into the ground, and he felt the ground close up on him, making him immobile.Ohashi jumped out of the ground in front of him, blood dripping from his head and mouth. Mangetsu tried to wiggle out of the ground yet failed.Hatake walked up to him and spoke to him in an uncharacteristically serious tone."You said that you had intel about me coming in as backup," snarled Hatake as he kneeled to his level."Tell me who the leak was," and Magetsu scoffed as he spat at his face."Like I will ever tell you anything, you imposter cunt!" snarled Mangetsu, and he saw Hatake's face harden as his lips tightened as he swung his sword straight at his head.Yet at that moment, Magetsu could wriggle free, so he brought up Hiramekarei to parry away the strike as he jumped back to get a sure footing.Hatake jumped out of the dust and landed on a tree in front of him, huffing like him. Though suddenly, he noticed Hatake's face shift as he glanced back, and Mangetsu frowned at his behavior.Though the reason would soon reveal itself. As, an orange blur suddenly appeared right where Hatake stood and began to attack the white-haired bastard.Mangetsu recognized the shinobi, and his annoyance rose as she saw Terumi interfering in his fight."You could at least say hello before attacking me, Terumi. After all, we were comrades for a time," snarled Hatake as he landed a kick at Terumi, pushing her towards him.Terumi Mei landed by his side, and stood straight as they both stared and got ready to face the white-haired bastard."Why are you here, Terumi?" he questioned. And he saw her look at him with an annoyed face."Are you really asking me that? It was your job to send back a report after every thirty minutes. What the hell were you doing, Mangetsu?" snarled Mei. And Magetsu shrieked at this. Ao was going to be angry at him for his mistake. But it wasn't his fault. He had just gotten lost in the excitement of killing all those tree-huggers!"Shut up! I just forgot about it. Plus, the reports can go to hell. We need to kill that fucking imposter! I will not allow him to insult the Great Hozuki lineage like this," he screamed at her, and Terumi also got ready.As they both got ready, Hatake sighed as he sheathed his tanto and looked straight at Mei."Hello there, it seems fate that we meet again," said Hatake."Shut up, Hatake!" snarled Mei from his side, and he saw the white-haired bastard look at them both before suddenly he felt a huge buildup of chakra from the bastard."I think I might have to get a bit more serious!" said Hatake as Mangetsu felt shivers run down his spine as chakra pulsed from the white-haired bastard in massive waves. Mangetsu's grip tightened on his sword, and suddenly Hatake vanished from his position, and it was only his experience that made him raise Hiramekarei in time to avoid a decapitating strike aimed straight at his heart."Ahh, you were able to block that. Let's see how long you can pull this off," whispered the white-haired bastard before he vanished once more Mangetsu could barely avoid another strike as he skidded to the right, but this time the blade left a cut on his face."Magetsu! JUMP BACK!" screamed Terumi at Mangetsu jumped back as he recognized the set of handseals."YOTON: LAVA FLOOD!" screamed Mei before she flooded the whole area with sizzling hot Lava, and the heat lit the forest around them on fire.Mangetsu saw Hatake land on a tree, and he smirked as he pushed chakra into his legs, his grip around his sword tightening. He vanished into a blur and saw the surprise on Hatake's face as he appeared right in front of his face."Hiramekarei, Release!" and all the chakra he had built up was released as Hiramekarei lit up with chakra. Mangetsu smirked as Hatake failed to jump away as the tree began to fall due to the fire burning through its base, and he swung his sword."This is the end for you, you imposter!"0000
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Chapter 12MEI TERUMIThe heir of the Terumi clan watched as Mangetsu blurred in front of Ohashi. His sword lit up, and waves of pressure came from the massive twin swords."HIRAMEKAREI: RELEASE!" screamed Mangetsu as his grip around her swords tightened, and the massive dual sword began to glow up with chakra. Even at her distance, she could feel chakra rolling off of the sword.She watched as Hatake grew pale and tried to jump off of the branch, yet the tree's roots gave out in the same second. Her eyes widened as Hatake lost his footing, and Mangetsu smirked as he swung the Hiramekarei.And instinctively, she knew the attack would hit. And if it did, it could spell the end of Ohashi Hatake. Yet for some reason, it didn't fill her with the sense of triumph and accomplishment that she had thought it would.She had known Hatake for over half a decade and had waged battle against him over more than twenty times now due to some stroke of luck. Yet the first time she had met him, they hadn't bared their blades at each other. Rather they had fought together.Yet in war, that meant little. Very little, as she hardened her heart and narrowed her eyes at Ohashi. And suddenly, she felt his chakra thrum suddenly, and then his lips moved."…. KAI!" and it was the last word she could hear before suddenly the area in front of her exploded.BOOOOM!She was pushed back, her feet grinding on the ground. Dust covered the whole area as Mangetsu launched his attack, an attack which Hatake had little chance of dodging! Hiramekarei glew as it released a massive blast of chakra aimed straight at Ohashi."AGHHHH!" suddenly a body was thrown out of the dust and Mei's eyes widened as Mangetsu appeared out of the dust, eyes glaring straight ahead. He tried to stand up yet he winced in pain as he coughed up a lot of blood before he dropped to his knee and began to huff."Mangetsu!" Mei was broken out of her trance and jumped towards her fellow Kiri nin who continued to look straight ahead."Monster!" she heard him whisper as he wiped away the blood staining his chin, while his eyes remained focused straight ahead. Right, where Ohashi had been, waves of chakra continued to roll off of the area.And her chakra quivered a bit as someone stepped out of the dust, that someone being Ohashi Hatake. Yet even his appearance had changed, with his skin tinged red as his chakra rippled out, but she didn't miss the blood dripping from his mouth or the way he huffed for breath.Mangetsu got up and picked up his sword once more."I don't know what technique he is using, but I can tell it's taking a toll on him. Back me up, Terumi. I am not letting him get away this time," ordered Mangetsu, and she nodded as she pushed her own chakra through her coils."Boil Release: Decaying Mist!" she said as she decided to turn to her other Kekkei Genkai, and then Mangetsu jumped away. She bathed the whole area in front in acidic boiling mist.Hatake caught on and jumped back, though Mangetsu was already there waiting for him, with his blade in hand. She watched as Hatake and Mangetsu engaged in a short exchange, and she aimed her jutsu toward them.Mangetsu's body suddenly dissolved into water and began to form a cacoon around the silver-haired shinobi."Got you!" said Mangetsu as he appeared right behind his clone, his hands finishing a set of head seals."Suiton: Water Prison Jutsu!" spoke Mangetsu from behind, as the water nearly wrapped itself around Hatake. But before the jutsu was completed, she felt the same pressure she had felt earlier. As the red shroud around Ohashi thickened, and she finally heard him whisper."Shomon: KAI!" he screamed before the water prison was blasted away, and he jumped away into a blur. But this time, she had closely sensed the shift in his chakra and noticed something rather unique."Mangetsu! Whatever technique he uses is disturbing the flow of his chakra through his body. He probably cannot use ninjutsu in his current form!" she shouted at her comrade who struck Hiramekarei into the ground to stop himself before he sprang right back towards HatakeShe cycled through another set of seals."Katon: Phoenix Flame Jutsu!" and the fiery projections rushed at Hatake, aimed straight at him. Mangetsu caught up to him due to her intervention and just as he was about to engage him. They were interrupted by a sharp whistle.A sound that was a signal for her.Mangetsu continued to chase after Ohashi who was limping now, probably from a fracture. Mei expanded her senses to feel his chakra when she suddenly felt a massive build up of chakra from right behind her. She glanced back and saw a massive sky high tidal wave appear right behind her and she knew that this was it."MANGETSU! WE NEED TO GET AWAY!" she screamed and Mangetsu glanced back and his eyes widened as well as he saw the massive wave behind them. She saw him curse, before he nodded, and joined her. They both suppressed their chakra as they jumped away from the path of the suiton jutsu and as she was moving away. Mei couldn't help herself as she glanced back, and saw Ohashi struggling to stand up."Huh, at least, I won't have to deal with this guy ever again. Fucking Imposter!" cursed Mangetsu as he jumped ahead, and for some reason her heart lurched as she saw him struggling there. She didn't understand why it pained her seeing him die. She should be relieved that one of her most troublesome opponents was dying yet her heart still ached.So, she decided to turn her gaze. And close her eye, as she made a prayer for him in her heart.0000MINATO NAMIKAZEMinato Namikaze frowned as he felt Ohashi's chakra ripple in an uncontrolled fashion. Someone else had joined Mangetsu in his fight, and since then Ohahsi had been on the back foot.Suddenly, the clouds rumbled, and Minato instinctively jumped back as a lightning bolt hit the ground, exactly where he had been standing moments ago.But that wasn't all, suddenly the air behind him buzzed as Biwa Juzo appeared there and swung his massive sword straight at him. Minato ducked as he avoided the strike from the executioner's blade and plunged his kunai into the man's chest.Yet there was no blood as the body dissolved into a water clone, and he watched as Ameyuri Ringo stood right behind the clone. Lightning arched around her.She struck her sword into the ground touching the water."Raiton: Waterfall Shock jutsu!" and the lightning arched through the water, aimed straight at him.Though it never touched him as he vanished and saw Ameyuri's eyes widen as he appeared right behind her, the kunai he had thrown earlier was now right behind her and he caught it in his hand and swung it straight at her neck.Ameyuri's eyes widened as she saw him, but the bruised Lightning Mistress finally failed to respond to his attack."Suiton: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu!" screamed Juzo Biwa and a water dragon rushed straight at him. Minato felt her kunai cut through flesh, and just as the water dragon was about to hit her he vanished once more and appear a meter or so away from both the Kiri nin.And he frowned as he saw, that the Lightning Mistress had managed to somehow didge his attack, not unscathed though for she bled heavily out of her neck, as she dropped to her knee and glared daggers at him."What the hell were you thinking, Ameyuri? Letting him get so close!" screamed Juzo Biwa, who was older and more experienced of the two. Though he was in no better condition himself and was littered with cuts and bruises, and stood there grunting in pain as he bled out of his gut."SHUT UP!" screamed Ameyuri at her compatriot. And Minato found their comradeship unique for the both continued to insult and bicker with one another during their whole exchange. Yet their attacks were rather well coordinated, and both covered each other well."It seems all those rumors about you are true, Yellow Flash," said Juzo Biwa and Minato suddenly frowned as he felt the shifts in Ohashi's chakra. He had pushed past the third gate and had just opened the fifth gate. Ohashi had told him that he hadn't mastered the fourth gate and had informed him of the toll using it took on him.Mianto's eyes hardened as he looked beyond the two Kiri nin at the forest where Ohashi was and he knew that he had to help the kid. And for that, he needed to end this right now.Suddenly their fight was interrupted by the sound of the whistle. And he saw the shift in the demeanor of the two Kiri nin. It was meant for them."Well, it seems we are gonna have to cut this short, Yellow Flash," said Juzo Biwa and Minato understood what that meant. Ameyuri to his side continued to glare at him, and despite the massive blood loss she stood there and screamed at him."I am not going to forget this Namikaze, I am going to get you the next time we meet," she screamed and Minato simply exhaled as he closed his eyes and got into his stance once again."I am afraid I cannot let you go," he said before he blurred and appeared right behind Juzo Biwa and swung his kunai at his throat but to his surprise, Ameyuri Ringo had reacted faster than he could imagine and was already behind him. Sword in Hand and he barely moved his head out of the way of her strike yet the word managed to graze his face.And Minato winced as he felt lightning course through his body, making him wince. He vanished once more and appeared right above the two Kiri nin. As he cycled through a number of handseals."Futon: Vaccum Bullets jutsu!" he whispered, as he molded the chakra and laced hi mouth with wind-natured chakra he inhaled slowly before he fired half a dozen shots of the invisible wind-natured technique at the two below.Juzo Biwa did not react and continued to cycle through a complex series of handseals, and the amount of chakra he was fathering felt ominous.Ameyuri stepped up and struck his swords into the ground."Raiton: Lightning Prison jutsu!" Lightning arched and covered them both and formed a cell around them blocking his attack."HOW LONG IT'S GONNA TAKE BIWA!" screamed Ameyuri coughing up a mouthful of blood as she dropped to her knees. And he frowned as he saw Biwa smirk."I am done!" said the wielder of the executioner's blade yet Minato's eyes widened as he saw that Biwa did not turn towards him. No, the man turned his back, and finally, Minato realized exactly whom he was aiming for."Suiton: Bursting Water Collision Waves!" screamed Biwa as he slammed his hands on the ground. Minato's senses rumbled as he saw the massive build-up of chakra, and the whole ground shook as a massive tidal wave appeared and washed over the two Kiri nin heading straight for where Ohashi was.The massive volume of chakra messed with his sensing as the two Kiri shinobi used the distortion to vanish from his senses. Minato could try and give chase or try and rush towards Ohashi, whose chakra signature was still very messed up.He closed his eyes and focused on Ohashi's chakra signature, and his decision was made, he placed his kunai back in his pouch and began to push chakra into his hand.Juzo Biwa's jutsu was massive, and he only had one technique in his arsenal that could stop it. For he couldn't let the whole wave cause devastation across the forest, for it would remove one of Konoha's strategic advantages across the Southern Border.And he noticed how the other two Kiri signatures vanished as well, as the jutsu barreled through the forest, causing absolute devastation and heading straight for Ohashi who remained still.Minato's eyes narrowed as he rotated the chakra in his hand, and felt a faint blue shimmer appear in his hand. Before that shimmer began to take the solid form, of a rampaging blue ball of concentrated and raving chakra.And then Minato Namikaze vanished once more, just as the massive tidal wave was inches from his comrade.0000OHASHI HATAKEOhashi had messed up. He had messed up greatly. His whole body screamed in pain, and his attempt at trying to stand up failed as the shattered bone in his legs made it impossible to put even a little bit of weight on it.He senses Mei and Mangetsu's signature vanishing as the tidal wave continued to rush towards him, ravaging the forest as it made its way towards him. He tried to cycle chakra through his coils to use ninjutsu yet using the fourth gate without mastery had its consequences. His chakra flow was distorted and turbulent making it impossible for him to mold it for ninjutsu."DAMN IT! DAMN IT ALL!" Ohashi screamed as he tried to stand up once again in an attempt to jump away. Yet with his shattered he could only take a couple of steps before he stumbled to the ground once more.He crawled as he huffed and sat against a tree, huffing as he saw the massive suiton justu barreling towards him."HaaaHaaa," he huffed as he pushed chakra into the kunai Minato had given him hoping the man would receive the signal in spite of the massive chakra disturbance.And the jutsu was barely forty meters from him, yet he didn't close his eyes. As he forcefully pushed the chakra through his coils and made himself stick to the tree. Yet his eyes widened as the rea in front of him buzzed, and very familiar shinobi blurred right there.Relief rushed through his body as Minato Namikaze appeared opposite to him, and then Ohashi's eyes widened as he saw the blue orb of chakra spinning in his hand.And Ohashi smirked as Minato swung the massive ball of chakra straight into the incoming tidal wave."RASENGAN!"And then the last thing Ohashi remembers was a massive blast before his consciousness left him.0000Sarutobi sat with his three teammates as they discussed the major happening from both inside and outside the village. Despite their faults and troubles, Sarutobi knew in his heart that he could trust them implicitly for he had fought and bled with all three. He knew that much like him all three held absolute loyalty towards Konoha, despite having different viewpoints and modus operandi than him.They were almost done with the discussion when his mind raced towards the other matter he wished to discuss with them. So, before they could get up. He decided to ask them about it."Ahh, before you go. I wanted to hear your thoughts about a decision of mine," and all three stopped getting up as Koharu spoke up."What is it Sarutobi?" and Sarutobi picked up the file from the table and passed it to her."I am considering allotting a genin team to Ohashi Hatake," and he saw all of them still at his words. Understandable, given the recent demise of Sakumo and the whole stigma that had become associated with the name.Koharu and Homura frowned as Koharu began to rifle through the file. Yet his eyes were focused on his last teammate. Danzo sat there looking at him and was the first one to reply."Hiruzen, I would advise against it."And his eyes narrowed as he sipped his tea before he finally spoke up."And why would that be, Danzo? Every other jounin I have consulted has spoken in favor of the idea. So, tell me, dear friend, why do you oppose this."0000
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Chapter 13DANZO SHIMURADanzo watched as Hiruzen's eyes narrowed, and he knew that he had to be careful. Not for his life. No, he cared little for that but for the village. While many believed Konoha to be built on a foundation of idealism, he was amongst the few who saw that idealism for what it really was.A façade. A lie.A curtain to hide the darkness, sacrifice, and bloodshed that had taken to build this village. Hashirama Senju hadn't built the village. He had just envisioned it. No, the village had been built by Lord Tobirama. While the first laughed and drank with foreign emissaries, it had been Lord Tobirama standing in the shadows, constructing laws, negotiating with the clans, establishing the shinobi ranking, and most important of all, culling the clans that could pose a problem.The Hyuga are too independent, forcing them into a conflict with some Iwa nobility forcing them to seek refuge in his brother's safe heaven. Having Kumo's lightning samurai exiled by their lord, the Hatakes weren't actually ninjas. They had been samurai under the lightning daimyo who had been forced to flee for some reason.Danzo had never been able to tie it all to his sensei, but he didn't have to. He could read into the flow of things and tell that he had to be very careful with the person sitting before him. The village was at war and needed both him and Hiruzen."I mean to say that the kid is young, and the Hatake name has a stigma attached to it. Clans will not want their kids under his tutelage, and giving him civilian fodder would be nothing but hampering him," he explained slowly, and Hiruzen didn't react and simply picked up a folder and passed it to him."You may be right, but this would be an opportunity for the village to show that they still have faith in one of their member clans. And I have chosen the team very carefully, and I can assure you the parents will not complain," Hiruzen replied. And the way those eyes were still narrowed at him, he knew that he had to make a move. And so, he glanced at his other two teammates, and Hiruzen's eyes glinted before he leaned back."Homura, Koharu leave us," Hiruzen said to the other two and they were smart enough to not say anything and got up and left the office leaving him alone with Hiruzen.CLACK. CRACK.Hiruzen'c chakra filled the room, making the table crack. It was suffocating how the chakra spread everywhere, just with the life of a finger. Had it been any other shinobi in here, they would have begun to sweat, would have begun to shiver, yet it mattered little to him. For Hiruzen would never do anything to him, for Hiruzen knew of his importance to the village."I think I told you to stay away from the Hatakes Danzo. Yet it seems to me that you refused to listen to me," said Hiruzen as he placed back his teacup. His suffocating presence still encompassed the whole room."You and I both know I could never ignore something that could jeopardize this village's safety," he replied, and those words did the trick. Hirzuen's eyes glinted, and his chakra sharpened up. And Danzo felt as if his whole body was at the edge of hundred kunai."Explain!" was the order, and so the dance began. The village needed both him and Hiruzen, and it was kind of like a plant. Just like a plant needs its unsightly roots to nurture its beautiful flowers, Konoha needed both him and Hiruzen. And Ohashi Hatake was a threat to that."Ohashi Hatake may be compromised," he replied, and the effect of those words was instant as Hiruzen's eyes widened."His interactions with Kiri's Lava Mistress raise suspicion. And with the recent major intelligence leak I am investigating him," and he knew Hirzuen was angry. The whole mess at the Southern border had shaken the village. It had been a massacre.A disaster. And it all would have been worth it, had Namikaze not been there. Hiruzne had been furious about the leak, and Inoichi Yamanaka had been promoted to replace the old Intelligence head. And the man was cleaning up the department well. He had to dispose of a couple of his me just to avoid getting caught."Ohashi has been an exemplary shinobi. There is no way he would betray the village," Hiruzen said."He is an exemplary shinobi yet his record paints a picture of a man with a foreign entanglement. There isn't anything substantiative yet, but I want to be vigilant. We cannot have a repeat of what happened at the Southern border," Danzo began. Though Hiruzen shook his head."His records are impeccable. There is no evidence to believe that he has betrayed the village," Hiruzen denied him."They may be, but they also show that he has faced that kunoichi from Kiri over a dozen times on missions and somehow they both manage to come out of it alive. It cannot be a coincidence," Danzo argued."Do you understand the implication of the allegations you are making, Danzo? Over something so small," and Danzo leaned back and shrugged."I do, but you know Hiruzen that I will always look out for the best interest of the village," he tries to convince Hiruzen to time to rope him up. Yet Hiruzen wasn't convinced."This investigation will remain covert, and I want all the details on my desk in an hour. But unless there is substantial, I will choose to trust the shinobi who has served our village valiantly for half his life," Hiruzen concluded standing up and dismissing him.Danzo nodded. It was a win-win. Now, he would have a bit more time to take care of his Hatake problem."And Danzo," called Hirzen just as he was about to walk out."If words of this investigation circulate, then that will be the end of you. I am beginning to lose patience with all of your lies, friend."He nodded and continued to walk out."I understand!"0000OHASHI HATAKE"So, you finally completed that move of yours!" Ohashi spoke to Minato as he walked towards the man.Minato was busy talking with the only other jounin alive, Shino Yuhi. Around them, the platoon had set up tents to provide first aid to all the injured shinobi and to house all the bodies. Bodies were still being found."Should you be up? You were pretty beat up," said Minato-san as he sent away the only surviving jounin of the three stationed here."Ahh, I am fine. It wasn't any major injury that had messed me up, it was just my chakra being a bit out of control from that mistake I made. If I hadn't messed that up I could have taken the two of them," and Minato-san smiled as he joined me. I was right. Mangetsu was good but he still was far from the monster he would go on to become and I knew most of Mei's tricks.If I hadn't messed up my coils the way I had, I would have been able to go toe to toe with both of them."And thanks for saving me," he said, and the infamous yellow flash waved away my gratitude."You are welcome, and I did. So, how was it," said Minato as he stood proudly for his completed technique."It was quite good," he replied as Minato led them to his tent. Finally getting the hand signals I had been making him.We entered his tent, and as soon as the flaps closed, the man's demeanor changed. Gone was the cheery smile, and now stood in front of him a stone-cold killer. The yellow fucking flash."So, I believe I have an idea what this is about," he began as he sat down. My smile was gone as well, for as I sat on the bed as the medic treated me all I could think of was that how close I had come to death once more. How close had I been to losing this life?Though thankfully, the Kiri bastards had been kind enough to give me a clue."Indeed. And I believe it is time we talk about that leak," I said emphatically a frown on my face as I sat down opposite to him. Minato-san nodded as well."The Kiri-nin were surprised to see you, not me. Their chakra signatures confirmed that for me, and what does that tell us," I began as we played the wordy game of arriving at the same conclusion. Minato-san's eyes lit up, as he leaned back into his seat. His blue orbs focused on me. And then he finally broke the permeating silence."Why don't we cut whole this foreplay and say the name of the person we are both thinking of," he said with a smile and Ohashi couldn't help himself and smiled before he finally took the name."Danzo. Shimura Danzo, though how do you suspect that I suspected him as well," Ohashi questioned and the man nodded."Ohh, I have suspected for quite some time that you were cautious about him. Your career speaks to it, but then one night I sensed someone breaking into the Hospital's record room. I think that it might be one of his men, and so go out and surprise. It isn't," said the man his brow raised at Ohashi."It's you. Leaving the record room with a file tucked under your arm," finished the man his eye bearing into him.And Ohashi was surprised that he hadn't been able to sense the man. His eyes bore into the man as his mind raced before a smile appeared on his face, and he broke out into a small laugh."You learned it from Kushina-san," Ohashi told the man and Minato-san nodded with a small smile on his face."She did. She has been helping me keep track of the movements of his men. And one night, she noticed your signature in the hospital and told me about it. I had had my suspicions before, but that confirmed it."Ohashi nodded along, Kushina-san's sensory abilities were legendary in the village. If anyone could pull this off, then it was supposed to be her."Then this shortens our talk by a lot. I believe it was him who leaked this info to Kiri," and Minato-san nodded to his statement."He may have, but first I must ask you what was on that report," he questioned me, and Ohashi's lips thinned as he remembered the report."The report found was inconclusive. According to the postmortem, the med nin concluded that there was evidence that Sauko Hatake may have been murdered," Ohashi told him, and Minato-san's eyes lit up. Ohashi's fists had balled up by then, and he quashed the man's hopes quickly."But it doesn't matter. Because the rest of the evidence had been destroyed by the time I returned. Everything was wiped clean. So, we cannot use the report," he told the man. And Minato-san's lips thinned, and he nodded."And that is why he wanted to kill you," and Ohashi nodded."Yes, I suspect so. I refuse to believe that all this was a coincidence," he argued, and the experienced jounin nodded."I know. But we cannot do much without evidence. I will be here for a week before I have to move out for my other assignment; we should share what we know," and Ohashi nodded."We should. We definitely should."0000TSUNADE SENJUThe infamous sanin waited in her office as she stared at the massive book in front of her. It had been years since she had gathered enough courage to even stare at the book in front of her.It was a clan's lineage book. A book that was used to keep track of a whole clan. Yet that was useless to her and her clan. It had been for quite some years.She hadn't had the courage to look into it, but thankfully she hadn't needed to. Her apprentice sat opposite her, her face pale and white as a sheet. Her eyes glinted with rage, though the slight puffiness underneath them told her all she needed to know."So, what did you find?" she questioned her apprentice as she hardened her heart for a response.Shizune nodded and gulped and took a moment before she finally replied."Ohashi was right. The demise of the Senju clan wasn't regular," and Tsuande was a flurry of emotions as soon as she heard those words. A part of her had always suspected this yet had lacked the courage to pursue it, for she knew that if she did, then she would have to face things she never wanted to, like the betrayal of her own sensei."Can we trace it to the one responsible?" Tsunade questioned Shizune. Her voice was cold and apathetic as she buried all her emotions as deeply as she could. Shizune shook her head."I am sorry, Tsunade-sama, but the evidence has been wiped off. If Ohashi hadn't told me where to look, there was little chance that I would have even made the connection," and that brought to her other question. How the hell did a fifteen-year-old jounin figure it all out? Yet that question would come later, for he had given her a name as well."And he mentioned him as the one responsible for this." And Shizune nodded."He did. He said it was all him. He suspects that he was also the one who kill…," but Sizune couldn't complete her sentence, and Tsunade saw her fists balled up as she finally found the strength to say the words."….had Dan-san killed!" and Tsuande was struck dumb by those words."I never would have considered it. But then I tried to look at the connection, and the modus operandi was the same. Leaked intel. Bogus missions! Ambushes! It was just like the Kiri case from a week ago. This all cannot be a coincidence."And Tsuande stilled at those words as Shizune struggled to speak up."At this rate, there is a high chance that Ohashi is right. That all this wasn't natural. That he was behind all this," she finished and Tsunade felt her world still as the implication behind those words finally registered. And she felt something inside her snap.CRACK! CRACK!Tsuande's chakra roared, cracking the table in front of her. And it took all her control to not just get up and kill the man right then and there. Her blood boiled in rage and indignation yet it was sorrow that filled her heart and she felt her eyes tear up as she remembered all the loved ones she had lost, all the people she had buried."I am going to kill him, Shizune. I am going to kill Shimura!"0000
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Chapter 14KAKASHI HATAKEKakashi Hatake hid in the bushes of a lush tree as he tried to suppress his presence as much as he could as he scanned his surroundings. For the last six months, Kakashi Hatake had been under the tutelage of Leaf's most famous shinobi, Minato Namikaze, and the Yellow Flash himself, and it had been an experience.Due to the training with his father and then the subsequent help from his half-brother Kakashi had surpassed his teachers from the academy a month or so into the classes. He had pushed himself to excel in his classes so he could graduate early and enter the field once more to wipe out the stain of disgrace from the Hatake name.His efforts had paid off, and about half a year ago, he had left the academy to go under the apprenticeship of Yellow Flash himself. Kakashi aspired to be like him, to be respected just like him. Yet today was the last day of this special arrangement, and it was the last chance for him to prove himself. A chance to force his sensei into not hindering him with teammates.TING. TING. TING.There was the sound of a bell ringing, and Kakashi watched through the bushes as his Minato-sensei began to stand up and take off his blindfold."Ok, Kakashi, this is your chance if you can beat me today. I will endorse you for a promotion to chunin," said the man in his cheery voice as the blindfold fell to the ground. HE stiffened up as the man reached into his pocket."But why don't we hurry up," continued the man as he took out his special kunai, and Kakashi had the ominous feeling that his efforts of concealing his presence had failed."After all, we can't let your teammates wait for us for too long," said the man before his eyes narrowed straight at him. Confirming his earlier suspicion that he couldn't hide his presence completely from the man."Shit!" Kakashi said as he saw the kunai racing towards him, but he had prepared well for this and so took out a kunai of his own and cut the two ninja wires tied to the tree, springing the trap he had set earlier.He ducked down as the kunai passed over him, as a barrage of kunai rushed toward his sensei from all sides. Minato-sensei smiled and jumped into the air to avoid the barrage. He smiled at that as he threw a shuriken at the man in the air, before cycling through a set of hand seals."NINPO: SHADOW SHURIKEN JUTSU!" he shouted, watching his sensei's eyes widen as the shuriken multiplied into multiple clones."Lord Third's technique, it seems you have been holding back Kakashi," said the man with a smile not perturbed by the barrage of shuriken headed his way before he simply made a couple of handseals."FUTON: GALE PALM!" and a strong gust of wind propelled the shuriken back at him, and he had to jump back to avoid getting hit. And then just as his feet touched the ground he felt a presence at his back, and he tsked as he turned around to find his sensei standing right there.Kakashi had not time to chat as he was forced to engage the man in taijutsu, Kimato-sensei avoided his attacks or simply defended without going on the offensive much, simply highlighting the gape in their skill level.Kakashi took out his tanto and began to use it, he aimed from above, from the side, even from below yet Minato-sensei remained unbothered as their match continued. Metal screeched against metal as his sensei used his kunai to hook his tanto, forcing it out of his hand.The blade spun in the air, and Kakashi avoided his attack and dodged to the side before he jumped up and kicked his sword at his sensei.A sense of triumph permeated through him as he saw the man's eyes widen at this maneuver. Minato sensei ducked to avoid the attack, giving him the opportunity he needed as he pushed chakra through his coils, molding it into the lightning chakra."RAITON: LIGHTNING BALLS!" and about four balls of concentrated lightning formed at his back and at his command, rushed at his sensei, yet his sensei smiled before he vanished into a blur and appeared right behind him."You really should be careful using ninjutsu like that. Even though your reserves are substantial for a genin, they are still less than a jounin," his sensei advised him as Kakashi grunted in pain as the man kicked him in the back."AGHH!" Kakashi grunted in pain, though before the man could land another hit, he kicked the ground, and pushed himself into the air, and cycled through a set of handseals."RAITON…" but before he could finish those words, he saw his sensei blur once more and appear right at his back. He tried to turn to face him and block his attack, but his sensei's speed was truly unmatched."ARGH!" he screamed in pain as a barrage of hits landed on his back, and he was sent crashing into the ground."GHAA!" he coughed out in pain as his face landed on the ground, and the air was knocked out of his lungs. His body was in pain, yet before he could try to get up, he felt the cold tip of a kunai pointed at his neck."Now, I believe that this is enough, Kakashi," came the voice of his sensei, devoid of his usual cheeriness. And Kakashi was once more reminded that this person was perhaps Leaf's deadliest shinobi. His chakra convulsed and shivered in fright, and then in an instant, the whole domineering presence was gone as Minato-sensei straightened up and pocketed the kunai."You have made quite some progress, Kakashi, quite some progress," his sensei complimented as Kakashi got back to his feet. His body was still aching and in pain. Anger and frustration coursed through his veins as he refused to look up at his sensei."Not enough to become a chunin," he scoffed angrily as he dusted off his clothes. His sensei sighed and put a hand on his shoulders, making him look up at the man."Kakashi, you are very skilled. And I don't say that lightly. Even now, you could go toe to toe with a chunin, but you must learn to work with others," the man lectured him. Kakashi just scoffed as he thought of his father and the useless teammates he had been forced to save."Teammates are nothing but a hindrance, and I don't need teammates. You just said it yourself that I am strong enough to be a chunin," Kakashi argued and saw the man stiffen at his words before he slowly turned away from him."No man can fight an army by himself, Kakashi. No man" said the man as he began to walk away.'You can,' Kakashi wanted to say. He could. He thought of his father, yet the words somehow never came out. In the end, he simply stood there rooted to the ground before he was brought out of his thoughts by Minato-sensei's voice."Come on, let's go and meet your new teammates Kakashi," came the voice, and Kakashi nodded as he began to walk with his sensei. His thoughts went to the class that was graduating today, and he thought of who he might get as teammates today.He would settle for anybody except that loudmouth Obito.0000ASUMA SARUTOBIAsuma Sarutobi sat proudly in the class at the academy with his shiny new hitai-ate. From this day onwards, he was a true shinobi. He was no longer just the son of the Hokage. No, from now on, he was Asuma Sarutobi, leaf's newest genin from the Sarutobi clan.His relationship with the Hokage had put him in the spotlight in the class, with all the teachers and instructors trying to cozy up to him because of his old man. They all gushed over him, trying to advance their careers.'Idiots!' he thought as he sat in the classroom with his teammates, waiting for their sensei, who was running late.Suddenly, he felt someone sit on the empty seat by his side and looked up and saw one of his teammates right there at the edge of his bench. Her black hair hung back and reached her shoulders, contrasting perfectly with her white skin. Her headband hung loosely around her neck as she smiled and sat down on the bench; her distinctive red eyes bore into him, making him gulp nervously as she spoke up."Hi, I am Kurenai Yuhi. I was hoping we could introduce ourselves as we wait for our sensei," she said politely. He didn't tell her that he knew who she was because that would be creepy. In the end, he gulped as he shook her extended hand."Yeah, why not. I am Asuma Sarutobi," he said quickly, his nervousness making him speak out very awkwardly. She just laughed as she nodded."I know," she said as the two of them were joined by their third teammate dressed in his usual green spandex trousers and shirt."And I am Ebisu Shirahoshi," added his last teammate from the side, as he adjusted his glasses. Asuma offered his last teammate a seat as he joined them, and they began to make small talk.Though, it was less small talk and more of him awkwardly trying not to embarrass himself in front of Kurenai. And then the discussion shifted to their sensei."So, do you know anything about our sensei, Ohashi Hatake? That was his name, right?" questioned Ebisu from the side, and Asuma nodded."Yes, that was his name, and I think his name was mentioned once by Kaida sensei of the Genjutsu class," he thought as he tried to recall what he knew of the man because he was sure that he had heard of that name previously. Surprisingly it was Kurenai who spoke up from the side."He was an early graduate like Kakashi from our class. He held the record for that as he graduated out of the academy at seven," she spoke up, and Asuma nodded as he remembered where he had heard that name."Yes, and he was also…" but before he could say anything, the door to the classroom opened up, and Asuma's head snapped as he saw someone enter their class."I am sorry for being late, but I had just returned to the village in the morning and was busy with a debrief," said the intruder with a smile as he pulled back his wet hair and shook his head, trying to dry them off. His hair was silvery grey and glistened as he approached them. Asuma noticed how the man was even younger than his brother, who had turned eighteen, and he was reminded of the reason his mother had mentioned that name.The jacket which the man wore was the usual jounin jacket, but it was colored black, and a giant scroll hung at his back as he waved at them with a smile."So, I am Ohashi Hatake, and I am going to be your jounin sensei," said the man with a smile. Yet Asuma wasn't fooled by the smiling demeanor. The average age to become a jounin was at least twenty, yet the person standing in front of them had reached that rank a whopping six years earlier than that. A feat that came second only to his own father, the Professor. And that meant something."Ok, why don't we take the introductions to the training round? We have wasted enough time as it is," said their sensei. And the three of them nodded as they began to follow the jounin outside of the class.0000OHASHI HATAKEThe last six months had been extremely hectic for Ohashi. He had been stationed on the Southern border, and after Minato-san had left, Kirigakure had begun to harass their forces constantly and had stopped only when Konoha's Toad sage had shown up.Jiraiya-sama had been a character to work with, and for the two months, the man had helped Ohashi break past his limits and improve drastically as a shinobi. He had gotten a missive a week ago to return to the village, mentioning how he had been assigned as a jounin sensei to a team. And the news had been a surprise.So, he sprinted back to the village and barely made it in time due to continuous harassment by some pesky masked shinobi. And the only reason he had been late was that he had wanted to leave a gift for their master to thank him for helping his growth by giving him an opportunity to face all that fodder.Well, that all would come later. He finally focused on the three genin who were looking at him, a bit of skepticism in their eyes as he looked them over. But that was given, since he was perhaps quite younger than the sensei they had in mind."Ok, since it is getting quite late, why don't we skip the introductions and get to the main point first," he began with a smile making all three of them frown."And that is whether the three of you are even ready to become genin or not," he finished, his usual cheer gone in an instant as he let go of his chakra. The three of them stiffened as his chakra rippled through the air, cracking the ground under his feet."And in that sensei, I have a final test for you guys," he said as he saw them looking at him with slight fear and apprehension as he raised a finger."The three of you have three hours to land a single hit on me, and I will take you on as my students," he said as he reined in his chakra, allowing them to breathe easily again."Otherwise, I believe it's back to the academy for you three!" he added, smiling again, as he reached into his pocket and took out a clock, setting a timer for three hours."And your time starts," he said as he pushed the start button on the clock."NOW!"And the three of them were smart enough to jump back, as they began to make their plan, and his mind began to wonder about Danzo and how he would react to the gift he had left him.0000DANZO SHIMURADanzo watched the pile of ANBU masks placed right there at one of the entrances of his Foundation headquarters. He recognized those masks and knew exactly who was responsible for this."Peacock," he called for their leader, and the operative appeared in front of him, kneeling on one knee as he had been trained to."Tell me how did a whole squadron fail to kill a single shinobi!" he snarled in rage at the failure of his men. The ROOT operative hesitated for a moment before he began."The intelligence was faulty, Danzo-sama," began his head of recon, making him frown."The target didn't use any of the attacks in the file. Instead, it was a new technique. It was as if a set of invisible blades surrounded him. As soon as any of our ninjas approached him they were simply cut down, we couldn't even touch him," reported Peacock making him snarl in anger."Have all this cleared up!" he said as he began to walk into the headquarters angry and frustrated at the failure of his men, especially since he could feel his time running out.0000Ohashi's new ability is called Organon.And it is very badass!
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Chapter 15ASUMA SARUTOBIAsuma and his two teammates jumped back. The pressure emanating from their sensei was oppressive enough to make it difficult to even stand there. They landed on the ground as sweat dripped down from their chins."Can he really do that? Make us go back to the academy!" questioned Ebisu from the side, pale and shaking as he took out a kunai from his pocket."My father told me that a jounin sensei has complete autonomy over their genin, so probably yes. If he wants to, he can send us back to the academy," added Kurenai from the side. And during all this time, Asuma's eyes had been focused on their sensei, and he gritted his teeth as he finally decided to speak up."Guys! It's one hit," he began a bit louder as he got the attention of his teammates. And then they both looked at him, and he reached into his back pocket to take out his specially made chakra blades. He wore them on his knuckles as he got ready to attack."He may be a jou….""Ohh. So, it seems the famous Sarutobi is ready to face me. Come on, show me what the esteemed son of our respected Hokage-sama has to show for himself," taunted their sensei, and those words irritated him. Asuma pushed chakra into his feet and then broke out into a sprint as he rushed forward leaving his teammates behind."Asuma, wait!" he heard Kurenai shout but didn't bother to listen as he raced past her, determined to show their sensei exactly who he was. And then, just as he was a couple of yards away from him, his senses screamed at him to stop. But he couldn't stop his stride, and his sensei stood there."ARGH!" he grunted in pain as he felt something hit him hard in the gut. He was sent tumbling back, and he grunted in pain as his body finally came to a halt. His body screamed in pain, and his teammates rushed toward him."Asuma!" they said in unison as they landed before him, protecting him from any other attack, but their sensei did not move and stood there. He had not moved an inch."What the hell was that!" he blurted as he returned to his feet. Their sensei hadn't moved an inch, but an attack sent him tumbling back. How?"How the hell did he attack me like that?" he questioned, perplexed at what was going on."Let me check something!" Kurenai suddenly spoke, formed a hand seal, and closed her eyes, and he felt her chakra ripple for a moment before she shouted."KAI!" and then she opened her eyes, and they widened as she spoke up."It's a genjutsu! Disrupt your chakras!" she spoke suddenly, and Asuma nodded and closed his eyes as he pushed chakra through his tenketsu disrupting the flow."KAI!" and then as he opened his eyes, they widened as he finally saw their sensei, yet this time he finally noticed how he was surrounded by rocks that were circling him continuously."You should be thankful that I am using only rocks! Had I used a blade, you would be dead by now!" cut in their sensei, making them perk up."Hokage-sama must be quite disappointed with a son like you. It took all of you minutes even to detect that you were under a genjutsu! Minutes which any enemy ninja would have used to kill you!" their sensei added in a disappointed tone, mocking him and his teammates."And Kurenai, didn't you have the highest genjutsu grade amongst the class? What a disappointment that it took you five minutes to realize that you were under a genjutsu!" said their sensei with a shake of his head, making Kurenai stiffen up."At this rate I am afraid I wont even have to move an inch," continued their sensei and suddenly the suffocating pressure from earlier returned. But it was more oppressive and suffocating than before.THRUM! THRUM! THRUM!The ground cracked as he felt the elder Hatake let go of his chakra entirely and push it out."So, why don't the three of you just give up, and we can all stop wasting our time," said the man, his face devoid of any emotion as his hair rippled ominously, enhancing his menacing presence.The three of them were shaking under the sheer presence of his chakra, and Asuma found it even difficult even to move an inch. Sweat dripped from his face as he looked down at his hand. And he finally realized exactly what kind of monsters were waiting for them outside the village.The weight of his headband finally dawned on him, yet he knew he couldn't give up. So, he roused his chakra and pushed it through his coil and, much to his body's protest, took a step forward.Yet surprisingly, he wasn't the only one, and he looked to the side and found the determined faces of his teammates right there alongside him. They gave him a nod as the three of them continued to move forward despite the menacing chakra of their sensei."Sensei, we are just getting started," Kurenai began."We are going to show you what we are made of," added Ebisu."And we are gonna hit you so hard that you are gonna have to go to the infirmary!" snarled Asuma making their sensei smile."Oh, then why don't the three of you show me what you are made of, huh!" said their sensei as he gestured for them to attack him.0000OHASHI HATAKEOhashi watched as his three students stood opposite him, battered and bruised, barely able to stand up. They stood there huffing for breath as their time nearly ran out. His reserves were dropping low for he had been continuously using his new technique.Over the six months, he had thought a lot about how to improve, and that was when while conversing with Jiraiya sama about Suna's puppeteers, inspiration struck him. The arts of puppeteering was a closely guarded secret of Sunagakure, but chakra threads and manipulation of chakra threads was something that was rather common knowledge.Of course, few had the patience and skills to use such a technique, but his control was impeccable, and he had a perfect idea.And so Organon was born.Though he was using rocks this time, the plan was to use tantos and then obscure them with genjutsu as they circled around him in specific chakra paths, acting as perfect defense and offense. Combine that with his Mist technique, and it was the perfect technique for facing a larger number of shinobi at once."So, are the three of you done?" he questioned as he pretended to yawn. And the three of them perked up at his words and shook their heads in defiance."Not at all. We still have to land that punch!" shouted Asuma as he wiped away the blood from his chin. And then he glanced at the clock and saw that only a minute was left. So, he motioned for them to come at him."It's a minute left. Show me what you can do!" he told them, and the three of them crouched down and rushed at me together with a united nod. Ohashi's eyes narrowed as the three of them entered his range, and then the first boulder rushed towards them from the side.They were able to dodge that one, but as soon as they took a step in, two more tried to sandwich them, yet, Ebisu pushed forward his teammates, letting the boulders hit him. He grunted in pain as the boulders knocked him out. His friends took advantage of that and rushed forward, now merely a couple of meters away from me.And just as two more earth boulders were about to hit them, Asuma began to gather chakra as he cycled through a rather familiar set of hand seals."FUTON: GALE PALM!" he shouted, and instead of attacking me, he pushed his female teammate forward, making it so that she came right in front of him. A smile appeared on his battered face as Kurenai cocked her arm to punch me.Her attack was projected and was easy to dodge, but he didn't move. And the reason was that one of the boulders had been hiding right behind him, attuned to a vertical arc, unlike the rest of the attacks.It was right above Kurenai and was headed down straight for her. She could have dodged to the right and avoided getting hit, but she didn't stop and pushed herself forward with her final step."ARGH!" she screamed as she extended her arm, aiming for his face. Yet the boulder hit her in the back, and he had deliberately slowed down its speed not to hurt her excessively.BOOOOM!"ARGH!" she grunted in pain as she hit the ground. The faces of her two teammates began to pale as they shouted her name."KURENAI!" yet she was in no state to answer as she struggled to get up.TING. TING. TING!The bell behind him rang, and he saw the three of them collapse to the ground. Asuma and Ebisu sat on the ground, looking at the sky as their faces paled.Ohashi walked closer to Kurenai Yuhi and kneeled down, and placed his hand on the young kunoichi's back. He pushed his chakra into it to heal any injury she might have gotten."We are going to have to work quite a bit on your punches!" he said and saw the kunoichi stiffen at his words. Asuma and Ebisu looked towards him, and with his unoccupied hand, he pointed at the dirt mark on his chest and saw their faces morph as massive smiles appeared on their faces."Yeahhhhhh!" they both roared as Ohashi healed Kurenai's injuries. The kunoichi's eyes teared up, and Ohashi helped her stand up as he moved on to heal his other students, who seemed surprised to find him using iryo ninjutsu.When he was finally done, he had all three of them stand together. As he finally made his introduction."When you go into the field, you will face opponents who will be stronger and faster than you. There will be circumstances where you cannot run away or call for help. A ninja's true mettle is shown in these moments of hopelessness as he pushes forwards despite the unfavorable odds," he told them, and the three of them nodded at his words."The resilience you three showed today is what you will need every day if you wish to traverse this perilous path of becoming a shinobi," he said in a forlorn voice."But with your talents and determination, I am sure that the three of you will do just fine," he said with a smile."My name is Ohashi Hatake, and I am a jounin of Konohagakure, and I will be your sensei," he finished.The three of them looked at each other as they stepped forward and bowed their heads."We will be in your care Ohashi-sensei!" they said in unison."Ok, all of you go home and rest. I have healed your injuries, but you s need proper rest to fully recover. We will meet again tomorrow at nine in the morning!" he said as he waved at them."Have a good night!"0000DANZO SHIMURADanzo Shimura stood in the underground as he read the reports from his subordinates about their failure to complete their mission once more. Over the past six months, he had ordered them to plant evidence against Ohashi Hatake, yet all his efforts to plant evidence had resulted in failure."Peacock," he said as he summoned the commander of his foundation. Peacock blurred behind him and spoke up."Yes, Lord Danzo," came the monotonous voice of his commander. And Danzo angrily threw the files at him and snarled angrily."What is the meaning of this?" asked Danzo angrily, and Peacock lowered his gaze."I apologize for the failure, Lord Danzo, but the new Intelligence commander has changed all the protocols and has rooted out our moles and does regular sweeps with his abilities," came the reply, yet Danzo wasn't in the mood to hear excuses."I don't wish to hear excuses!" he said as he pushed chakra into his hand and formed a seal."ARGH!" Peacock began to writhe in pain as Danzo activated the Cursed Seal placed on him. The operative writhed on the ground and begged for mercy between his screams."Mee…..cy..rd.cy!" yet Danzo had grown tired of all their failures."This is twice now that you have failed me, Peacock. First, you failed to assassinate him, and now this," said Danzo before he pushed more chakra into the seal. And the screams died down as Peacock's body flopped to the ground."Tch!" Danzo said as he began to think about his next plan. Hiruzen's patience had become increasingly agitated with him as he failed to produce any substantial evidence of his allegations against Hatake. And then there were the reports of men looking into his operations across the globe, which meant only one thing.Someone in the village was planning to move against him. And he needed Hiruzen's trust to thwart any such move from succeeding. Then suddenly, he felt the shadows in the room rustle, making him frown before suddenly a voice interrupted him."Perhaps we could be of assistance!" came a snarly voice, and Danzo frowned when suddenly Peacock's body began to rise up. Yet a dark shadowy mass was expanding over one side of his body."Who are you?" Danzo questioned, his eyes narrowing in anger and mistrust as he tried to understand who or what this intruder was."You can call me Zetsu, and we are the manifestation of your will, Danzo-sama!"0000OKIE! Danzo is backed into a corner and quite desperate, and there is someone here to take advantage of that!
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Chapter 17KAKASHI HATAKE"So how is it being in a team?" questioned Ohashi as they ate their breakfast. Their daily spars had now become a thing of the past, with both of them getting busy with their schedules, and now they only met about once a month, if even that.Kakashi wanted to groan at that question. It had been a month since he had become part of a team, and each day was becoming more and more frustrating. Rin was fine as a teammate and tried to keep out of his way. On the other hand, his other teammate was a complete wreck.Uchiha Obito had no regard for rules and regulations and was a slacker who could only spout nonsense. He dreamt of becoming the Hokage yet lacked the discipline and fortitude to train properly. His hold over his chopsticks nodded as he thought of words to respond to this question."They are weak and naïve," he spoke after some contemplation, and Ohashi shrugged."Well, not everyone is as talented and dedicated as you. You will have to learn to get along with all kinds of people in the field," Kakashi scoffed.The only saving grace was their sensei, Minato-sensei was a wealth of knowledge and skill. He was the only reason he even tried to put up with those two, especially that insufferable Uchiha. His brother had been given a team of his own. That had been quite a surprise given his age, though Kakashi was quite aware of the sheer ability of Ohashi and could understand the village's desire to have him pass on his skills to the next generation.Kakashi's fists balled up as he thought of all this. He could feel himself falling behind, being held back by the attitudes of his teammates. They behaved like children, and Kakashi had no time for their antics. He had a purpose to fulfill. To bring back the prestige of the Hatake name. It was his duty as the heir to the clan."Aghh, about your graduation, I heard a rumor that you might be promoted to chunin soon," Ohashi suddenly said, surprising him. Kakashi didn't know that such a promotion was under consideration. Though it was understandable, he had been a genin for about a year now and his overall skill level was above that of a mediocre chunin."I wasn't aware of that," Kakashi frowned. Ohashi simply shrugged."It came up during the last jounin meeting. If you continue at this pace, you will even break my record," said his brother with a small smile. And Kakashi wasn't fooled by that statement. As skilled as he was, he was still a long way from being in the same discussion as Leaf's Yellow Flash, or even the Shimmering Death, for that matter."And since I didn't get you something for your graduation. I have just the gift for you," added his brother as he wiped his mouth with a napkin. And he had his attention on those words."How would you like to learn a jutsu that rivals your sensei's signature move," said Ohashi with a grin on his face. And Kakashi's eyes narrowed.Afterall, who wouldn't like that?0000MINATO NAMKIKAZEMinato sat in the famed Akimichi establishment, Yakiniku Q. The war had entered somewhat of a stalemate. The constant loss of lives had made all the villages quite cautious over any major offensive for the time being. He could tell that the war had entered its decisive phase now, with each village getting ready for the final push.As he was lost in thought, the person he was waiting for finally joined him as a blonde man wearing a purple overcoat sat down opposite him. The dark circles around his tired eyes told of extreme stress and countless sleepless nights, which was no surprise given the man's position."I am sorry for being late, but I was caught up in some new reports," apologized his academy classmate. Inoichi Yamanaka was the clan head of the Yamanaka clan and was now the head of Leaf's Intelligence division. A position he had gotten after the whole Southern border debacle."Don't worry. I just came here a minute ago," said Minato though he had been waiting for a little over ten minutes. Yet Inoichi didn't need to know about that. The Intel department head nodded as they placed their order and began to make small talk."So, tell me what you want to discuss with me," spoke Minato as he decided to get to the main topic. Inoichi tapped a seal on the side of the table, and then he felt a privacy seal activate around the table, making sure none would be able to eavesdrop on their discussion."I looked into what you asked me to, and you were right." Spoke Inoichi, his voice extremely serious, the previous hints of exhaustion and casualness completely gone from his eyes."There are many discrepancies in the files of the orphanages. Though someone put in a lot of effort to obscure it all, I was able to gain a rudimentary picture with the files I was able to recover. A large number of kids from the orphanages vanish every year, never to be seen again," Inoichi spoke, confirming the suspicion of Lady Tsunade and Ohashi.Minato's lips thinned as soon as he heard those words. He had hoped that they had been wrong. Yet hoping was futile."And is there any order from the Hokage sanctioning this?" Minato questioned with a sigh, and Inoichi shook his head."No. At least not officially," and Minato leaned back. That was something. This wholeness with Elder Danzo had begun to get out of hand. Jiraiya-sensei had never liked the man hand had told him to be cautious of the man, and so when Shikaku had approached him for aid in investigating the man, he had accepted the request to help his old classmate. And he could feel that with each passing day, things just got more and more complicated."There are even records of some clan kids in those files. If this gets out, there will be anarchy in the village," said Inoichi, his tone grave and his eyes sharp."If our suspicions are correct, then this is in violation of the by-laws the clans signed when Konoha was created. If he did this, then he has committed treason and bloodline theft. We must report this to Hokage-sama immediately," spoke Inoichi with conviction, and Minato immediately shook his head."No, not yet," Minato spoke up, making the Yamanaka clan head frown."But why? If we bring this to Hokage-sama, he will be forced to carry out an investigation," replied Inoichi and Minato argued."We need concrete evidence to make the Hokage-sama move. Just give me some time. Ohashi is trying to track down the establishment where these orphans are taken. After we have complete evidence, we will put everything in front of Hokage-sama, forcing him to prosecute him," spoke Minato.Inoichi nodded."I understand that. But I cannot withhold this information indefinitely, Minato. The most I could give you is a month, but after that, I will have no choice but to present it all before Hokage-sama," spoke Inoichi gravely, and Minato nodded."That is ok. Hopefully, we will have something by then," and Inoichi nodded as he began to sip his tea."So, tell me about your team. I have heard you have got quite a prodigy on your hands," Inoichi suddenly added with a smile, and Minato shrugged. That was quite true. Kakashi Hatake was quite a prodigy in the making, his skill set as a shinobi put him years ahead of his peers, yet the young kid had quite a lot of problems."Well, Kakashi is quite special, he," Minato replied cryptically."Quite special indeed. I heard that he is going to chunin soon," and Minato nodded at that. Holding Kakashi back anymore would be detrimental. His skill set was already miles ahead of a regular chunin and would only grow further. His attitude towards his teammates left much to be desired, yet even Minato wouldn't discount his work ethic or dedication."Yes, he will be promoted by the end of the month after a special exam," and Inoichi raised his brow, impressed by the news."Well, at this rate, he might even break his brother's record. Speaking of his brother, how is he? From what I recall, he got a team of his own right," and Minato nodded."He did. We are set to have a joint training session," spoke Minato. It had been his suggestion in an effort to motivate his other two students. He had seen Ohashi train his students, and he was a surprisingly strict sensei despite his usual cheery demeanor."Speaking of him. I have some rather interesting information for him," Inoichi suddenly said with a frown as he leaned forward."Tell the kid to be careful. I have noticed someone snooping into his records." Said Inoichi making Minato frown. Only one person in the village would have the audacity to pull off something like this."I will," and then the conversation veered off to some other mundane topics.0000ASUMA SARUTOBIAsuma sighed as the leaf in his hand caught fire once again, and he immediately let go of the burning leaf and sighed as he watched Ebisu struggling with fire nature beside him as well. In front of them, Kurenai was sweating as their sensei continued to interrupt her chakra as she tried to master his original technique."Tch, I still cannot believe I lost to her in that challenge," Asuma cursed as he saw their sensei once more dismantle the chakra pathways Kurenai had constructed by lifting a single finger.Kureani had won the chakra control challenge, and their sensei was teaching them his original jutsu, and only after talking with his father had he realized just how big of a deal it was. Creating a single original jutsu was considered quite an achievement. Their sensei had created two, and he wasn't even in his twenties."Ok, that is enough for today. You have made ample progress, Kurenai," said their sensei, and Kurenai immediately slumped to the ground. Their sensei walked up to her, placed his hand on top of her head, and closed his eyes. Then with a small thrum, his hand lit up in a green hue characteristic of iryo-ninjutsu.That was another thing that had come as a surprise. Ohashi sensei was learning iryo-ninjutsu, an art that Asuma had considered only useful for kunoichi. A statement that their sensei had warned him not to make in the presence of Tsuande-sama.After a few seconds, the chakra hue vanished, and Kurenai stood up, looking reinvigorated."Thank you, Ohashi-sensei," said Kurenai as she joined them. Their sensei walked up to them as well, and his lips turned up as he saw the pile of charred leaves by their side. He had told them how he had struggled with fire nature as well and had needed help to master nature.They hadn't just worked on their control over the month. Every morning they would have a spar, followed by an hour of chakra control training. Then after lunch, they would do a couple of missions, before departing to their homes."Ok, now it has been a month since your graduation, and I believe you all have made good progress. From tomorrow onwards, we will be on the roster full-time, which means long missions that will take us outside of Konoha. Is that understood?" he finished."Yes, sensei," they all chorused. A hint of excitement in their tones at the chance of leaving the village. Their sensei nodded."As for today, I had something special planned for us," said their sensei with a smile. And the three of them looked at each other."What is that, sensei?" questioned Kurenai, and suddenly there, sensei turned towards the right, and Asuma frowned before he heard a couple of somewhat recognizable voices."Ohh, it seems they are finally here," said their sensei, and Asuma glanced at where he was looking, and his eyes widened when he saw four people walk out of the trees.Three of them were genin, he recognized from his class. It was the loudmouth Uchiha and his friend Rin. The third genin was someone who had been a part of their class for six months, his hair color a bit lighter than their sensei, and he had a tanto strapped to his back.They were being led by a jounin who had become a household name at this point. He was leaf's strongest shinobi and was the only shinobi after the Shodaime-sama to get a 'Flee on sight order.'He was Leaf's yellow Flash, Minato Namikaze."Hello, Ohashi-kun," greeted the blonde man as their sensei shook hands with the legend. The two of them exchanged pleasantries as the Uchiha joined."Yo, how are you, Asuma, Ebisui?" spoke Obito in his usual brash manner."I am fine. How are you, Obito," said Asuma as he shook the Uchiha's hand. They all exchanged greetings when they were finally interrupted by their sensei."Ok, everyone, please pay attention," began their sensei, and they all lined up."Today, we are going to have a little competition," began their sensei in his cheerful tone."Team Minato will face Team Ohashi in a team battle!"0000
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Chapter 18HIRUZEN SARUTOBIHirzuen Sarutobi had been Hokage for more than a decade now. A feat that spoke volumes of hi skill as a shinobi. He had served the village to the best of his abilities, trying to carry further the legacies bestowed onto him by both the Shodaime and Nidaime. It was a big ask for any man, given that both of these men held nearly a god-like status in the shinobi world.They were visionaries who had carved out the very village system era out of the turmoil and turbulent age of the warring state period. Their vision had been one of peace and prosperity, yet that vision could never truly come to fruition. Wars had erupted, and lives had been lost, in numbers lesser than the warring state era. Yet the number wasn't insignificant.Hiruzen had been charged to lead the village through this era, a duty entrusted to him by his sensei. It was a monumental task to fill the shoes of the man he once called his sensei, yet thankfully he was not alone in carrying this burden. There were people beside him, peers who had once fought by his very side, companions who could help him to fulfill the duty he had been bestowed with.The Third Great War, which was in truth just a continuation of the Second Great War, had simmered down now. The colossal loss of human lives had hampered advances by all villages, and there were forces pushing for peace talks. Yet Hiruzen knew in his heart that the war wasn't over yet. There would still be a final dance. Both Kumo and Iwa had been quiet for too long and would be preparing for the final push, a final gambit to enforce their will on the Land of Fire.Perhaps he would have to go to battle himself, especially if Ay or Ohnoki were to show up. It had been some time since he had faced a foe as mighty as the Third Tsuchikage and the Third Raikage. Yet the chances of that were low. Konoha had been blessed with a talented young generation. A generation that was littered with prodigies and geniuses who could go toe to toe with the Kages of Iwa and Kumo."Are you certain that this is accurate?" he questioned the man sitting opposite to him, hoping that the man would shake his head and say that this all was a farce. Yet to his dismay, Danzo nodded slowly."It is. Hatake is extremely cautious and well-trained, it took my best agents months to gather this much," Danzo remarked, and Hiruzen sighed. He was quite aware of Hatake's mastery over the ninja arts. He was amongst the few rising stars of the next generation, a shinobi who could have one day worn the Hat of the Hokage.Alas! It seems that would never come to be. Danzo had made outrageous allegations against the young jounin. Hiruzen had been skeptical about his old teammate's words, especially given the stellar reputation of the jounin in question. Yet it seems there was perhaps some truth to these allegations."These are only marked chakra signatures, Danzo. This isn't conclusive, and given the liaison, you speak of is a kunoichi from Kiri, it could be something far more trivial than the treason you speak of," Hiruzen began as he placed down the report. And a part of him hoped that his words were true. That it wasn't treason, hoped that the young man had just been caught by a honeypot operative."Are you listening to your words Hiruzen?" spoke Danzo. His eyes narrowed, and Hiruzen saw his grip over his cane tighten. Hiruzen's eyes narrowed at that tone."I am, and I will not have one of our most decorated jonin whole life ended due to an inconclusive report," Hiruzen spoke clearly."He is a traitor just like his father, and we must eliminat…""NO!" Hiruzen thundered, his chakra roaring at his command, and he saw his friend stiffen as the room reverberated with his presence. Hiruzen had already made a mistake when he allowed Danzo to destroy Sakumo's life and career, and he owed it to the man to at least give his son a chance."You will not take any action against Ohashi Hatake, and I shall deal with this as I see fit!" Hiruzen spoke coldly, his voice sharp and laced with his chakra. Yet Danzo didn't back off; he had always been like that."He is a trai…""YOU WILL DO NOTHING! AND THAT IS AN ORDER!" Hiruzen roared once more, yet his voice never got loud. It was controlled much like the chakra simmering across the room. Danzo glared at him, his eyes filled with a mixture of anger and contempt, yet in the end, his friend simply got up."Do as you please then, yet I still stand by my words. Ohashi Hatake is a traitor to the leaf and needs to be put down immediately," and with those words, Danzo walked out of his office, leaving him alone once more as he carried the burden of this decision.Was Danzo right? Could Ohashi really be a traitor? But how? And why would he even turn his back on the village? And if he was a traitor, then why hadn't Jiraiya reported anything to him? Had Jiraiya missed it all, or was Danzo making a mountain out of a mole?There were so many questions plaguing his mind, and Hirzuen was inclined not to make a move before having some answers. Ohashi Hatake had a stellar record and was a once-in-a-generation talent. Hiruzen hoped that the report in front of him was a lie, and if it was true, then it was nothing more than a lapse of judgment from a young man.Yet one thing was clear. He needed answers, and he needed them quickly.So, he tapped his finger on his chair, and in an instant, an ANBU appeared in front of him."Send for Orochimaru. Tell him I want to see him immediately!"0000MINATO NAMIKAZEMinato stood side by side with Ohashi as their respective teams discussed their strategies. Having the two teams fight against each other was a good idea. It would promote comradeship and competition between the genin. Minato had been hesitant about the idea given that his team had Kakashi, who was miles ahead of his peers, yet Ohashi had been rather nonchalant about this, insisting that his team had a prodigy of their own."So, is there any progress about the issue we discussed?" Minato asked Ohashi about their little Danzo's problem. The fighting in the war had cooled own quite a lot, and that meant that this could be a window that they could use to bring down the man.He saw Ohashi grimace at his words, making him frown."It's a bit complicated," Ohashi replied as he continued."I was able to track down the location of a couple of their bases," Ohashi began, and Minato was surprised since, despite being good news, Ohashi's tone seemed to speak otherwise."But I believe that the things being carried out at those bases, if they come to light, would shake the very fabric of this village," and he stilled at those words."What do you mean?" he asked, his tone sharp and grave, and the young jounin sighed before he slowly began."The bases were located outside Konoha territory, with most of them just outside the village boundary…""You can sense beyond the village boundary!" Minato screamed in awe. That was impossible. Even Nidaime-sama didn't have such range, given that Minato had read the man's notes when he had been working to master the Hiraishin.Though Ohashi shook his head, "No, that would be impossible," remarked Ohashi cutting him off."Then how did you locate these bases?" Minato questioned, intrigued by his skill. Ohashi sighed and gave him a simple answer."Clones, I have stationed clones at a perimeter, and I use them to expand my sensory range, but I believe we must get back to the main topic," Ohashi added in a stronger tone, and Minato nodded, motioning him to continue."The chakra signatures coming from these bases weren't normal, there were chakra signatures belonging to various clans, but the most troublesome one was that I was able to sense multiple signatures of chakra that were clearly related to the Senju clan!"And Minato stilled at those words, the implication behind those words clear. He could also understand Ohashi's hesitancy in disclosing this, especially with how close he was to Lady Tsunade.Speaking of her, she would be distraught by this, the village that her ancestors had sacrificed their very lives for was repaying them by desecrating their bodies."This is worse than we imagined," Minato spoke after a while, and Ohashi nodded his eyes focused on the ground ahead where the two teams stood opposite to each other."We need to be discrete with this. With the war slowing down, I believe we must strike now," Ohashi began and Minato nodded. He had reasoned so as well."So, what do you propose?" Minato questioned."Espionage," began Ohashi, "I plan to break into one of the labs and gather evidence, and then we can use that to force Hokage sama to act. With the evidence in hand, Hokage-sama will be forced to prosecute Danzo and his supporters."Minato shook his head. The plan was good but it was too dangerous."That is too dangerous….!""There is no other option, you are set to leave for the Northern border in a day and others cannot leave their posts without raising suspicion. And we cannot involve Tsunade-sama into this due to obvious reasons, I am the most suitable person for this," Ohashi argued."Plus, espionage is my specialty. Out of all of us, apart from you, I am the only person who can do this without getting sighted," Ohashi concluded, and Minato sighed as he walked forward."We will need to discuss this later!" he said as he walked up to the two teams."Ok, are both of you ready?" he asked, and the two teams nodded as Minato raised his hand."Begin!" he shouted, and then the competition began.0000OHASHI HATAKEOhashi watched as the two teams took their positions. For the team Minato, Kakashi and Obito took the vanguard position as Rin stayed back, his team took a similar stance with Asuma and Ebisu in front as Kureani hung back."Begin!" Minato-san shouted, and the genin sprang into action.Obito and Asuma were first to react, both of them cycling through a similar set of handseals."KATON: FIRE BALL JUTSU!""KATON: FIRE BALL JUTSU!"Both of them shouted in unison, as they spewed out a massive torrent of fi at each other. The two fireballs met each other in the center of the field, as the flames from one tried to overpower the other, yet neither managed to get an edge.Kakashi was quick to take advantage of the ruckus and rushed forward, moving behind the cover of his teammate's attack before he finally jumped into the air, thankfully, Kurenai had sensed this and had warned her teammates.Asuma was quick to react as he moved his face up, aiming the torrent o flames at the form of his younger brother. Meanwhile, Ebisu cycled through a set of handseals and struck his hands on the ground."DOTON: MUD WALL JUTSU!" an earthen wall erupted in front of his teammates, blocking the fireball from the young Uchiha.Kakashi saw the attack rushing towards him, and took out his tanto, and pushed chakra into the blade, which began to glow with a white hue.He slashed at the fireball, expertly cutting it into two, as he continued to head straight for Asuma and Ebisu. Ohahsi watched as Asuma took out his own chakra blade knuckles and began to engage Kakashi with help from Ebisu. The ground was filled with sounds of metal clashing against metal as Kakashi and Asuma engaged each other yet even after such a small exchange, it was quite obvious that Kakashi was better than the young Sarutobi and was overpowering the two older genin."I told you, didn't I? Kakashi is quite ahead of his peers," Mianto-san added, his tone a bit smug at his apprentice's performance. And it should be, for Kakashi was attacking both Ebisu and Asuma at the same time, and was overpowering the two vanguards from his team."Asuma Sarutobi is good, yet I still believe that Kakashi is way ahead of him," remarked Minato-san referring to his earlier statement about his team having a prodigy of their own.Ohashi smirked in response to that and saw Minato-san stiffen as he felt the chakra in the air thicken as the real prodigy of his team showed their true colors. And the only warning they all received was a small whisper from the budding genjutsu mistress of his team."NINPO: OREGANON!""When did I ever say that Asuma Sarutobi was my little prodigy," Ohashi remarked and in an instant, he saw Kakashi stiffen before he suddenly jumped back, much to the surprise of his teammates."What are you doing, Bakashi!" Obito Uchiha screamed, for he had just stepped in and had hoped to put down both Ebisu and Asuma with Kakashi."Jump back!" Kakashi simply shouted, yet the enthusiastic Uchiha was in no mood to listen and continued to race forward."ARGH!" when suddenly he fell to the ground, grunting in pain as he curled into himself.Minato-san's eyes widened, and he failed to make the announcement forcing Ohashi to step forward."Uchiha Obito is out!" and with those words, team Minato was the first team to lose a team member. Ohashi watched Kurenai standing there, sweat dripping from her forehead as she used the technique he had taught her.Rin had been smart enough to listen to Kakashi and had jumped back, and now the remaining two members of team Minato were eyeing the black-haired kunoichi with quite a bit of trepidation."You taught her that! You're a-rank technique. You taught it to her," Minato-san spoke out in a perplexed tone, making him smile."Didn't I tell you you weren't the only one with a cute little prodigy!" Ohashi teased and watched as Minato Namikaze shook his head and focused his gaze on his young protege."Consider me impressed, but I wouldn't count my team out just yet," remarked Konoha's yellow flash as his gaze shifted to his team's ace."I know. After all, he still hasn't used the little present I gave him."0000
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Chapter 19KAKASHI HATAKEKakashi Hatake stilled as he watched the stupified face of his teammate who had just been eliminated from the match due to his carelessness, though it was a relief, given that he won't have to care for that idiot now, and wouldn't be held back by the idiot as well.. Though he was equally amazed by the level of skill of the opposing team.Kakashi had been a part of their class for some time and had known about their skill level, or at least he had thought he did. Yet in the past months they had improved, the taijutsu of Asuma Sarutobi and Ebisu had improved by miles yet the biggest surprise was the kunoichi standing behind them with her brows scrunched up, as she held her hands in a ram seal, clearly controlling whatever special ninjutsu that had taken out Obito.But despite their improvements, he was quite sure that he could take them out, if he could take out Kurenai who was behind this invisible justu."Obito Uchiha, please leave the field," came the voice of his brother from the side, and Kakashi watched as Obito glanced at their sensei, who had a look of slight disappointment on his face, as he gestured for Obito to leave the fields."But I can still con…." His idiotic teammate tried to speak up, but their sensei was quick to cut him off, his tone serious and sharp."The rules were clear Obito, a clan decapitating hit, and you are out. Come here," and he saw the Uchiha grit his teeth as he began to leave the field."You better win against these cheaters, Bakashi!" he shouted trying to motivate him, making him scoff."What is the plan Kakashi-kun? If we don't attack, we will lose because we are a man down. But if we move in, then we will get attacked by whatever jutsu took out Obito-kun," questioned Rin from the side, and Kakashi understood her concern.AT least Rin was smart enough to listen to him, unlike that ignorant Uchiha idiot.They were in a bit of a pickle, and the cause of their distress was the invisible jutsu that had taken out Obito, and the one behind it was the Kurani Yuhi standing there."Support me from behind. Let me try something," he said as he took out his tanto and saw Asuma and Ebisu gear up as well. He then broke out into a run and watched as they both rushed forward to face him. Kakashi ducked and two shurikens whizzed past him, as Rin provided him with cover as his sword clashed with Asuma's knuckle blades.Their clash was short-lived, and just as Kakashi was about to overpower Asuma, Sarutobi suddenly stepped back, and Kakashi felt the air shift when he suddenly ducked and felt something pass right above him.Ebisu tried to kick him, but Kakashi jumped up and suddenly felt something rush towards him from above, and then he shifted his sword. He was able to block the attack using his sword but was pushed back. He used the force of the attack and jumped back to retreat back to his earlier position.Rin stood there, a bit anxious and contemplative, as he landed by her side. And a plan began to form in his head, a plan which would involve him using that. His secret jutsu was still incomplete despite the help he had gotten from Ohashi, yet a part of him knew that he had no other choice."I can take out the other two, but first, we need to take out Kurenai. As long as her jutsu is active, I won't be able to engage the other two for long enough to take them out," Kakashi remarked, and Rin nodded, her specialty was in iryo-ninjutsu which meant that it was up to him to take out Kurenai, yet Asuma and Ebisu stood there in front of her hoarding her and he knew that with them in the way he won't be able to take her out."I could join you and act as bait…." but Kakashi shook his head."No, they aren't dumb enough to fall for any tricks. They have practiced their formation quite a bit," he remarked as he looked to the side at the shinobi behind the massive improvements in the three of them and the possible mind behind their tactics.Kakashi was quite sure that the technique Kurenai Yuhi was using was one of his brother's recent creations, for he was sure that he hadn't seen something like this earlier. It was a testament to the prowess of his brother, for he had invented at least two A-ranked techniques, even before reaching the twenties, a feat that only their sensei could boast among the Konoha forces."I have a plan," he said as he decided to use his trump card despite it still being incomplete. He had planned on using it against their sensei to surprise him, but there was no other way left."I want you to attack first and try to distract Asuma and Ebisu, be careful. Try to move them away from the center," he remarked as he put his tanto back in its scabbard and took a deep breath."What will you do, Kakashi-kun?" asked Rin as she took out her kunai, as Kakashi took his stance and began to make handseals."I am going to take Kurenai to get rid of this technique," he remarked, as he finished making the handseals and held his right hand as he began to gather massive amounts of chakra in his hand, making it take a visible form.Rin saw this and gave him a nod, and rushed out, and Kakashi gritted his teeth as he began to mold the massive amount of chakra into the required chakra nature. He felt the skin on his hand tingle in pain, yet he gritted through as the massive glob of chakra began to shift as lightning began to arch out of it as his jutsu took its final form.The miniature storm of lightning began to make his hand shake yet he held it still as the sound of chirping of birds began to reverberate in the area.He looked up and found Rin struggling against Asuma and Ebisu, she glanced back and their eyes met as she suddenly left herself open to an attack and used the small opportunity to land a clan blow on Asuma, as she pushed him away. Ebisu was quick to react and landed a blow on Rin, eliminating her as well.But she had done her job as both of them were out of his way, giving him a straight view of Kurenai."Rin Nohara, Asuma Sarutobi. Out!" came their sensei's voice but she had done her part, and Kakashi's eyes met the red orbs of Kureanai Yuhi as he lowered his lightning-clad hand to the ground making the very ground crack as he pulled his arm began and pushed chakra into his legs."Raiton….!" he whispered, as he pushed himself off the ground, the whole world whizzed past him, blurring away as his senses failed to keep up with him. He saw Ebisu trying to push himself in front of his teammate but he was too slow as Kakashi whizzed past him and reached the black-haired kunoichi in the blink of an eye. And extended his lightning-clad arm, aiming it right above her shoulder."Chidori!" he shouted as the lightning cackled, and his arm went right by her ear, and he smiled internally as he waited for the announcement, yet the words kind of shook him."Kurenai Yuhi, Hatake Kakashi. OUT!" and the words shook him, and just as he was about to shout at their sensei, he looked to the side and found three kunai aimed right at him, from the above and the sides, as the black-haired Kunoichi smiled triumphantly."We win!" she said with a weak smile as she wiped away all the sweat from her face."Team Minato has lost all members. Team Ohashi wins!" came the voice of their sensei, startling him, before suddenly hearing a loud groan from his useless teammate."NOOO! How could you lose like this Bakashi, even after Rin-san sacrificed herself like this!" shouted Obito souring his already agitated mood."Shut up, it's not like you did anything useful you idiot!" Kakashi retorted as he glared at the Uchiha who huffed."It was a mistake, I..I jus.. just slipped. Yeah, I just slipped otherwise I would have beaten them all myself…" and before Kakashi could tear him a new one, their sensei intervened."All right, team, that is enough!" Kakashi stiffen up at the tone of their sensei, who had a polite smile on his face, yet all three of them knew there was a massive storm brewing behind that smile.."Why don't we gather up and discuss the spar, I believe there is quite a bit to cover here," remarked their sensei, and all the three of them could do was nod"Yes, sensei!"0000OHASHI HATAKEOhashi placed his hand on the ground and closed his eyes as he let his senses expand as he tried to locate the hidden Foundation base. He was at the border of Konoha and the base he had located was located just outside the border, right in between the territories of Land of Fire and Land of Rice, and finally, he found it just a few miles ahead.Finding the bases had been quite a hassle since Danzo was on crazy monster. He constantly moved them from one location to another, and the seals he employed were extremely intricate making it hard to locate a base, in the end, Ohashi had been forced to use clones to monitor the movement of men, as they shifted from one base to another in order to locate these bases.He pushed chakra into his soles and vanished as he began to make his way to the hidden base, his body moved on instinct from the years and years of practice and his mind began to wonder to his team.Teaching Genin had been quite an experience, and he had been quite mindful about his teachings, hence he had arranged that training session with Team Minato. And his team had performed well above his expectations, making him think that perhaps he had been pushing them a bit too much.Though given that they were in the middle of a war, he found his cautiousness quite adequate. He reached the location and found two ANBU guarding the entrance, Ohashi took a deep breath and suppressed his chakra as he took out his tanto, cycled through a set of handseals, and whispered."Suiton: Shimmering Mist." And exhaled slowly as the chakra-laced mist began to envelop the forest, and just as the two ANBU noticed the thickening air, Ohashi pushed chakra through the air and scrambled their senses before he vanished into the mist.The two ANBU noticed the genjutsu, yet before they could do anything about it, he slit their necks cutting their vocal cords in a swift motion making it impossible for them to alert anyone inside. Though, his efforts seemed to be in vain as he felt a number of presences from inside the cave, making him sigh.He could engage them all and probably kill them all, yet he still had to get the evidence before they wiped it all. So, he made handseals as he made his plan."Suiton: Water Clone Jutsu." And three water clones appeared behind him, and then he took out the scroll tied to his back. It was one of the trump cards that he had prepared for situations like this.He bit his thumb and unsealed the scroll to reveal a massive modified storage seal inscribed there, and it glowed as he pushed the chakra into it."Ninpo: Mist Storm!" and then the seal was undone as a massive storm of mist came out of the scroll enveloping the whole cave, making it the perfect atmosphere for him.The clones would take out anyone who stepped outside as he would rush in and get the required evidence. The sound of ANBU approaching was getting louder, and Ohashi gave his clones a nod and rushed into the caves, silently and covertly moving past the ANBU who were rushing out of the cave, as he made his way through the cave his senses latched onto a specific chakra signature.He raced past a dozen or so men, as he silently entered the room from which he had sensed the chakra signature that resembled Lady Tsunade, a part of him already knowing the source of the signal.And as soon as he entered the room, he was nauseated at the sights in front of him. There were bodies of children placed in glass caskets, surrounded by a green liquid with various tubes connected to them, there was some rotting corps in some of the tube corps that belonged to children who could be no more than six or seven years old.Ohashi slowly moved through the room, his heart thumping in his chest as he saw the wanton cruelty on display. He was of course aware of the damning things Danzo and Orochimaru did yet seeing it was a whole other experience. Nothing had prepared him for what he was seeing, rotting corps of children who had been experimented upon by a mad scientist all to appease a power-hungry maniac.Suddenly, he heard a whimper and looked at the corner of the room, and his eyes widened as he saw a cage placed there. A cage filled with children, most of them covered thin as grass with their skin hugging their bones, most of them were unconscious and strewn across the floor, with only one of them barely clinging to consciousness.Ohashi approached the cave, and cut through the metal bars with a quick swing of his tanto, as he slowly walked towards the barely conscious kid. His heart thumped with each step as he recognized the signature silver hair of the kid, hair that resembled his own.The kid suddenly shifted and looked up, and Ohashi stilled instantly and could only utter a single word as he saw the piece of paper near its neck, it was only then he noticed how the whole room was covered with explosive tags."FUCK!" he shouted as he pushed chakra into his feet and jumped back as the whole room shook as the tags burned up.BOOOOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOM!0000
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Chapter 20DANZO SHIMURAThe whole ground shook as Danzo Shimura watched the whole compound get blown to bits right in front of him. The sound of explosions was deafening, and the whole area was covered by a massive dust cloud. The explosion had made the very ground shake, yet a part of him was quite sure that this wouldn't be enough to take care of Ohashi Hatake.Hiruzen had refused to act on the information he had provided, choosing to adopt a wait-and-see approach as he waited to confirm the contents of his report. Danzo had been apprehensive about using his newfound all, Zetsu, the nature of his being was a mystery, yet in the end. He had been forced to rely on it to manufacture evidence against the boy.Despite his apprehensions about the nature and motive of the Zetsu creature, Danzo was quite impressed by its skills and was already making plans to have Orochimaru run experiments on it to figure out its secrets.He had been aware that Ohashi Hatake had been trying to track down his foundation bases, and had been impressed by the boy's skills. He had learned under the tutelage of the Nidaime Hokage, and the boy had mastered the Second's technique to a level nearly identical to that of his sensei. Thankfully, Danzo was quite aware of the limitations of the technique and had devised a seal to keep himself undetectable.Yet all that would have to wait, for there was a problem he had to take care of before then. A very talented problem. Evident by the fact that despite the intricate trap he had set up, a lone figure jumped out of the dust cloud, covered in dust and blood, holding one of his sides yet alive.The ROOT ANBU with him perked up as Ohashi Hatkae landed a mile away from them, and Danzo silently gave a nod and the ANBU moved out taking their positions as they began to circle the boy. These ANBU had been hand selected by him to deal with the boy after he had studied all the intelligence reports about the boy.Danzo himself blurred away and appeared at a hill right above the silver-haired jounin, who was quick to react to his presence and glanced up at him with a thawing gaze. Danzo was now able to get a closer look at the boy's appearance and was impressed that despite being at the center of the trap the boy had managed to escape with such little damage.So much skill and potential, yet it would all be a waste. The boy had made himself a nuisance and had become a thorn in his side, unable to stomach the realities of a ninja world. He still lamented the fact that he had missed to recruit the boy out of the orphanage. He could have molded him into a perfect weapon. Yet now, it was too late.The boy had become a threat to him, and in turn a that to the safety and sanctity of Konoha, and hence must be eliminated. A waste, yet one must prune the weeds if they want the first to prosper."What are you doing here, Danzo-sama?" the boy questioned as the ANBU surrounded him from all directions, making it so that the boy was completely trapped."Ohashi Hatake, you have been found guilty of crimes of treason, espionage, and collusion with an enemy village," he began and saw the boy's eyes widen a bit at his words, yet he continued."You are to stand down and hand yourself to the ANBU for your sentencing," he finished and saw the boy scan his surroundings, as he replied with a smile."And I believe you must have an order from the Hokage about this sentencing," the boy replied in a joking manner, citing the proper course of action. Danzo gritted his teeth and snarled."I am Danzo Shimura, an esteemed elde…""Traitor!" the boy cut in sharply, making him stop, and Danzo felt the boy's chakra thicken as he felt the air begin to thicken."And now I have the proof! And I will be taking it straight to the village," said the boy. Danzo felt his vision blur as he saw the boy blow a massive storm of thick white mist from his mouth, obscuring the whole area.This was the boy's signature move. The technique which had earned him his moniker, Konoha's Shimmering Mist. A technique that the boy had used to kill nearly a quarter of a Kumo platoon.And Danzo had prepared for it."NOW!" he ordered, and the ANBU perked and began to cycle through a set of seals at the same time, as they whispered in a united tone."Wind Style: Great Wind Storm!" and a massive storm of wind rushed out of their palms, merging with each other as the massive gust of wind began to blow away the mist. The storm was strong enough even to uproot trees, and he was forced to use chakra to keep himself from getting blown away.Danzo smirked as he saw the young Hatake standing there, gritting his teeth in anger and frustration as his signature technique was blown away."Struggling is futile. I have hand selected these men and have trained them myself to face you," Danzo spoke as the storm died down."It is over!" he said and tapped his cane on the ground and the ANBU jumped at his command as four of them took out their swords and rushed towards the white-haired jounin who was standing still despite the perilous situation he was in.Suddenly, Danzo saw chakra thrum in the air with his other eye, as the young jounin mouthed an obscure word."….Organon."And then he felt chakra thicken in the air, and suddenly the whole area was filled with the sound of men screaming."AGHHH!" two out of the four Root ANBU screamed in pain as their arms were cut off, spraying blood everywhere. The other two were quick to react at seeing this and tried to jump back, only for their legs to get cut off.Danzo frowned as he watched four of his ANBU get dismembered in an instant and grew angry at the young jounin, who simply took out his tanto and began to gather massive volumes of chakra.Danzo was impressed by the boy and knew that the ANBU would not be enough, and took a step forward as his hand began to unbind the bandages covering one of his eyes."It seems I must step in myself," he remarked as the white bandages fell to the ground, and he felt the whole world sharpen as he opened his second eye. An eye that had once belonged to his friend.He saw boy's eyes narrow as he glanced up at him at his second eye with disgust and anger."Sharingan!"0000ZETSU"Sharingan!" his white counterpart spoke in amazement, and he nodded."Indeed, and I believe he stole the eye from one of his old teammates Kagami Uchiha," he replied and felt the White nod as they focused once more on the battle in front of them.Danzo Shimura had stepped up now, and despite the lack of an arm, the man was a monster. He saw the young silver-haired jounin jump back as Shimura spewed a literal windstorm at him, rooting out half the forest.The ANBU tried to attack him, but the invisible jutsu cut them off as soon as they entered its range."Stand back! Adopt formation C," came the command from Danzo, and the ANBU jumped back and ran through a set of similar handseals."Katon: Fire ball Jutsu," and then about a dozen ANBU spewed out fireaballs towards the young Hatake as Danzo formed handseals once more."Futon: Vaccum Storm jutsu," and then he spewed a massive burst of wind, which amplified the fire making the fireballs bigger and more ferocious.Even nearly a mile away, they could still feel the heat from the massive fire storm. The young Hatake tsked as he cut down two of the ANBU before he jumped back and began to cycle through a set of handseals himself, and Zetsu felt a massive volume of chakra gather as the boy landed on the ground."Suiton: Water Wall jutsu," and Zetsu was impressed as he saw vapors in the air coalesce as they formed a literal massive water wall in front of the young silver-haired jounin.SIZZZZZ.The firestorm collided with the water wall, evaporating it in an instant, yet the Water Wall held and the whole area was covered in a massive vapor cloud."I cannot see a thing!' remarked white, and he let his senses expand as he felt a massive shift in the chakra from ahead, and then suddenly sounds of metal clashing against metal, and men shouting filled the air."ARGH!!"SCHING! KACHING!"AHHH!"They heard the sound of men screaming in pain, as suddenly Danzo's voice cut in sharply."Futon: Gale Palm jutsu," and then a massive gust of wind blew away the smoke to reveal the lone figure of Ohashi Hatake, tanto in hand, dyed in blood with the corpses of nearly a dozen ANBU agents strewn across.Ohashi Hatake's chakra was running rampant, and Zetsu could feel its pressure even at such distance as the silver-haired jounin glared at the Danzo Shimura, before suddenly vanishing with a blur. Appearing behind the man in an instant, Danzo was quick to react and was able to bring up an arm to block the attack, yet Ohashi was quick and kicked the man in the gut sending him flying into the ground below."ARGHH!" the old man grunted in pain as the ANBU rushed towards the young Hatake, but they were too slow as the boy vanished into thin air, before appearing above one ANBU, cutting off its arm, and vanishing and appearing behind the second.Yet this time, before he had landed his blow, he was forced to jump back, as wind-chakra-laced shuriken whizzed past him, cutting through the forest without any hindrance."We need to step in. At this rate, he will be able to escape away!" commented White in panic as he saw the silver-haired jounin jumping back. Danzo's ANBU had already been reduced to merely half, with the rest killed by the silver-haired jounin."No! Not yet," we shall have our opportunity soon. After all,0000OHASHI HATAKEOhashi Hatake felt pain ripple through his senses as he felt his consciousness return to him. His ears rang as he opened his eyes and felt his vision clear up.He tried to recall his last memory and remembered pushing his tanto right through the stolen sharingan on Danzo's face. He still remembered the massive seal appearing on the man's skin and remembered trying to jump away when suddenly he felt something grip his legs stopping him from jumping away.He tried to move his body, yet his body screamed in pain. And he looked down and found himself covered in bandages while a simple sealing tag was placed on his torso, blocking him using his chakra.He glanced around the room and found himself in a dark and bleak cave. Dread pooled in his heart as his senses expanded and he felt the massive volumes of chakra from a corner of the cave.He glanced back and stilled as he saw the massive statue carved out of stone stuck in the wall. Ten closed eyes were crafted onto its ominous face, with a simple throne placed below it.A person sat on the throne, his chakra felt ancient, and it gave him an ominous feeling. For there was only one shinobi who could have summoned the infamous Gedo Mazo. A single shinobi who had brought the world to its knees, single-handedly.And that very shinobi was looking at him, from the throne, those dotted sharingan staring ominously at him."Madara!" he inertly whispered and saw the red orbs narrow at him as a thick raspy voice reverberated across the room."It seems you are already aware of me," and Ohashi stilled as one of the most dangerous shinobi in the history of this world narrowed his eyes at him."To the outside world Madara Uchiha has been dead for decades, and yet you recognize me with a glance," spoke Madara, his voice getting stronger and more ominous with each word.And Ohashi felt the Sharingan light up and then suddenly he felt his surroundings shift, as he found himself chained to a pole. The sky had turned scarlet and the rest of the world had lost its color, as an old man dressed in a simple robe, his white hair shaped like a wild mane covered one of his eyes, and arched down his neck.His sole visible eye lit up, as their eyes met and he opened his mouth to utter a single question."How?"0000TSUNADE SENJUTsunade Senju felt the forest blur past her as she rushed towards the border of Konoha. The morning Sun had long set, and now the darkness of the night surrounded her.Her heart was filled with worry as she blurred past the trees towards the border as she berated herself for not going with Ohashi. The boy was supposed to report to her, after gathering the evidence from Danzo's labs, yet he had not returned to the village.She could feel that something had gone wrong, and as she raced past the border, she jumped towards the Rice Village territory, her chakra expanding as she tried to sense a trace of the boy.And then she felt it!It wasn't Ohashi's chakra that she sensed but the remnants of a massive battle that had left chakra lingering in the air. She jumped towards it, and as stilled as she saw the devastation in front of her.The whole area was destroyed, with bodies littered on the ground. Bodies that wore the leaf's ANBU masks.She ignored them and moved past them. Her eyes widened as she saw the scenes in front of her. For right there at the center of all this devastation was a massive crater with blood splattered in its center.She felt her heart still as she walked towards the center, shaking as she recognized the single blade glinting there in the center. A tanto she had seen a young jounin wield several times.She continued to step forward with shaky steps, and her heart nearly gave out as she saw a single black hitai-ate lying there in a pool of blood.0000
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Chapter 21MADARA UCHIHAThere were few things that were truly eternal. And peace wasn't among them. Peace was respite, a short dream enjoyed by men as they geared themselves up for the conflict that lay ahead of them. Men against men, Clans against clans, Villages against Villages.War would return, bringing with it death and devastation upon all. Time and time again, fuelled by a cycle of greed, dreams, and aspirations. For it was nothing but a consequence of human nature itself.They had sought to end this cycle. Him and Hashirama had dreamt the same dream of breaking this cycle. Two boys, born to families that were bitter rivals, torn by war and conflict. Separated by years and years of war and blood. Yet united by a dream.And perhaps they had achieved their dream for some time. Had ended the years of conflict between their clans, bringing them together to form Konoha. Yet the world shifted once more. Other clans joined up, made alliances, and began to make villages of their own.He had seen it then, the start of another cycle. Tried to resist the tide, yet he failed. Defeated by Hashirama, only to survive and hide away and watch as the cycle of war and pain ravaged the world once more, proving him right once more."How?" he questioned as he stared straight into the young man's eyes. His youth had been spent on the same battlefields, him and Hashirama had sought to empty out. A young Hatake, descendant of the Hatake clan that had once served as samurai in the court of Daimyo of the fire country. His white hair, reminiscent of Hashirama's wretched brother.The boy gulped and tried to mold chakra, trying to break the illusion as the chains around his body tightened, binding him to the pole. A sense of recognition and trepidation hung in those black orbs highlighting that the boy was somehow not only aware of his identity but also knew of his prowess as well, for why else would a young jounin have such fear in front of an old man?He had long understood that Hashirama's vision was flawed, yet he couldn't make that stubborn fool see the truth. Mankind had a major flaw in their basic constituency, men sought peace yet felt compelled to dominate and have authority over the next person. It was a duality, a contrast in desire and aspirations that made them incapable of change."It seems you are reluctant to answer my question," said Madara with a frown, his curiosity growing as the boy refused to answer his question. He was impressed by his resilience for the illusion he held the boy in, had broken shinobi twice his age in seconds, reducing them to mumbling fools."Perhaps a bit of motivation is needed," he spoke as he pushed chakra into his eyes. The years and years of practice made it as easy as taking a simple breath, and he watched as the boy grunted in pain as a nail was hammered into his hand."AGHH!" the boy grunted in pain, and though it may be an illusion, it was one cast by him. By Madara Uchiha, and he knew that the pain felt by the boy was in no way lesser than the one he would feel if a pain was truly hammered into his hand.Yet the boy held his tongue and didn't utter a single word, making him frown. What the hell was he hiding?The world shifted again, and he pushed his chakra forcing another nail into the boy's body. The another. Then another. And he continued it for quite some time, yet the boy remained tight-lipped and Madara looked straight into the haggard eyes of the boy as sweat and saliva dripped from his chin, his eyes dazed yet still defiant.A part of him wanted to let it go. And yet he was intrigued, by both the young boy's resilience and the secret he held in his mind.He brought the first illusion to an end, and the world around him shifted, the lights died down as the darkness of his cave once more enveloped them. He had long since moved away from his chair, and now stood in front of the huffing and haggard form of the young white-haired jounin."I have known full frown men who were reduced to mumbling fools by what you just went through," he said as he moved his hand gripped the young man's white hair, and pulled his head up forcefully looking him straight into his eyes again."And now I find myself quite intrigued by what secret lies hidden behind these black eyes of yours," he muttered and the boy huffed in the air as he pushed chakra into his eyes once more, making the world shift around him once more and saw the boy still as his illusion began to take hold.And now he found himself standing back in the world his illusion, the young jounin chained back to the pole yet the ground this time was littered with insects, held back only by his command as they buzzed below them waiting to bite into their pray.Blood dripped from the young shinobi's body as his body was literally nailed to the pole, and then Madara spoke again, and he felt the world shift as suddenly a nail appeared in front of the boy's face and began to glide near his face again as Madara held it still firmly as he gripped his hair."We shall see how long you can last. It's not like I am strapped for time either," he commented as the nail began to near his eye, ready to pierce it.0000HIRUZEN SARUTOBIHiruzen stood in the Hospital's corridor, watching in anger and frustration as the med nin's worked tirelessly to save the person lying on the bed. His feelings were conflicted as he watched his oldest friend lying there lifelessly on the bed. Danzo had disobeyed his orders once more, and had confronted Ohashi.The details after that were blurry, and he himself knew nothing about what had transpired after their confrontation. There was no sign if young Ohashi anywhere, and while he hoped for the best. A part of him knew that Danzo's days were numbered/He sighed as he thought about the ramifications of this whole scenario. For all his youth, Ohashi Hatake was quite a well-connected shinobi, a prodigy in the making who wielded quite an influence in the village. There would be questions, and he would need to provide answers.Answers could only be given by Danzo.Yet that all would come later once he had talked to Danzo and had gotten to the truth of the matter. He watched as the med nin walked out of the room, giving him a respectable bow as he told him about Danzo's condition."Lord Danzo's condition is very serious, lord Hokage. We have done all we could to stabilize him," and the med nin hesitated a bit after that, making him frown, before he suddenly hurriedly added."The only person who could save him right now is probably Lady Tsunade," and he immediately shook his head.If there was one person he didn't want to come near Danzo at this moment was his former student. The whole village was aware of the fondness the blonde had for the young jounin. And Hiruzen knew that if she got wind of Danzo's actions then there would be no saving his friend and while he was angry and frustrated by Danzo's actions, and planned to punish him accordingly, he didn't want to see him killed."No, and I want everything about Danzo kept under wra…" but before he could finish he stilled as he felt a massive burst of chakra enter his senses. A chakra filled with unrelenting rage and anger.The med nin in front of him stilled as well, for there was only one person present in the village apart from him in the whole village who had a presence like that."Tsunade," he whispered as he turned towards the entrance of the corridor and watched as his ex-student appeared out of the corner, her face flushed and filled with rage.He felt her eyes land on him, and a part of him stilled as he felt a shiver run through his spine, for the stare reminded her so much of her grandsire. Hashirama Senju was known as the God of Shinobi and while many remembered him as the benevolent and kind man he definitely was, one didn't get the title of the God of Shinobi in the warring state period without having the necessary cruelty.As her eyes landed on him, he heard her scoff in rage as she moved past him, her eyes focused on the door to his side that led to Danzo's room and her face was filled with disappointment as he heard her whisper."I should have known that you would be here," she scoffed as she moved to enter the room.And Hiruzen knew that this would not end well, and a small part of him understood that there was little chance of him being able to stop her at this point. Danzo had overstepped too much, and there was little he could do now. Yet he still had to try, so he decided to intervene and he gripped her hand as she held onto the door handle."I know you are angry, but don't do anything rash, Tsunade," he remarked and saw her glance back as she said through gritted teeth."Let me go, sensei," she said in a grave tone, her eyes filled with disgust and rage, which made him reel back slightly at seeing one of his students looking at him with such eyes. And he knew that there was no stopping her now.She didn't wait for his reply and pulled her hand away from his grip and opened the door, walking inside. The med nin's stilled as they felt her enter the room, her presence making the temperature of the room drop as she eyed the medics and spoke a single word."OUT!" the medics were quick to follow her command and rushed out of the room, closing the door behind them, leaving the two of them alone with the unconscious form of Danzo.Shimura Danzo was hooked to various machines and tubes, his whole body had been bandaged carefully, and despite the anger he held for him, a small part of him felt pity seeing him in this state."He is unconscious. We can do this another tim…." but before he could finish, Tsunade cut in scathingly."I need answers, sensei, and I am in no mood to wait, if you are thinking of using your rank, then I can assure you sensei as the last living descendent of the Shodaime, I also wield considerable power. Poer that I won't hesitate to use at all," and that made him stop. Not the threat, but the seriousness of her tone. And so he stepped back, knowing that Danzo had overplayed his hand and had crossed too many lines this time. And he hoped for his friend's sake that young Ohashi still lived.Tsunade closed her eyes and gripped placed her hand on Danzo's head. suddenly he felt her chakra shift as the seal on her head expanded, the markings expanding as the feel of her chakra shifted.Her hands began to glow as the characteristic green hue of iryo ninjutsu expanded and began to cover Danzo's body.He gulped as the feel of Danzo's chakra shifted and suddenly he felt his friend's eyes flutter as he suddenly opened his eyes.Yet before he could react, Tsunade had her hand on the man's throat as she snarled angrily."Now, the only thing stopping me from ending your miserable life is my concern for the whereabouts of young Ohashi. So, I am going to ask you this one question, and you better reply quick," she muttered angrily as she took out a bloodied headband from her pocket and thrust it in his face."Where is he?" she questioned, and he saw Danzo's eyes move towards him, yet he found himself not inclined to help him. Tsunade caught his wandering gaze and tightened her grip, making Danzo grunt in pain."Don't look at him! Look at me and answer, you bastard!" she snarled angrily, gripping his head and turning it to face her."Where is he!" she snarled angrily, and he saw Danzo grit his teeth as he finally shouted."He is…" and his voice was hoarse as he spoke through gritted teeth."Dead!" and Danzo's words confirmed the disaster he had suspected. He closed his eyes, stilled by a sense of betrayal and loss. Tsunade had stilled at those words as well, her grip slackening slightly, as Danzo wheezed out."He was a…. traitor."SPLASH!Before he could react suddenly the whole Danzo's head was crushed to a pulp by Tsunade, showering the whole room with blood and brain splatter. HisHe gulped at the scene in front of him, as blood dripped from Tsunade's hand as she turned to face him. Her face was covered with blood and brain matter, and he felt her eyes land on him, and before he could reprimand her, the look in her eyes stopped as she began to speak in a monotonous tone."With the power vested into me as the head of the Senju clan, I call for a Grand Council," she spoke, staring straight into his eyes, and he felt his heart drop as she finished her sentence."And the Senju clan uses the power vested to them as a founder clan and moves to depose the Third Hokage, and his council on the charges of treason," and he knew that there was a storm headed his way.A storm caused by his inability to curtail the actions of his friend.0000OHASHI HATAKEHe screamed again and again, soon loosing even the energy for that, as nails ripped through his body Pushed painfully into every crook and cranny of his body, with the last going into his eyes ending even the mere luxury of vision.A part of him began to look forward to a short respite of darkness, yet hankered for he knew that after that it would begin all over again. Again. And again.By this time he had lost count of how many times this had happened, lost count of time he had spent in this illusion. Unaware of exactly how much time had passed in the outside world."I……know……the…….future… of th….world!" he uttered, and finally the pain stopped. And he saw as Madara's eyes shifted the nail aimed at his eye stopped, and the torture stopped. Finally stopped.He huffed, as his body struggled to breathe, as he glanced up at the man who had tortured him for all this time, with his sole functioning eye. And watched as the ghost of the Uchiha frowned at his words."You know the future of this world," commented Madara, and he slowly nodded the small motion, making his whole body convulse in pain.And then, just as the implication of those words dawned on the man, he used his final gamble, and using all his willpower and strength, he pushed his chakra to follow his command, making it flood his choils, ravishing them as he pushed his whole boy beyond its limits."Kyōmon Kai," he whispered and felt the whole world surrounding him shake as the old form of Madara was forced to step back. He felt the illusion fall as the seal placed on his body tried to keep his rampaging chakra under control, yet failed.And with a mad push, he pulled the very chains holding him to the ground, making the whole area explode.BOOOM!0000Days had passed since they had first captured the silver-haired jounin from Konoha and he had recognized Madara Uchiha at a single glance, sparking the man's curiosity. The infamous Uchiha had tried everything to make the boy talk, entrapping him illusion that would have broken many men.Zetsu himself had been surprised by the boy's knowledge and was waiting for the answer. He watched as Madara sat on his throne, staring at the still form of the boy chained in front of him with a scrutinizing gaze.A silent whisper rippled through the cave and he failed to catch what was said and suddenly he felt a shiver run down his spine as he felt Madara's chakra shift suddenly. Yet the feeling was lost as soon as it had come, and he glanced at the man once again and found him sitting in his chair like before, his sole visible eye still focused on the form of the young Hatake.And in that moment, had he looked closer, he would have seen, the other eye of the man lose its light as the man lost half his vision and silently muttered a single sentence, in a barely audible tone."Future, heh. Interesting!"0000What was the whisper? 😉HINT: Itachi used it.
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Chapter 22KURENAI YUHIKurenai Yuhi couldn't really believe the sight in front of her. Despite a week passing since they had heard the news, the reality hadn't really set in. And now as she stood in the leaf cemetery staring at the gravestone inscribed with his name, it all began to set in.Ohashi HatakeStudent. Brother. Teacher.And her vision began to blur up as tears welled up in her eyes. She tried to hold them back. To not cry, tried to be a true shinobi, yet her efforts were futile. And despite her efforts, she felt a small sob escaping from her lips as tears began to fall down from her eyes, falling to the ground.She heard Asuma sniff from the side, as he struggled to keep away his tears as well, as they stood in front of the grave of their sensei. A sensei who had been a bit hard on them yet had helped them achieve heights they had never thought possible."I cannot believe he is gone," she whispered, with a small hitch, "and they aren't even telling us how he died," she said indignantly as she looked towards Asuma, who wiped away his eyes with his sleeve and shook his head with a grimace."I tried asking about it, but father said that it is classified and he couldn't disclose it," he replied and she gritted her teeth as she glanced towards the back, where the Hokage stood, dressed in his ceremonial black garb. Though if the rumors circulating were anything to go by, he would not be holding onto that garb for long.It was rumored that the Hokage was on the lookout for a successor. The person on the top of that list stood right behind her, dressed in a black jacket instead of her signature green one, and her blonde hair tied in a ponytail, Tsunade Senju stood there impassively staring at the gravestone with a complicated expression with her infamous teammate, the Toad Sage standing by her side.The funeral was quite elaborate and was attended by Leaf's several well-known shinobi, including the Yellow Flash, Lady Kushina Uzumaki, various clan heads and even the matriarch of the Uchiha clan, who stood by their side, along with Kakashi, who had been extremely quiet during the whole ordeal.The ceremony ended and people began to leave, yet the three of them found themselves rooted to their spots, still reeling from the shock of the loss of their sensei.And suddenly, they were broken out of their trance when someone softly called out their names from behind."Asuma, Kurenai, and Ebisu!" she jerked at her name getting called and looked back to find, the Uchiha matriarch staring at them with a soft gaze, her eyes reddened as she stood there in the ceremonial garb."Mikoto-sama," she greeted the woman, and despite the apparent soft and delicate nature of the woman, Kurenai was acutely aware of just how dangerous the person standing in front of them was.Ohashi-sensei had shared quite some tales about his sensei, and they knew that his strict nature had been inherited by the teachings of the person standing in front of them. Ohashi-sensei had taken them to meet the woman when they had first become his students as well, so all three of them were somewhat acquainted with the retired jounin."Though it is getting a bit late I was hoping that I could have a bit of your time?" she asked politely, and the three of them glanced at each other and quickly nodded at the request. The Uchiha matriarch gave them a small smile and asked them to follow her, to the large fire monument just outside the cemetery."Mikoto-sama, may I ask what this is about?" asked Kurenai, and she saw her lips thin, as the Uchiha matriarch glanced down before she finally spoke up."It is about your team. More specifically, the new sensei you that shall be appointed for team Ohashi," began the Uchiha matriarch, and she stilled at those words. She was aware that they would have to go under the tutelage of a new sensei, and since it was her talking about this. It could only point to one thing.And her guess was proven right, as the retired kunoichi began slowly."As all three of you are already aware, I was Ohashi's sensei, and he also was my apprentice for some time as a chunin, and he often came to me to ask for advice and guidance when he became a sensei himself, though from how much you three have improved, it wasn't like he needed much of it anyway," the Uchiha matriarch said, with a forlorn smile, and gulped as she continued and she saw the understanding appear in the eyes of her two teammates as they connected the dots as well."So, it was his wish that if anything were to happen to him, I would take his place as a sensei for the three of you," finished the Uchiha matriarch. She became quiet and the three of them looked at each other and gave each other a small nod, as they made their decision.0000TSUNADE SENJUThe atmosphere in the village was testing, and it felt as if the whole village was on a knife's edge. The funeral for Ohashi would have been a rather simple affair, if not for the presence of the presence of nearly all of Konoha's premiere shinobi. The tension was palpable, as the whole village collectively held its breadth for the Council that was set to happen in a day.It was the first time that a founding clan had used its authority to call a Grand Council, instead of a Hokage, and it had sent the shockwaves throughout the village. Her sensei had been trying to make her back off, trying to make others intervene, as he tried to salvage his reputation, and the reputation of his council.He had used his authority to declare all matters regarding Ohashi's death as classified yet his action had been futile, and many were already raising questions about how one of Leaf's prominent elite jounin had been assassinated like this."Hime-sa….," began Jiraiya in his unbearable tone, but she cut him off."Shut up! If you speak anymore, I will turn back right now," she spoke scathingly as they walked towards the Hokage office, with him calling in one of the favors she owed to the idiot.The smile was wiped off of his face, and gone was the unusually goofy teammate replaced by Jiraiya the Toad Sage, one of Konoha's most renowned shinobi."So, are you really dead set on this?" he questioned, the cheer gone from his voice, as they came to a halt near the entrance of the Hokage's room.And she turned to look straight into his eyes and saw his eyes narrow as she put her hand on the door handle."What do you think," she retorted angrily as she pushed open the door, and entered the office. The Hokage office was filled with palpable tension, and the usual chair occupied by the Hokage was empty. Her eyes moved towards the edge of the room where a number of sofas were placed, and there she found her sensei sitting in one of the sofas, his pipe in his mouth as he sat there, joined by two other persons. Persons she didn't wish to tolerate, and just as she was about to turn away, Jiraiya held her arm."Just listen to him this one time, princess," and as she saw about to berate him for taking the side of his sensei, he cut her off quickly."I am not asking for you to agree with him. I am asking you to listen to him. Just listen to him, and I will then support you no matter what you decide," he reiterated, and she bit her teeth as she thought about his offer, and in the end, decided to listen to this nonsense."Ok! Let's get this over with," she said as she pulled away her arm from Jiraiya's grip and began to walk towards the sofas. She saw Koharu, the old hag, frown in anger as Tsunade refused to greet the woman as an elder given her status, as she simply took the seat opposite to her sensei, who appeared to have aged a decade in the past week.She looked straight into his eyes as Jiraiya leaned on the wall to the side, acting as somewhat of an arbitrator for this meeting."When you called for this, I had hoped that you would have realized your mistake in trusting these old coots," she said derisively, and the two elders spluttered in rage at her remarks."You insolent…!" the old bitch from Sarutobi sensei's side was about to begin when suddenly the man cut her off."Koharu, Homura. Enough!" cut in her sensei in a sharp tone, his chakra roaring at his command. The two elders became quiet in an instant, sweat dripping from their faces as Sarutobi sensei met her gaze and spoke up in a softer tone."Have you reconsidered your actions, Tsunade? Calling a council at this time could unravel the whole village structure, destroying decades of sacrifices of our ancestors, of your ancestors," her sensei began once more, and she scoffed at his words."I believe you see, should have thought about this before giving free rein to your treasonous lickspittles. And as for the legacy of my ancestors, I am quite sure both Hashirama and Tobirama oji-san would be reviled by yours and Danzo's actions," she retorted and saw her sensei look into her eyes, and she didn't waver and stared right back."You ungrateful bastard! Do you have any idea what we have done for this village? The village would be nothing without…." Utatane, that old bitch couldn't keep her mouth shut, and before Tsunade could intervene, someone else appeared right behind the woman, a kunai held at her neck as Jiraiya appeared behind the woman and spoke in an ice-cold voice."I am kind of getting tired of your voice," he began, and the whole room stilled as the old woman gulped nervously and glanced back at Jiraiya, who had a menacing expression on his face."So, you better shut up, or I will have to make you shut up," he said as he brought the edge of the kunai closer to her neck, making the old woman splutter."Koharu, Homura. Leave us," her sensei finally said with a sigh, and she saw the eyes of the two elders widen, but one glance from him, had them on their feet in an instant as the two elders walked out of the room with flushed faces.Her sensei sighed as soon as the door closed, stood up, walked towards one of the windows at the back, and began to stare at the expanding village basking in the Sunlight outside."If you are truly set in your decision, then I believe we still need to discuss how the whole thing will proceed," her sensei began conceding and she saw Jiraiya's head snap towards the man, who turned to face her."And though my words may not mean much to you, I always tried to live up to the legacy of the Hashirama and Tobirama-sama," he began, and Tsunade chewed her lip, knowing that despite the man's numerous faults, he was not a linear and he did believe that what he was doing was for the best of the village."I know, and perhaps it is time we move on from what they would have done to what needs to be done," she answered, and her sensei's lips turned up slightly as he spoke in a barely audible tone."I am proud of you, Tsunade."0000ZETSUThe alien being stared at the withering old form of Madara Uchiha, sitting on the throne as the young silver-haired jounin they had captured months ago. The silver-haired shinobi had been in a trance for the entire time, caught in a special genjutsu cast by the legendary Uchiha. A genjutsu that, according to the old Uchiha, was supposed to transform the very trajectory of the fate of the young man.Zetsu wasn't quite aware of the details, but he was beginning to suspect that the jutsu had failed, for despite it being months, the boy remained static in a trance-like state, with no movement.He burrowed through the cave, appearing beside the old Uchiha and speaking slowly."Lord Uchiha, perhaps we must look for a replacement. It has been months since we captured this candidate and there has been no change in him in all…" but the old Uchiha patriarch cut him off."NO!" the voice was sharp and reverberated throughout the cave, as he felt the Sharingan land into him, and a part of him felt as if it was Indra himself staring at him."He shall be the one to carry my will, we just have to wait," answered the man cryptically the Sharingan moving from him to focus once more on the still form of the silver-haired jounin bound in chains."For how long, Madara-sama?" he questioned, and the man's gaze didn't move away from the bound jounin as he simply answered."For as long as it takes."0000OHASHI HATAKEOhashi Hatake's chest burnt from the pain, and he felt his very soul twist as he saw the scenes of carnage and destruction spread around him. The ground was cracked, buildings had been reduced to rubble and the ground was flooded with blood with bodies floating in the pool of blood.He had lost count of just how many times he had found himself looking at such a scene. He fell onto his knees and looked down at his reflection in the blood flooding the ground. Blood that belonged to his own comrades, family, and friends. Blood of the very people he had once vowed to protectThe person staring at him was unrecognizable, with a long mane of white hair that had become scarlet and was covered in blood, much like his whole body. He gasped for air, as he felt his body tire and he stilled as the reflection in the blood transformed as an old man with a glistening Sharingan appeared and uttered slowly."You do know, you could have prevented all this had you acted. You could have brought true peace to this world, a peace that would have lasted for eternity, yet you chose not to act," the man said scathingly, and suddenly, he found himself switching places with the man.He found himself submerged in blood, sinking deeper and deeper, his body refusing to follow his command as he tried to push himself up. The light died down, and his body ran out of oxygen. And he felt his head grow lighter as his vision darkened, and the last thing he found himself staring at was the dreaded three tomoe sharingan as he heard a whisper."You could have prevented it all!"*And then suddenly he felt his body burn once more, as he felt himself whisper for perhaps a millionth time."Kyōmon Kai"And the cycle began once more.00000A/N: If you haven't guessed it already. Madara has trapped Ohashi in Izanami, and though Ohashi may be aware of the jutsu's effects, it doesn't make it any less potent. Yet he is resilient since Kabuto broke from the technique in hours, and Ohashi still resists despite being trapped in it for months.What is Izanami? It's basically a time-dilation genjutsu that brainwashes a person. Using it costs an eye, and is said to alter the very fate of a person.
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Chapter 23KUSHINA UZUMAKIThe whole village was still reeling from the shock of Ohashi's death. The very air of the village was thick with tension, as the whole village could sense a major change. Behind the scenes, the shinobi forces were tense as well. With Iwa and Kumo being relatively quiet, everyone was on edge.The news about the death of Danzo Shimura had also leaked, and there was major speculation that his death was somehow connected with Ohashi Hatake's death. The Grand Council, called by Lady Tsunade Senju, was set to begin today, and all the secrets would be revealed today.As she turned the corner, she stopped as she found herself staring at a very familiar figure. Minato's apprentice and brother of the recently martyred Ohashi Hatake and the leader of the Hatake clan stood there a bit anxious as he leaned lazily against the wall, probably waiting for her.Minato had asked her to help his apprentice, given that it was his first time attending the Council meetings. And though she hated these boring meetings herself, she had attended enough to understand their obscure plots and politics. As she saw him, she was reminded of Mikoto's young apprentice. He had been a natural at these meetings and had fit in quite easily amongst the rest of the clan heads as he sat in Kakashi-kun's place for the last couple of meetings."Kakashi-kun," she called out and saw him turn towards him. She didn't miss how his shoulders relaxed a bit as his eyes landed on her."Kushina-san," he greeted her respectfully as she walked towards him."I hope you didn't have to wait for long," she said sheepishly as they both began to walk towards the room."No, I just got here," he said as he looked around and then hesitantly asked her."The atmosphere seems extremely tense," he said, and she was impressed by his astute observations and nodded."Yes, this is the first time someone other than the Hokage has called a Grand Council, so the people are a bit tense. And of course, then there is all the intrigue surrounding the unfortunate events of the last couple of weeks," she replied and saw him stiffen a bit at her words before he nodded. They reached the door to the room and stopped as she looked towards him."Ok, I know Minato taught you everything about these already, though there really isn't much to do. It's mostly just sitting quietly and listening and speaking up if your opinion is asked. Your seat will be right next to mine, so if you don't understand anything, just ask me," she told him, and he nodded.Then she closed her eyes and pushed open the doors. The Council room was quite large and had a large table in the center. At the head of the table sat the Hokage, with the two founding clans sitting right next to him, opposite to each other.Most of the clan heads were already present, and even Lord Third sat on his seat. She saw Mikoto-chan's husband, Fugaku, glance up at her as he gave her a small nod as she walked past him.She reached her seat and sat down, with Kakashi-kun taking the seat next to her. The whole room was quiet, and the tension was palpable, and then entered the very person who had called this Council meeting.Tsunade Senju had a menacing look on her face as she entered the room, her gaze sharp and glinted as she walked towards her seat and sat down.With this, everyone was present. She then looked around the room and tapped the table twice in front of her. She felt the seals placed around the room activate as she stood up once more."Let us begin this Great Council!"0000TSUNADE SENJUTsunade saw her sensei's gaze land on her as she called the Grand Council meeting into session. All the clan heads perked up at her words. Their eyes focused on her as they waited for her to tell them all why she had called this special meeting."As I am not fond of wordplay or riddles, I will get straight to the point," her words made everyone look at her with narrowed gaze as they waited for her to continue."Some time ago, a young shinobi from one of the village's most respected clans began to suspect one of our village's most respected veterans of treason," and the whole Council room stilled at her words. She saw Fugaku narrow his eyes, probably realizing whom she was pointing towards, much like Shikaku and Inoichi."He lacked concrete evidence to prove his suspicion, and so he began to investigate this on his own," she began telling them half-truths. For her as much as she was angry with her sensei, her meeting with him had made her realize that she couldn't let the village's belief in the position of the Hokage falter.The Hokage was a symbol of unity and strength in the village, and though her sensei had been nearly complicit, they had come to an agreement about how to proceed with all this."And though he should have brought it to the Hokage's attention, the shinobi decided to wait until he had some evidence to prove his suspicion and began gathering said evidence," she said, and by now, more than half the room had caught on and had an idea about whom she was talking of."The shinobi I speak of was none other than the recently martyred Ohashi Hatake, who lost his life as he confronted this traitorous veteran," she finished and saw her sensei look down in shame as she continued."And the traitor he was investigating was none other than the elder Shimura Danzo," and she saw her words register as half the clan heads paled at her words. Surprise was the first emotion, quickly followed by rage, anger, and disgust as the Hiashi Hyuga looked toward her sensei."Is this true, lord Hokage?" he questioned, and her sensei sighed as he nodded."Unfortunately, yes. Danzo Shimura, one of my closest friends and one of the most respected veterans of this village, was indeed compromised," added her sensei, and the room broke out into mayhem as clan heads began to curse the deceased elder.She watched the room dissolve into chaos and glanced towards her sensei, who nodded and stood up."Danzo Shimura had been one of my teammates. We had fought together for decades. I called him a friend, yet he wasn't worthy of that title. He overrode my commands and betrayed my trust as he tried to attain power for himself, breaking many of our foundational laws in his wake," her sensei began, his voice filled with sadness and betrayal."Young Ohashi saw through this façade and began looking into his various secretive ventures on his own, and about a week ago, was forced into a confrontation as he raided one of Danzo's secret bases to collect evidence. Their fight resulted in the death of them both, yet by then, the young man had already passed on the evidence to a person of trust who brought it to me," said her sensei as he looked towards her. The room was still reeling from this news, yet her sensei continued."I called Danzo a friend, often relying on his council, trusting our years and years of comradeship. Yet it seems the man I called a friend had been plotting against me and my village behind my back. And with that in mind, I have decided to step down from my position as the leader of the village," and The whole room was quiet as they internalized those words, as her sensei slowly took off his Hokage hat and placed it down."I believe it is time for someone new to lead this village," her sensei began as he looked towards her."And so we are gathered here today, to choose the right person. The person who shall take my place as the Fourth Hokage and lead this village into the next era!"0000MINATO NAMIKAZEThe past year had the whole village in flux. The betrayal of one of the most respected elders, followed by the heroic actions of one of the village's youngest prodigies, the story had shaken the whole village.The Grand Council had ended as they had all expected. With Lord Third's resignation, it was time to choose a new Kage. Several names had been considered, and he was honored that his name had been amongst the many despite not being selected in the end.But he didn't mind. He was still young, and just being considered for the station of the Hokage was honor enough. In the end, it had come to two people, Fugaku Uchiha, and Lady Tsunade. Despite the substantial support enjoyed by the Uchiha clan leader, Lady Tsunade's role in dismantling the whole Shimura scandal could not be overlooked. And in the end, Fugaku himself had recused himself, with Lady Tsunade becoming the Fourth Hokage.Things had moved swiftly from there. A massive sweep had been done, destroying all the rot from the years and years of Danzo Shimura's subterfuge. Much had been uncovered, ranging from his illegal experiments to experiments that bordered on bloodline theft. Many other people in the village had been indicted.And the world hadn't missed the massive shift in Konoha's power structure. Both Iwa and Kumo had shown their hands. Their forces had gathered and were ready to move out for what was being said to be the final attack of the war. It was their final push after Konoha had thwarted all their earlier attacks, as they would this.And so, he found himself standing in the Hokage office again as Lady Tsunade looked at him from across the table, her ceremonial hat by her side as she looked him in the eye."So, you believe you and your team could pull this off," she asked him, and he nodded."Yes, Lady Tsunade. I believe we can. The supply lines of Iwa have serious choke points on the Kanabi bridge, and I believe that me and my team could take on this mission," he replied. Though at the rate they were growing, they would soon get away from him.Ohashi's death had brought quite a change in Kakashi and, in that regard, in his whole team. While previously Kakashi had always been rather reclusive and headstrong, his brother's status as a village hero had changed him. He was a bit more approachable while becoming more of a team player, losing his fixation on the ninja rulebook he had established after his father's death."And who would be leading the team as you go and support the main force against the Iwa forces," she questioned, making him frown."I believe Kakashi Hatake would take the position of the leader," after all, he was the team leader, and he saw Lady Tsunade lean back as she tapped her desk before she shook her head."No, he is too young to lead such a sensitive mission. I believe I have someone more appropriate in mind for this role," said Tsunade-sama as she picked up a file from the side and pushed it towards him."I believe your team has worked with Ohashi's team a number of times. Mikoto Uchiha is a well-established jounin and would be the better choice for leading the second part of this mission," and he nodded.Mikoto had replaced Ohashi as the sensei for his team, and their teams had trained together occasionally. The foundation that Ohashi had given the three of his genin had been built upon by his old teacher, and the three young genin had flourished under her tutelage and were one of the more accomplished genin teams amongst their peers."As you say, though, may I ask who will be leading the assault against the Kumo forces since there are reports that the Third Raikage himself is leading the men in the field," he asked.Lord Ay, the third Raikage, was widely considered to be the greatest Raikage Kumo had ever had. The man was a monster capable of facing a tailed beast himself. His speed and durability were legendary, and he was probably the biggest threat to their village.And given his skill level, they would need to send someone capable of facing the man on equal footing.He saw Lady Tsunade frown at the mention of the Third Raikage as she cursed Kumo before she replied."Yes, that news is indeed true. The Third Raikage is indeed leading his men in the field, though you shouldn't worry about it too much. The Third Raikage may be a monster, but Konoha has several monsters of its own," she replied with a smirk."And this one had been bogged down by paperwork for quite some time," and he quickly caught on to the meaning behind those words, his eyes widened at the implication."You don't mean…." He began, and she nodded."Yes, indeed. The person leading the defense against the Kumo forces is none other than my sensei, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage himself."0000MADARA UCHIHAMadara Uchiha wasn't easily impressed. He had grown up on the battlefield fighting the likes of Hashirama Senju, Mirai Uzumaki, and Sasuke Sarutobi. These hadn't been merely mortals. They were gods—literal Gods who could change the whole world with their sheer will.He had been relatively underwhelmed by the other shinobi. The likes of Muu and even that lightning cloak-wielding idiots from Lightning country had never truly stood a chance against the likes of him.Yet he found himself impressed by the shinobi chained in front of him. Ohashi Hatake, the son of the White Fang of Konoha. Izanami was a mysterious technique, said to change a person's very fate by trapping him into an eternal genjutsu.A year had passed since he had first cast the genjutsu, and yet the boy remained defiant. The Izanami was said to morph a person's perception of time itself, making them live out years and years in the genjutsu as only minutes pass in the real world. But even after all that, the boy hadn't broken and had continued to resist the inevitability. Zetsu had begun to lose patience and had implored him to search for a new vessel, yet Madara ignored him.He let the imposter continue the ruse as he continued to use him, yet he never trusted him after he got to know the truth about its identity. An Ototsuki, a descendant of Kaguya, the progenitor of chakra. A shame that he was such a weakling.He knew that he had already found the perfect successor. The young shinobi in front of him was the one he had been searching for, a true successor who saw the truth of this world. A person who could do what he ahd failed to do, a shinobi who could bring true peace to this world.And then suddenly, he felt the chakra in the cave shift. Madara looked ahead at the unmoving body of Hatake and felt his chakra shift. A smile appeared on his face as the young man's eyes slowly opened, those black orbs heavy with the burden of the task he was about to take on."So, you have finally accepted your fate, young Ohashi," he asked as he looked him in the eye. The young shinobi didn't move and only opened his mouth."Yes, I have. I now know what needs to be done."0000Madara's broken Ohashi. Zetsu's days are numbered. And Sarutobi vs Third Raikage!Things are getting interesting.Have fun reading!
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Chapter 24TSUNADE SENJUTsunade Senju had never imagined that she would be sitting in the seat of the Hokage. It had never been her dream. It had been Kawaki's and Dan's but never hers. And yet she sat in it, to save the village, to do right by the village for which both Kawaki and Dan and many others like them had sacrificed their lives.Nearly a year had passed since she had taken this seat, the Third Hokage's retirement had come as a surprise to many. Yet the name Senju still carried a certain influence among the populace, and when the people came to know who was set to become the Fourth Hokage, they were content.As for the shinobi forces, they knew the whole truth about this whole ordeal. The betrayal of someone like Danzo had shocked many, and though they had kept the details under wraps to protect the morale, the shinobi were at an edge.Danzo's corruption and rot had run deep. The man had practically established a parallel ANBU force that had been at his beck and call and had numerous bases scattered across the continents. The details about his training methods and experiments had been gruesome and vile.ROOT had been shut down now, and its members were incorporated into the ANBU squads. The bases had been quickly located and brought under control, and Danzo's followers had been identified and judged accordingly. His people in the orphanages had been captured and processed.His network was vast, and though Ohashi had given them some basic information, it wasn't nearly enough. No, the person that had provided all that information was someone else. Someone who now sat right in front of her."I must say, I still find it rather ironic seeing you sitting in that seat, Princess," came the slithering voice of her most obnoxious teammate. Orochimaru had been in bed with Danzo in a number of his projects. Experiments that had made her skin crawl and a part of her had wanted to gut her teammate.Yet, he had been quick to offer himself up after Danzo's demise and had been a well of information about the man's operations. He had given the excuse that all he did was under orders of the man, and though she could tell with a single glance that it wasn't true. The fact was that Konoha couldn't afford to lose another S-rank shinobi. The war was at a critical stage, and losing someone like Orochimaru would be a major loss."Let's end this tirade right here," she cut in, having neither the patience nor the time to deal with these word games."Tell me why you are here, Orochimaru?" she asked, and her teammate smiled cryptically, his golden eyes focused on the Hokage hat lying in front of her."Why such hostility, Princess? Even after a whole year, you still have those pesky little ANBU following me around throughout the village," he complained jokingly. And, of course, he knew about the ANBU tailing him. He was Sanin and perhaps the most resourceful of the three. However, that was no excuse for the ANBU, who were going to get a very strict talking to from her after this about their falling standards."Haven't I proven myself to you yet?" he said magnanimously, and she narrowed her eyes."Tell me what you want, Orochimaru?" she didn't let herself get drawn into his word games. The only hint of frustration she got was a slight narrowing of her eyes. In the end, he sighed, his eyes narrowing as he began."It's such a shame that you still don't trust me after everything I have done for you," he said with a shake of his head, pretending to be hurt, despite both of them knowing full well that he was merely pretending."Ahhh, though I believe the next piece of information might change that," and she frowned at his words."Do you have any more intel about Danzo's operations?" she questioned, quickly and he shook his head."Ohh, no. I have already given you everything I had on that," he replied quickly, and she didn't believe him for a second, as he continued with an ominous smile, as he stared into her eyes."No, I believe this information is about the shinobi who brought Danzo down," and she stilled at those words. Information about Ohashi. What could he possibly have?"You have information about Ohashi?" she asked, and he nodded."Indeed I do," he answered. And her eyes narrowed, as she contemplated whether he was telling the truth or not. Orochimaru was as slippery and conniving as a snake, this all could just be a ploy. And the fact that he came here offering something like this, meant that he needed something. Something massive."What do you want?" she asked and saw him smile as he pulled out a scroll from his pocket and handed it to her. She opened it with a frown, and her eyes widened as she skimmed over its contents."You wish to leave the village!" she asked, perplexed by the insinuation."Ahh, don't make it sound so scandalous Princess. Afterall it's not much different than what you did after the second War," he replied with a smile as he leaned back into his chair, making her grit her teeth as he reminded her of those wretched times."I have been offered the hand of the Rice Daimyo's only heir and daughter, it is a perfectly valid reason for me to….""Stop this bull shit Orochimaru! And tell me what you are planning?" she asked, her chakra thundering across the room, as she glared at her teammate, who seemed unbothered by her killing intent, and answered in a serious tone."Freedom!" he answered, and it was the first time he had been fully honest during this conversation."And don't consider this offer a sign of weakness, Princess," he suddenly said in a serious tone, letting go of his own chakra as it clashed with hers, making the whole room shake as he continued."You and I both know that you couldn't stop me from leaving without incurring massive losses, losses that Konoha cannot afford. So, I would advise you to accept my offer, and in return, you will have a treaty with Rice Village, otherwise," he shrugged, and both of them pulled back their chakra, as she thought about the offer.Could she ever come to trust him again after everything he had done? And the answer was no. Yet he was intimately aware of village secrets that could endanger the whole village. But he was also right, that if he were to try and leave on his own, stopping him would have her put extremely valuable village resources at risk, and though she was confident that they could neutralize him, he wasn't a regular shinobi."I will consider it, though this will have to wait until the war ends," she began and then narrowed her eyes, "but first I need you tell me this information you have?" she questioned him and saw him smirk."Well, consider it a sign of my goodwill," he started as he began to stand up and walk out of her office."I believe that our little apprentice is not as dead as we believe him to be!"0000HIRUZEN SARUTOBIHiruzen Sarutobi felt his blood heat up, as he found himself standing on the battlefield once more. It had been quite some time since he had stepped into the field, and though he continued to spar with ANBU and other shinobi from time to time, the battlefield was a completely different beast than those spars.He stood in the front with Fugaku Uchiha as they waited for their counterparts from Kumo to show up for the parley. Kumo's forces were being led by the Third Raikage, Ay himself. It was probably the final offensive of the war, a needless war. And Hiruzen hoped that, they could come to an accord in order to prevent the mindless bloodshed that was set to happen otherwise."They are here," informed the Uchiha clan leader, and Hiruzen nodded as two figures landed in front of the tent. The chakra signature from one of them was massive enough to rival his own, though the man in question was nearly twice as large as him. His dark and rugged skin was covered in roaring lightning armor. He had changed somewhat from the last time, Hirzuen had seen him. However, there was no doubt, that this person was none other than Ay, himself.His white hair dropped behind him as a mane. The kanji 'kaminari' tattoed on his arm. Their eyes met, and Hirzuen saw a hint of surprise on the man's face as Third Raikage entered the tent. His right-hand man, Dodai, right behind him.And Hirzen didn't miss a dozen or so other signatures surrounding the tent. And from the way, Fugaku perked up, he hadn't either. Well, they had expected this. Yet no matter, it seemed like, this parley was doomed from the start."So, you have finally decided to step out, Hiruzen," said the leader of Kumogakure as he came and stood right in front of him. His two elongated canines became visible as he smiled."Indeed, though I wish I hadn't had to," said Hiruzen, genuinely saddened by the whole idea of all the unnecessary bloodshed. Hiruzen let go of his own chakra, letting it run rampant, and the very air crackled as he looked the leader of Kumogakure in the eye."There is no need for this bloodshed, Ay. Pull back your forces, and that will be the end of this whole conflict," he offered. He had discussed it with Tsunade and she had given her blessing to the offer as well, though the wat the man scoffed and perked up. It seemed to him, that bloodshed was inevitable, and so now it was up to him to make sure that he put an end to that as quickly as he could."Have you no thirst for battle, Sarutobi? Let us not waste any more time, in this futile exercise," said Ay, as lightning arched across his body, his lightning cloak thickening. And Hiruzen's hands moved towards the scroll tied to his back as he pushed his chakra to call upon his most trusted companion."SUMMONING JUTSU: ENMA!" "NINPO: BLACK LIGHTNING!"BOOOOM!And the whole area exploded as he was pushed back, the tent blown away from the force of the attack, and dust covered the whole area. He landed on the ground once more, with Fugaku landing behind him as Ay rushed through the smoke, his body covered in lightning chakra as he rushed towards him, four fingers of his hand extended as he rushed towards him."I will deal with him. I leave the rest to you," said Hiruzen to Fugaku as he gripped Enma's staff form and pushed his chakra into it."Yes, Lord Third," came the reply as he saw Fugaku's eyes shift into the sharingan as the Konoha squadron blurred behind him, before they vanished once more, moving forward, as they moved to strike first."Extend!" "Four Finger Thurst of Hell!"He felt Enma shake in his hand from the force of that strike, though he didn't let go and felt the staff push Ay back."He is strong!" came Enma's voice, and Hiruzen nodded, his blood boiling in excitement, as an acrcos and arcs of lightning rushed towards him.Though, they were nothing for him as he simply pushed his hands to the ground,"Earth Style: Great Mud Dragon!" and the ground beneath him shifted as a dragon coiled itself around him, before it rushed towards Ay, who stood there with a smile on his face as he pushed down one more of his fingers and slashed widely at the mud dragon's head, as he rushed towards him once more."Three Fingered Thrust of Hell!"BOOOM!0000OHASHI HATAKEOhashi Hatake opened his eyes, as the genjutsu vanished. The enormity of the task he was about to take on wasn't lost on him. In order to change the world, to bring everlasting peace to the world, he needed strength. And while he was strong, the prowess required to go against the whole world was something that would elude him for years.Or at least it would have. He took a deep breath, and cracked his neck, the hours and hours of disue had made it a little bit stiff, and though his appearance and musculature hadn't changed a lot, his experience was a whole different matter."Impressive," came the raspy voice of his mentor, and he looked up and found Madara Uchiha sitting there on his throne, the Gedo Mazo prolonging his life, though even with that, his time was coming."I have now taught you everything I could," continued the old man, and hadn't that been an experience. Madara Uchiha was a god among men, a shinobi of unrivaled experience and prowess, and in order to assist him in his mission to change the world, the man had used genjutsu to pass on all he could to him.Madara Uchiha glanced up and continued in a raspy tone."My time is coming to an end, but before I go, I have one last gift for you, my successor," said the man, making him frown. The man then beckoned him towards himself, and Ohashi slowly walked towards the old man, coming to a halt in front of him."The Sharingan is a gift bestowed on my clan. It is a power we guard with our very lives," began the man, and Ohashi's eyes widened as he realized the implication behind those words."Our clan is the only clan who could use these eyes to their full potential. However, with the changes the Gedo Mazo has brought to your body and my tutelage, you shall be able to use this eye to its full potential," and so, Ohashi stilled as suddenly, he felt pain ripple through him as he felt Madara's fingers gouge out his eye.He wanted to scream, but his body was stuck in a trance as Madara Uchiha gouged out his eye, and then placed it in his bleeding socket, as blood dripped down his face. His hand lit up with a green hue and Ohashi felt the agony lessen, as the pain began to subside."So, I leave my eye to you, Ohashi. Show me the world you build with this eye."0000In a land where it only ever rained, and the Sun remained hidden behind a gathering of dark clouds. A land ravaged by war and strife. Surrounded on all sides, by the Great Nations. Its borders were kept secured by the daunting presence of a single monster. And so, despite being surrounded by the five great villages, their forces remained cautious entering into these lands for Hanzo the Salamander took no prisoners.And yet, as the rain fell a dozen or so shinobi, lay on the ground, the wet ground had turned a ghastly scarlet from their blood, as a single shinobi slowly entered these dreary lands.A black cloak covering his body, and a mask hiding the lower part of his face, as one of the shinobi whimpered back, trembling, as he tried to move away from the monster that slowly walked towards him."Do you know what you are doing! Hanzo-sama will find you and kill you! Stay away! Stay away!" he screamed frantically, clawing back as that sole figure continued to walk towards him, his wet hair fell down and covered his eyes, as he simply raised his hand, stopping the falling rain drops in their track, before they suddenly morphed into long sharp needles, with a single wave of his hand."WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!" shouted the man, as he realized that his fate was sealed, as thousands of water needles surrounded him."I am retribution!"00000
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Chapter 25HIRUZEN SARUTOBIThe Third Hokage of Konoha jumped back, his ever-loyal summons in his hand, as the ground before him, suddenly was covered in a dust cloud, as the Third Raikage landed heavily on the ground, cracking the very earth underneath his feet.He was quick to cycle through a series of hand seals and pushed chakra into his lungs as he inhaled a massive gulp of air."Katon: Majestic Flame Destroyer," and he exhaled a massive torrent of flame aimed straight at the man, though he didn't just stop at that and cycled through another set of hand seals."Futon: Gale Palm," and then a massive torrent of winds struck the firestorm, making it even bigger, as he landed on the ground. His eyes remained narrowed on the massive sizzling storm of fire in front of him. Had it been any regular shinobi, the storm would have burned them to a husk.Yet The Third Raikage was no ordinary shinobi. The man simply walked out of the massive storm of fire; his body covered by his iconic lightning cloak. His body was unblemished, showing that he had taken no damage from his attacks."Is that all you got, Sarutobi!" the man taunted, and Hiruzen took a deep breath as he saw the man's posture shift as he got ready to attack him.Their respective forces clashed around them, yet none took a step to intervene between them, knowing that their interventions would only hinder them both, for they weren't regular shinobi.No, they were Kages. Men who rose above the normal, rising to the levels of Gods among their respective villages."AGHHH!" the man rushed towards him, and Hiruzen closed his eyes as he began to cycle through another set of hand seals. The lightning cloak was perhaps the greatest defensive ninjutsu created. Yet that didn't mean that the technique was impervious to all the regular aspects and weaknesses of ninjutsu."NINPO: Vacuum Blade," he shouted as he summoned a massive shuriken using the scroll attached to his back. And he coated the shuriken with a thin stream of pure wind-natured chakra, and the shuriken gained a green hue.Hiruzen swung it towards the three fingers of the Third Raikage.CHING!His feet dug into the ground, yet he saw the man's eyes widen as his shuriken blocked his attack. Hiruzen smirked, twisted his hand, and swung the shuriken and was able to imbalance Ay, and he was quick to strike, using his shuriken at the man's neck.Though Ay was quick to react and pushed himself up, making the attack hit his chest.SHING!The attack failed to break through the lightning cloak, and it gave the Raikage an opportunity to attack . The man gripped his shuriken, refusing to let go, as he pulled back his arm."Raiton: Lightning Bolt!" the man shouted as he swung his arm at him and as Hiruzen was about to jump back, his trusted summon was quick to react."Expand!" came the shout, as Enma expanded, its end hitting the man straight in the chest.BOOOM!The man was pushed back, and Hiruzen jumped back. The shuriken he had summoned had not been broken into two."You have to be careful, Sarutobi. You cannot let him land a hit on you," Enam cautioned him, and Hiruzen nodded. The Third Raikage stood there and crushed the half of the shuriken which were in his hand.CRUNCH!Though, Hiruzen didn't miss the red liquid dripping down from his hand. Ay, looked at his bleeding hand, and smirked as he looked towards her with a massive toothy smirk."It has been years since a shinobi has made me bleed," began Ay. And Hiruzen's eyes narrowed, as he saw the ground beneath the man crack, as he felt the chakra around him thicken. The lightning crackled as it raced across his cloak. The blue streaks of lightning turned a hue of black, as the man shouted and got ready for an attack.Hiruzen pushed Enma to the ground and began to cycle through a set of hand seals, now already aware of the effectiveness of the technique he had used."Futon: Vacuum Storm," he said and coated his hands and feet with pure wind-natured chakra, as he got ready to engage the Third Raikage, in close combat."Are you certain about this, Sarutbi?" Enma questioned as he saw Ay getting ready to pounce. He picked up, Enma."It's the only way," he answered as he threw his staff into the air. Ay, was quick and blurred from his position, leaving the very ground cracked as he jumped in front of him, only his index finger extended as he swung it at his neck."Ninpo: Hell Stab," the man shouted, and Hiruzen ducked as he avoided the attack. Even though the attack managed to graze his helmet, cutting through the metal without any resistance.He pushed his own chakra, into his hands and pushed chakra into the ground, as a sealing formula expanded, covering the body of the Third Raikage, instantly as he shouted."NOW!" Enma was quick to react, and expanded in the air, and as he aimed a strike towards the man's neck, Enma aimed for the man's head from up in the sky.The man tried to get away, but Hiruzen had already placed a seal on the ground in anticipation earlier."A seal!" grunted Ay, as he saw the seal expand over his body as he struggled to get away. And Hiruzen knew that he had this instant to put an end to this, as he watched the man struggle to get out of the seal's hold."AGHHHHH!" the man shouted, trying to get away, though he was too late, as Hiruzen heard Enam collide with his lightning cloak and his vacuum-coated hand cut through flesh.BOOOM!"AGHHH!" he recognized Enma's grunt.The area exploded, and Hiruzen was pushed back, as he felt a massive blow land on his abdomen. He heard the telltale sign of his summon vanishing, as he heard the sound of liquid splatter."AKHH! AKHH!" he coughed up blood and finally noticed the massive dent on his chest plate. As he dropped down to his knees, pain rocked his whole body. His ribs were broken despite the armor shielding his body, and he continued to cough up blood as the smoke cleared to reveal the Third Raikage standing there, his head attached to his body.Though the man hadn't escaped without damage well. As Hiruzen's eyes landed on the empty stub on his shoulder. His arm lay there on the ground as the man bled out of his shoulder."AGHHH!" the man grunted in pain as he brought up his other arm, coated in lightning chakra, and gritted his teeth as he cauterized the open wound, stopping the bleeding."HaaaHaaa, You truly are a monster, Sarutobi," the man huffed as he dropped down to one knee, as well while glaring at him. Hiruzen struggled to his feet as well but couldn't react in time as the man blurred in an instant and appeared right above him."Raiton: Hell Smash!" the man shouted, as he brought down his arm, aiming straight at him, and he had no time to jump back, though from what he was sensing, he didn't need to either, as he heard someone shout from behind."Susanoo!" and a red hue appeared around him.BOOM!0000TSUNADE SENJUTsunade Senju found herself looking out at the village, her head filled with doubt and contemplations, as she continued to ponder over Orochimaru's last words. Even days later, she couldn't figure out whether he was telling the truth or was just lying to get her to agree to his demands, and so she had recalled the only other person apart from her who knew him the longest."So, do you believe him?" she questioned, as she turned to face her other teammate, who was standing there in the Hokage office leaning against the wall, eyes closed and a somber expression on his face.Jiraiya didn't rush to answer, and took his time, as she waited nervously for him to speak up. She didn't want to get her hopes up, she had suffered enough losses that she didn't wish to get heartbroken once again."I do," came the answer from Jiraiya as he opened his eyes and looked towards her. His words gave her a semblance of hope yet deeply troubled her as well."And why do you believe so?" she questioned, and the man leaned off the wall and stood straight."Because he wants something from you. Making such a false claim, like this would serve him no purpose," Jiraiya answered, and she grits her teeth as she retorted."Yet he refuses to explain how he knows that," she cut in, and Jiraiya shook his head."He doesn't refuse to elaborate. He only wants you to grant him his freedom before he explains the how," Jiraiya answered. And hadn't that been a headache? Orochimaru had agreed to divulge how he had gotten this information, yet had refused to give it to her unless she signed away his request to leave the village."And about that? What do you think I should do? Should I let him go?" she questioned Jiraiya after a sigh as she turned and sat down in her chair while rubbing her head. He had a sad expression on his face, for of the three of them, he cared most deeply about the team dynamics, and yet now, with Orochimaru's request, their team or whatever was left of it was over."I believe that the real question should be, can you bring yourself to ever trust him again? For if you can't then keeping him in the village will be like keeping a blunt kunai, in your pocket," Jiraiya asked her and as she thought about her other teammate and all he had done. His role in Danzo's projects, and the way he had shown a clear disregard for any sanctity of human life. She found herself shaking her head."No, I believe I can't," she answered."Then you should let him go," Jiraiya answered, as he sat down opposite to her."He was right. Keeping him in the village is useless. He could defect, and that would be another headache, I believe letting him go, under amicable terms would be better," he answered, and she looked up towards him, and asked in a cold tone."And what if he spews village secrets to any enemy village? He knows too much," she said through gritted teeth. Jiraiya's gaze hardened at her words, and she felt the temperature of the room drop as he answered, in an emotionless tone."Then we shall deal with him as well deal with all the other traitors. If he ever betrays the village, then I shall kill him with my own hands," Jiraiya answered, and she was surprised by his conviction. For this wasn't her teammate she was talking to. No, it was Jiraiya, the Toad Sage, a Sanin whose very name made Konoha's enemy shake with fear.Yet the person he was talking of killing was no ordinary shinobi as well. It was none other than the Snake Sanin."And you believe you could bring yourself to do it," she questioned, "kill him?" and he nodded."Yes," he answered in a cold tone. And she sighed, as she leaned back into her chair. And after considering everything, she nodded."Then so be it, tell him I agree to his terms," she answered as she sighed, and looked towards Jiraiya."But this begs another question?" she indicated, and Jiraiya was quick to get the point."Indeed, it does. For if Ohashi is alive, then where is he?" he questioned, and she nodded. Had he been captured by an enemy nation? Had he defected? No, he wouldn't do that."If the information proves credible, then I leave this in your hands. Find him Jiraiya, find Ohashi wherever he is," she said and her teammate nodded."I will, but we will need to talk to Orochimaru first. See what he knows," he answered. And she nodded."You mentioned some disturbances in Amegakure and the area around Kanabi bridge. What's going on there?" she questioned, mentioning the report she had received from him earlier."Yes, I did. There seems to be a rogue group of ninjas, operating in the area. They are conducting operations in the area, though I believe they won't be causing us much trouble. They seem to have a different purpose," and she frowned at those words."And why is that?" she questioned."Because I believe they were doing it all for a single reason," he began, and as he finished his sentence, she was reminded of a much different time."Hanzo's attention!"0000HANZO-The SalamanderAmegakure was a tumultuous nation. Located at the center of the five Great Villages, the village was ravaged by conflict. And yet, the only reason the small nation hadn't been devoured by the mighty beasts surrounding it was because of one man. Hanzo, the Salamander.Even now, despite being at war, the Five Great Villages took caution in entering their borders, knowing that in these troubled lands lived a man who had gone toe to toe with the likes of Sarutobi and Onoki.Hanzo had kept the whole village in line, putting down any opposition with force as he tried to preserve what was left of his once prosperous land in the only way he knew. The people in the village cowered in fear of his name, and yet he had been hearing murmurs of dissent, for some time now.A small group of misguided youth had risen up against him. Trying to drum up support as they tried to destabilize what he had spent his life preserving. Disillusioned by ideals, they sought to bring change to his lands.Fools. They should learn the truth of this world soon enough. However, they would have to come later.He felt the doors to his room open as a sole figure entered the room attached to his dwelling. He sat there behind the wooden doors and watched the silhouette through the thin paper separating the two rooms."You must have some nerve coming here like this!" Hanzo scoffed as he felt his chakra thrum. For some time now, his forces were being harassed by a rogue shinobi. In the lands ruled by power, this singular man had begun to make waves as he sought to dethrone him as the leader of Amegakure."Hanzo, the salamander," came the reply, and his eyes narrowed toward the shadowy silhouette of the intruder as he saw a small spark of red appear. And he stilled as he recognized that all too familiar pattern in that eye."Your time has come!" and then Hanzo's eyes widened as he found himself surrounded by nearly a thousand senbon in an instant. He pushed the chakra into his body. As they all descended onto him in an instant, he bit his thumb and quickly pushed chakra into his hand as he shouted."DIE!""SUMMONING JUTSU!"0000
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Chapter 26TSUNADE SENJUAfter the discussion with Jiraiya, she had decided to grant the bastard his wish, though she had added conditions of her own.And so, for this reason, she found herself leaning against the wall as she stood on the roof of the Hokage tower at the center of the village as her old teammate skimmed through the scroll she had handed him.Konoha would retain the right to call him back in case of war, and his leave was only set to come into effect after the war. Moreover, the Land of Rice would sign a treaty with Konoha, essentially aligning their interests. There were other details in the deal as well, but from the way Orochimaru had reacted, he had probably expected this result."That was quite a quick decision, Tsunade-hime," he remarked as he closed the scroll and looked up at her. She gritted her teeth, losing her patience with the man."Don't make me regret this, Orochimaru. And if it wasn't already clear, if you ever betray Konoha or put the village in danger even unknowingly," she finished, and let go of her chakra, as she narrowed her gaze onto him."You will die. No matter where you hide or who you ally yourself with, you will die. Make no mistake about that!" she finished, and the bastard simply smiled and raised his hands."A threat…" but she cut him off."No, not a threat," and he narrowed his eyes at her as she clarified in a cold tone, focusing all her bloodlust and killing intent on the bastard."A promise!" she reminded him, and she saw him flinch slightly as she focused all that killing intent onto him, removing any notion of mercy from his mind."It is interesting to see this side of you, princess," he said with a chuckle."Though you shouldn't worry. I am satisfied with your terms. Plus, I never had any intention of betraying the village; the only thing I wanted was freedom, and this grants me that," he said as he waved the treaty scroll before he put it in his pocket.She pulled back the killing intent and gave him a nod."Then I believe it is time for you to deliver on your end of the bargain. Tell me, how do you know that Ohashi is still alive?" she questioned as she stood straight up.The bastard smiled, and his eyes widened."Ahh, yes, Ohashi Hatake, your little apprentice. Now I can see why you were so quick to make a deal," he said with a chuckle, and she gritted her teeth and spoke in a threatening tone."Orochimaru, if this is a …""Have some patience, princess. I am getting to it," he said as he raised his hand in placating manner, making her stop."Now, I worked with Danzo for years and so am quite acutely aware of the skill level of his ninja, and truth be told, it is quite pathetic. Especially given the quantity of recruits his foundation churned out. The man's orthodox thinking destroyed a ninja's most valuable prowess, his creativity…""I am losing my patience! Get to the point, Orochimaru! How do you know that Ohashi is still alive," she cut in sharply. Though his incites about Danzo's operations were interesting, she had little interest in them at the moment."Patience Princess. Patience, I am getting to it," said Orochimaru," replied making her frustration worse as she narrowed her eyes."Now, as I was saying, Danzo's forces are more like mindless corpses, and while himself was once a powerhouse, his injuries had affected his prowess as a shinobi quite severely," and she nodded at the observation."I have worked with Ohashi myself once and am quite aware of his skill set. And despite him walking into a trap in that base, I believe there is little chance that Danzo and his men could contain the little bastard," Orochimaru remarked, and then she saw him reach into his pocket as he took out a scroll and passed it to her."And so, fuelled by this suspicion. I examined the cave where they had fought, and then I decided to conduct an experiment," he remarked, and she opened the scroll and stilled as soon her eyes landed on the contents of the scroll.Her blood boiled in rage as she saw what Orochimaru had attempted."YOY BASTARD! USING THAT JUTSU! HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND!" she screamed as she glared at the bastard, and a part of her wanted to strike him down right there for what he had done."Don't be so enraged, Tsunade. As you can see, the jutsu didn't work, and this just confirmed my earlier theory that your little apprentice was still alive," he remarked, though his words did little to calm her rage."I should kill you right now for even knowing about that technique!" she remarked angrily and the bastard had the gall to shrug."I did nothing wrong, as the technique didn't work, and aren't you elated about the news that your little apprentice is still alive," he countered and her fist balled up, the scroll he had handed her turned to ash in her hands, and then before he could react, her hand gripped Orochimaru's neck, as she pummeled him into the wall.BOOOM!The wall cracked behind him from her strength, and Orochimaru coughed out blood as she stared straight into his eyes."If you ever even think about using this technique. I assure you I will make sure that you wont even find respite in death. Do I make myself clear?" she said in a cold, thawing tone, and the bastard grunted in pain as blood dripped down from his mouth and slowly nodded."Kukh… I… understand," he said, and she loosened her grip on his neck and turned away from the bastard."kukh…kukh…, you have become quite scary, Tsunade," the bastard spoke up as he massaged his bruised neck, and she really considered twisting it fully right then and there."However, I believe I have just received another piece of interesting news from Amegakure," and she stopped as soon as she heard that. The news from Ame had dried up suddenly, and it was a complete blackout."Danzo had a squad placed in Ame. They were working for Hanzo the Salamander, allowing him to conduct off-the-books operations in Ame. They were about twenty or so of his best men," and she looked back at him and saw him smirk as he continued."Yesterday, all twenty of those men died!"0000JIRAIYA-The Toad SageThe atmosphere in the village hidden in the rain was tense. He had been ordered by Tsunade to lead an investigation into the happenings in the village, yet the task proved much more difficult than usual.The Village was on full lockdown and none of his usual leads had yielded an answer. The whole village was on edge with squads upon squads of shinobi moving around the village.In the end, he had found a lead, Shirahoshi Hattori, Hanzo's second in command. Surprisingly, the man had been the one to approach him, and that was why he found himself standing in this narrow alley as he waited for the man to show up.He glanced out into the street as he heard the sound of footsteps moving into the rain before a singular figure appeared at the edge of the alley. Jiraiya's eyes narrowed as he saw the Amegakure symbol on the man's headband.And he observed, impassively as the man slowly walked towards him. He had a suspicion that this was the man he had been waiting for. His brown hair and the scar underneath his eye indicated to him that this was none other than Hattori himself."I never thought I would be approached by Hanzo the Salamander's second in command?" Jiraiya said, as the man leaned onto the wall opposite to him."And I never thought that I would ever seek out the infamous Toad Sage of Konoha, but here we are meeting in a dark alley?" said the man, his voice gruff and grazy though he didn't miss the hint of anxiety and caution in that tone. The man continuously looked around and seemed rather nervous, for some reason."So, tell me, why did you want to meet me?" Jiraiya asked as he closed the book he had been writing in and looked at the man with his full focus. The man hesitated for a moment, and Jiraiya saw his lips thin before the man finally spoke up."Allaince, I wish to make an alliance with Konoha," and Jiraiya was surprised by those words. AN alliance with Ame would aid Konoha substantially, and would allow them to strike at Iwa.But the offer seemed off, for as much as he knew, Hanzo the Salamander had declared neutrality. Much like he always had, deciding not to pick a side, hoping that his village would be safe."Oho, has Hanzo the Salamander finally changed his views?" Jriaya asked jollily, fishing for more information, and the man shook his head as he looked towards him with a fear-filled gaze."No, the offer is not from him. It is from me," the man spoke and Jiraiya immediately frowned at those words."Have you lost your mind? Are you asking us to help you remove against your leader?" Jiraiya spoke angrily. The very notion was idiotic. For all his faults, Hanzo hadn't moved against Konoha, and the man was still a legend. Aiding a rebellion like this in a foreign village went against so many treaties."Haven't you heard? Hanzo-sama is dead," and Jiraiya frowned as the man spoke up with a shaky tone."What!" Jiraiya was shocked by those words. Hanzo the Salamander, the monster who had faced all three of the Sanin at once and had won. The man who was said to be powerful enough to go toe to toe against the Titans like The Professor or the Fence Sitter, had died."How?" Jiraiya questioned incredulously, reminded of the prowess of the man, from the time he had faced him."He came to Amegakure one day and began putting down our ninja. We thought it was just a rogue nin trying to drum up trouble, but how to wrong we were?" said the man, his face pale, as he gritted his teeth."He slaughtered the men we sent, sparing those who chose to follow him. And then he challenged Lord Hanzo and attacked him straight in his stronghold," said the man, and Jiraiay didn't know whether this newcomer was stupid."Then what happened?" Jiraiya questioned."It was a slaughter. An absolute slaughter," said the man with a shaky tone, and Jiraiay could hardly believe the man's words, and it all began to make sense. The killings on the border the atmosphere in the village. It began to click together."I have never seen anything like it. The fight was so one-sided Lord Hanzo used everything in his arsenal, yet it all failed. Everything" said the man through gritted teeth."Are you saying that Hanzo was killed by a single shinobi?" Jiraiya questioned, and the man shook his head."No, not just Hanzo. He slaughtered all those who refused to follow him as well. There was so much blood that the whole streets were dyed red for days," said the man with a shaky tone before he abruptly looked up at him."Only few us, loyal to Lord Hanzo live now, that is why I wish to make an alliance with you and your village, aid us in getting rid of this man, and Ame will provide Konoha…."But then Jiraiya's senses screamed at him to run away, as hair on the back of his neck stood up. He jumped back on instinct, and immediately the water from below rose up and enveloped Hattori in a swirl, forming a cacoon around the man."You are far from home, Jiraiya-the Toad Sage," a very calm and serene voice called out as he heard someone approach them from the dark end of the street. Someone very powerful.The very feel of their chakra put him on edge, the feel reminiscent of the feeling he got whenever he faced his sensei."ARGHH! AUGH!!" Hattori struggled to breathe as the water wrapped itself around him, encasing his whole lower body."It's him!" were the words he said, and Jiraiya understood what he meant. The newcomer stepped out of the shadow, and Jiraiya was surprised by their stature. They were smaller than he had expected, his body covered by a black robe.Yet his face was invisible. The cloaked covered the lower portion of his face, and bandages were wrapped around his eyes while his wet white hair fell down on his face."So, you stooped to this level, Hattori, colluding with foreigners. Tsk," said the newcomer, and Jiraiya felt the air shift as the man simply raised his hand."But this ends now!" he simply waved the hand, and Jiraiay's eyes widened as he saw the water compress suddenly and crushed Hattori's body in a split second before he could even react.BOOM!"ARGHH!" the man had barely let out a grunt before his body exploded, splattering blood everywhere, as his head rolled onto the ground.Jiraiya's senses were screaming for him to get away as he saw the man walk towards him."Now, what am I to do with you, Sanin no Jiraiya?" said the man and Jiraya felt that gaze rip through him. It was as if he was being stared at by an omniscient gaze, something that saw through him."I would say letting me go would be nice," Jiraiya teased as he slowly reached for the scroll bound to his back and pushed chakra into his legs. The man raised his hand and made a tiger hand."But I don't think it will be that easy!""Sution: Thousand Needles of Death," and in an instant, the raindrops around him turned into sharp senbon and rushed towards him."Ninpo: Summoning Jutsu!"BOOOM!0000In another corner of the village hidden in the rain, a trio of shinobi dressed in similar gowns with the signature Ame hitai-ate were taken aback by the words they had just heard out of their informant. The three of them were the leaders of the rising organization known as Akatsuki."What do you mean he is dead? How can Hanzo-sama be dead, he is so powerful," the one with orange colored hair spoke gruffly and the person opposite to him simply shook his head."He is. This new person was very powerful. I have never seen anything like this. He slaughtered everyone who opposed him and has now ordered a complete closure of Ame borders," spoke the man, much to the surprise and frustration of the three young shinobi."He also sent me here with a message for you three," spoke the other man, and the three leaders of Akatsuki looked towards him with widened gaze as the man handed them a scroll."He has asked for you three to meet him. He is giving you a month's time. Failure to comply will result in the annihilation of your whole organization," said the messenger, and the three of them became cautious at once. A threat like that, coming from a man who had allegedly killed Hanzo-sama, was no small matter, and the way the three leaders of the Akatsuki stilled at those words, they understood that as well.The sole girl among the trio took the scroll, and the messenger turned away from them, not before giving them a final warning."And Yahiko, my advice is to accept the offer, for if you don't, he will eradicate you and your men without any mercy," said the messenger."What is his name, and what the hell does he want?" the one named Yahiko questioned angrily."I don't know his name, and as for what he wants is change. He promises to change the very world."0000
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Chapter 27HIRUZEN SARUTOBIThe Third Hokage of Konoha struggled back to his feet as he found himself surrounded by a rather familiar technique. A reddish skeletal structure appeared around him, stopping the attack from the Third Raikage."Are you fine, Lord Third?" he heard the familiar voice of Fugaku Uchiha as the Uchiha patriarch appeared behind him in a blur, his eyes glowing an eerie red as blood dripped from his face."Kukh. Kukh! Yes, I am," he reassured the man as he winced in pain. The attack from Ay had left more damaged than he had expected."ARGH!" the Third Raikage shouted, and then suddenly he was forced to look up.CRACK!He stilled as he heard the sound of cracking, and looked up to find, the skeletal rib cracking as the lightning cloak around Ay, began to crackle loudly as black lightning arched over his body."Impossible," he mouthed as he saw, the Susanoo beginning to crack. Fugaku by his side frowned as well and closed on his eyes and Hiruzen felt him gather a lot of chakra, as he suddenly mouthed."Amaterasu!" though suddenly he heard another shout."Ninpo: Rubber Style: Rubber Wall!" and suddenly, a wall of brownish rubber appeared infront of Ay, and was lit up by the Black cursed flames of Amaterasu."Ay sama, I bring news!" he heard this newcomer shout. It was a middle-aged shinobi, with one of his eyes covered by a seal, and with the special rubber style he had used, he could only be one person.Though them another shinobi appeard right beside him, his body covered in a familiar lightning cloak. Blood caked his bdoy, as this young shinobi looked at the third Raikage with a concerned gaze He wore the headband of Kumo and had the same coloring as Third Raikage."Pops, your arm!" he heard the man shout, and his guess was right. This was supposedly the next Raikage, Ay's son."Dodai! What are you doing here?" Ay questioned hiss second in command gruffly."Sir, Iwa has failed to provide back up. Our forces are suffering great losses. This is unsustainable, we have to pull back," and he saw the young shinobi to his side nod."Yes, you are injured, me and Dodai can cover the retreat…." But before he could finish, Hiruzen was surprised when he saw the Third Raikage's chakra shift suddenly as his cloak expanded and began to turn into a darker hue."NO!" the man said, his cloak now completely black, the very ground beneath his feet cracked as he stepped froward towards him and Fugaku who had recovered some of his chakra."Dodai! Have the men retreat!" and he saw his second in command's eyes widen as he realized the implication behind those words."I shall cover your retreat myself!""But Pops!" the younger man tried to speak up, knowing what the consequences of this would be. However, the second in command was quick to intervene."As you command, Lord Third!"And he saw Ay glance back at the young man who had become quiet, and their eyes met as the Third gave him a small nod before he turned to face him and gave a massive smirk."Come Hiruzen. Let me show you the true might of a Kage!"BOOOM! CRACKLE! CRACKLE!0000OHASHI HATAKEBOOOM!Ohashi jumped back as he felt a massive chakra entity appear infront of him, crashing the buildings around them. The massive chakra entity endured his attack and used the massive sword to cut through the smoke.And as he landed on the ground once more, he saw exactly what Jiraiya-san had summoned. And as he had expected, it was Gamabunta."Amegakure! It has been some time since you were last here. So, tell me who is that we are going to fight, Jiraiya," the massive toad grumbled as his eyes narrowed onto him."I believe you are looking at him," the Toad sage answered, and Ohashi looked straight into the massive toad's eyes as he noticed that it wasn't just the massive toad he had summoned."That chakra! It feels ominous…," muttered Gamabunta as he reached for his sword.No, atop the massive red-colored toad, with a massive smoke pipe in his mouth, stood the Toad sage. Two smaller toads, one green and the other purple, were present on his shoulders. He had summoned them and was looking at him in an imposing way. It seemed like the man wasn't taking this lightly, and while Ohashi was confident enough in being able to take him down, if he were to use senjutsu, then the fight could become troublesome."It is good that you are taking this seriously," Ohashi began as he pushed his own chakra through his coils, cycling through a set of handseals in a flash as he put his hand on the ground."For it wouldn't be any fun now, would it? Suiton: Water Dragon Jutsu," and the water shifted below him before he was lifted off the ground. A massive torrent of water gushed out of the ground coiling around itself, as several massive dragons made of water appeared.He pushed his chakra and had them attack the summon, as the dragon with him on top rushed towards the toad sage, who quickly made handseals."Katon: Fire Ball Jutsu!" and spewed out a massive torrent of flame. Ohashi pushed chakra into his feet, and as the area was dyed in a thick torrent of mist as the fireball collided with the water dragon.SHISH!He clamped down on his chakra and vanished into the mist before he suddenly appeared at the toad sage's feet, whose eyes widened as he saw him appear infront of him."Shit!" the man shouted, and as Ohashi was about to attack the man, he suddenly felt the vapors in the air shift. It was his own sensing technique he had established using the vapors in the air to keep a dynamic field around him to use as a sensing range. In this area around him, it was nearly impossible to catch him off guard. So, he moved to the side, and suddenly, the ground below him broke, and he smirked as he heard the sage mutter."Impossible!" he heard the toad sage mutter as he turned and kicked the man in the gut."ARGHH!" the man shouted, and his guess was right. That was senjutsu."YOU PEST!" the massive toad below him grumbled as the water dragons coiled around him. It sliced through a dragon, but the other tightened around him. And as he jumped towards Jiraiya, the massive toad swung its sword towards him, and Ohashi clicked his teeth and somersaulted in the air, and kicked off of the massive sword, cycling through a set of handseals.He his hand, as a massive amount of water began to coalesce into his hand, condensing down into a small ball. He chewed his lips, and he felt the drain on his chakra as a literal of water was condensed into his hand, in the form of a ball. As he pushed forward his hand, a small blue orb, containing nearly enough water to fill in a massive lake, was at the palm of his hand. The massive toad was smart enough to realize the danger he was in."Shit!" it cursed as it tried to jump away, but the dragons wrapped around it stopped it from moving. Its summoner was quick to come to his aide, as a massive fireball rushed towards him from where he had sent the man flying, though Ohashi didn't stop, as a water clone appeared out of his back and put itself between the fireball, and him."Gamabuntaa!" he heard Jiraiya scream, though the massive road could do nothing as he pushed forward his hand and slowly muttered the name of his technique."Suiton: Chi no Kozuki!" (Flood of Blood)And just as the orb hit the massive toad, the whole area was flooded with a torrent of water.0000JIRAIYA-The Toad SageBOOOM!Jiriaya's eyes widened as he saw the area infront of him getting devastated by a massive flood. He felt the clear sign of his summon vanishing as he jumped up on a rooftop as the whole area was flooded. The whole area was still filled with thick mist."That technique!" Fukusaku-sama muttered in a shaky tone, and Jiraiya understood the implication. That last jutsu had taken him by surprise, for he could tell in an instant which technique it was based on. His opponent had dodged the senjutsu attack, something that very few shinobi had ever managed to do. Yet how had he known about the attack from Lors Fukusaku? This propensity of knowing things he shouldn't remind him of certain shinobi he had helped train."Yes, I see it too," the technique reminded him of Minato's signature technique, a technique which he had taken two years to establish. He himself knew just how difficult it had been to develop that technique. Yet somehow, this opponent infront of him hadn't just deconstructed but had nature chakra to it as well.His eyes narrowed as he saw that sole figure appear out of the flood, and despite being submerged in water, he was completely dry. That mastery over suiton and that fighting style reminded him of a certain grey-haired monster of their own. And with each passing second, he could see more and more resemblances between them.Yet the coloring of his hair was different, and Jiraiya couldn't confirm his suspicion unless he got a full look at the man's face. And so, there was only one way for him to confirm his suspicion."Pa, how much more time before we can use that," he asked, and the aged sage master narrowed his eyes as he replied."Just a little longer, however, let me warn you, Jiraiya boy," spoke the senjutsu master in an ominous tone."Even after using senjutsu, if we were to face this man infront of us, I cannot say with certainty, that we would be victorious," Jiraiya stilled as he heard those words and let his senses expand, becoming as serious as he could as he let all the years and years of experience run through him, as he nodded slowly."I understand, but I need to do this," he said in a grave tone as his opponent vanished in the glimmer of smoke as the mist around him thickened. Jiraiya looked around and suddenly ducked as he felt a kick pass just where his head had been.Then, suddenly, he jumped to the side, as another kick passed by his side, and then before he could jump, a punch hit him in the gut, and he grunted in pain as he gripped the arm of his attacker."Katon: Flash Burn!" and his hand grew red hot; however, his opponent's arm suddenly dissolved into water, and he frowned once more at the use of this technique, knowing just how difficult it was to use such a technique.The fact that his eyes were covered up by that mask made it difficult for Jiraiya to predict his attacks, yet his opponent didn't have that trouble and had even managed to dodge senjutsu attacks from Pa and Ma, continuously much to his surprise.He dodged another attack as both of them engaged in a taijutsu brawl, and his opponent was fast. With his focus divided, Jiraiya was getting pushed back, yet as they traded more and more blows, he didn't miss how he found the taijutsu style so similar.Though every shinobi's taijutsu was different, they were mostly based on another established style. His opponent's style reminded him of a style that belonged to one of Konoha's founding clans.The interceptor style of The Uchiha clan was a style based on the use of quick multiple blows supposed to dismantle an opponent in a systemic manner. And as another punch landed on his shoulder, pushing him back, Jiraiya was sure that his opponent's style was based on that very same style."Suiton: Water Mantis," he heard his opponent mutter, and suddenly, Jiraiya was forced to jump back as water-natured chakra coalesced onto his arms, glowing eerily blue."Now!" he heard Lord Fukusaku shout, and he jumped back, as he felt his bodies morphology shift as he found himself coming into balance with the nature around him. As the blue mantis fang was about to strike him, he smirked as he felt his senses expand as a sense of calm took over him.CRUNCH!The chakra claws were crushed by his nature chakra-infused body, as he gripped his opponent's hand, and felt his whole chakra still as his opponent saw the markings appear on his face."Now why don't you show me what you are hiding under that mask of yours!" he shouted as he struck a blow in the man's face. Pulling off his mask, Jiraiya stilled as he saw what lay underneath.His opponent was quick to react, and his body dissolved into water as he quickly jumped back, as half of his mask fell down. His opponent stood up, one of his eyes visible, and Jiraiya frowned as he saw the all too familiar red glow in that eye, along with the special pattern inscribed into it.It was a doujutsu that had no place being here in Amegakure, nor did it have any place belonging to the person standing infront of him.That red eye with a pattern inscribed into it. The signature doujutsu of the Uchiha, a kinjutsu, a secret known only to a select few."The Mangekyo Sharingan, how do you possess that eye?" Jiraiya asked as his mind tried to race to figure out the identity of his opponent."I should have expected nothing less from the infamous Toad Sage. It has been quite some time since I have fought with a sage," and Jiraiya frowned. This implied that his opponent had fought with a sage before, and as far as he was aware, he was only the second shinobi ever to master the art."Of course, that was years ago. Though I believe he was in a different league than you," his opponent continued, making him frown."Just who are you?" Jiraiya asked and saw his opponent smirk as he began to cycle through as et of handseals."Perhaps this will jog your memory," his opponent spoke as he pushed his hand onto the ground."Summoning Jutsu," and Jiraiya stilled just exactly as he saw what his opponent had summoned. It was a weapon that had long gone out of fashion because of its sheer difficulty of use. The symbol of the infamous Uchiha clan, a weapon that belonged to perhaps one of the greatest shinobi to grace these lands.It was a long gunbai, painted in black and white with three tomoe inscribed on the end in black ink. It was the gunbai of Madara Uchiha."Let's end this," he heard his opponent whisper as blood began to drip from his Sharingan, and then suddenly, before he could react, he was right infront of him. Somehow, he had managed to evade the sensing capabilities of his Senjutsu.As he tried to punch at him, his opponent suddenly moved away even before he had launched the attack, and he grunted in pain as he felt the gunbai hit him in the side."ARGH!" he grunted in pain, even his nature chakra-enhanced body unable to take a hit from one of the legendary weapons of the sage.He was sent rolling onto the ground, and then before he could react, the grey-haired bastard was infront of him once again, his Sharingan spinning ominously as blood dripped from his chin. They both engaged in a short taijutsu brawl, with his opponent continuously predicting his moves, moving before he had even begun the attack.And as he tried to retaliate, pushing chakra into his hair as he swiped at the opponent, who again was quick to react and jumped back while waving through a set of handseals, his hands a mere blur."Suiton: Water Dragon Jutsu," and several water dragons appeared out of the ground, making him grit his teeth as he saw them rushing towards him."Jiraiya boy!" Lord Fukusaku warned him as he continued to keep his nature chakra in balance with his own chakra."I got it," Jiraiya answered as he held one of his wrists and pushed chakra into it, as an eerie blue orb of chakra began to appear in his hand.He pulled back, and just as the water dragons were about to hit him, he pushed forward his hand,"Rasengan!"BOOOM!0000Back in Konoha, Tsunade Senju sat in her office working, a sense of unease continuously unsettled, making it difficult for her to focus on the work. Suddenly, an ANBU appeared in her office and uttered the fated words."Hokage-sama. It's Jiraiya-sama!"0000
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Chapter 28JIRAIYA-The Toad SageJiraiya huffed as he landed back on the ground, and he was showered by a dense rain from the collapsed water dragons. He could feel his senjutsu taking a toll on him as his reserves lowered, disrupting the maintained balance of his own chakra with the natural chakra he had imbibed."I should have expected nothing less of a sage," his opponent remarked, seemingly unaffected, by the whole ordeal. The sole visible Sharingan focused on him, making him tense up.Jiraiya looked at two sage masters sitting on his shoulders and gave them a subtle nod, as he molded his chakra, using trying to land a strike on the bastard using the secretive frog arts.And yet just as he used the secretive frog kumite, the bastard simply moved away from the strike, dodging the proverbial unforgeable move much to his surprise, and now this just confirmed his suspicion. The bastard could, somehow, sense his attacks, even the sage chakra attacks."The Frog Kata, I thought you would have realized that they don't work on me," taunted the man as he continued to dodge the barrage he had unleashed, seemingly unfazed by the invisible attacks. Attacks which he had, once again, somehow perfectly recognized."Your sage jutsu is impressive, yet pity that you need those summons of yours to even use it," and Jiraiya stilled at that, his anger and senses screaming at him once again.How the hell did he know that? How the freaking hell!"Such a shame," the bastard uttered again, and Jiraiya perked up, getting into his stance as he expanded his senses,."Though it makes my job much easier," and with those words, the bastard vanished again, and appeared right infront of him once more as he swung his gunbai at him.Jiraiya was quick to dodge as he ducked, but the barrage continued as he aimed a kick at his face, which he blocked with his hand, and aimed a kick of his own at his legs. However, the grey-haired monster simply jumped and swung that gunbai at him from above, Jiraiya pushed chakra into his hair, elongating them."NInpo: Needle cacoon," he shouted as his hair expanded and blocked the gunbai, and then suddenly, the bastard ducked, avoiding another invisible nature chakra technique, before he saw him weave a hand sign using only a single hand."Suiton: Water Prison," and then, just as Jiraiya jumped back,"Jiriaay boy!" he heard Pa shout, and he realized that the bastard hadn't aimed the attack at him. And looked up to find both Ma and Pa trapped inside water prisons as two extra pairs of arms extended out of the bastard's side.Jiraiya immediately dropped to his knees as he cut off the supply of nature chakra to prevent himself from turning into a toad."Told you. Easy!" the bastard japed as he huffed for breath as the two prisons closed onto his two senjutsu masters, but Jiraiya acted before him and used his chakra and unsummoned both of them.POOF!The water prisons collapsed in an instant, as Jiraiya stood up again."Why are you doing this? What do you want?" Jiraiya shouted at him, and the bastard didn't reply initially, before he replied in a small voice."I wish to bring to fruition the dream which has escaped our grasp for so long. The dream that eluded mankind for too long," at this he looked up at him."I shall crush the duality of mankind itself. I shall do what no man has ever done before," and Jiraiya stilled as he realized the meaning behind those words. And most importantly, this man was serious, for his words weren't just words but a declaration of something greater. Something much, much greater."I wish to sever the fate of this world!" the man roared, and Jiraiya found himself still at the intensity behind those words."I shall do what no man has ever done. I shall completely do what even Hashirama Senju couldn't accomplish! I shall bring peace and order to the world, the very peace that you believe one of your students shall bring to the world!"And Jiriaya was taken aback by those words as he shakily stared into that Sharingan. His mind was numb from what he had just heard."How…. How the freaking hell do you know that!" he roared, and the man didn't move and simply smirked as he simply raised his hand and began to cycle through a series of handseals, as he held his hand forward as water from all around them began to gather into the bastard's hand.Forming a blue orb, the sheer volume of water that was being gathered in the palm of his hand was astronomical and required absolute chakra control. This was the technique he had used earlier, but the intensity of this was now many times that of his earlier jutsu.The amount of chakra being gathered was ominous and was making the very ground around the bastard crack as the blue orb appeared in his hand.Jiraiya knew that he would have to counter it.And right now, in his arsenal, there was only one move that could perhaps rival this jutsu. However, the technique wasn't complete, the idea had been given to him by Ohashi, yet Jiraiya hadn't been able to give it enough time to fully master it.Yet there was no other way, so Jiraiya gulped as he pulled back his hand and pushed all his remaining chakra into his hand as he gripped the wrist firmly in his other hand. The skin of his hand burned from the intensity of the chakra he gathered in his hand as he felt the Sharingan narrow onto him.Sweat dripped from his face as he saw the blue orb in his hand take a red hue, as it grew to a size nearly double the size of a regular Rasengan. And then he moved, the bastard was quick to move and Jiraiya reacted just as quickly as the very ground shook from the force of the elemental constructs they held in their hands.Their eyes met, and Jiraiya stilled his heart as he pushed forward the blazing red orb in his hand as he shouted the name of the technique."Ninpo: Bleeding Sun Rasengan!""Ninpo: Blood Flood!" (Chi no Kozuki)BOOOOOOOOOOM!SHAAAAAAAAAAAA!And as the massive torrent of stem enveloped the whole area, a single person stepped out of the overheated steam cloud. This cloak burnt on one side as a cacoon of water wrapped around him, protecting him from the overheated stem spread over the entire area, as his sole visible red eye focused on the burnt husk of an arm lying on the ground."Tsk! It seems I must hasten my plan!"0000TSUNADE SENJUTsunade Senju was concerned as she stood inside a hospital room. A hospital room she had been seen visiting often for a couple of days. And why wouldn't she, for the person lying on the bed was no one other than perhaps her only ever friend? She had seen him at his worst, watched him fight for his life, had feared the worst, especially when she had seen his condition at first.Yet he had made it. That bastard had defied the odds. Despite his expansive injuries, the bastards sat there on the bed, smiling as she lecherously looked at her."HeeHee, the staff here told me that you visited me for the whole time I was unconscious," he said with a lecherous grin, making her give the nurse standing inside the room an insidious glare, which prompted her to flee the room."Maybe I should make a habit of getting injured now," the joker laughed, though she didn't miss the fake laugh, nor the way his eyes didn't light up the way they did whenever he made such jokes before.Jiraiya of the Sanin, the roaming sage master, despite his various faults, the man was perhaps one of the strongest shinobi alive. The man roamed the five nations freely with bravado, without any fear of ambush or retaliation, for all nations knew that taking on such a man was a task that was nearly impossible.And yet, as he had arrived in the Hospital, through reverse summoning by his special summons, his condition had been striking. His body had burns on it, his chakra was depleted, and most of all, one of his whole arms was gone. She had seen him and had for a moment thought that he wouldn't make it, yet in the end, he had pulled through.The number of people who could overpower him like that could be counted on one hand, and as far as she knew, only one of them remained in Ame.She ignored his earlier joke, and looked towards him, and spoke up."So, Hanzo," she questioned and saw his smile disappear in an instant, and she stilled as she saw him shake his head."No, this wasn't Hanzo. I believe that Hanzo's reign over Ame is over," Jiraiya uttered, making her frown."What do you mean?" she questioned, asking him to elaborate on his cryptic words. He looked towards her and uttered the words she had thought she would never hear."Because Hanzo the Salamander is dead," and she stilled as soon as she heard those words, her mind refused to believe them, and she would have thought them another one of his jokes, but the seriousness in his gaze spoke of a different story.He wasn't joking. Hanzo, the Salamander, the unspoken Kage, a man said to rival the god of Shinobi, the Demon of Ame, was dead. The man who had given them their very title of Sanin was gone."Impossible, he wasn't old enough to die," she challenged, but her teammate simply shook his head."He didn't die of age, Princess. No, he was killed. By a single shinobi!" and she couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth."One shinobi!" she questioned, and Jiraiya nodded."Yes, and it was the same shinobi who put me in this condition," he replied, and she grit her teeth as she waits for him to elaborate on what had exactly happened in Ame."Some days ago, I was contacted by Hanzo's second-in-command, Hattori. He was Danzo's second in command, and so, I decided to meet him. I went to Ame, and the village had changed a lot," Jiraiya explained."The border was well guarded, and the atmosphere in the village was tense. It was somewhat unnerving, and so I met Hattori, the man was injured, and he proposed an alliance between Ame and Konoha," and she frowned as she heard those words. Jiraiya probably saw her surprise and replied quickly."Yes, I was surprised as well. And so I decided to fish out the reason for this drastic change, and that was when I heard what had happened. That Hanzo the Salamander had been killed by a single shinobi," and she saw him grit his teeth at that."I wanted to know more, but that was when he appeared, like a freaking blur, killing Hattori, in the blink of an eye," he then looked towards her."His mastery over suiton was at the level of Nidaime-sama himself. Yet I could sense that he had mastered the other five elements as well," and her eyes widened as she heard that."Are you sure about this?" and he nodded."Yes. He used suiton jutsu with a simple wave of his hand. His chakra felt ominous and ancient, and most of all, he possessed a doujutsu, a doujutsu he shouldn't have at all. The Sharingan,""Impossible, she gasped," but Jiraiya simply shook his head."No, I saw it myself. And it wasn't just a normal Sharingan, it was the Mangekyo Sharingan, the Magekyo Sharingan of Madara Uchiha himself," and she paled at that, dread pooling in his heart as she heard him utter that name, the name of the monster that could rival her own grandfather, Hashirama Senju.They talked for hours as Jiraiya disclosed to her each detail of their battle, his theory about the probably special prowess held by that Sharingan, and everything else. And as she visualized this individual through his words, she couldn't help but see how the image of this person overlapped with the image of a certain missing grey-haired shinobi.She didn't miss how Jiraiya had made the same comparison, as well. In the end, she couldn't hold herself back and answered the question that plagued both their minds."Could it be him?" she questioned, and she saw him chew his lips as he looked away from her. And after a minute of silence, she heard him utter an answer that had grave implications."Yes! I believe there is a chance that the shinobi I faced was indeed Ohashi Hatake!" and she closed her eyes as she reeled from the shock and implications of that answer."Though listen to me, Tsunade, I cannot be certain about this. It's just a theory, and at this moment, we don't know too much about this. Like how he got that eye, or of it was someone else, a descendant of Madara, there so many questions that we have no answer for yet," He tried to reassure her, and she nodded despite the various theories about how this had happened running through her head.And she nodded as she stilled her heart and asked the other question that had plagued her mind over the course of this discussion."And what does he want? What is his purpose?" and she saw Jiraiya still at her words, as a complicated expression appeared on his face as he uttered the following words."Peace!"0000KAKASHI HATAKEKakashi Hatake watched as their sensei talked with Team Ohashi's sensei as they reached the midpoint of their mission. From this point on, the Uchiha matriarch, Lady Mikoto, was the commander of their unit. A unit that included both Team Minato and Team Ohashi.He reached into his shirt and touched the special kunai his sensei had given him. It was a hiraishin tag, and if he pushed chakra into it, he could call his sensei for help. He looked towards the other team joining them on a mission and could barely recognize the three genin from months ago.Team Ohashi had changed quite a bit after his brother's death. His brother's sensei, Lady Mikoto, had come out of her retirement to tutor his students as a homage to him. His brother's death had also changed the three of them, who had become much more serious and focused after learning of his heroics."Ok, then. Now, you are under Mikoto-san's command. Kakashi is his second in command. You are to dismantle Kanabi bridge and retreat immediately," their sensei said as he addressed him and his other two teammates."Yes, sensei," they shouted in unison, and their sensei nodded and gave them an encouraging smile."Good luck, to you all," and with that, the man vanished into a blur, rushing towards the battlefield where he was set to dismantle the onslaught from Iwa's forces."Alright, everyone, we have no time to waste. Get into formation," and with that, they were on their way as well. Kakashi led from the front, using his enhanced sense of smell to locate their enemies, with Mikoto-sama and his two teammates behind him as team Ohashi brought up the rear with Kurenai Yuhi using her sensing to guard their back.They didn't talk much as they raced past the forests, moving towards the Kanabi bridge. It was one of the major supply routes being used by Iwa forces, and it was up to them to bring it down. The destruction of this bridge would be a major to Iwa, and would force them to halt their offense, forcing them into a very difficult situation.They moved silently for about a day, resting for merely four hours and relying on solider pills for nutrition until near the noon of the second day he suddenly raised his hand and had their whole unit halt instantly."What happened, Kakashi?" questioned Lady Mikoto, using sign language, as the seven of them came to a quick halt. Kakashi closed his eyes and sniffed a number of times using his enhanced senses."We have company! A lot of company!" he answered as he raised his hand and signed, and saw the Uchiha matriarch's eyes narrow as he further signed the number the number of Iwa shinobi he had just sensed.A frown appeared on her face, and he saw the Uchiha matriarch reach inside the sleeves of her kimono and take out two kyoyu fans her eyes turned blazing red from their usual black color in an instant, and the three tomoe span insidiously as she slowly mouthed to them."Leave them to me!"0000
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Chapter 29KAKASHI HATAKEKakashi Hatake stood there still as he saw the carnage infront of him. He was aware that the Uchiha matriarch was a formidable kunoichi, an elite jounin, yet as he saw her dismantle a whole unit of Iwa shinobi in front of him, did he truly understand just how strong she was?The Uchiha matriarch was a blur, and the only thing he saw was a silhouette before she vanished once more, as the Iwa shinobi died without even a single grunt.However the Iwa shinobi were quick enough to realize that they were under attack and backed up as they huddled together."Show yourself, who are you!" they shouted as they looked around, and the Uchiha matriarch appeared infront of them in a blur, and he saw a few of the veteran Iwa nin back off as they saw the red blazing eyes staring at them impassively."Those eyes, the Sharingan! Don't look into them!" they shouted for the younger members of their team, as three of them rushed towards Mikoto-sama. She slowly moved forward, cleaning the blood of her two fans with a piece of cloth."I believe it's too late for that," and with that, he saw as the three Iwa shinobi slashed their kunai at her, yet their weapons simply passed through her form as if she was not even there. And then Kakashi saw a silhouette appear in the middle of the Iwa formation, and he felt the very air become warm as the two fans she held in her hands became red, as she coated them in fire nature chakra."Katon: Fire Storm!" and then, as she spun, a literal torrent of fire enveloped the whole unit, as firestorm enveloped the whole unit in the blink of an eye, making the Iwa nin scream in agony as their bodies lit up.SHWOOSH!"AGHHH!" the Iwa non screamed as their bodies fell to the ground as Mikoto-sama simply stepped out of the torrent of flames, with the three Iwa non who had rushed towards her watching her with trembling gazes.Despite the fear, they rushed towards her, and he saw Lady Mikoto nod towards where the six of them had hidden, and Kakashi was quick to reach as he pushed chakra into his legs, his hand reaching for the tanto, strapped to his back, as he vanished in a blur.The Iwa nin felt him approach and tried to block his attack, but he was too late, as Kakashi simply ducked under his kunai, and struck a clean blow at his neck, ending his life with a single strike."Kukh!" blood spurted out of his neck as the Iwa nin dropped to the ground, and he looked to the side and found the other two Iwa nin had been taken care of as well.Kurenai Yuhi had taken down one, as three kunai spun around her, while the last one had been done in by Obito and Asuma Sarutobi, and the Uchiha matriarch walked towards them."Good work," she said, as she cleaned her two fans and put them in her sleeves once again."From our intel, there shouldn't be a unit stationed here," cut in Kurenai Yuhi as she pocketed her three kunai, as all of them gathered together."Yes, and from the composition, I can say that this was a hastily set up unit. They were mostly just genin or chunin, and that could mean only one thing," she said, voicing out what all of them were thinking."Iwa suspects an attack on Kanabi bridge," he answered, and Mikoto-sama nodded with a frown, as she seemed to think for a moment before she commanded him."Hatake, have a scroll sent to the village about this suspicion," and he nodded and sat down as he began to quickly do what he had been ordered to do."As for the rest of you, I want all of you on high alert. The bridge is not far from here. If they had a unit here, then there is a high chance that they have some of their forces guarding the bridge as well, so we will have to be extremely cautious," she ordered, and all of them nodded."Why don't we let us deal with them next time, Mikoto-sama? Let us show off some of our skills," Obito cut in, in his usual easy-going demeanor, forgetting that this wasn't their sensei he was talking to.And while Kakashi knew that the Uchiha matriarch came off as mostly gentle in their interactions, the way the air stilled at Obito's words even surprised him as she cut in in a chilling tone."This was already a very high-risk mission, which has just become even riskier now, with Iwa suspecting an attack," the commander of their unit began, and the way Obito straightened up, he had realized that he had made a mistake."So, I want to make something very clear. From this point on, I want you all to follow everything I say. If I tell you to run, you run. If I ask you to hide, you hide. You do as I say, no questions asked, is that clear?" she said, and Kakashi was quick to answer."Yes, Mikoto-sama," they chorused together, and the Uchiha matriarch nodded as he finished sending the missive to the village.They began to move again, moving in a close formation as they moved towards the village. Yet luckily, they didn't face any more Iwa shinobi throughout their journey, yet when they reached near the actual mission site, the Kanabi bridge, his enhanced senses picked up a peculiar smell.A very peculiar smell, that he had felt previously on several occasions from their sensei's girlfriend, Kushina-san."Mikoto-sama," Kurenai Yuhi cut in from behind, her voice strained and her face pale, and Mikoto-sama raised her hand as they all hid behind trees, and he didn't miss as sweat dripped down the face of Mikoto-sama as she replied."I know, I can sense it too," she replied, and then, before she could continue, they were interrupted by a thick and gruff voice."There is no use in hiding. I can sense all of you," and Kakashi stilled as he heard the voice of their sole opponent, an opponent, whose chakra was dense enough to rival that of Kushina-san herself and felt as if it was lava itself.Mikoto-sama slowly walked out into the clearing, and the rest of them followed at her heels, as he finally caught a look at the opponent they were set to face, his hair along with his beard and mustache were red, but it was lighter than Kushina-sama.He wore a large headpiece, with the Iwagakure headband, along with magenta kimono. He sat there on the bridge, in a lotus position, as he stared at them as Mikoto-sama whispered to them."I want you all to place the seals on the bridge and then be ready to run at any second. None of you stand a chance against the person standing infront of us," she said as she slipped her fans into her hands, and her Sharingan blazed in her eyes, the three tomoes spinning ominously as she let go of her chakra and got ready to face the man infront of them.And Kakashi finally realized just who he was, and he was thankful to Ohashi for forcing him to memorize all those Bingo books."He is Roshi of Lava Release, one of Iwagakure's jinchuriki," he spoke out, and their sense nodded as the rest of them, finally realized just what kind of danger they were in."Those eyes, it has been some time since I have faced someone with those eyes!"0000OHASHI HATAKEOhashi Hatake found himself standing atop the tallest tower in Amegakure, as he looked at the spiralling village infront of him. The initial tension that had enveloped the village had settled down somewhat in the days since his fight with Jiraiya, of the Sanin.People had been expecting him to slaughter the village, yet as they saw him keep his promise of securing the village's borders, they began to settle down. During these days, Ohashi had slaughtered over five units from various villages.This had given him enough time to assimilate what he had learned from Madara Uchiha, into his repertoire. And had allowed him to improve greatly, yet despite that, he knew that he was still far from the level he wished to be at. No, the level he had to reach for his dream.His plan hinged on the war lasting for a longer time, giving the villages no time to recover as he made his move. Plus, he needed to recruit people to his cause as well, for as strong he may become, he would need someone to watch his back, and to give the final shape to his plan.He had a few individuals in mind, yet that would come later, as he felt a certain pesky presence behind him.He was acutely aware of Zetsu's intentions, yet the bastard was a useful tool for the time being, and Ohashi planned to use it to its full capacity before getting rid of it."What news do you bring, Zetsu?" Ohashi questioned as he felt the plant-like creature appeared out of the floor behind him."I have acted quickly as per your orders and have made it so that the Third Great ninja war shall be prolonged," he answered, and Ohashi's eyes narrowed, for he could sense something sinister from the Black plant-like creature's tone."Konoha's forces planned to attack the Kanabi bridge, cutting off supplied to the Iwa forces at the front," and he stilled as soon as he heard those words."I leaked intel to Iwa about the mission, and they have dispatched one of their jinchuriki, and a small unit to guard the village," and Ohashi stilled as soon as he heard those words."Which team has Konoha dispatched to take out the Kanabi bridge?" hoping that things were different than what he had seen."I believe it's a seven-unit squad. Its two three man cells of seasoned genins under the leadership of Mikoto Uchiha."0000FUGAKU UCHIHAThe Third Raikage's last stand had bought Kumo forces enough time to retreat. The man had lived up to his title of Kage and had caused sheer carnage on the battlefield. Despite facing both him and Lord Third, the Third Raikage had been a menace to face, slaughtering any regular shinobi that stepped in his way.He fought with complete abandon, using every drop of blood and sweat his body could muster as he faced two of them with everything he had to offer. The battle had ended in their victory, yet despite the one-sided nature of the battle, him and Lord Third hadn't escaped unscathed out of the battle.With Lord Third losing a leg in the battle, since he was the one facing Lord Third, leaving him to provide support. With that victory, the situation on the Northern front had reached a stalemate, with both Kumo and Konoha forces forced to stand down.And so, he found himself back in Konoha, surprised that his return had been requested by the Hokage-sama herself.And as he stared at the form of the shinobi resting on the bed, he could only guess that it had something to do with the state he was in. Jiraiya-sama lay there on the bed, holding a book in one hand, a stub the only thing left where there should have been his other arm, and Fugaku found himself intrigued about how the hell was the infamous Toad Sage reduced to such a state.But before he could question the man, the door to the room opened, and the Fourth Hokage entered the room, as he apologized quickly."I am sorry for being late, but I was dealing with your report," she said to him."Now, what we are about to discuss is extremely confidential, so I would appreciate it if you could keep what we discuss to yourself for some time, Fugaku," the Lady Hokage requested, and he nodded surprised by her request."I believe this has something to do with the current state of Jiraiya-sama," he guessed, and the Shodaime's granddaughter nodded with a grimace."Yes, though I believe this concerns your clan as well," and with that, she stepped forward and took out a scroll from her pocket."Two weeks ago, Jiraiya faced a rather intriguing foe while on a mission in Amegakure, the shinobi in question single-handedly faced Jiraiya and managed to go toe to toe with him despite him using everything in his arsenal," and Fugaku frowned, as he realized what she had implied."Amegakure? Was it Hanzo the Salamander," he guessed, for there was only one notable shinobi from Ame that came to his mind, and Jiraiya-sama shook his head."No, this shinobi had fought and killed the man before I had even reached the village. This was someone new," he explained and Lady Tsunade nodded as she unfurled the scroll and turned it towards him."And the reason we have summoned you here is because this shinobi had a Mangekyo Sharingan!" and he stilled as soon he heard those words."A Mangekyo Sharingan, having this unique pattern," and as he saw the pattern drawn on the scroll, his breath hitched as he felt a shiver run down his spine, as he looked towards Jiraiya-sama."Are you sure that this was the pattern of his Mangekyo?" he questioned again, and the man nodded with a frown."Yes." And Fugaku shook his head as he looked at Hokage-sama."But this is impossible, the pattern of the Mangekyo is unique to each individual user, and the person who possessed those eyes has been dead for decades," he shouted, and the Hokage-sama frowned as she looked toward her teammate with a frown before she questioned."And who was this person?" she questioned."This eye belonged to the Uchiha who helped set the foundation for this village, the only man who stood on the same level as your grandfather Hashirama Senju," and he saw the two Sanin pale as they realized just who he was talking about."Madara Uchiha."0000
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Chapter 30MIKOTO UCHIHAMikoto Uchiha was alert, as she accessed every minute detail with her Sharingan as Iwa's jinchuriki stood up, her senses expanded, and as she felt the chakra of the man infront of her, she gulped down in nervousness as her mind raced to figure out a plan to secure the lives of the six genin behind her.She had already lost her own three students to this wretched war. She was not going to have Ohashi's legacy end like this.So, she took a deep breath and pushed chakra into her two fans as she gave them their orders."All of you listen to me. As I engage him in combat, I want all of you to head for the bridge and complete the mission, and after that…"And she felt Roshi's chakra stir as the man looked into her eyes."I want all of you to escape, and no matter what happens, you are not to glance back at all. No matter what!" she ordered."But sensei!" came the voice of Asuma, and she looked back, her eyes blazing, and he shut up as he saw her."That is an order!" and that shut them up. She glanced toward Ohashi's brother, Kakashi, who was looking at her with a complicated expression, their eyes met, and she cast a simple genjutsu as she passed him a message."Send the signal to Minato and leave the kunai. Complete the mission and retreat. I will hold him back."His eyes widened as he understood her message, and slowly reached for his back pocket."Surrender Uchiha, and I promise you, I shall grant you and your genin a quick and painless death," ventured the Iwa Jinchuriki as he let go of his chakra, literally flooding the whole area with suffocating pressure.CRACK. CRACK.The very ground began to crack from the sheer pressure, and she saw her six genin pale as the suffocating pressure nearly forced them all to their knees, and she closed her eyes as she let go her own chakra, and let it crush through the oppressive force and saw as the six genin huffed behind her as the severity of their situation finally dawned on them."GO!" she ordered, and she saw a few of them were about to protest but then Kakashi was quick to step up as he gave her a nod and had them all jump back, as Roshi's eyes narrowed towards them."Tch, it seems you have made your choice," and she saw him weave a set of handseals as he inhaled and took in a deep breath."Katon: Fireball jutsu," but she was quick to react, as she opened and pushed chakra into her two fans as she jumped up."Futon: Vacuum Wall," and a massive torrent of wind erupted as it disrupted his fire technique, as the six of them vanished into the forest, as she jumped and positioned herself between Roshi and her six underlings, eyes blazing as Roshi jumped down, and came to a halt as she completely let go her own chakra."I am afraid I cannot let you past me, Roshi of Iwagakure," she remarked as she fully opened her fans and took in a deep breath as she felt him raise a brow."So, you know who I am, Uchiha. And yet you choose to face me. I must commend you for your courage, Uchiha," said Roshi as he brought together his hands, and she felt him build up a massive amount of chakra."But I must end this," and with that, he brought down the hands as he shouted."Lava Style: Great Blazing Eruption!" and as soon as his hands touched the ground, the very ground beneath her feet shifted as the ground broke, and sizzling lava erupted, flooding the whole area.She was forced to jump back, onto a tree branch, as the hem of her kimono got burned, as the temperature of the whole area became sickeningly hot. The Iwa nin was unaffected by the lava and simply ran on it, and jumped towards her, and she knew she couldn't jump away, for this would give him a straight line for the six genin.So, she pushed Charka into her feet, as she grounded herself on the tree."Lava Style: Molten Palm Jutsu!" he shouted as she saw him coat his hand in molten lava, and she gritted her teeth as she pushed her own chakra into her two fans and brought them. Her eyes tracked his every minuscule movement. And just as his punch was about to hit her, she shifted slightly to the right, as she molded her chakra into eh fire nature."Fire Style: Fire Storm!" and a massive storm of fire erupted around her, and she felt her attack connect as the Iwa nin was thrown pack and crashed into the lava below.BOOOM!Dust and gases rose into the air as his back hit the ground, yet Mikoto could see through the dust."Impressive, yet your fire ninjutsu is useless against me, for I am Roshi, of the Lava style," and she felt herself still as she felt him summon a massive volume of chakra, yet this chakra wasn't just regular chakra. It felt more ancient, more sinister, just like what she would often feel from Kushina when she would get exceedingly angry. She watched as his hands transformed as a coat of red corrosive chakra began to coat him, and she knew that she had to stop him.So, she looked into his eyes and pushed herself inside his mind palace, and found him still as the chakra that had begun to envelop him stilled, as she found herself staring at a massive beast. A monkey with red fur and horns glared at him. Its scream as it attacked her with one of its four gigantic tails was deafening. She used shunshin to dodge the attack and then kept on avoiding the rampage of the tailed beast before she jumped up and looked straight into the beast's eyes."Sleep!" she ordered as she saw her reflection in those giant orbs. The beast struggled, trying to break out of her genjutsu, yet she pushed all her chakra into her eyes and felt the bijuu slow down as she felt herself land on that tree once again."You! Those eyes!" the Iwa nin said through gritted teeth as he failed to complete his full transformation. The red ominous chakra around him had only reached the stage of two tails, as he glared at her.Mikoto herself fell to her knees as she huffed for breath. She had underestimated the chakra cost to put genjutsu on an agitated bijuu. Her reserves were half gone now as she felt the Iwa nin gather chakra once more."No matter, this is enough to deal with you," he said as he weaved a set of handseals."Lave Style: Lava Mountain Eruptions!" and with that, the ground split up once again, and columns upon columns of lava rose in the air, drowning the whole area in somewhat of a lava rain.She jumped back, and tried to dodge the droplets, as she jumped from tree to tree, branch from branch, yet he was not done with her, and appeared right below her."Fire Style: Fire Ball," and spewed a massive fireball at her, forcing her to push chakra into her fans, as she pushed chakra into her fans, as she landed horizontally on a tree."Wind Style: Vacuum Storm," and spun as the wind disrupted the fireball, and then she pushed herself off of the tree, pushing her chakra to her legs. Using the maximum control she pushed herself off the tree, in a straight line at Roshi.She laced her fans with pure wind chakra, as she noticed his eyes widen, at the sheer speed of her approach."Eart Style: Mud Wall…" but he was too late, as she used her fans to cut through the hastily erected earthen wall, and aimed a slash at his neck.CLANG!She felt metal clashing against metal and glanced back as she landed on the ground, and saw the Iwa nin holding her neck as his face guard cracked and fell to the ground.He glanced back at her as scarlet blood dripped down his hand, and she knew that this was her moment to strike, and flipped open her fans, laced them in wind-natured chakra once again, and spun them as she threw them at him."Ninpo: Fan Flower!" and she pulled on the chakra strings attached to her fans, and they separated into twenty parts each, and rushed towards the Iwa nin. The red chakra around him rippled, and her fang blades pierced through it and hit his body, and she felt as if she had a chance as she made a tiger seal."KATSUU!"BOOOOOM!The fang blades exploded, the whole ground shook from the force of the explosion, and she herself was pushed back as a thick cloud of dust and debris covered the whole area.She fell on her knee as she finally felt pain ripple through her from the several burns marring her skin. Her Sharingan vanished as she huffed for breath, yet before she had begun to relax, she felt the atmosphere thicken with a sinister presence and glanced up, and her eyes widened at the sight in front of her."ARGH!" the beast infront of her screamed in rage, as the Iwa nin stood there on all fours like an animal, with two tails thrashing the ground behind him, his skin burnt by the corrosive bijuu chakra, his eyes replaced by two white slits, narrowed at her.Yet the thing that had her stilled was the concentrated orb of chakra gathered right infront of its mouth, and she felt dread pool in her heart as she recognized it for what it was."AHHHHH!" and with a scream, the beast, screeched as it let go of the orb, aiming it straight at her.The tailed beast bomb headed straight for her, and Mikoto Uchiha knew that she couldn't get away. Hence she closed her eyes as she pushed all her remaining chakra into her two orbs, she felt her eyes burn up, and blood began to drip down her face, as she resigned herself to use one of Uchiha clan's most destructive kinjutsu.A technique that could only ever be obtained after an inconsolable loss. The kinjutsu she had obtained after hearing of Ohashi's death, and as she opened her eyes, her eyes blazed red once more, yet the pattern inside them was no longer one of simple three tomoe.No, it was one of a three-covered flower."Susnaoo!"0000FUGAKU UCHIHAThe Uchiha patriarch walked with Senju Tsuande as both of them slowly walked down the tunnels hidden underneath the Hokage faces. The tunnels had seals placed on them such that they could only ever be accessed by the Hokage, and since the seals had been made by Lady Mito herself, they were essentially unbreakable.The tension was palpable as they made their way to the catacombs, the place where the bodies of the Shodaime and Uchiha Madara were placed. A shinobi's body, dead or alive, could be a source of exploitation, and hence that was why villages took great care in retrieving the bodies of their bed, to stop an enemy village from uncovering their secrets.The bodies of the First Hokage and Madara Uchiha were even more special, with both shinobi being literal gods among men. Their prowess was unrivaled to this day, and hence it had been decided to seal both their bodies to deter any other village from trying to steal their remains.The body of the Nidaime was also sealed there, and they finally came to a halt infront of a small door.Tsunade Senju closed her eyes and placed her hand on the door, and then suddenly, seals appeared over the door and began to glow, before vanishing. And then the door opened to reveal a small chamber.The chamber was littered with seals, and though Fugaku was not a seal master, even he could feel that seals would rip apart anyone who would dare to enter the chamber without the key.And the reason for all this caution was the three coffins placed in the center of the room. Seals covered the coffins as well. Two of the coffins had the Senju symbol inscribed into them, while the last had the Uchiha clan symbol inscribed into it.The Fourth Hokage looked towards him, and he gave her a nod as she moved towards the last coffin, the one belonging to the only man said to rival Hashirama Senju, the man who had helped establish this very village.The Hokage placed her palm on the coffin, and then closer eyes, the seals covering the coffin glowed before, and then they began to unravel. He walked to her side, as she opened her eyes, and pushed the stone slab covering the coffin."No!" she gasped out as they saw the inside of the coffin.The coffin was empty.And this just gave rise to a lot more questions!"How could this be?" Lady Tsunade gasped out, and Fugaku pushed chakra into his eyes and felt them clear up as he looked over the coffin with his Mangekyo Sharingan.Due to the isolated nature of the chamber, the chakra remnants were still there, and he frowned as he leaned down and looked over the coffin once more, his eyes looking for anything remotely hinting towards how Madara Uchiha had pulled this off."Grandfather was sure he felt his heart stop! He himself buried him here after their fight, how could this happen?" Lady Tsunade questioned as sweat dripped down her face, and as his mind raced a single explanation came to his mind.A kinjutsu so powerful that it could cheat death itself, a jutsu that could only ever be used by a shinobi who had gained complete mastery over their Sharingan."There is only one jutsu, that can explain this," Fugaku began and saw the Fourth Hokage's head snap towards him."You know how he pulled this off, how he cheated death?" she questioned and he shook his head."No, but after examining all the facts I can theorize how he could do this, though before I answer you must understand one thing Lady Tsunade," Fugaku began as he looked towards the Fourth Hokage."The information that I am about to reveal to you pertains to my clan's highest-guarded secrets. Secrets that are only ever known to a Uchiha clan head, even the elders in my clan have no knowledge about the technique I am about to share with you. And so, you shall carry what I tell you with yourself to the grave, and shall never mention it to anyone else, even your teammate, Lord Jiraiya, or your sensei, the Lord Third," Fugaku warned the Senju clan leader who narrowed her eyes, yet nodded."I understand," she replied in a grave tone, and Fugaku closed his eyes as he took the name of the technique that could have allowed Madara Uchiha to fake his death."It is a technique, a forbidden doujutsu, one so strong that to cast it, one must sacrifice their sight in one eye, a technique that could allow the user to alter the very reality of the world," he began as he opened his eyes."It's called Izanagi!"0000KAKASHI HATAKEAs the six of them rushed towards the nearest village outpost after planting the explosive seals on the bridge, the atmosphere was essentially chilling.Even now, Kakashi could sense the ominous chakra, and he could still feel his hand tremble from the sentient chakra that had been possessed by the Iwa.BOOOM!Their whole unit came to a halt as a loud explosion rocked the whole forest, and as he glanced back, his heart sank at the sight behind him. A whole portion of the forest had been blown off, with the explosion being strong enough to cause a literal storm.He paled as he felt Mikoto-sama's chakra falter, as a thick wave of that sentient chakra made them all falter for a second."What the hell was that?" Asuma Sarutobi gasped, as he looked towards him and Kureani which much like him had paled as she barely whispered the words."Mikoto sensei.""The explosion happened at the place where Miktoto-sensei was facing that Iwa nin, we have to go and see what has happened," Asuma Sarutobi spoke up."Yes, we have already completed our mission we have to go and get her," Obito added from the side as well."No," Kakashi cut in."She gave us our orders. We cannot go back to disobey her," he added."She also sensei's kunai with her. We must believe that eh will respond to the signal," Kakashi added."Minato sensei is facing a whole Iwa platoon. What if he fails to respond in time, we cannot just abandon her. Plus, it's just a single shinobi," added Obito, and Kakashi sighed as he explained."That is not just a single shinobi Obito. That man in one of Iwagakure's strongest shinobi, Roshi of the Lava style, the jinchuriki of the Four tails," Kakashi added and saw everyone pale as they realized just who exactly the Uchiha matriarch was facing."Then, that's more reason to help her. We, move in and rescue her, avoiding a confrontation with the Iwa nin. Kurenai, can you sense her chakra? How is she?" Asuma added as he looked towards his teammate, who was pale as a sheet."Her chakra has been depleted to severe levels. We have to do something," she said as everyone looked towards him. He was the one leading the mission. Kakashi gritted his teeth as he thought about what to do."We will…" but before he could finish, he halted as his senses picked up another chakra signature approaching them at a blazing fast pace This ninja's pace was nearly as fast as Minato sensei, and Kakashi perked up as he took out his tanto, and turned to face the incoming signature.Yet despite his best efforts, this ominous chakra signature ran blurred past them, completely ignoring them as it headed straight towards the location of Mikoto Uchiha."What was that?" Obito questioned as they saw this foreign shinobi blur past them, and his eyes remained fixated on his grey hair. Sweat dripped down Kakashi's forehead as his mind reeled and found the smell of this shinobi similar to a shinobi that had no place being alive."Follow me," he said as the five of them nodded as they rushed towards the battle site again, while Kakashi chewed on his thumb and cycled through a set of hand seals."Summoning Jutsu!" he shouted, and then a small red pup appeared with a puff of smoke."Pakkun! Carry this to the nearest Konoha post! Have them send reinforcements," he added as he threw a scroll toward his ever-loyal summon."Got it, boss!" and with that, Pakkun turned away from them and rushed towards the Konoha base, and Kakashi watched the silhouette of this new shinobi vanish from his site as he blurred away.0000
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Chapter 31MIKOTO UCHIHAPain. Excruciating, debilitating, pain ripped through her whole body, and even the action of breathing felt excruciatingly painful as she coughed the very action making her vision blur up as she lay there against the tree as she gripped her gut.Her once beautiful kimono had been dyed red, and her reserves had been long emptied as she saw the semi-transformed form of Iwa's jinchuriki roar. The ground around them was filled with craters, the forest burned as lava littered the ground.The fight had been destructive, and she had given everything she had, and used every trick she could, yet battling a jinchuriki still proved too much for her. Though, as she saw the scarlet monster infront of her huff, his size nearly half of what it had been at the start of their battle showed that her efforts had not been futile."AGHHHHHH!" the jinchuriki roared, its roar feral and powerful, shaking the very ground she lay on. As she saw those ominous white orbs narrow onto her, the beast then opened its scissored whitish maw and it began to gather chakra once more.And she found herself getting surprised by the volume of the chakra the beast was still able to gather; the amount was significant. It just showed the strategic powers of a jinchuriki, and he had been only the jinchuriki of the four tails. It was no wonder that the five great Nations fought to gain control over such strategic assets.She noticed the beast thin out, and the very air rippled as it gathered that signature purple orb infront of its mouth, the very ground beneath its feet cracking from the pressure of the massive volumes of chakra it gathered in its maw.SHAAAA!The air between them rippled as the beast's eyes narrowed towards her. Mikoto huffed and tried to push herself up, yet despite all her efforts were futile."KUKH.KUKH!" she began to cough blood as her body refused to listen to her commands, and she was left stranded on the ground.By now, a sense of cold had overtaken her, and her vision had begun to blur from the severe blood loss as she lay there waiting for her demise.And in her last moments, her mind went to her little son, Itachi, her better half Fugaku and then to Ohashi, the boy who had been like a son to her. And as she watched the beast thrashed in rage, as its two tails wreaked havoc across the area before it roared as it gulped down the purple mass in its mouth."I am sorry," she uttered to all those who had ever cared for her as the beast opened its maw as a giant orb of chakra rushed towards her, its power devastating everything around it as it rushed towards her and she closed her eyes as she prayed that her six little genin had gotten away.SWISH!And then it happened. It was a blur that barely registered to her before she felt a shadow cover her, as a cloaked figure appeared infront of her out of nowhere, in its hand was the very weapon inscribed into every Uchiha's uniform. The very symbol of their clan.A black and white gunbai, one of the Sage's weapons, and the man pushed chakra into his gunbai as he swung it towards the purple orb of chakra headed her way.BOOOOM!She saw the ground rip apart as the man's feet were dragged back, yet the gunbai held strong. The force from the clash sent shockwaves through the area, and the force was enough to rip apart trees and the man's cloak. And her heart stilled as she saw those silver hair flowing in the wind."Ohashi," she whispered, despite a part of her knowing that it could not be possible.As she felt the stranger come to a stop inches away from her, as she saw the bandage covering the stranger begin to rip apart."AGHH!" she heard him shout as he swung the gunbai with enough might to send the purple orb of destruction back at the two-tailed jinchuriki, who shrieked in rage as its own attack was thrown back at it.The beast tried to jump away, yet she saw the stranger place his hand on the ground as he heard him mutter."Doton: Multiple Earth Walls!" and then she saw a number of earthen walls rise up around the jinchuriki, boxing him in as the purple orb of destruction rushed towards him.The beast could do nothing but shout in agony as his own attack hit him.BOOOM!The very ground shook as the attack hit the jinchuriki, and dust and smoke rose up as the stranger stood straight protecting her from the debris as the very forest was torn apart around them. Her heart thumped in her chest as she saw the stranger turn to face her, and she felt her heart still as she saw that face.It was one she hadn't seen before, but even in her delirious state she didn't miss the similarities the man infront of her held with a certain silver-haired student of her. Yet those eyes were different, way too different, they were heavier, and dull, as if the whole world weighed on him.And one of them was much like her own, a red Sharingan, with a pattern that evolved from the regular three tomoe of the regular Uchiha. A mangekyo, she gasped as she felt those eyes settle on her.The man stepped towards her, and she could tell that he was dangerous. His chakra felt like something she had never felt. It was as if she was staring at a diety. It was dense and ominous evidence of the man's skill as a shinobi.Yet, for some reason, he felt her heart ease as he walked towards her like a part of her told her that he wouldn't hurt her. Her body was growing colder, and darkness had begun to envelop her vision as the man stepped infront of her. and she looked up and was helpless as the man reached her hand.She should have struggled, should have tried to run away, yet she couldn't. And a part of her didn't want to, and the more she glanced at that face, she felt it overlap with that of Ohashi."Ohashi," she found herself uttering as the stranger placed his hand over her head, and she had expected him to twist her, yet a sense of relief passed through her as the stranger's hand glew green, showing the use of iryo ninjutsu. She felt her breathing ease as her vision began to clear up, as the pain lessened, and she looked up and found that sole sharingan staring impassively at her.The man was healing her, but why? She scanned his body and found no hitai-ate, showing that the man wasn't affiliated with any of the established villages. And then she remembered the gunbai, and her eyes narrowed onto the symbol of her clan, and as she glanced at it, she felt her heart stop as she recognized the weapon for what it was. And for some reason, she was reminded of a conversation from years ago."Sensei do you know how to use a gunbai?" the innocuous question had been asked by her newly appointed student, taking her by surprise given that the gunbai had long gone out of fashion, for the sheer difficult of use."No, but I know someone who does. DO you want to learn?" she had questioned and had bene surprised by the newly appointed genin had nodded his head."Yes, why not."It was the legendary gunbai of Madra Uchiha, and from what she could recall, the Mangekyo in his eyes had the same pattern as that of the esteemed founder of the village. Cold chill ripped through her, as she forced herself to glance up, as she barely mouthed."Who are yo…" but before she could finish her words, a scarlet figure ripped out of the dust cloud, blurring through the air, as it lashed towards the stranger, who had his back to the rampaging beast."Behi…." She tried to warn, but there was no need as the beastWas about to reach him, spikes erupted from the Earth, impaling the beast and its tails, before they forced the jinchuriki to the ground, holding it down even as it lashed down.The stranger took off her hand, and she could breathe easily. The excruciating pain had dulled, but she knew that the man had just given her life-saving first aid. The man then turned to face the jinchuriki, who had thrashed around violently, though all his efforts were futile as the man made a set of handseals before he put forward his hand, and she watched wide-eyed as water began to coalesce into his hand, water that was being extracted out of thin air.The volume of chakra the man was gathering was too much, nearly rivaling what the jinchuriki had gathered for its tailed beast bomb. And this time, she couldn't miss the resemblance the technique bore to what she had heard her own student theorize.Could it be?Could it be him?She wanted to believe it, but if it was indeed him, then there were so many questions. So many questions. Where had he been? How had he gotten that eye? And why hadn't he returned?And if it wasn't him. Then who was this stranger? How did he possess that eye and gunbai? How?She had recovered some of her chakras and pushed it to her eyes as they spun, and she felt the world clear up as she burned the face of the stranger into her memories, as she saw his mouth."Forgive me for this, Son Goku!" she frowned as she saw him raise his hand, a literal storm of water in his hand as he plunged it into the strangled jinchuriki."Ninpo: Blood Flooding!" ( Chi no Kozuki )0000KAKASHI HATAKEKakashi and his teammates rushed through the forest as the stranger blurred past them. Kakashi's heart raced as he felt Mikoto-sama's chakra flutter weakly as a massive volume of chakra was gathered by the Iwa nin. His chakra indicated the beast had taken substantial damage, yet its ferocious chakra was leagues above anything he had ever sensed.Was this the power of a jinchuriki, the strategic weapons zealously guarded by every village?And this Iwa nin had been the jinchuriki of the Four tails, and from what he knew, Kushina-sama held in her the nine tails, the strongest of the bijuu. Did she possess power similar to this?"What is going on?" Asuma questioned, with a worried expression, and Kakahsi gulped as he replied.The stranger is about to reach Mikoto-sama, and her condition is bad. Kakashi didn't mince his words and saw Asuma curse as he broke formation and rushed forward."What are you doing, Asuma? Don't break formation?" he chided him, but the man didn't answer, and he sighed as he spoke up."Push more chakra. We are going full tilt," he spoke as everyone complied with his order, as they rushed past and then he felt it as the wind rippled through the forest and the ground shook, and he felt Mikto-sama's chakra flutter dangerously before the very area was rocked by a loud explosion.BOOOM!And his heart nearly gave out as the massive explosion messed with his sensing, and he saw all of them pale as they saw the explosion in the distance."Sensei!" Asuma and Yuhi gasped as they rushed towards her, and Kakashi closed his eyes as he pushed his sensing, using everything he had learned from Minato sensei and Ohashi as he searched for that familiar chakra, and he found it."She is alive! She is alive!" he announced, and he felt relief ripple through their group at his words before Kurenai added."And she is recovering! Someone's healing her," she answered, and Kakashi frowned at this new piece of information. They neared the source of the attack, and then Kakshi felt sweat appear on his forehead as he felt another massive volume of chakra getting gathered, this one more ancient.If the previous chakra had been mad and angry. This one was like a cold rage, like an impassive anger that threatened to rip the whole world apart, and as he landed on a tree meters away from Mikoto-sama, she watched as the grey-haired stranger plunged a blur orb into a scarlet chakra-covered beast."Brace for impact!" he shouted as he pushed his chakra to his soles, and he rooted himself to the tree, much like the rest of the group as the justu ripped through jinchuriki.BOOOM!And he was pushed back, the thick forest tree shook as a literal flood ripped through the forest, drowning it in several feet of water that tore up trees and made the whole ground shake, and Kakshi barely held onto the tree as he glanced towards where he had seen Mikoto-sama.And it was as if he was looking at the eye of a storm. Water crashed against an invisible wall that surrounded the area as the water began to fall. His heart thumped in his chest as he caught a glimpse of the man and the Iwa jinchuriki.And he stilled as he saw that nothing remained of the Iwa jinchuriki. The jutsu literally ripped his very body apart, reducing it to nothing. And there stood the man, who had just killed one of Iwa's strongest shinobi in the world, as he turned towards the injured form of Mikoto-sama once again."NO!" Yuhi shouted as she rushed towards him, and he paled as he saw her rush towards the stranger, knowing that the man could reduce all of them to dust just as he had done to the Iwa jinchuriki.He prayed as he jumped after her, trying to pull her back, but she was too fast, and he prayed that the stranger would spare her life.And then, as if the Gods had answered his prayer, he watched as lightning crackled where the man stood before suddenly a literal yellow flash appeared. He sensed the all too familiar chakra of his sensei appears behind the man, his three-pronged kunai in hain, as he plunged it into the stranger's neck.And he felt his heart ease as relief rippled through him.Everything would be fine, for Leaf's Yellow Flash was finally here.0000Back in the village, hidden in the rain, three shinobi sat together as they discussed the ultimatum they had received from the man who had slain Hanzo.Now, a little over twenty days remained till they would meet with the man, and as they sat down, they discussed the implications."We cannot face him alone. He literally killed Hanzo, and no matter what one may say of the man, he was a very powerful shinobi," remarked the red-haired member of the group.The purple-haired girl nodded."Nagato is right. We have to think of something." She spoke with trepidation, and the last remember the one who had a tuft of orange hairs on his hand nodded, agreeing with their concerns."But what can we do? We cannot run away. The man will hunt us down," he said, and the other two nodded before suddenly the purple-haired girl spoke up after much silence."There is one way. We could try and contact him," she said, and she didn't need to take the name. For all of them knew whom she was referring to.The man who had trained them all, moulded them into the shinobi they were.The legendary shinobi, Jiraiya of the Sanin.0000
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Chapter 32MINATO NAMIKAZEMinato Namikaze drove the blade into the stranger's neck as he teleported to the kunai he had given to Kakashi.The stranger had stood infront of the haggard form of Mikoto, and as he swung his kunai into his neck, he felt it connect with his flesh, even though he didn't miss the distant shout from the Uchiha jounin."NOOO!"He had expected a splatter of scarlet blood as the kunai cut through his neck, slashing at the vital vessels in his neck.Yet his eyes widened as he saw that the splatter was not of the red he had been expecting but if blur, of clear blue color. It was water he recognized, and he quickly used his fingers to aim the kunai at the ground in front of Mikoto as he teleported to it as soon as it hit the ground.SWISH!He huffed as he held up his kunai. The battle against Kumo had taken more out of him than he had expected. Iwa had sent two whole units there, one of which had been their special Bombing Corps, a unit that held explosion specialists from one of Iwa's most feared kekkei-genkai holding clans, with the clansmen being immune to their explosions.He had felt Kakashi's distress call as he had been engaged against this special unit and couldn't come to him, for he had to deal with them first. His chakra reserves at a level less than half, and he had sustained some injuries.And as he saw the strange shinobi reform in front of him as the water coalesced to form his body again, he knew that he was going to need each drop of that chakra.Yet, as the shinobi's body took form, he didn't miss the eerie resemblance this technique bore to one he had seen a young Ohashi pull off. Yet this was more refined, more complete, and Ohashi Hatkake was dead, yet his mind continuously drew parallels between the dead Hatake and the stranger infront of him.The man looked up, and Minato stilled as he saw the red blazing eye. The Sharingan! Impossible! Interestingly, his other eyes were normal. The chakra the stranger oozed put him on edge, he had never felt anything like it, and the only comparison that came to mind was the Lord Third or the Tsuchikage he had once faced in battle."Minato, stop," and as he was reaching for the kunai in his pouch, he stilled at Mikoto Uchiha's words and frowned as he looked towards Kushina's oldest friend."What do you mean?" he questioned as she struggled to her feet, and he didn't miss how six rather familiar chakra signatures entered his range suddenly."Do not engage him," she said as she gazed at the grey-haired man with a complicated expression, her words surprising her."He is an enemy shinobi, one who holds one of Konoha's sacred bloodlines," he said to her and saw her chew her lips as she spoke up."He has no hitai-ate," she began and he gave the man a look and realized that she was right."And he also saved my life from, Iwa's jinchuriki earlier," she said as she looked him in the eye and continued with a pleading gaze."Just listen to me," their eyes met and he felt her chakra mingle with his, before he heard her speak in his mind.'He is too strong! With our current strength, we cannot face him. Kakashi with the other five is also right behind us, engaging him like this would put is all in jeopardy.'And before he could reply, he stilled as he heard a strange voice cut in, into his mind.'You should listen to her. Moreover, my work here is done.'And both he and Mikoto jerked up as they both flushed their chakra systems, and they looked towards the man cautiously.The man had a smile on his face, and Minato saw him reach for his neck, and his eyes widened as he saw the stranger's hand glow as he removed the hiraishin seal he had discretely placed there.How the hell had he even sensed it?"Goodbye." And with that, the shinobi's body began to dissolve once again as he saw him leave them, and he reacted quickly as he saw Mikoto Uchiha fall to her knees."Mikoto!" he wrapped his arm around her back and realized the sheer extent of her injuries. Her reserves were nearly gone, and there were signs of hastily administered first aid over her body, first aid without which she would have died."Why did you stop me?" he questioned as he lay here and there softly as he took out a first aid pack from his pocket, and moved to stabilize her enough so he could at least teleport her to Konoha for treatment."Don't tell me you didn't see it as well," she said, and he stilled at her words before he replied."I did, but that is impossible, Mikoto. He is dead, and that sharingan," he uttered, and he saw her chew her lips as she replied."I know, yet he saved me, Minato. Had he arrived a second later, I would have been dead, and the techniques, despite the changes, I felt as if he was leaving a message for me," she said in a desperate tone.And he could sympathize with her. She was Ohashi's sensei and had treated him like a son. Hatake also spoke very highly of her, and he couldn't deny her points.There were uncanny similarities between this stranger and Ohashi, and though there could be a hundred reasons for it. He couldn't deny that one of them was that this shinobi was indeed Ohashi Hatake."Moreover, that eye. I have seen it before in the archives of my clan. Yet I cannot remember who," she said with a frown and Minato finished patching up her injuries."Sensei!" the six genin, landed infront of them as Ohashi's students rushed towards the Uchiha matriarch, as he glanced towards Kakashi."Mission report, Captain Kakashi?" he questioned, and saw Kakshi stiffen before he replied."Mission was a success. Kanabi bridge has been destroyed!"0000ZETSU-BlackThere were few things Zetsu had not seen. He was a being that had lived for hundreds of years. From the fall of mother Kagyua to the clashes of Indra and Asura, he had seen it all, orchestrated it all then and through the times to come as their successors rose and fell through the ravines of time.He saw them fight, made them fight. Watched as the cycle repeated itself until he appeared. Madara Uchiha, and since his birth, Zetsu felt as if he was staring at Indra himself.And he had hoped that this time, his orchestrations could work. That this time, he could succeed, yet he was disappointed when Hashirama aimed that kunai at himself on that bridge and made possible the peace that would shake years and years of plans.Clans banded together, the Daimyo gave his approval, and for the first time in a hundred years, things began to change as Konoha was made. Madara and Hashirama stood together, much as the Sage had wished for his own two sons.Their prowess was unrivaled at the time, and their name began to ripple through the words as the winds of change began to blow through the era, and he knew that he had to make a move.And so, he chose the shrine tablet. He modified the last message left by the Sage for the incarnations of his sons. And it worked. Madara, already ostracized by the village, fell for his trap and left the village, bound by his own conviction that peace was not a possibility.And in the end, he fought again, with Hashirama on that fated valley. Their battle lasted for weeks, ravaging the land around them, yet the result was another failure. Despite his promise, Madara fell to Hashirama's blade, and he felt all his efforts lost until he rose again.Sacrificing his eye to shift fate as he escaped to a cave with Hashirama's cells. And Zetsu saw the man sew them into his own body, and then it happened.Rinnegan, the lost power of the Sage himself, rose up in the lands once again.Yet the battle had taken its toll on his so, he encouraged the man to take a successor. A successor he could mold to his own cause, and so he had settled on Ohashi Hatake. Leaf's rising star, the boy had reminded Madara of a young Hashirama and in the end Zetsu ahd done the man's bidding and had brought the boy to that cave.And as he watched the boy decimate the four tails with his technique, he realized what a mistake that had been. He had been played.HE had arrange this whole scenario to test the doubt that had bubbled in his heart, for he had not missed the shift in Madara's demeanor as he had trappe the boy in his Izanagi. Just what had he seen, and even as the boy stared at him he felt as is that gaze saw through him. Saw through his machinations. Saw and knew all.And that attack confirmed his suspicion. Through some miracle, Ohashi Hatake was aware of his true nature and motives, and that meant he had to get away from here. That he had to escape and settle down until the boy's death.And as the boy's jutsu flooded the forest, Zetsu moved through the ground swiftly as he tried to get away from the boy Madara had chosen as his successor.BOOOM!The very ground underneath which he flicked exploded, forcing him to move above ground, and before he could react, he felt his body still as he felt someone grip his body from behind."And where do you think you are going?" and he stilled as he recognized that voice. He glanced back and cursed as he saw that it was him."Ototsuki!"It was Ohashi Hatake."How do you know!.....GUKHHHH……How do you know that name!" Zetsu snarled as he cursed the boy in rage as he struggled to get away."Does it truly matter how I know, or that I know!" the boy snarled as his grip over his body tightened. He felt a chill pass through him as he felt him mold a massive volume of chakra."Do you have any idea of what you are doing? I am the son of Kaguya! KAGUYA! You hear me. I have built this whole shinobi system. You cannot kill me!" he shouted."I can help you! Tell me what you desire! Tell me, and I shall aid you in your goals!" he pleaded, yet the boy was unmoved as he simply tightened his grip over his head. Madara's Sharingan focused on him ominously."I wish for peace. Peace that you have destroyed continuously over the years in your plans to revive your mother," the boy finally spoke, and Zetsu stilled at those words as he felt that gaze run through him as if looking at a bug."And you are a nuisance!"And then he saw those eyes glint as he heard him snarl."BE GONE!"BOOOOOOOOOOM!0000Eight people gathered in the village of Konoha below the Hokage tower a week later. Eight people, who were arguably the strongest shinobi in all of Konoha and the leader of the Village Tsunade Senju, sat there with a massive frown on her face as she looked towards the gathered men and women and uttered the penultimate words."Ohashi Hatake is alive!"0000
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Chapter 33TSUANDE SENJUTsunade Senju sat in the Council room as she got ready to make what she believed to be the most critical decision since becoming Hokage. And so she had felt that it was necessary to involve all the associated parties for this, and that was why she found herself sitting in the Council Room along with Konoha's strongest shinobi.There were her two teammates. She had called back Orochimaru from the rice country, and as per the conditions of their contract he had returned without any fuss. Her sensei sat opposite to her. His battle with the Third Raikage had cost him his, yet any shinobi would be an idiot to underestimate him even now.Minato and Kushina were present as well, along with the Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha, as she decided to lay all the cards on the table."Ohashi Hatake is alive," she spoke up, and the atmosphere in the room shifted. And saw that everyone apart from herself and her two teammates was surprised by her words.Mikoto Uchiha gasped at her words as everyone in the room glanced towards her as she pushed forward the folder sitting infront of her and motioned for them to read it."Through a kinjutsu, Orochimaru was able to confirm this," she wouldn't tell them of his discretion, especially since their sensei was already wroth with him and her over his departure from the village. She didn't need more strife, especially in these tense times."Over the last month, two times Konoha forces, namely Jiraiya and Mikoto and her teams, have come in contact with this man," she said as she raised the sketch of the infamous man who had taken an arm off of the Toad Sage."And I have reason to suspect that this man, who holds one of Konoha's most prestigious bloodlines and associates himself with Madara Uchiha, is somehow related to Ohashi," and she saw the atmosphere in the room shift as everyone got a look of the folder containing each and everything they currently held on the strange newcomer. Comparisons had been drawn with Ohashi.She leaned back in her chair as all of them read the report before her sensei spoke up first, his tone grave and serious."Their chakra signatures are different. And though I can see the resemblance, he does not look like Ohashi. And, of course, we cannot ignore the Sharingan, as well as his actions, which I don't believe anyone in this room would associate with Hatake," her sensei reasoned as she saw his eyes move towards Jiraiya and his lost arm."But he also saved me," Mikoto Uchiha cut in. and the whole room turned towards the Uchiha matriarch. She had also read the mission report, and truthfully, that was the biggest factor for Tsunade connecting the strange man to Ohashi."Yes, but he also killed the Iwa jinchuriki. We do not know which one of these two actions was his primary goal," Minato added, and Mikoto shrugged."Yet he did save me. He used iryo-ninjutsu, to heal me. Without which I would have died, and no matter his actions, I am fairly certain that this person is Ohashi," she repeated the words she had written in her report.And that brought them to the conundrum."If this is Hatake, then there must be a reason to explain his actions," Orochimaru spoke up from behind. He stood near the door, leaning against the wall.And at that, everyone in the room turned towards the Uzumaki and the leader of the Uchiha clan, for there were only two ways through which a man could be controlled. For none would associate these actions with the Ohashi they knew, and so that left only one option. That he was being controlled.Kushina was the first to speak up."There are ways in which seals can be used to control the actions of a shinobi," she began cautiously, biting her lips as she turned away from her childhood friend."But they would need to be very, very skilled as a seal master to administer them. Even then, the kind of mental control we speak of is nearly impossible," she uttered as she looked up at her."This is not the work of seals," she said, and then Tsunade turned towards Fugaku Uchiha, the leader of the Uchiha clan.This issue was highly sensitive for their clan since the man had taken the name of one of their esteemed leaders and possessed a doujutsu that belonged to their bloodline.Then there was the whole issue in regards to Madara's death and dead body, of which only Fugaku knew apart from her at this moment. And so, his words mattered the most in the current situation.She had delayed the meeting by a day at his recommendation and had heard that the man had prowled through the Uchiha clan archives for hours before the meeting, so she hoped that the man had the answer for her."Yes," he answered, and she felt hope bubble in her heart.The whole room was listening to him as the Uchiha clan leader stood there and spoke in his cold tone."Though highly sophisticated and dangerous, there are ways in which a person could be controlled, as we suspect in this case. Especially by one who may possess intimate knowledge of the Sharingan and have extreme proficiency over the art of genjutsu, a proficiency which I may add none of the Uchiha since Madara himself have shown," he spoke up, looking pointedly at her, and she knew to whom he was pointing.Her sensei caught their silent exchange and narrowed his eyes as he spoke up."What is it that you are not telling us, Tsunade?" he questioned in a chilling tone, and Tsunade sighed as she leaned forward."Two weeks ago, after this man's first confrontation with Jiraiya, I visited the tomb of Madara Uchiha," she began. She saw that the room had become chilly at her words, as everyone hung at her every word."And at that time, we discovered that the tomb of Madara Uchiha was empty," and she saw their eyes widen at her words."Impossible! I saw them burry him myself!" her sensi gasped, and she saw that everyone in the room had pale at her words."We have a theory at this time, one which Fugaku put forward, that could explain that the man hadn't actually died on the night he faced my grandfather," she said and it was Minato was the first to put it all together as he turned to face the Uchiha patriarch."Then you are not saying….""That it may have been Madara Uchiha himself that is somehow controlling Young Ohashi." Orochimaru completed his sentence, and the room stilled as she saw those golden slits narrow as he wet his lips."Now, this is getting interesting."0000JIRAIYA- The Toad SageThe meeting had lasted well into the night, and Tsunade had decided to have a small break so that everyone could process all they had discussed. By everything, it was now quite sure to him that Tsunade planned to make a move against this stranger whether he was Ohashi or not.Jiraiya himself was not entirely convinced, yet he could realize that it was a possibility. In his case, he would put the chances at around four by ten that this stranger was indeed Ohashi. Though in their world, he had seen stranger things so this was not entirely out of the realm of possibilities.He saw her lean back as the room emptied out, as he moved from his position and sat down in the chair opposite to her.She opened one eye, glanced at him, and questioned."You don't want to go and have a bite," she questioned, and he shrugged, the loss of his arm still affecting him, though he was aware that Tsunade was working on a solution to their problem."Do you think it was wise calling Orochimaru back for this, you know, with his twisted loyalties," he cautioned, and he was sure the same question would have been on the mind of all the other present as well."Orochimaru is too smart. He would have made the connections sooner or later. It was better to involve him from the start. Plus, I needed to pick his mind over another issue," she remarked as he saw her look at his absent arm with a pained expression."Plus, apart from sensei, he is one of the best ninjutsu specialists in the world, a trait that we are going to need," she added, and he realized that he had been right. She had already made up her mind and smiled."You are getting quite shrewd," he added, and she smirked, not denying that a portion of the said meeting had been scripted. And he had a pretty good idea who the puppeteer had been."It was Fugaku," he guessed and saw her lips turn up slightly, though she didn't confirm his suspicion.Though her expression shifted into one of seriousness as she spoke up."It is him, Jiraiya. Mikoto is certain," and he frowned as she pushed forward her hand and began to gather chakra in her palm, similar to how he would when he used the Rasengan."That technique he used against you and that Iwa jinchuriki, she was sure that Ohashi had mentioned designing something similar in his youth. I refuse to believe that this is a coincidence, I believe that it was a symbol, a call for help," she reasoned, and there was desperation in her voice.Of course, there would be. After all, he was sort of her family. And she cared for him deeply."But the behavior and that eye," he questioned and saw her face shift as she answered his question."We have theories. You heard some of them yourself. But we will know once we have him back in our hands," she spoke up, and that was confirming his other suspicion that she planned to move against him."So, you plan to move against him," he said as he leaned back, and she nodded."Yes, our recent victories have essentially ended the war. Iwa and Kumo can be stubborn, yet the war is over. We have an opportunity to move against him, an opportunity that I plan to take," she said with determination in her voice."Then, in that case, I believe I have a gift for you," he spoke up as he reached into his pocket and took out the scroll he had recovered from Ame from his first students."I received this from Ame a day ago," he said as he handed her the scroll and saw him open it as she skimmed over its contents."We know where he will be three weeks from now," she said with a smile, and he nodded."This is good. Very good," she uttered as she leaned forward, and he could see her mind race as she began to make plans."Tsunade," he spoke up before she could get lost in her head. And she looked towards him with a frown."You must remember that the three of us together could not bring down Hanzo, yet he was able to do it single-handedly. He faced me and nearly killed me, and killed a jinchuriki with a single jutsu," he recounted everything the silver-haired shinobi had done in the past and saw her face stiffen."Do not underestimate him," he told her in all seriousness, and she nodded."I won't," she spoke up."I plan to send a specially assembled unit to confront him, a unit which I plan to lead myself," she said, and Jiraiay shook his head."No. No, you are the Hokage. You cannot leave the village," he tried to reason, but she shook her head."I have to do this, Jiraiya. Even when we faced Hanzo, it was my iryo-ninjutsu that kept us alive. I have to do this myself," she said."Then take me as well," and she shook her head."No, you shall stay in the village, and in the worst case scenario lead the village," and his eyes widened at her words. His whole body stilled and the way those eyes were looking at him he realized that she was being serious, and he wanted to protest. Wanted to stop her yet the glint in her eyes made him stop, she had already made her decision."Alright, who else do you plan to take with you," he questioned."I have not made the full list yet. But Fugaku will have to go, Minato as well. I would have liked to take Kushina with me, but moving a jinchuriki carries too much risk," she spoke up.He could understand Minato, but why the Uchiha clan head?"Why Fugaku?" he voiced his thought."To counter his Sharingan, Fugaku seems to have an idea about the prowess of his doujutsu and could help us counter it," she told him, her finger continuously tapping the table as she spoke to him."I believe there is one more person we should involve in this whole discussion," she suddenly added, and he frowned. They had gathered the best of their village."Who?" he questioned."Shikaku, I believe his intelligence could prove instrumental in forming a plan a counter against him," she remarked, and he nodded, agreeing with her."He will. The man isn't known as Konoha's devil general for nothing."0000In the village of Iwagakure, the atmosphere in the village was somber. Their recent loss to Konoha had hurt the village morale greatly, and Ohnoki could feel tension brewing in their ranks.And now, as he read the report from the operatives in Ame, he knew that this could be their opportunity. Hanzo had been killed by a man who claimed himself to be none other than Madara."Have the captains assemble the reserves!" he ordered the jounin commander standing infront of him.Yet if the rumors were true and the man had indeed defeated Hanzo, then they could not afford to take another loss. This was the last chance for Iwa to salvage something out of this conflict."And I shall lead this force myself!"0000
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Chapter 34MIKOTO UCHIHAThe Uchiha clan matriarch walked down the stairs towards the basement hidden underneath the Naka Shrine, her heart pounding in her chest as she entered the ancient-looking tunnel, lit only by widely spaced fire lamps.Fugaku had called her to come here. Before today, she had never heard of this secret entrance, and she had an inkling what this was all about.She stepped down from the last stairs and saw him standing there in front of what seemed to be a sealed space. She walked up to him, her steps measured as he stood there looking at the sealed space infront of him.Unlike the rest of the cave, this area had seals around it. Seals that she could barely understand yet seemed rather ancient. Four candles illuminated an ancient-looking stone tablet. Kanji had been inscribed into it, and though she could not be sure, she was sure that the tablet was very ancient.Yet she could not make out the texts."This tablet's existence has been a secret that has been passed down from one clan leader to the next, ever since the inception of the clan," he began, and his words made her still as she realized that her earlier conjecture was right."I cannot read them," she remarked, and he nodded, until suddenly she felt a flare of chakra and looked up and saw his irises turn red as his eyes morphed into his Sharingan, which glew eerily in the light.She closed her eyes and pushed chakra into her own eyes. She felt the cave clear up. The details became sharper, and then, as she looked at the stone tablet. The inscribed words finally began to make sense.As she read over the tablet, she had known of parts of it, like the powers of the Mangekyo. Yet the rest was a shock to her, the power of eternal Mangekyo and the method of obtaining it, the secrets of their origin followed by the story origin of chakra."Many believe that it after reading this very tablet with his eyes that Madara Uchiha began to change, leaving the village he had built to pursue a dream of a more peaceful world" Fugaky answered."This tablet contains the secrets of our clan, secrets that have been passed down from one clan leader to the next, and today I called you here to do my duty as the current leader," he began as he looked towards her.She stilled at his words as he lowered her gaze."So, it is true. You have been chosen to go with Tsunade-sama," she ventured. The Hokage was set to choose a special unit to go to Ame to confront this newly arisen Madara, or Ohashi, as they suspected."Yes, a team has been selected. And I am a part of it," he began, and she immediately tried to cut in."But I volunteered the fact that he came to rescue me, speaks that he may have at least some reca…" but she was cut short."We cannot take that risk, Mikoto. Tsunade-sama has decided to form a highly specialized team for this mission. She will be leading it herself, and the other two shinobi are Minato and Lord Orochimaru," he answered."Orochimaru-sama?" she questioned. Hadn't the man left the village to pursue his interest in medicine and some more obscure aspects of chakra and human physiology?"Yes, Lord Orochimaru was nominated and has accepted this responsibility. We are set to leave in a week," he answered as he turned towards the tablet once again."I brought you here today to prepare you for the worst-case scenario. If I were to fall in battle, I want you to lead the clan as regent until he comes of age," he told her, and she had reasoned out as much."You cannot be serious, with four kage level shinobi…" but he cut her off as he shook her head and turned to face her."We went over the details you and Jiraiya-sama provided about your confrontation with him, and I have reason to believe that in both of those battles, he was still not accustomed to his prowess. And the skills he showed with the use of gunbai and his taijutsu show that we would be fools to underestimate him," he remarked."Ohashi was always strong, and now I believe that his skillset has been further expanded through the tutelage of the man whose prowess held no equal but one," and her eyes widened as she looked up at him, as she gasped."You cannot mean…"Yet he nodded as he finished her sentence."I believe that the man we are about to face is indeed Ohashi, Ohashi whose will and mind has been perverted by none other than Madara Uchiha.""Oh God!" she gasped as she brought her face to cover her mouth, as she questioned."But how?"She felt his chakra shift as his red eyes morphed once more, the three tomoe vanishing as a rather distinctive pattern appeared."The most probable answer lies infront of you," and she realized his intentions and pushed chakra into her own eyes. A jolt of pain rippled through her, and when she opened them once again, she could finally see another piece of text inscribed into the tablet, text that she had always considered to be a legend.Named after the eighth pair of children of gods, they were the techniques whose names had been passed through legends. Techniques that could alter the very fate of a person and the world, Izanagi and Izanami.0000KONANKonan stood along with her two teammates as they waited for the man who now ruled over their village. The atmosphere in the village was tense; this shinobi, whoever he was, had singlehandedly slain all the foreign shinobi roaming their lands, a move which had made his takeover relatively popular.Yet all was not well. A new threat was beginning to take form, the slaughter of their shinobi and their recent losses at the hand of Konoha had enraged Iwa, and there were rumors that the Tsuchikage planned to mount an attack on their village himself.Ame's forces were tense, yet things were not hopeless, for though controversial, none in the village could doubt the prowess of this grey haired shinobi. And some, even amongst the Akatsuki, had voiced their concerns over the actions they were about to undertake.Konoha had emerged from the war relatively victorious. Their forces had defeated both Iwa and Kumo in the field and were now in the driving seat of this conflict.And now Ame had allied themselves with them, well, not Ame. But the Akatsuki had.The rest of the group stood behind them at a distance. And she could feel their nervousness, and then she felt it.Her eyes widened as she felt her heart begin to race as she felt that chakra, its presence thick and powerful enough to send shivers down her spine."He is here," she spoke up, and Nagato and Yahiko tensed up as well as they saw a sole figure approaching them from a distance.One man was walking towards a group of nearly fifty shinobi, and yet it was them the fifty, who were feeling the pressure. His chakra reserves were massive, yet in truth, it was the density and sharpness of his chakra that had them on edge. It spoke of decades and decades of training.His wet hair fell down and covered half his face. His iconic black cloak was draped over him, concealing his body. A black bandage covered his eyes. As he walked towards them, the sound of his steps seemed to her like the literal thrum of war.He stopped infront of them, and looked up, and though the black cloth covered his eyes, she could feel his gaze piercing through them, scrutinizing them, looking into their very soul."I had come here in hopes of a peaceful negotiation with you and your group," he began and all three of them tensed as she quickly placed her hands on the backs of Nagato and Yahiko."Yet it seems you chose to invite some rather unsavory guests to our discussion."And then, before she could react, she felt her body vanish. Her feet left the ground until they retouched the ground once more, and she found herself along with Yahiko and Nagato nearly half a mile away from the silver-haired man, who was now trapped in a purple cell.A three-pronged kunai, was there right infront of them, stuck into the ground. A kunai identical to the one they had left there."…..PHOENIX FLAME FORMATION!" she heard the shout, of the three masked ANBU as the purple barrier erupted around him.Yahiko and Nagato began to huff, and she didn't realize that her own breathing had become labored from the sheer pressure emanated by this silver haired shinobi's presence."Huhhh…..huhhhh….. he is strong. Very strong!" Yahiko spoke up as he straightened as they both stepped forward and saw four shinobi appear right where they had stood seconds ago."Yes, but so are they. We have no option but to trust them, that they will prevail," she replied.And she doubted anyone in the entire continent could recognize the four Konoha shinobi standing there.0000MINATO NAMIKAZE"He is here," Tsuande-sama muttered from the side, as all four of them stood, suppressing their presence using the special seals him and Kushina had made in the past week. Yet as he listened to the silver haired shinobi speak to the trio from Ame, he realized that the seals had failed."He knows," and in an instant, he made the tiger handseal, and the four ANBU behind him were teleported to the four markers he had placed earlier, and then the trio from Ame was moved as the ANBU erected the barrier.Then all four of them vanished, as they appeared inside the barrier, the silver haired shinobi hadn't tried to move and his chakra spoke of no apprehension at their presence."Konoha, huh. I should have guessed as much," the silver haired shinobi uttered and Tsunade-sama was the first to step forward, and he didn't miss the frown on her face as her eyes scrutinized the person standing in front of them critically."There is no need for that mask, we know it is you Ohashi," she spoke up and the clearing stilled at her words, and he could feel the tension was high.Yet Minato hadn't missed the sudden flux in his chakra when Tsunade-sama had called him by that name, it had lasted for barely a second yet that told him something.And then he saw the silver-haired shinobi, smirk as he raised his hand, reaching for his hair, which he pulled up, the bandage covering his eyes fell down as well, uncovering his eyes, one of which glinted red. And he could see it.Though there were changes"Then, I believe the masks are off, it has been a while, Tsunade-san," he answered. His voice had changed now, and this was the voice of Ohashi, Ohashi Hatake.Yet the smirk on that face told him off a different shinobi. No matter the similarities, this was not the Ohashi he had gotten to know over the years."Ohh, so it is you, Hatake. Tell me how did you manage to obtain that eye, the eye of Madara Uchiha?" Orochimaru-san questioned as he stepped forward, his golden slits sharply focused on the silver-haired shinobi."This eye was a gift to me, a partying gift from the man who showed me the true reality of this world," Ohashi said as he opened his arms grandly."And now I shall accomplish what even Hashirama Senju failed to do. I shall correct his wrongs. The notion that the villages could cooperate was ludicrous. Three Wars we have fought in less than even a century, thousands lost to the idiotic dream of cooperation and cooperation!" he shouted, and then his eyes narrowed towards them."I shall abolish the current system and build a new order. One enforced through sheer force, just as it should have been, yet no matter, I shall correct the mistakes of the past," he said, and then Fugaku stepped forward."You are misguided, your mind beguiled by the ravings of a dying man. Yet this is the end for you. We shall put an end to you," said the Uchiha patriarch as his eyes shifted from their regular black to the iconic red of the Sharingan.All four of them let go of their chakras, and the very ground cracked underneath their feet. The sheer force and pressure of their chakra were enough to make the very air crackle violently, yet Ohashi seemed unfazed as Minato felt his chakra shift."You believe that you have me trapped with you in this cage of yours, but you are wrong," he said, and Minato's eyes widened as Ohashi let go of his own chakra. It clashed violently with their chakra and didn't lose. The clash was so strong and violent enough that a storm began to brew right in the sealed formation.One could see the ground begin to split where the two chakras met as Ohashi took a step forward, a storm of mist forming behind him."In truth, it is you who is trapped with me!"And then he vanished into the mist, his chakra's presence vanishing as well, and the battle began.0000