Bab 17: Chapter 17: Hiruko
After a brief moment of contemplation, Shikaku spoke,
"Since Kirigakure has deployed the Six-Tails on the battlefield and the jinchuriki has fallen, the beast has surfaced within the borders of the Land of Fire. For both the safety of our citizens and the interests of the village, we can't afford to sit back and ignore this."
If they could capture the Six-Tails, then Konoha would have considerable leverage in negotiations with Kirigakure. Even if Kirigakure wasn't willing to reclaim it, Konoha would still benefit. The value of a tailed beast is immeasurable—it serves as a powerful deterrent.
"You're right." Minato nodded in agreement, then shifted the conversation. "However, a tailed beast isn't something ordinary shinobi can handle. Right now, we don't have many capable of fighting a tailed beast, and according to intelligence, it seems the Third Mizukage himself might join the battlefield."
"The Third Mizukage is indeed a significant threat. Despite his age, he hasn't lost his edge," Shikaku acknowledged with a nod.
Minato turned his gaze to the silent figure of Fugaku, who was standing with his arms crossed.
"Fugaku, what do you think?"
After a moment of thoughtful silence, Fugaku finally spoke,
"Minato, why not let our Uchiha clan's Shisui search for the Six-Tails within the Land of Fire?"
"Fugaku, this is a tailed beast we're talking about!" Minato's expression turned serious. "Shisui is barely Kakashi's age. We can't send a kid on such a mission."
"I agree," added Shikaku. "Even though Shisui has made a name for himself on the battlefield, sending him to confront a tailed beast is too dangerous."
Choza Akimichi and Inoichi Yamanaka, though silent, shook their heads in clear disapproval. The name of Shisui Uchiha was well known, despite his young age, but they all agreed he was too inexperienced to face a tailed beast—a force of nature in itself.
"Even if he could fight the Six-Tails, does Shisui have the sealing techniques required to contain it temporarily?" Minato pointed out the critical flaw in the plan.
Fugaku sighed, clearly eager for Shisui to make a bigger name for himself.
"In that case, Minato, it seems the task falls to you. Our forces will continue advancing the front line."
"The hunt for the Six-Tails and advancing the front lines don't have to conflict," Minato replied, shaking his head. "The first step is finding the Six-Tails. Once we locate it, everything else will fall into place."
For Minato, who possessed the Flying Thunder God Technique, the main challenge lay in tracking the Six-Tails. The capture and temporary sealing would be comparatively straightforward.
"Minato, won't that be a bit much for you?" Shikaku asked with a hint of concern. The Ino-Shika-Cho trio had also supported Minato in the decision for Hokage, so they were naturally worried for his well-being.
"It's fine." Minato offered a gentle smile. "The sooner we end this war, the better. Konoha can't afford to drag this out."
"Duy, do you know where the Six-Tails might have gone?" he asked, turning to Might Duy.
Duy, who had been quietly awaiting orders, perked up at Minato's question.
"According to young Akira, the Six-Tails was last seen heading toward Mount Aokawa."
Minato nodded, then looked at the group. "Nearly a day has passed, the Six-Tails might have changed course by now. Hizashi, we'll need the Hyuga clan's help with this."
"For the sake of Konoha, it would be our honor," Hizashi Hyuga replied solemnly.
While they discussed the plan to capture the Six-Tails, Akira and his team were already halfway back to Konoha, about two days away from the village. Their progress was slowed by the presence of injured team members.
That night, as planned, Kakashi and Akira took turns keeping watch. Having recently gone through the ordeal with Rin Nohara, Kakashi wasn't inclined to engage in conversation and sat silently by the campfire.
From the corner of his eye, he noticed Akira poking at the fire with a stick, clearly lost in thought, much like himself.
"Rin…" The memory of Nohara Rin pained Kakashi. She had feared that the Three-Tails sealed within her would wreak havoc on Konoha upon her return, choosing to sacrifice herself instead.
Looking back, her worries seemed unfounded. How could the Three-Tails alone threaten Konoha? Akira had even managed to subdue the Six-Tails on his own. With the strongest Hokage and Lady Kushina, an expert in sealing techniques, watching over the village, even the Three-Tails wouldn't stand a chance.
The realization filled Kakashi with regret and frustration at his lack of understanding of Konoha's true power. Perhaps things could have been different for Rin.
"What a fool I was…" Kakashi muttered bitterly.
What he didn't realize, however, was that Rin's fate was sealed. If she hadn't died by his hand, she would have perished at the hands of the Kirigakure forces hunting her. The plan had always been to drive Obito Uchiha into darkness, to awaken his Mangekyo Sharingan and turn him into Madara's pawn. Rin's survival had never been an option.
While Kakashi was caught in his remorse, Akira suddenly looked up, his eyes fixed on the dark forest.
"Kakashi, someone's coming."
Startled, Kakashi immediately snapped out of his brooding, his gaze turning cold as he scanned the forest.
The sound of footsteps grew louder, and soon, a figure emerged from the shadows. A tall, fair-skinned man with striking white hair and a beige high-collared coat stepped into view, his handsome face casting an unsettling familiarity.
Akira frowned, a sense of recognition tugging at him. He was certain he had seen this man before, but he couldn't immediately recall where.
Meanwhile, Kakashi's expression hardened, and he spoke in a low, guarded voice. "Hiruko… What is it that you want, you rogue?"
"Hiruko?" Hearing Kakashi's words, Akira's expression shifted in realization. So it was him.
(T/N: Hiruko was the main antagonist of Naruto Shippūden the Movie: The Will of Fire. He was a missing-nin of Konohagakure who wished to plunge the world into a Fourth Shinobi World War, and then conquer it.)
Hiruko, once a friend of the Legendary Sannin, had been left behind in terms of skill and talent. In his desperation to catch up, he had turned to forbidden techniques, eventually creating the Chimera Technique. Discovered by the Third Hokage, he became a rogue-nin.
In Akira's memory, Hiruko had looked entirely different—a short, bandaged, disfigured individual. But the man standing before them now was tall, handsome, and altogether intimidating.
With an unsettling glint in his eyes, Hiruko fixed his gaze on Kakashi. "Kakashi… I've come for you."
The fervor in Hiruko's gaze made Kakashi shudder, an icy chill running down his spine as though he were being crawled over by thousands of ants.
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