Chương 6: Chapter 6- Crisis Averted
Chapter 6-Crisis Averted
Hyuuga Hibachi's public execution had not been a pleasant affair. Not one bit. Well, not for Konoha anyway. If anything, it had once again become a rude wakeup call for the populace at hand. A rude awakening to the various clans within Konoha and how certain clans (namely the Hyuuga) were not as "noble" as they claimed to be when compared to others. Of course, all of the other clans knew of the Hyuuga Clan's Cage Bird Seal. You would have to be an idiot NOT to know about it to some degree when working with the Hyuuga from the Branch family and seeing the seal on their foreheads. Contrary to some kind of popular belief, the Hyuuga did take off their headbands at times, and those of the Branch family could not hide the seal they wore on their heads. Some had done so with a cloth wrapped around their heads underneath their hiate, but not always.
If anything, it even helped determine who in the clan was Branch from the Main family since the Main family never did wear something over their foreheads.
Not that it mattered anymore. Hibachi's execution (which he was vocally defiant of the Daimyo until the end) struck the point home and the Fire Daimyo stated his own reason behind it. It easily made the whole issue regarding the execution and the Cage Bird Seal surrounding it quite pointless. Naturally, the other Hyuuga Elders were against not only the execution of their fellow Elder, but the order to remove the Cage Bird Seal in all its form from the clan records. Meaning everything written on paper, every design, and just about anything from its creation to the implementation of the damn Fuinjutsu was to be destroyed. All of which was done under the watchful eyes of the Daimyo's samurai, Minato, and Kushina since they knew the Hyuuga Elders along with their supporters from within the Main family would try something.
Not that it mattered however, the Fire Daimyo had made it clear to everyone in Konoha that he was putting the village on notice and to not press their luck in violating anymore laws of his country they ultimately lived in. He made it clear that while Konoha was their home, the village itself was part of Fire Country, and thus not above the laws of the land the village itself called home.
As for the Hyuuga Clan, they went under a major change in terms of uniting the family together in the form of the Dojutsu Protection Seal being put on ALL the members of the clan. Not only that, but the Fuinjutsu was placed on the back of the necks so not one of the members of the clan hid their foreheads in shame. Now they could walk amongst their fellow clan members as equals, the Main family now having to partake or share in doing the same chores, and duties in maintaining the clan with the Branch family.
In doing so, the clan itself began to heal from years of strain, abuse, and pain caused by the Main family upon the Branch family. Which was a good thing since Hizashi had only recently learned of some Branch family members prior to this moment were planning to secretly perform a coup. against the Main family. It would have failed of course, but the aftermath would have cause the rift to be irreversible. Even more so when Hizashi had planned to inform his brother of this and nip it in the bud before it could be enacted. It would have been swept under the rug of course so not even the Sandaime Hokage would know about it.
Fortunately, thanks to the efforts of the Uzumaki Clan, and their share of allies on this touchy issue, such a disastrous crisis was prevented.
And paved way for another one surrounding a member of the Hatake Clan.
(Hokage Tower-Meeting Room)
"I see. Hatake Sakumo failed his mission in favor of saving his comrades," commented Hiruzen while looking over the information in front of him.
"Disgraceful. The mission comes first! He should be punished. Publicly too! He brings shame to his clan and the village," added Danzo coldly.
"And how is it disgraceful? How many ninja did he save with his actions? How many of them will get to come home and have a chance to be with families? Loved ones? To be with their wives and husbands? Some of them are expecting parents? How will all these future children grow properly without their sires?" questioned Tsunade since she didn't approve of how Konoha was willing to throw a man like Sakumo under the running away cart.
"While some would consider what Sakumo did to be honorable, it still weakened Konoha in the long run, and all the ninja he saved could have been replaced easily. None of them were from any prominent clans," countered Danzo while Tsunade glared at him.
"All ninja have value Danzo. Whether they are from clans or not. The more ninja skilled ninja our village has, the better we will be in the long run. Regardless of the mission the team went on being a failure. How many teams have failed and come back home alive? None of them were shamed like you were suggesting. Why this one? Or rather, why this one Shinobi? His skills rival Namikaze Minato. The future Yondaime Hokage," replied Tsunade while Danzo frowned.
Truth was, Danzo wanted to shame Sakumo to the point where the man would doubt himself. Make him question his abilities, skills, and purpose in life. Only for Danzo to secretly recruit him into the fold of his Root forces he was able to restart at the beginning of the Third Shinobi War. With the future Yondaime Hokage's rival in his grasp, Danzo could make for a new kind of power play for the title of Hokage. At the very least he was planning to make Sakumo the heir to his Root organization. At most, Danzo would be the puppeteer behind Hatake whether the man took over the title Hokage or not from Minato.
Thus being the true power in Konoha while no one being the wiser.
Hiruzen would have his successor in Namikaze Minato and Danzo would have his own in Hatake Sakumo. The cycle of their own rivalry would continue long after their death.
"Even still, the actions of Sakumo, no matter how noble during this mission, must be dealt with harshly. He must be made an example of in terms of how all Konoha Shinobi should conduct themselves when on missions. The mission must come first. Always! No exceptions Tobirama-sensei knew this too," countered Danzo while Hiruzen nodded slightly.
"Danzo is right. While Sakumo did a noble thing, the mission must always come first. He will have to be punished for it," added Hiruzen since he knew his time as Hokage was coming to an end so any decision made by him prior to Minato taking over didn't bother him in the slightest.
"And what message does that send the rest of the ninja in this village? Forget about your comrades? Let them die when they could live to fight another day? And what about the families of these ninja? 'Sorry they died, but it is what it is? The mission comes first?' It doesn't exactly inspire patriotic zeal on Konoha's end," remarked Tsunade with many of the others Clan Heads nodding in agreement.
"We shouldn't have to inspire any patriotism from anyone in the village. People born in Konoha, should automatically serve it without question. No exceptions. It is not a choice. It is a duty you are sworn to the moment you are born into this world. If you refuse, it just means you are a traitor, and should be imprisoned for life, if not killed," Danzo shot back coldly since he had believed in automatic servitude to Konoha no matter what.
"One of the concepts my Grandfather believed in was the village working as whole. One comrade looking out for the other. How can they trust each other if Konoha decides to punish Hatake Sakumo for doing just that? It sends a message to abandon your comrades and leave them to be killed or possibly worse. Something my Grandfather would frown upon instantly," countered Tsunade while she saw Danzo frown further at her words since they were true and he knew it.
Though that didn't mean he had to like it.
(Konoha Streets-At the Moment)
Hatake Sakumo was not happy. Far from it. In fact, he was more confused then anything. The man had saved his comrades during the mission. Choosing them over it. But rather then everyone being okay with his decision, they were ostracizing him. Why? Didn't the village believe in helping fellow comrades? In friendship? Trust?
"You look troubled?" remarked Uzumaki Nagato, who was visiting from Uzu to see his cousin Kushina with his teammates.
"Is it that obvious?" questioned Sakumo while looking at the young red haired Uzumaki in front of him.
"Quite. I heard what happened on your mission and choosing to save your comrades over completing the said mission. Contrary to what you may or may not believe, the decision you made was the right one," replied Nagato with Sakumo frowning.
"How do you know about the mission? Its only being discussed right now and my team just got back," questioned Sakumo with Nagato smirking.
"A little paper bird told me. She's been watching the meeting with great interest," said Nagato while Konan was listening in and relaying things to Yahiko, who was telling him everything she heard.
"I could report you to them. Arrest you for treason and spying," threatened Sakumo with Nagato shaking his head.
"And say you do just that. Arrest me. Get me to confess the name of my associates and get them arrested too for the same reason. What then? Do you honestly think it will erase the issue of your actions. It might to some degree. But we both know there will always be some lingering doubt within the minds of Konoha's more narrow-minded people. I saw how people looked at you until we spoke. Looks of disgust. Loathing. They see you as a traitor to the mission. Not a savior to its people who went on that mission at the risk of not coming back alive. We both know deep down, no matter how hard you try to show your worth, and your loyalty to Konoha...they will never return it. They will always give you a look of disgust and shun your very presence until the day you die. That Memorial Stone that Konoha so proudly writes on to remember its heroes? You won't be on it. Not now. Not ever. In the eyes of Konoha higher-ups, you are a only slightly higher in terms of value as a Missing Nin from this village. You will never be honored among the greats like Hashirama or Tobirama. Not even if you died in the next five minutes or five years doing something truly heroic for them," countered Nagato with Sakumo frowning.
"Say you speak the truth about Konoha. All of it. And I can't prove them wrong. What do you suggest I do? Kill myself to remove the unfair dishonor the village placed on me and my clan?" asked Sakumo with Nagato scoffing.
"Of course not! If you did just that, it would be traumatic for your son since he wouldn't be able to understand it. His name is Kakashi right? Amazing potential at such a young age. He gets it from you. How do you think he will react to the sight of you dead on the ground with your sword buried deep within your stomach? How will he one day surpass you if you're dead? How will your son make you proud with the looming shadow of your actions haunting him long after your death?" Nagato shot back while Sakumo thought things over in his head.
'My son does show a lot of potential. If I die, who will train him? Mentor him? I know Minato is his sensei, but what about after? Or when the two aren't training? My could become the next Hokage. It seems to fall into some weird pattern where someone trained by a Hokage will become as strong as one or become one. Hashirama and Tobirama both trained Hiruzen and he trained Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya with the latter of the three training Minato before Senju Nawaki took over. Even now, Hiruzen intends to make the man the next Hokage soon so Kakashi might have a good chance of becoming it. But with the way things are going in Konoha and my actions with the mission regardless if it was the right thing to do at the time...it will always be a blemish for both of us,' thought Sakumo sadly.
"There is another...alternative you haven't fully considered," remarked Nagato, as if he was reading the older man's thoughts.
"What alternative?" asked Sakumo with Nagato smirking further.
"You could, and this is all hypothetical mind you, but you and your clan could join Uzu. You could all become apart of the Uzumaki Clan?" offered Nagato with Sakumo now frowning.
"You mean my clan and I would trade one Shinobi village to serve for another? Surely you do not believe my life here in Konoha will become so horrible?" questioned Sakumo while Nagato shrugged.
"You were the one who suggested killing yourself to remove your so called 'shame' from this mission you sacrificed for your ungrateful comrades. In Uzu, you would have been praised for choosing them over the mission. Family comes first. The people within this village should really treat its people like family. Watching over each other and protecting each other like family when Hashirama and Tobirama were very much alive with the title of Hokage under their belts. The generation belonging to Hiruzen and some of this new generation within Konoha have forgotten that piece of their history about the Will of Fire Hashirama preached about. Even now, they argue about making an example out of your own fire. Snuffing it out by kicking dirt all over it. Is that what you want? Or do you want to live a life where your heroic actions are not sneered at by ungrateful idiots? To live in a village where your son can see his Father be respected for choosing his comrades over a mission?" countered Nagato while the man in front of him frowned further.
Sakumo loved Konoha. Its people. Even if they showed the man that they didn't love him back like he once thought. To leave Konoha for Uzu almost seemed wrong to him in his eyes. Almost!
"I need...time to think about your offer. To think about what you are saying and if it does ring true. Until then, this conversation between us didn't happen," replied Sakumo before he left and Nagato nodded.
"Don't be surprised if things get worse for you and your family. If they do, seek me out. I don't want to go looking for a man with a sudden suicidal tendency and find myself too late to stop him from doing something that will hurt his family in the long run," remarked Nagato before leaving Sakumo to his thoughts.
"You know as well as I do that he'll come looking for us in the future," remarked Yahiko when Nagato was away from the overall village populace.
"Of course I do. I also know the man's sense of honor would have resulted in him killing himself if a second option like ours didn't present itself," replied Nagato with Yahiko now smirking at him.
"I'm surprised Yamamoto-sama's letter was so dead on about what was going to happen long after he died. How do you think he knew it was going to happen as he said?" asked Yahiko curiously.
"I don't know. He's an Uzumaki. Maybe the man saw the future through a seal or some form of spiritual insight before his return to the clan all those years ago. Whatever the reason or the source behind it, we must be more on guard then ever before with our clan, and our thinning bond with Konoha," replied Nagato while Yahiko frowned further.
"Yeah I hear you on that front. After we found several of Konoha's Root snooping around Uzu's defensive line two days ago, its no real surprise. Old man Garp is pretty pissed off at Konoha for sending them since they weren't suppose to be there. The Fuinjutsu on their tongues were easy to remove and get them talking about why they were even there in the first place. To think Danzo is trying to sell us out to our enemies by finding weaknesses in our defense so Iwa or Kumo could attack us before this war ends," said Yahiko since he, Konan, and Nagato had been the team catching the team of Root Nins and bringing them into Uzu for them to get answers.
"An end that is coming soon. I can feel it with my eyes. Kumo has been having trouble with their Daimyo and Raikage at each others throats. The war is getting too expensive for them and Lightning Country is showing signs of going into a recession soon. Iwa is the only real problem left and even they are starting to show signs of fatigue on their end. The Tsuchikage is a stubborn old man so a major event must transpire before he decides to throw in the towel," commented Nagato with Yahiko shrugging.
"Well as long as it gets done with Uzu surviving, I don't give a crap. All I want is for Uzu to stand tall, the three of us to stick together, and ensure we leave behind a great legacy," said Yahiko while Konan appeared in a swirl of paper.
"They are going to make an example out of Sakumo," whispered Konan sadly since she had heard the entire argument and it upset her greatly.
"Konoha's loss. Uzu's gain," remarked Yahiko while Nagato shook his head.
"That's only if he feels moving his entire clan, if not just himself to Uzu is a much better alternative to killing himself over the issue. His son is the student of the future Yondaime Hokage after all," remarked Nagato with Yahiko and Konan both sighing.
"At least we gave him and his clan a way out from this. Its better to give him the actual offer then not give him one at all, even if he says no to it. That way we can't say we didn't try and make the attempt to save him from Konoha's future actions," said Yahiko with the other two nodding before their sensei Uzumaki Shanks appeared with a frown on his face.
"Come on you three. Old man Garp wants us back in Uzu," commanded Shanks with the three members of team Akatsuki frowning.
"Why? What's wrong?" asked Yahiko with concern.
"Nothing. But Garp has a message left behind by Yamamoto-sama to be opened soon and wants you three to be there when it is read," replied Shanks with the trio nodding.
Uzumaki Garp had a deep respect for Yamamoto-sama and it grew immensely since his return to the clan years ago. First, for defending Uzu from what would have been most likely a complete sacking of the clan. Second, for making sure Kushina wasn't forced to embrace anything she would have no choice in while living in Konoha after the transfer of the Kyuubi into her. Third, was to ensure Uzumaki Mito was buried in Uzu where she belonged. Fourth and there on out...well...just about everything that had helped Uzu grow from there on out was thanks to Yamamoto long after the man's death. In fact, the elderly Uzumaki had left Garp quite a few scrolls over the years, left for him, or possibly Garp's successor as the next Clan Head to be opened at certain points in time in the future.
So far, they had been practically dead on in accuracy. How that was the case, Garp did not know. No one who knew of the scrolls knew how they could be accurate. Nagato had once theorized Yamamoto had seen the future in some way and didn't like what he saw. Hence why he was gone for so many years before returning to Uzu to fix what was no doubt the horrible future the old man witnessed. In any case, the scrolls were opened in accordance with his wishes they were not opened earlier, and to ensure no one did, there were time based seals locking them from any curious Uzumaki (or any other) fingers from trying to pry them open.
"Okay. Well, let's see what the future holds for us now," remarked Yahiko with Nagato nodding and Konan following the two along with their sensei back to Uzu.
(Unknown Location-Sometime Later)
The elderly form of Uchiha Madara looked at his future student knowing the boy was indeed alive, but unconscious since being brought back from the dead does that to you. Things had not gone as planned for him ever since he faked his death after fighting it out with Hashirama all those years ago.
In truth, things were going his way, yet were not going his way at the same time. Konoha was weakening. It was dying. Slowly. Almost stupidly despite everything that showed it was still a force not to be challenged lightly. It endured three Shinobi Wars and still able to hold a strong front. But that is all it was to his perceptive eyes. A front. A bluff. More and more the village he and Hashirama had envisioned was slowly dying. Not from the enemies without, but its enemies from within. Ironic that it would be those people within the village that Hashirama would have loved if he were alive that were the source of its fall. Rejecting a new medical program. Making Shinobi mindless emotionless drones to serve a heartless commander with war mongering ambitions. Aided in secret by a Hokage who used his position given to him by his predecessor to make things happen without the public being none the wiser. They even went so far as to try killing off the Uzumaki Clan belonging to Hashirama's very own wife. Ha! The fools the world over.
The white creations he had made over the years, while few in number, had done him an excellent job as spies, and telling him of the world's events. As such, he knew how the shift in power among the five Shinobi villages had gone from Konoha being supreme to Uzu getting very close to being recognized as a sixth, AND tying with Konoha for the right to be called number one despite the vast majority of Uzu being a single clan.
A clan that was growing and thriving now that they were in full gear. Already they had a few members of the clan who were not of Uzumaki blood in it. Not many, but enough from various small clans who didn't have a village to call their own, whether out of their pride to be independent, or some other sense of individuality were saved the Uzumaki Clan to become a recognized Shinobi village.
'Hashirama, our dream that was Konoha is dying. You were so intent of making the tree strong, you forgot the most important part of keeping the tree alive. Leaving the proper and responsible gardeners in place to keep the tree from being poisoned from within. You were always so simple minded at time,' thought Madara before he moved with incredible effort from Obito's downed form to sit on his "throne" of sorts that was tied to his special life support system.
Only to find himself stabbed through the back of his head and out the front by a sword and a chakra sealing tag slapped on the front of Uchiha's neck.
"Yamamoto-sama's information was correct. Uchiha Madara was alive after all. Hard to believe," commented an ANBU with Uzu on his hiate.
"Not anymore he's not. What about this one?" questioned another Uzu ANBU while she looked at Obito's unconscious form.
"According to the instructions left behind by Yamamoto-sama...we kill him and destroy everything in this place. No questions asked," commanded the ANBU Captain before the team of a dozen Uzu ANBU set the place to blow with explosive tags while one of them stabbed Obito through the best before beheading him.
"Team 2 found the two white...things outside and took care of them," said one of the Uzu ANBU after putting a finger to his ear piece.
"We're all set here. Time to blow this place up!" stated one Uzu ANBU kunoichi with a hint of excitement in her voice.
"Good. These things are set with a short fuse of 5 minutes. Move out!" exclaimed the Uzu ANBU Captain before his team rushed out of the room using the Fuinjutsu marker they setup to get them out of this underground area.
(Elsewhere-Months Later)
Rin was running. She was scared. And why not. She was being chased by Kiri, who had put the three tailed Biju in her, and with an unstable seal that would unleash the Biju at a later time. She needed to find a way to not only get clear of the Kiri Nin, but stop her own village from being destroyed in the process. With Obito gone, Rin trained harder so she did not have to rely on her old teammate Kakashi, or anyone else around her unless it was absolutely necessary.
"Hurry! Get her before she escapes!" exclaimed the Kiri Nin hot on her heels.
"Rin!" exclaimed Kakashi, as he saw Rin heading his way just as he was heading her way to save his teammate from Kiri.
"Kakashi! Run away. I have a Biju sealed inside of me. The seal is temporary. I need to get away from here and Konoha before it breaks!" exclaimed Rin while Kakashi looked at her in horror at the idea of his teammate being used in that manner.
'Damn it! If Rin returns to Konoha, she will most likely get there too late. The seal will break and the three tails will destroy Konoha or a large chunk of it before being subdued. The only thing I can do is...kill her. I don't want to kill her, but if I don't, the Biju will get free, and cause untold damage. Konoha or otherwise!' thought Kakashi before revealed his Sharingan Eye and made hand signs to create the Raikiri.
"Hurry! A group of Kiri Nin are getting closer!" exclaimed Rin knowing time was of the essence right now.
'I'm sorry Rin. I know you don't want to die here or by my own hand no less, but if we do not do something soon...damn it! I wish Minato-sensei was here!' thought Kakashi, as he readied himself to launch his Jutsu at Rin, and kill the girl who meant so much to him.
"Out of the way moron!" exclaimed a voice from a figure behind Kakashi, who had to duck out of the way on instinct.
'What the Hell?!' thought Kakashi, as he was forced to cancel his Raikiri, and see an Uzu Nin of all Shinobi running past him to Rin's location.
"You're Rin right? Minato's student?" asked the Uzu Nin with Rin looking at the figure and nodding.
"I am. Who are you?" asked Rin while the figured smiled.
"Names Yahiko from Uzu. I was sent here by the Clan Head and now Shodaime Uzukage to help you with your current situation. By teammates are taking care of the Kiri Nin as we speak so your flank is well protected. Now quickly take off your shirt!" said Yahiko while Rin's face became red at the end of the man's words.
"PERVERT!" yelled Rin and slapped Yahiko in the face.
"All things considered, I might have deserved that slap," commented Yahiko with the red hand print on his face.
"I am NOT removing my shirt!" exclaimed Rin angrily while a tick mark now appeared on Yahiko's forehead.
"I have a seal here with me to keep the one on your body stable! I need to apply it or this whole place is going to become very different terrain wise in a short amount of time the longer we talk abou this," countered Yahiko while Rin glared at him while her cheeks were red.
"Fine! But if you ogle or touch me in anyway I don't like, I'm going to cut your balls off!" exclaimed Rin while taking a page from Kushina's and Tsunade's book regarding how to ward off perverts.
"Yeah! Yeah! I get it! Now hurry and remove the shirt or else we're all dead. No peeking either Kakashi!" exclaimed Yahiko to the stumped Konoha Nin.
"Huh? What?" was all Kakashi could say.
"Honestly, your Father is so much more capable at talking then you it seems," remarked Konan before appearing in a swirl of paper with Nagato right beside her.
"Indeed. Though to be fair, Yahiko does have that effect on people when he does decide to do something many consider to be...brash," said Nagato while wondering if Uzu and the Uzumaki Clan were rubbing off on Yahiko more then anyone else not of his clan's blood.
He definitely had the clan's spirit.
Watching Yahiko carefully for any perverted actions on his end, Rin removed her shirt while looking increasingly embarrassed at being exposed like this. It was bad enough she had to do this in front of a total stranger, but Kakashi of all people nearby?! Why didn't the seal break and kill her now?!
"Aaaaaannnd...done!" stated Yahiko while activating the seal and Rin quickly put on her shirt again.
Before kicking Yahiko in the balls.
"That's for being a pervert!" exclaimed Rin while Yahiko whimpered at the low blow hurting his male pride.
"But...I didn't do anything," protested Yahiko while his teammates and Kakashi sweat dropped at the interaction between the two.
"You were thinking it!" countered Rin angrily.
"Okay. I can't argue with that," mumbled Yahiko, but Rin still heard him, and got even angrier.
"I knew it! I knew you were thinking perverted thoughts! I'm going to beat you stupid!" exclaimed Rin before she began to do just that on Yahiko now pleading for mercy.
"Uh...shouldn't we save him?" asked Kakashi while seeing Rin stomping on Yahiko with that angry look all women have when pissed off at a man.
"I'm not. But by all means do intervene on his behalf. Your Father will be devastated his son died before he did," commented Nagato offhandedly while Kakashi's body stiffened at the mention of his Father.
"On second thought...I think I'm going to sit this one out. Just this one time of course," said Kakashi offhandedly while Konan mumbled something about "cowardly men" under breath.
"Are you done hitting him yet?" asked Konan with Rin letting out a deep breath after stopping her beating of Yahiko.
"Finished! Let's go home," stated Rin before she walked away from the smoldering body of Yahiko.
"I don't think I deserved that," commented Yahiko while Nagato poked him with a stick.
"I can call her back if you want to tell her that," offered Nagato with Yahiko's bloody body stiffening.
"On second thought...I think I might have deserved that," replied Yahiko before getting up and was being helped by Nagato to make it over to Konan currently keeping Rin from lashing out again at him.
"Let's go already. I need to tell Minato-sensei what happened to me on my mission," said Rin while giving Yahiko one final glare.
"A small word of advise Rin-san. The knowledge of you being a Jinchuriki should not be known to everyone in Konoha. It is our own experience that Jinchuriki are not...welcome within their own village," commented Yahiko while Rin glared again.
"Are you saying Minato-sensei will hate me?" questioned Rin accusingly and to her own surprise Yahiko was serious, yet calm.
"No. Not at all. I know the man has a good heart. But certain people around him on the Councils and the current Uchiha Clan Head are not what you call...open-minded," said Yahiko since he and the others had met the other Jinchuriki in their travels to other villages as spies to see them being treated horribly.
Like they were a disease tolerated because they were a painful necessity whose value of being alive was only greater then being dead. If only slightly. Only slightly.
Konoha was also showing the same regard to Kushina. The only difference was the hate was not openly known like the other villages did when it came to Jinchuriki. The other villages thought Konoha was being soft in terms of how they handled their Jinchuriki. But in truth, all Konoha really did was hide their disgust for Jinchuriki as a whole, far easier then the others did. It didn't even matter if most people in Konoha didn't know who the Jinchuriki was, and those that did couldn't risk revealing it due to others actually not caring if a Jinchuriki was a Jinchuriki.
There was also the risk of the said Jinchuriki within Konoha leaving the village for Uzu and those that saw Kushina as a weapon didn't want that to happen anytime soon.
"In any case, we should at least report your survival, and keep the knowledge of what you are now known to a small handful of people in Konoha," added Konan while she saw Rin reluctantly nod since she herself had seen the darker side of Konoha.
"Can Minato-sensei and Kushina-sama look at the seal you gave me? They are both well known Fuinjutsu Masters and while I trust what you did worked, I know they would want to make sure the seal on me is stable to put their own worries at ease," replied Rin with the trio nodding.
"Of course. The Fuinjutsu I placed on your unstable one was of Uzumaki design, but we have no problem with either or both of them looking at it," replied Nagato since he knew those two could be trusted since one was his kin and the other knew of Kushina's status so Rin being in the same boat wasn't an issue either.
It was the soon to be retired Sandaime Hokage and the various vipers he still kept around him that concerned them.
(Konoha-Sometime Later)
"I see. This is good news on all counts," remarked Hiruzen with a small gentle smile on his aging face while hiding the smirk that wanted to come out in its place.
"Agreed. Now we have another weapon within our ranks. With a proper altering of the seal, we can turn Rin-san into a devastating weapon," remarked Danzo while Minato and Kushina frowned at him along with most of the Clan Heads.
"There will no altering of the seal. I refuse to do that to Rin," said Minato with a frown since he had been in the room to hear this issue regarding his former student.
"Nor will I or anyone else in the Uzumaki Clan. The seal placed over the unstable one Rin got from Kiri was designed to not be altered once placed. To do so would just make it unstable again," added Kushina since she and Minato had both inspected the seal once Kakashi told them what happened.
"If the Sandaime Hokage orders you to do it then you will!" stated Danzo while Kushina glared harder while her long red hair became more...alive as a result.
"No I won't and neither will Kushina. I inspected the seal along with her. We both agreed that tampering with it now or even later would not be beneficial in the slightest. There are countermeasures in the seal the Uzu Nin placed on the unstable one. No doubt to prevent any and all forms of tapering or altering of the seal for the very reasons you have stated Danzo," said Minato with Danzo frowning in further anger and mentally cursing the very existence of the Uzumaki Clan for their brilliance in Fuinjutsu being used to deny his ambitions to make Konoha the supreme village among the five now going on six Shinobi villages.
"Your close to treason Minato-san," remarked Homura with narrowed eyes.
"Your own loyalty to the village could be put into question along with your new position as the Yondaime Hokage once Hiruzen steps down," added Koharu in a threatening tone.
"Why? Simply because I say no to a yet to be given order when you want a yes? Because I won't do that to my former student? Because I won't give you the weapon your hearts all desire? When has Konoha since its founding ever used a Jinchuriki as a weapon? When? The answer is never! We do not rely on Jinchuriki to fight for us. Iwa, Kumo, Suna, and Kiri all have done it. But have they beaten us in all the Shinobi Wars up until now? No! Besides, there are failsafe countermeasures in place on Rin's seal so anyone, even such as myself, or even Kushina would be hesitant to try messing with it. I won't risk killing my former student just so Konoha can turn her into a weapon. Despite what some of you in this room still think about Jinchuriki, they are people first, and weapons second. Not the other way around. The reason Konoha has stayed the strongest up until now is because of that principle. To go against it now would spit on the first two Hokages, Uzumaki Mito, and what they believed in. Who here wants to be the first to dishonor them and betray the vision they created all those years ago? Speak up now because I sure as Hell won't be the one to do it!" stated Minato before leaving the room and so did Kushina while glaring at Danzo, Hiruzen, Homura, and Koharu before the meeting was adjourned with the those on the receiving end of the glare being the only ones in the room.
"Ungrateful brat. To think he is your successor Hiruzen. Hatake Sakumo would be a far better choice despite his shame. At least he would have obeyed us if it meant proving his worth to Konoha and removing some of his dishonor in the process," remarked Danzo, as he was hoping to nudge Minato out of the nominations, and get his future puppet in place to manipulate from the shadows.
"Says the one who spearheaded Sakumo's shaming in the first place. Tell me Danzo, how did your ploy to weaken the man, only to build up from scratch to become your puppet to one day be Hokage work out for you?" questioned Hiruzen since he was fully aware of what Danzo had planned for Sakumo since the crippled "Advisor" had first begun his little smear campaign.
'It seems nothing I do has gotten by you my old friend. Even now, your mind is still sharp despite your decline in youth,' thought Danzo while he narrowed his eye at Hiruzen.
"No answer? In that case, I think I'll tell everyone here how it is going with that plan. Its failing and miserably I may add. Apparently, Sakumo's strength had not waivered despite Danzo's attempt to 'make an example' out of him. If anything, I suspect the man has even gotten even stronger. His strength rivals Minato's at this point, but the two have a close bond, and are dear friends to one another," added Hiruzen with Danzo's frown increasing.
"Shouldn't we try breaking this bond? Spread around rumors about the other in some way to cause friction between them to the point where they would be more rivals then friends in the future?" asked Koharu since the idea of the two being friends didn't sit well with her.
The two followed similar principles and if Minato were to die young, Sakumo would be a candidate to take over in his place. The future Yondaime Hokage was clearly showing he had no love for the current power structure Konoha was under and would no doubt move to change it.
Namely remove her, Homura, Danzo, and even Hiruzen from being in the seats of power they had rightfully earned from many years of loyal service.
"No. I've tried already at one point. I almost got caught when the two and Kushina began to trace the source of the rumors. Fortunately, the only one who could trace it to me died on a mission Hiruzen sent him on before Minato could approach the Konoha Nin," said Homura since he was certain had that not been the case...he would be a dead man at this very moment.
"What about the issue with the Uzumaki Clan? Rumor has it, they are slowly gathering clans unaffiliated with other villages," questioned Hiruzen with Danzo nodding.
"They have been doing that and successfully I might add. This war has targeted quite a few of them and the Uzumaki Clan has been more then willing to take them in to become part of Uzu. Many are now considering them the sixth major Shinobi village. It won't be long before its truly official," answered Danzo with a frown on his face.
"Many of our more powerful ninjas as well as the clans themselves are showing signs of being loyal to Uzu over Konoha. Many do not approve of some of the policies we have been trying to get passed into law," commented Homura with a frown since several laws they wanted passed would have made it more difficult to remove themselves from the seats of power that governed Konoha.
While keeping outsiders like the Uzumaki Clan from taking them or getting their close friend or allies to do it in their place.
"We could remove the Clan Heads on suspicion of treason. Replace them with those who we know are truly loyal to our version of Konoha," offered Koharu knowing they could if given the chance.
"With who? Most of the Clan Heads now are young. Replacing the old Clan Heads who were on our side from the start. All the new ones support Minato and will do so once he becomes Hokage after the war is over," replied Hiruzen with Danzo frowning.
"You could remove Minato as the Yondaime Hokage. Find a reason for it and deny him the right to lead the village as your successor," offered Danzo with Hiruzen frowning.
"With who? There is no one among our generation or this current one with the potential to truly succeed me outside of Minato, Nawaki, Sakumo, Dan, Kushina, or even Tsunade herself. And besides, there is no true legitimate reason I can stated that would allow me to revoke Minato being my successor," answered Hiruzen while Danzo frowning.
'And its not like we can make something up. People know Minato too well to believe the man would do anything wrong in their eyes,' thought Danzo since any evidence planted to smear the man's name would no doubt be disproven by Minato or those close to him.
There was also the issue regarding Uzu. The damn Uzumaki Clan could easily swoop up Minato into their ranks along with those close to the man. Sakumo along with the rest of the Hatake Clan. Tsunade and her family. She made it abundantly clear she would leave Konoha if it became a village she no longer recognized as the one her family helped to make possible. Not only that, but Rin would go with them, and Kushina too since she was an Uzumaki Clan member. Meaning Konoha would lose two Jinchuriki and leave it to be completely defenseless for the other villages to attack.
"What about the Clan Head from the Uchiha Clan? Uchiha Fugaku. From what I have heard, he feels those connected to the Senju in one way or another have been dominating Konoha's government. Even now, quite a few Uchiha Clan members are agreeing with him. You could name him Hokage after the war and pass it off as pacifying the Uchiha Clan for their many years of loyalty to Konoha," offered Homura with Hiruzen thinking it over.
"Tempting, but the man isn't the strongest ninja in the village. Right now Minato is the strongest of his generation. Not to mention Fugaku is arrogant and will try to weaponize Kushina and now Rin with their Biju's chakra. Even it means with the use of force and damn the consequences of tampering with the seals in place meant to hold the Biju in their Jinchuriki," countered Hiruzen while Danzo frowned further.
"Still, the Uchiha's Sharingan should be able to repress, and control the Biju should they escape from a Jinchuriki's body. That in itself is impressive. It also means if the Biju does get free, they can be restrained long enough to be resealed inside proper Jinchuriki, and trained as weapons," Danzo shot back.
"The three tails shouldn't be an issue, but only an Uzumaki can truly hold Kyuubi. It is rumored to have something to do with the clan's already massive chakra reserves adding as a buffer to the immense life threatening strain the Biju would put on anyone else," said Koharu while Hiruzen frowned further in consideration to this move.
"I need time to think about this. Leave me to my thoughts," commanded Hiruzen with his Advisors nodding and leaving him to think things over.
None of them noticing a fly leave the room through the open window and report back to its Master on what it just heard.
(Namikaze Estates-Sometime Later)
"You were right to suspect something Minato-san," remarked Shibi since he and the other Clan Heads around him were all at a meeting of their own.
And the meeting in itself could be considered treason if they were caught talking about what it is they were talking about in regards to the future. Namely their own future. Their own clan's future.
A future...without Konoha.
"So its true? Hiruzen plans to do something?" asked Tsume with Minato nodding.
"Sadly yes. I have long since come to suspect the old man I looked up to is not what we thought him to be in life. He and Danzo want to use Kushina and Rin as weapons. My most recent refusal to alter Rin's seal to turn her into one is close to being the last straw to break their patience with me," answered Minato with the Clan Heads in the room looking at each other with worry.
"This is troublesome," remarked Shikaku while his friend Inoichi nodded.
"Their treachery runs deeper then even we knew up until now. Apparently, the slander against Hatake Sakumo to make him fall to his knees in despair was Danzo's doing. The purpose was to rebuild him from the ground up as Danzo's future puppet to claim the title of Hokage while ruling from the shadows over Sakumo. If not that by chance, he wanted to turn him into Minato's rival just as Danzo was once Hiruzen's for the right to become Hokage," replied Shibi with the Clan Heads scowling further.
"Bastards! Sakumo did the right thing and that crippled bastard wanted to turn him into a puppet or enemy of my Minato-kun. I'll kill him!" exclaimed Kushina angrily while her hair suddenly came alive and waving around like nine tails.
"Kushina calm down. No one is killing anyone," said Minato calmly while the woman let out huff.
"Not yet anyway," mumbled Shikaku to his friends.
"What do we do? I love Konoha despite what we know. It was changed from what the Shodaime envisioned, but we can change it back once the war is over. Hiruzen wants Minato to be Hokage. Once Minato does, he can kick the old Advisors out and replace them with fresh blood," offered Choza optimistically while Shibi shook his head.
"That may not be a possibility. From what my spy in the room overheard, Hiruzen is now considering the option of appointing Uchiha Fugaku as the Yondaime Hokage if only to keep Kushina and Rin subdued. Apparently, the Sharingan Eyes have considerable value to Danzo, Hiruzen, Homura, and Koharu in relation to controlling the Biju should such a means be required in the future," countered Shibi with Kushina growling.
"Bastards! I told you they would stoop so low Minato. Its bad enough they want me to be their prized weapon, but poor Rin-chan too? Never!" exclaimed Kushina while her anger was rising again.
'And people wonder why I say women are scary and troublesome,' thought Shikaku while Kushina was suddenly looking at him as if she heard his words.
"Did you say something Shiki-kun?" asked Kushina with a sweet smile and tone that had sent red flags up within the Nara's head.
"No. No! Why do you ask?" asked Shikaku nervously while Kushina glared and made him sweat.
"No reason. Just checking," replied Kushina with a smile and making the Nara sweat drop.
'That woman is so scary. Must avoid thoughts that provoke a woman to get angry at me,' thought Shikaku since he and every Nara before him had long suspected that women as a whole could pick up on such things from their male counterparts.
Like some weird version of the Yamanaka Clan Jutsu.
"That weird moment aside, we need to discuss the future of our clans, and families if we continue to live here in Konoha," replied Hiashi, who was personally happy with the way things were going within his clan now, and the Branch family was no longer being treated like lowly servants.
The Hyuuga Elders remaining were still being a slight pain in the ass, but they were now considered a minor annoyance compared to what they were years ago.
"We aren't really discussing this, right? Actually leaving Konoha?" asked Tsume since she believed in loyalty and being loyal to the village.
"I don't like hearing this anymore then you do Tsume-san. I believe in loyalty too. But if that loyalty is not returned no matter how hard we give it first...why should we even stay to begin with?" asked Minato with Tsunade frowning.
"Should a dog be loyal to a cruel Master? One that doesn't respect it? When the Master beats it simply for living under the same roof? Just for existing? Should the dog take the abuse everyday without question? Or should this dog leave to see which is worse? The outside world or the Master that beats it?" questioned Minato with Tsume hated it when people used dogs in their arguments since her clan was connected to them due to their bloodline limit they possessed.
"Konoha has been good to us," countered Tsume with Minato nodding, as did some of the other Clan Heads.
"For now. But say Hiruzen chooses to name Uchiha Fugaku as the next Hokage instead of Minato. Will Konoha be so good to you? Or to my clan? Or the Hyuuga? Or the Nara? The Uchiha Clan has always been angry at the Senju for years and anyone with close ties to them. I have also noted how they have been slowly trying to get the general public on their side in regards to how our clans are inferior to them by comparison. They have also let it slip that their eyes can tame and control the Biju should a Jinchuriki or a Biju ever attack Konoha. By my estimation, they are gaining ground with their smear campaign, and have the support of roughly a quarter of the people. Not including our clans and some Shinobi who know better," offered Shibi since some of his clan members of his choosing had been secretly watching the Uchiha with their insects reporting back.
"The Uchiha have always been a pain. The only reason Grandpa Hashirama even wanted them in Konoha was because it was a shared dream between himself and Madara. And look how it turned out! Madara went psycho later on! They still can't let old grudges go. They could since it was several generations ago! But they choose not to let it go out of some stupid sense of wounded pride!" exclaimed Tsunade angrily.
"We're getting off track. The question we need to ask, is what are we going to do about this situation with Hiruzen and his Advisors?" questioned Inoichi since the future of all their families were at stake.
"We wait until the war ends. We wait until Hiruzen proclaims who his successor is once this war comes to a close. It will be a test to see what our futures will hold. If he names me as the Yondaime Hokage, we stay in Konoha, and fix it from within like I know you want to do. But if Fugaku is named Hokage...we will leave. All of us! All of our clans," answered Minato with the Clan Heads reluctantly nodding.
"Not to ask a stupid question, but should the latter of the two happen...where do we go?" asked Choza curiously since he doubted any of the other villages would take them in after losing so much in this most recent Shinobi War.
Not without them giving something major in return. Something they wouldn't or be very reluctant to give to compensate these villages.
"Uzu. We go to Uzu," answered Minato again with all seriousness.
"Will the Uzukage accept us? All of us?" asked Shikaku while knowing Uzumaki Garp was reaching his elderly years, but had a sharp long term memory.
"He will if I vouch for you and your clans. Old man Garp knows I can be trusted when vouching for others," said Kushina with the Clan Heads nodding.
"Very well. Each of us will make secret arrangements to prepare our clans should the worst come to pass. Do it discreetly and only with clan members you trust. Remember, some of us once had fellow clansmen in Root, and they will no doubt report what we plan to do to him immediately. Whether or not Danzo will tell Hiruzen is questionable, but still a possibility. So be cautious in everything you do," said Shikaku knowing that some of their own clansmen could not be trusted with this secret.
"What about the Sarutobi Clan? We can't just leave them out of this. What about Biwako or her children?" asked Kushina suddenly since she knew the woman and was always good to her.
"We can't be sure where her loyalties lie Kushina. Granted, I doubt she would approve of her husband's actions with us...," said Minato knowing the woman was indeed a coin toss right now and so was her clan.
"But she could still side with him nonetheless," finished Kushina sadly.
"Sadly yes. Our plan may or may not be needed depending on the end of the war and who Hiruzen names as his successor. Until then, we can prepare for the worst, and discreetly find out who among our clans can be trusted to come with us to Uzu to start anew there," replied Minato knowing there were no doubt going to be some people within all the clans who would refuse to leave Konoha.
In the end, all they could do was wait...wait and see how far Konoha's current leadership would fall.
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