While I rested with Pakura and Chiyo, my Phantom Realm recovered enough chakra to return to Konoha with Duy, so I sent them out right away with the storage scroll containing the six bodies of the Mist swordsmen. She tucked the scroll into one of her pouches then helped Duy to his feet and teleported away in a silver flash. I was left to wait as my clone carried the message back to the village...
~~~~~~~
Phantom reappeared inside Konoha's walls with Duy's arm across her shoulders, which was the only reason why he was still standing. His injuries from using the Sixth Gate were causing him pain, but it was the repeated 'jumps' along the Flying Thunder God network that had made him nauseous and dizzy.
"It will pass soon enough, Duy," Phantom said.
"Yes... Akari-sama," he groaned.
Phantom did not bother to correct him and helped guide him towards the hospital. The lights along the streets were glowing brightly, so she was not surprised when two ANBU-masked ninjas stopped her and Duy.
"Identify yourself," one ANBU barked, his tone sharp even as his posture faltered at the sight of shredded green jumpsuit.
"Jonin, Sarutobi Akari," she said evenly. "And this is chunin, Might Duy, injured in the field. He needs the hospital immediately. After that, I will report to the Hokage."
The ANBU captain's mask tilted, sharp eyes narrowing behind the porcelain, before he gestured to subordinate. "I'll have him carried for you. Your report is important."
Her lips quirked in something too close to my own stubbornness as she retorted, "No. You can tell my father yourself; I'm making sure that my teammate is properly treated as I understand his condition better than anyone else. If you want me to get to the Hokage faster, you can take one of my marked shurikens and I'll teleport to you once I explain Duy's condition to a medic."
The ANBU captain hesitated, the weight of her words, her identity, and her reputation pressing against his instincts. At last, he directed one of his subordinates to take the shuriken and report to the Hokage while he joined Phantom as she carried Duy along the streets towards the hospital.
The hospital was near the center of the village, so it took nearly ten minutes to walk there. Thankfully, Duy had not been hit by any attacks, and his body was very strong, so he could limp along with Phantom's assistance. The ANBU captain sent a clone ahead as they neared the hospital, so there were a stretcher team and medic waiting for Duy. Phantom explained Duy's injuries due to the Sixth Gate, and then how he got them as the medic was shocked by the damage she described, especially with Duy still moving around and smiling.
With taken into the hospital, Phantom gave her ANBU escort a nod then vanished from the hospital lobby. She reappeared next to the ANBU who had taken her marked shuriken and gave him a bit of a fright, but he still handed her the shuriken back when she held out a hand. Since the tower was warded to prevent causal Space-Time ninjutsu, she entered the building and headed up to the top floor where the Hokage's office was located.
Phantom knocked while opening the door as she knew that he had been alerted that she was coming. Hiruzen looked up from a desk buried in scrolls as the door opened. His eyes softened for a heartbeat at the sight of his daughter's face, then hardened again, weighing the fact that it was a clone before him.
"Report," he said simply.
Phantom did not waste time and replied, "We were ambushed in the River Country. Rasa led the attack with the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist to Pakura and me; Chiyo stood with us. Pakura and Chiyo killed Rasa while Duy and I handled the swordsmen. He killed three outright and forced another to retreat as I killed the last three." She stepped forward and placed a storage scroll onto the desk. "Inside are the bodies of six Mist Swordsmen."
"Any injuries?" he asked.
"Pakura was burned by one of her own attacks while Duy just sustained damage from using the Sixth Gate. Akari sent out a clone to request reinforcements from Orochimaru's camp, so they should reach the camp safely. If anything expected happens, Akari will send Hana with a message," Phantom explained.
"I understand. After Pakura and Chiyo return to their camp, hurry back and give me a full report," Hiruzen replied.
"Akari will," she agreed then placed the marked shuriken and dispelled herself.
~~~~~
The memories from the clone flooded into my mind, and I smiled lightly to myself while I kept my pace with the others. Reinforcements had arrived while the clone was gone, so we had started the trek to the camp on the border.
The march back was uneventful, thankfully. Pakura walked with her chin high, but the stiffness in her stride told the truth. Chiyo was worse, though she disguised her exhaustion with acid little comments about Orochimaru's paranoia. Smartly, everyone pretended not to hear remarks and kept walking. By the time we reached the camp, it was the middle of the night, but there were still plenty of people moving along the walls.
I sent one of my clones to Orochimaru's command tent to deliver a report once we were inside then I led Pakura and Chiyo to the medical. The tent was quieter than it had been in weeks as the lull in fighting had all but emptied the rows of cots. I guided the two of them into a secluded corner then moved a few blinds to hide the pair of cots for them to rest.
"Tomo, get me burn ointment and fresh bandages," I ordered.
"Right away, Akari-sama!" the young boy declared then rushed to the supply tent.
"He looks rather young to be running the medical center," Chiyo commented.
"Well, this tent is for recovery and, as you can see, there aren't too many injured," I retorted. "You two can rest here, and I'll stay on the other side of the blind after I treat your wounds, Pakura-san."
"That will be sufficient," Pakura replied as she sat down on one of the cots.
I smirked, knowing that she knew she had little other choice but was cultivating her 'Kazekage' pride. I did not call her out on it because Tomo arrived with the ointment and bandages. It only took me a few minutes to remove the old bandages, apply the ointment, and wrap the new ones around her arm, and then, all three of us laid down after a long, long day.
After a few hours, the bright sun outside the tent still managed to wake me. I sat up and stretched as I looked around. Yuri was sitting at the desk at the other end of the tent, writing something. Making a sound that was halfway between a chuckle and a sigh, I stood up and headed over to the older woman, knowing that I was about to be scolded.
"Awake, are we?" she asked, placing her brush aside.
"Yes..." I replied, then as the silent stretched, "Once I wake up our guests, I'll be heading back out and likely return to Konoha tonight."
"Leaving me with your work," she added.
"Well, give it another week, and you'll probably have new orders. I recommended that you lead the medical corps for the Mist War Front, officially this time," I said.
"You... what?" she asked, shocked.
"It's only fair; you've been doing most of the work since I took temporary command of the camp. Besides, the extra war credits will make sure that you can retire comfortably and only volunteer at the hospital when you feel like," I chuckled.
Amano Yuri was a civilian born medical-nin. She was not skilled at taijutsu or ninjutsu and barely passed her graduation, by her own admission, but she had an incredible memory and good chakra-control skills, so she had gone to the hospital instead of a normal genin team. Despite working for nearly twenty years, her chances at being a lead medic were slim as nearly every clan had at least one talent medic in their family, so they would always have a stronger foundation and connections than what Yuri had... until now.
"I even told my father to give you the credits for this camp for the last month; I certainly don't need them currently, but if you don't want them..."
"I didn't say that," she retorted with a smirk and picked up her brush. "Thank you, Akari; it means a lot."
"You earned it; I'm just clearing the way for you," I said then headed back over to where Pakura and Chiyo were.
Either me waking up or my conversation with Yuri had woken the pair up. Still, they were both awake and sitting on their cots, waiting for me.
"Ready to go?" I asked.
"We are," Pakura replied as she and Chiyo stood up.
I nodded before I led them out of the tent, and then the camp. The journey was not long, but it was not short either since it would take several hours to reach the Sand base, and the sun was already high. About halfway through, during a causal glance at my map, I realized that Kurenai's hawk had flown further away, still moving in a southwest direction though slowly. By now, the genjutsu that she had left would have worn off, so if it was still 'listening' to her last order, then the hawk had real potential to become a summoning beast.
"If it isn't too out of line, I have a request. My student's hawk is marked with my Flying Thunder God seal, but we were forced to send it away as we were chased. I would like to send a clone to retrieve it before it strays any further," I asked.
Pakura looked at me for a few moments, before finally, she nodded. "You can, but make sure no one sees."
I smiled faintly. "Naturally."
With a few hand signs, I summoned my Phantom Realm clone and tossed her a pouch of marked shurikens. She clipped it onto her belt as she pulled out one then threw one out and vanished with a flash of silver light. Since I did not build my network deep into the Wind Country, using the shurikens and repeated teleportations was the fastest way for her to travel, which only left a silver trail and flashes of a person. She was still slower than Minato, but there were few others that could hope to catch her.
By the time we reached the edge of the Sand camp, the sun was slanting low, heat shimmering off the dunes. Pakura stopped and turned toward me.
"I'll see you in three weeks at the Mist front," Pakura said with a confident look.
"I'll hold you to that," I replied.
She smirked faintly, though Chiyo's gaze was still sharp as a blade. Then they passed through the gates of their camp, and I watched them for a moment before I teleported away. Since Phantom was still chasing down the hawk, I stole a cot in the medical tent again and got a solid night's worth of sleep.
My clone returned shortly before dawn with the hawk, which was under genjutsu to keep it calm. After she recovered her chakra, she woke me up and I summoned my Space-Time clone to carry me across the long distance. I made sure to tell Yuri and Orochimaru that I was leaving then I had Space drag me along the Flying Thunder God network while Phantom carried the hawk and followed behind us.
The morning air in Konoha was cool, and the dew clung to the rooftops when I stepped through the gates. I dismissed Space and sent Phantom to deliver the hawk to Kurenai while I headed to the Hokage's Tower. I climbed the steps of the Hokage Tower without hesitation and continued up to the top floor where the Hokage's office was. The ANBU at the door recognized me immediately and allowed me through. My father was already working in his office as the early light spilled across his desk in long golden beams.
"You've returned," he said with a relaxed smile.
I bowed slightly. "The mission is concluded. Pakura and Chiyo have returned safely to their camp."
His eyes sharpened as I gave him a full report before him. I went into detail, explaining the ambush had been set with explosive tags to recreate my own previous ambush against the Sand, how Rasa had gone to the Mist seeking an alliance against Konoha, and how Duy and I had cut down the Mist's swordsmen alongside the would-be Kazekage.
"You've done well," he said at last. "Your handling of the situation reflects both Konoha's strength and the Sarutobi name."
I dipped my head, but I caught the way his gaze shifted, glancing toward the pack where I my scrolls on my belt.
"The swords of the Mist..." he began.
I cut him off with a raised hand and a smile I had inherited from him. "I know what you're about to ask, Father. Don't. I won't hand them over casually. When the time is right, if the Mist wish to buy them back after signing a treaty with Konoha, I'll consider it properly. Otherwise, I intend to offer them to the Land of Iron. Duy wants something for his son and his disciple, Asuma, with his half of the return, and I'll like the same for Kurenai and myself. These weapons are our spoils of war, and shinobi are not required to turn anything that they take from their opponents."
Hiruzen exhaled slowly, smoke drifting between us, his expression the careful balance of Hokage and father both. "You've already made up your mind, but remember, you are my daughter and therefore, your actions reflect on the village." His voice hardened slightly. "And you will not take those swords with you to the Mist front."
I smirked faintly. "Of course not. I plan to leave them with Kushina, so that she can study the summoning seals etched into them. If anyone can unravel their fuinjutsu, it's her."
That earned me a look equal parts amusement and exasperation. "Get out of my office before you give me a real headache. Leave them with your mother instead. At least she'll make sure they won't be used to damage half of the village in some training accident."
"I'll think about it," I chuckled as I walked out the door.
It was nearly midday as I left the building, so I wandered down the streets to waste some time. I stopped at some of my favorite food stalls and ate as much as I packed away for later this evening, slowly making my way to one of the Sarutobi Clan tea shops. The owner recognized me immediately and hurried to assist me. After explaining who I was getting a gift for, he recommended a tin of high-end Gyokuro which he even had wrapped for me. I paid and thanked him before I headed back out.
The sun was beginning to dip when I reached the Nara Clan compound. The air smelled faintly of pine resin and smoke from cooking fires. I asked one of the younger clan members for directions, and a few minutes later I was ushered into the home by his wife, Yoshino. She had the kind of sharp eyes that always seemed to measure a person's worth, but her voice was courteous as she offered to lead me to Shikaku's study.
The study was quiet, lined with scrolls and books, and the smell of ink and paper heavy in the air. A low table dominated the center of the room, and Shikaku was already sitting cross-legged at it, his expression tired but alert. Yoshino returned a moment later and set down a pot of tea and two cups, then left us with a faint bow.
I bowed politely then sat down across from him and placed the tea on the table. "Thank you for seeing me on short notice. I brought a gift considering our positions on the new front; it's no secret that my father gave me this title while you will have to do the heavy lifting and guide me regularly."
Shikaku gave a slow nod and placed the gift to the side. "I appreciate the thought, and with the noise you made on the Sand front is enough to make anyone curious about what you." He poured us both tea then slid a cup in front of me.
"While Orochimaru handled the strategy on the Sand front, that does not mean I have not thought of my own. I've recently developed a new technique that I think will be a great help against the Mist," I started to explain as I pulled out a map of the River-Wind Country Border and spread it out on the table.
He raised an eyebrow but said nothing, waiting.
I leaned forward, placing a dozen small stones in various locations to help him visualize what I intended. "It's built off my Flying Thunder God seals. I've created, in a sense, a 'Map' that gives me a sense of where my marks are, like points of light on a map. Not only could we track troop movements in real time, but if a scouting team or outpost were to be attacked, the lead can alert me by channeling chakra into the marked item that we supply. I can send message scrolls instantly to field teams or outposts, coordinating defenses, and if the fighting grows too heavy in one area, I can teleport myself and another to the location; with my clones and myself alone, I'm a powerful strike team that can push back the Mist raids."
Shikaku's eyes sharpened with interest. For a moment, the habitual slouch left him. "What you're suggesting certainly could assist us on the war front. Coordinating a front with something like that… the possibilities are endless, but there are still risks."
A nodded and replied with a shrug, "No plan is foolproof. Tell me your concerns, and I'll tell you mine, along with some ideas of how to possibly solve them."
He took a slow sip of tea, then set the cup down with a faint clink. "What happens if an enemy learns the nature of your seals? What if one is compromised and used to lure you into a trap? And the strain on your chakra and mind can't be light, so you will always be in a weakened state while using it which limits what you can do out in the field."
I nodded. "I understand your reasoning, but you don't have all the information as my father has gone to lengths to hide it in the past. The ANBU squad, Elemental Monkeys, is me... alone. Only he and Tsunade-sama know the full extents of my unique clones, but I am able to summon clones with the same amount of chakra as my full reserves without costing me any of my own, so long as they have meditated and recovered their own chakra. You would figure it out in time with us working together, so instead of hiding it, I'll go a step further than just telling you and add that I haven't shown my limit. If you can handle the bulk of the logistic and managing our forces, I can supply a clone or myself to manage a map of the front, send message as need, and be on call to a sudden deployment, but I need time to train, both myself and my students as I don't want to neglect them despite having them take missions on their own like a normal genin team this time."
Shikaku studied me for a long moment, then exhaled and leaned back, some of his lazy air returning. "I don't mind coordinate daily operations while you train most days as your plan could be a game changer if it truly works as you've claimed." He paused, then his expression shifted, more serious. "But, there's something else you should address while you can. The Uchiha are sending a hundred shinobi with the seven hundred and fifty that we are leading to the Mist front."
I groaned softly and sipped my tea before remarking, "My father really wants to test me. First giving me command of a war front before I even turn seventeen and now saddling me with the Uchiha."
Shikaku chuckled quietly, then turned serious. "It's not a test, unfortunately. The Cloud made a recent push and wiped out one of our outposts in Fire Country directly. The Hokage doesn't have the numbers to keep everyone where he'd like. Your attacks on the Sand which forced them to compromise and make peace, were good, but drew too much attention. Unless you can reach the level of Hashirama, the other villages will always target you with the amount of strength that you've displayed, and peace with Konoha won't be easy as well, not without a lot of bloodshed."
That sobered me. I lifted my head and nodded. "I've really kicked the hornet's nest by showing off, huh? Rasa probably sent out my information to the Cloud and Stone as well, since he had been willing to align with the Mist. It's more serious than I thought as there is a limit to how much the Sand can truly help us on all the fronts."
"True, but your technique has the potential to lessen the burden and danger that comes with our limited numbers and potentially maximize our strength. As long as don't have trouble with our people, we should be able to hold the front until Orochimaru and Minato can push back the Stone, or Jiraiya and Tsunade force the negotiation table, freeing up some reinforcements," Shikaku said simply.
I finished my tea, then rose and bowed respectfully. "Thank you for your time, wisdom, and assistance. I'll speak with the Uchiha clan head, Fugaku, tomorrow morning, and see if we can come to an understanding better than my father ever has."
Shikaku inclined his head, his eyes already half-closed again, as if his ultimate lazy Nara form. "Wise choice. Good luck, Akari."
I took my leave, stepping out into the cooling evening air, as I tried to come up with ways to secure Fugaku's true cooperation. I knew that he would not outright disobey my orders on the front, but this could be the chance to bring him into the 'Hokage's' faction, more specifically, my faction. He truly supported the village, but he never got any in return, causing his own faction to force him towards rebellion, only for his own son to be turned into the weapon to cull the clan; truly a pitiful life, and one I hoped to avoid in the future.