บท 94: Compensation for Emotional Damage

—That's not the same; everything was very complicated back then, and you're too young to understand it —Sarutobi said after a while of silence, using the conveniently age-related excuse— But you still haven't explained why you have Takigakure's jinchuriki with you.

—Correction, we don't have, nor do I know, any jinchuriki from Takigakure —I replied while straightening my back a bit— We only have the jinchuriki from Seimeigakure.

—And where did she come from? —Homura asked sarcastically.

—I found her abandoned in the wilderness, can you believe it? —I said, surprising everyone present except Anko— The poor thing was lying in a dirty crib, inside an abandoned house, surrounded by cold waterfalls with no one taking care of her. Being a person with a good heart, I decided it was too cruel to leave her there and adopted her as my foster daughter. So, I am VERY upset about your attempted kidnapping —I said as some sparks crackled around me, causing those present to tense a bit.

Basically, I just told them to their faces that I'm the one who took her and that trying to reason with me in that regard won't do them any good, apart from earning themselves a headache.

—I don't think Takigakure will share the same opinion —Koharu said, trying to regain control of the conversation.

—Why should I care about their opinion? —I asked with a confused expression— They have nothing to do with this.

Since they have hit a wall and clearly, I won't be reasonable, they can only change their approach.

Which one will they choose?

—Enough! —Danzo shouted, fed up with the game (which they are losing) while Sarutobi remains silent, clearly trying to maintain his facade of a good person in the office— Do you think that just because we haven't taken action against Anko Mitarashi, you can do whatever you want?

—Enlighten me —Danzo didn't realize he had just stepped on a mine— What do you expect to happen next?

—We can accept the transfer of Anko to your village —Danzo said generously— Under the condition that a seal is placed on her brain to block information from Konoha, and in return, people from the Uzumaki clan are transferred for their protection and education in our village. Perhaps we couldn't save their land, but they are still our allies!

I can't believe he has the audacity to say that.

—Sure, you just have to add to the deal the Scroll of Seals from Konoha, the property deeds of all the clan lands, deliver all the secret ninjutsu of those same clans, and the Uzumaki scrolls that you "recovered" in the past —I replied.

—That's impossible! —Koharu interrupted, standing up and hitting the table with the palm of her hand— Do you really think we'll agree to something so absurd?!

—Absurd? —my tone is low as the elders feel their skin crawl due to the static charge in the office air— And what do you think you're saying?! —I shouted, expanding my voice as if holding a megaphone while also hitting the table and leaving a clear depression with my hand on the solid oak wood, slightly charred.

Fortunately for them, the office seals conversations so that they don't leak outside.

—Not only do you have the balls to try to kidnap my daughters and my people, but you still proclaim with justice that you're doing it for their own good —Anko disappears from her chair and positions herself behind the two advisors with a kunai in each hand against their necks— Then you demand to put a seal on my wife's brain, for "keeping secrets"? —my tone reflects pure mockery— What you want is to access her mind to get information from my village! Oh, do you think I don't know how desperate you are for some more information after years of fruitless searching? It must be eating away at you to have our file practically blank. But if that weren't enough, on top of that, you want to lay your hands on them, the only surviving members of the pure-blood Uzumaki clan, not like that defective and mistreated product you allow to use the clan name. Did you really think I wouldn't know what plans you have for them?

—Lower those kunais, Anko —ordered Sarutobi with a serious expression.

—Why should I listen to you? —Anko only showed him her teeth in another one of those beautiful smiles of hers.

—Let's all take a step back —Sarutobi raised his palm as a sign of surrender and stayed like that for a while before putting on a puzzled expression, which he quickly disguised.

Did he think he couldn't find the ANBU stationed nearby?

I gave them a dose of an experimental medicine from Karin, one of her early projects without my help, so now they must be crouched behind a bush while cursing whoever did this to them for the hundredth time.

It will take them about two hours to even stand up, even with their training to resist poisons and drugs.

A gut-wrenching scream echoed in the office as I held a bloody eye in my hand, without anyone noticing when I moved.

—This is a warning —I said as I examined the eye with a red pupil in front of everyone, with Sarutobi shocked not only because he couldn't react or probably recognized the eye's pattern as Shisui's, but also must be questioning why Danzo wanted to use the terrible technique sealed in the eye— As a ninja, getting and transplanting another eye won't be a problem, so you don't need this one —I said as I incinerated the eye directly in front of everyone.

I would be quite upset if Danzo decided to use this eye on my people, so it's better that it disappears. I know it's unlikely; the idiot could have used it on Sarutobi years ago to become the shadow Hokage, and for some reason, he never did.

But I prefer to be sure; I'm the one immune to illusions, not the others.

—Now, this is what will happen next if you don't want a war not only with my village but also with Kumogakure, which will gladly participate —I said as I took a seat again, and Anko withdrew the kunais to surround the advisors and sit on my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck as she rested her head on my chest— Since you declare yourselves "allies" of the Uzumaki clan, the scrolls you've been "guarding" for so long will be handed over to recover the legacy you lost; this is not up for discussion —I emphasized when I saw that Sarutobi wanted to interrupt— In addition to that, Naruto will change his last name to Namikaze, renouncing being called Uzumaki. Finally, Konoha will hand over an S-rank technique from the Scroll of Seals that…

—Fuuton: Vacuum Sphere!

I raised my palm and unleashed a blast strong enough to destroy the compressed wind bullets that Danzo launched, recovering from the shock of losing THAT eye with no chance of getting it back.

—Alright, now it will be two S-rank techniques —I corrected as another blast shot from my knee and hit Danzo squarely, causing him to spasm on the floor and be temporarily paralyzed.

You see, the beauty of Izanagi is that unless it receives a too significant injury or dies, it doesn't make much sense to use it. And since I took Shisui's eye before he could even activate the technique, he can't restore that eye.

So, paralyzing or sealing its user is usually effective because why waste a life (or eye in his case) for a bit of humiliation? Danzo won't do it; he's one of those who think waiting a few years for revenge is acceptable.

—You can't drag Kumogakure into this —Sarutobi exclaimed, clenching his fists under the table, surely controlling himself, knowing that his old friend isn't actually injured and not wanting a big problem (or scandal) during the Chunin Exams that would make Konoha the laughingstock of the ninja world.

Heh, if only he knew that it doesn't depend on me...

—I can pay enough to make it profitable, and I'll let you keep the land you manage to bite, still think so?

There it is, the tic in the eye that shows he knows they would really be screwed if I can offer the Raikage a legitimate excuse to attack.

—Fine, Konoha will apologize for the misunderstanding and return the Uzumaki legacy it has been holding onto. I also agree to hand over the two techniques in the hope that this allows us to start fresh between our villages —after almost ten minutes of silence, during which Anko almost fell asleep, Sarutobi agrees to my demands with the ugliest smile I've ever seen.

Certainly, in his heart, he has other thoughts. Meh, they'll only last a month.

—Works for me —the atmosphere instantly relaxes after my positive response— Just two small reminders: I'm good at knowing if someone is lying, so I hope the Uzumaki legacy is handed over completely and without omissions or alterations. Just like the two S-rank techniques.

Homura and Koharu are the ones with the eye twitch now, so they were thinking of playing a trick right there, huh? I'll make sure Mariko checks them anyway.

—What techniques do you want? —Sarutobi asked with a tired expression.

I'm sure he's thinking something like: I'm too old for this shit!

—I think I'll ask for a second opinion; I don't know much about Konoha after all —I lower my head to look at Anko— Any suggestions?

Anko this time uses a big Cheshire cat smile and slowly says the names of the techniques, which, of course, we agreed on beforehand. This performance is just to raise the blood pressure of those present, her idea.

And indeed, they turn pale when they hear the names coming from Anko's lips.

—I think the Impure World Reincarnation and the Flying Thunder God should be enough.