Chapter 17: Shadows and Schemes
A heavy silence hung in the command tent for a moment before Nara Shikaku broke it. "Given that Kirigakure deployed their Jinchuriki, resulting in his death and the Six-Tails' release within our borders, we cannot ignore this. Whether for the safety of our citizens or the village's strategic interests, we must act."
Capturing the Six-Tails would grant Konoha significant leverage in future negotiations with Kiri. Even if the Mist chose not to reclaim it, possessing a tailed beast was an invaluable deterrent.
"Agreed," Namikaze Minato nodded, then shifted focus. "However, tailed beasts are not opponents for ordinary shinobi. Our roster of those capable of engaging one is short. Furthermore, intelligence suggests the Third Mizukage himself is preparing to take the field."
"We must be wary of the Mizukage. Age hasn't diminished his power," Nara Shikaku conceded.
"Fugaku," Minato turned to the Uchiha clan head, who stood with arms crossed, a silent, imposing figure. "Your thoughts?"
Uchiha Fugaku's stern face showed contemplation. After a pause, he spoke. "Minato, what if we sent someone from our clan? Uchiha Shisui. He could track the Six-Tails within the Land of Fire."
"Fugaku, we're talking about a tailed beast," Minato said, his tone grave. "Shisui is Kakashi's age. We can't send a child on such a mission."
"Indeed, Fugaku," Nara Shikaku added, shaking his head. "I cannot endorse that. Shisui's reputation is impressive, but facing a tailed beast is a different level of danger entirely."
Akimichi Chōza and Yamanaka Inoichi, while silent, also shook their heads in clear disagreement. They knew of Uchiha Shisui's prowess—a future pillar of the village—but he was still too young for a calamity-level threat.
"Fugaku," Minato pressed on, hitting a crucial point, "even if he could confront it, does he possess the sealing knowledge to temporarily contain it?"
Fugaku let out a soft sigh. He had been eager to bolster Shisui's standing, but the objections were valid. "I see. Then the task likely falls to you, Minato. We'll simply have to push the front here more aggressively."
"Capturing the Six-Tails and advancing the front aren't mutually exclusive," Minato countered. "The primary challenge is locating it. Once found, the rest is manageable."
For Namikaze Minato, wielder of the Flying Thunder God Technique, the real difficulty was the hunt. The actual containment or temporary sealing was well within his capabilities.
"Minato, won't that overextend you?" Nara Shikaku asked, concern evident in his voice. The Ino-Shika-Chō alliance had thrown its support behind Minato for Hokage; his safety was paramount.
"It's manageable," Minato replied with his characteristic gentle smile. "We need to end this war swiftly. A prolonged conflict doesn't serve Konoha." He turned to Might Dai. "Senior Dai, do you know which direction the Six-Tails fled?"
Might Dai, who had been waiting quietly, straightened. "According to Uchiha Akira, it headed toward the Blue River Mountains."
Minato nodded. "Almost a day has passed; it may have changed course." His gaze settled on another figure in the tent. "Hiashi, I must ask the Hyuga clan to assist in the search."
"For Konoha, it is our duty," Hyuga Hiashi responded with a solemn nod.
While command plotted, Uchiha Akira and the convoy were halfway home, about two days from Konoha's gates. Their pace was deliberate, dictated by the wounded.
That night, the watch rotation fell to Kakashi and Akira. Kakashi, raw from the loss of Rin, offered no conversation, sitting in silent vigil by the campfire.
From the corner of his eye, Kakashi watched Akira idly poke the embers with a stick. The day's events replayed in his mind. 'Rin…' The thought was a physical ache. She had feared the Three-Tails within her would devastate Konoha and chose to die by his hand. Now, seeing how Akira had handled the Six-Tails, that fear seemed tragically misplaced. Konoha had defenses—the Hokage, Kushina's seals. A single tailed beast wasn't an unstoppable apocalypse. The regret and self-recrimination were a bitter taste in his mouth. 'Damn it…'
What he couldn't know was that Rin's fate had been sealed by forces far beyond his understanding—a sacrifice orchestrated to plunge Obito into darkness.
Just as Kakashi wallowed in his private torment, Uchiha Akira's head snapped up. His eyes, reflecting the firelight, fixed on the dark tree line. "Kakashi," he said softly, voice cutting through the night's stillness. "We have company."
Kakashi jolted from his thoughts, annoyance replaced by cold focus. He followed Akira's gaze.
Footsteps, deliberate and unhurried, approached from the forest. A man emerged into the firelight's fringe. He was handsome, with distinctive white hair and wearing a beige, high-collared jacket.
Akira frowned. The man was deeply familiar, a strong sense of déjà vu washing over him, but he couldn't immediately place him.
While Akira searched his memory, Kakashi's visible eye narrowed, his voice dropping to a warning growl. "Hiruzen? What does a missing-nin want here?"
'Hiruzen?' The name clicked. Not the Hokage, Akira realized. Hiruzen Sarutobi's… No, that wasn't right either. Then it came to him—Hiruzen's former teammate, the one who delved into forbidden jutsu. The man known as… 'Hiruzen's… Orochimaru's contemporary… Hiruko?' The Hiruko he vaguely recalled from lore was a bandaged, wretched figure. This man was handsome, tall, composed.
Hiruko's gaze settled on Kakashi, an unsettling intensity in his eyes. "Kakashi," he said, his voice smooth. "I came here… for you."
The possessive, obsessed weight in that stare made Kakashi's skin crawl, a visceral feeling like insects scuttling down his spine.
(End of Chapter)
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