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Blazing eyes (Uchiha OC/SI) chapter 59
🕑 Added 2023-09-24 13:26:55 +0000 UTCChapter 59
Naruto walked into the third training ground. Sasuke and Sakura were already waiting for him, but Kakashi was nowhere to be seen. They should have already learned that Kakashi-sensei will never show up on time. But they still would come at the agreed time, all the time. It was the first since the Chunin Exam that they would be all together again, and of course, Sasuke ruined the nice moment for Naruto.
“You late, loser.”
“Shut it, teme.”
“Dobe.”
“Teme.”
Naruto and Sasuke narrowed their eyes and headbutted each other. Neither was backing down. Naruto wanted to beat Sasuke so severely that he ignored Sakura, telling them to stop. Sasuke was no different. He looked at Naruto with fierce eyes like he wanted to prove something. Yet before they could do anything, they were hit in the head and dropped to the ground.
“Would you both stop at once!” Sakura huffed and puffed angrily, holding her fist where their heads were before. “Seriously, it was the first time in ages that we would all be together. I don’t want you two ending up in hospital.”
“I think I got a concussion,” Naruto rubbed his head.
“I am seeing double,” Sasuke said, rubbing his eyes.
“What happened to you both?” Kakashi-sensei always found the worst time to show up.
“Nothing!” Both Naruto and Sasuke replied in unison.
Sakura turned her head in anger to look at a tree. The last thing they wanted was D-rank missions to bolster their teamwork. Naruto would rather fight Gaara again than experience that hell ever again. Sasuke would train with Kaen, and Sakura would instead go on a date with Naruto. They would never accept doing a D-rank mission ever again.
“If you say so,” Kakashi didn’t care to push for answers. “Firstly, let me congratulate Sasuke on winning all his matches in the chunin exam and Naruto for not losing.”
“Hey! I would have beaten Gaara if Kaen=sensei didn’t stop us,” Naruto proclaimed. “And then I would have beaten up Teme over here.”
“If Kaen hadn’t stopped you, you would have spent the rest of your life in the hospital,” Sasuke replied before adding a last insult. “Loser.”
“That's it!” Naruto pointed at Sasuke. “Let’s do it, now and here. I will beat you, sorry ass.”
“You will try.”
“No, he won’t,” Kakashi stopped them. “I called you today to come to Hokage Tower.”
“Are you taking a mission so soon after the chunin exam?” Sakura asked.
“Please tell me it isn’t a D-rank,” Naruto pleaded. “I will be good, I promise. I even eat vegetables. Even Broccoli.”
“I am still tired from the Chunin Exam. I don’t think I will be able to do it, sensei,” Sasuke feigned feebleness.
“Don’t worry, it isn’t a mission,” Kakashi said. “We will go to show our respect to Hokage-sama.”
“Show respect?” Naruto asked.
“Haven’t you heard? The Third is retiring,” Kakashi said. “He has given up his title to Kaen Uchiha. We go to show respect to both the Third and the Fifth as Team Seven.”
“What?” Both Naruto and Sasuke asked.
…
The ceremony took place in Konoha's Hokage Monument, a location of great significance within the Hidden Leaf Village. It was a momentous occasion, attended by many villagers, shinobi, and dignitaries. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation and excitement as Kaen Uchiha was about to assume the highest position in the village officially.
At least that is what Kaen imagined as he walked with the Third, and the village watched them. The villagers and shinobi gathered at the base of the Hokage Monument, where the faces of the previous Hokages were carved into the mountainside. The villagers were buzzing with conversation, and the other members of the Hokage Council were present to witness the event.
More accurately, the previous council members. Kaen had no intention to keep them in any position of power. But those thoughts were put aside for now as the ceremony began with the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, addressing the crowd. He spoke about the significance of the Hokage position and the challenges that Konoha had faced recently.
Kaen ascended to the top of the monument with the Third Hokage, where a special stone plaque awaited him. There, he recited the Hokage Oath, pledging to protect the village and its inhabitants with his life and to uphold the principles of the Hidden Leaf Village. As a symbol of his new role, Kaen was presented with the Hokage hat by the Third, a conical hat with the village symbol emblazoned. This moment marked his official appointment as the Fifth Hokage.
Kaen took a moment to address the crowd, expressing his gratitude for the opportunity to serve as Hokage and his commitment to the village's safety and prosperity. The crowd erupted into thunderous applause, showing their support and approval for Kaen’s appointment. But Kaen could see a few shinobi who showed their annoyance at Kaen’s new position.
As the ceremony ended, the villagers dispersed, and Kaen entered the Hokage tower with the Third. Kaen sat down in the Hokage office. Before him, forty shinobi in masks knelt. The whole ANBU were before Kaen as they pledged their loyalty to him. Kaen observed every one of them before accepting and dismissing their pledge.
“Your obsession with picking up shinobi who feel like they don’t belong is disturbing, Hiruzen-dono,” Kaen said as, with one look, he determined that most of the ANBU weren’t particularly strong, but there was something special about them. He guessed most came after losing too much or simply having difficulty belonging to regular forces. At least their loyalty couldn’t be questioned.
“Every single one of them has seen and done too much for the village,” Hiruzen replied. “Some have difficulty facing their friends. Some have no one outside ANBU. But their skill is unquestionable. They have served me well and will serve you well from now on.”
“You don’t need to worry about them. I am sure they will be useful,” Kaen said.
“I would have liked better wording, but I trust you are well-meaning,” Hiruzen replied, taking a pipe from his pocket and lighting it up. “Before I leave, I have one last thing to address. What will you do with the members of ROOT?”
“I will evaluate them one by one and determine who can return to regular forces. The rest will be taken under the wing of ANBU.”
“Now, who is taking people who have nowhere to go?” Hiruzen chuckled. “Well, I will leave the rest to you. I have a retirement to enjoy.”
“Not so fast,” Kaen smirked. “It would be regretful to let a man of your capabilities retire so easily.”
“What are you planning?”
“As the Fifth Hokage, I am giving you the position of the principal of Shinobi Academy,” I said. “No person is more suited for such a position than you.”
“And there I thought I would finally leave you kids behind me,” Hiruzen puffed a smoke. “I guess I will be able to watch over the kids for a few more years.”
Kaen could tell that Hiruzen was happy with his new position. He was a person who worried about others too much, so at least he could now worry about children rather than politics and the security of the village. With a wave, Kaen dismissed Hiruzen, who happily left, but not before taking one last look around the office.
Kaen turned his eyes to the table before he filled it with various documents. One stack was of multiple reports, another was waiting for a signature of approval, and another was filled with numerous letters from nobles of the Land of Fire. Stretching his neck, back, and arms, Kaen took a pen and went to work.
…
If Kaen didn’t possess sharingan and shadow clone jutsu, he would have already regretted his wish to become a Hokage. The first day in the office was long, as he didn’t have time to leave his table until the night had already fallen. Whenever he thought he was coming to the end of the paperwork, another pile would be brought up.
“How about a drink to lessen your workload?” Jiraiya climbed through the window with a bottle of sake.
“Don’t make me do something drastic, like making you responsible for the paperwork.”
“If you don’t want to handle another missing-nin, I would suggest banishing that idea,” Jiraiya sat before Kaen and proved to glasses.
“I hope it is something good,” Kaen said, drinking one glass of sake and immediately regretting it.
“It is the cheapest one I could get,” Jiraiya replied, downing his glass with a smile.
“I will regret this tomorrow,” Kaen said before taking another shot.
“Well, I'll be gone by then,” Jiraiya smirked. “I'm going after Tsunade the first thing tomorrow.”
“Take Naruto with you,” Kaen said.
“The brat? Why? Wasn’t it enough to train him for a month? The brat is killing my style.”
“He needs more training,” Kaen replied. “And he needs it fast.”
“Why?” Jiraiya put down the sake bottle.
“Akatsuki are on the move.”
“Now? What do they want?”
“That's your job to find out. But I fear they will come for Naruto.”
“Not him, but for what is inside him, am I wrong?”
“We both know that Nine-tails can’t fall into other hands.”
“And I thought, I will get my well-earned rest.”
“You too old to chase girls around,” Kaen said. “Maybe it is time to think of settling down.”
“There is only one woman I would think of settling down with,” Jiraiya replied. “And she would beat me up at that thought. But fine, I will take the brat with me. I should look after him as I have failed in doing so previously.”
“It isn’t your fault,” Kaen said, pouring sake into Jiraiya’s poor-quality glass cup.
“What?”
“It is not your fault.”
“I know.”
“Jiraiya, it is not your fault.”
“But I should have been here,” Jiraiya down his sake, and Kaen filled another cup. “It should have been me, not Minato, who had to sacrifice his life. I should have not left the village and taken care of Naruto. I should have watched over him as he grew. And here I am, making excuses and trying to run from the pain again. Why is it so hard, eh? But I guess it is time to stop hiding.”
“We are shinobi,” Kaen said. “We will endure all the world's pain so others don’t have to experience it. Even if it is hard and crippling, that's what shinobi are.”
“You sound more like my sensei than me.”
“I know you are the same,” Kaen responded, finishing the last cup of sake.
Kaen knew well that it would be good for Naruto and Jiraiya to travel together for a while. It was time that Jiraiya stopped running from his responsibilities, and Naruto was old enough to learn of his heritage. And most importantly, Naruto needed to be kept safe. Kaen felt in his blood that a certain someone would come soon. He didn’t need foreknowledge to deduct that.
It was about time that they faced each other once again. With news of Kaen becoming a Hokage and the death of Danzo, Kaen was sure that Itachi would come to see things with his own eyes. Kaen could feel it. He wished he could delay it by some time, as he feared what it would do to Sasuke. He couldn’t let Sasuke meet Itachi for now.
