Although I had said that I was not afraid of death, I was afraid of the powerful blows of Kakuzu's clone, that's why I was now throwing kawarimi after kawarimi, trying to stop those blows that could easily take my head off from reaching me.
- Damn it, get a life and leave me alone, I'm not giving you my damn heart! - I shouted at the Kakuzu clone, while the explosions of the other battle in progress echoed in the background.
- Tch, stop it at once, you slippery little brat," growled the clone.
- Never!
It's times like these that I curse the fact that I don't know any attack ninjutsu. I knew I should have read Danzo's damn book, or, even the scroll... THE SCROLL! How could I be so stupid! I have a damn scroll full of the damn Nidaime hokage's jutsu! Now the real question is... How the hell do I get the damn clone to leave me alone for a few minutes? At least long enough for me to keep an eye on the scroll and try to learn the stupidly easiest jutsu out there.
At that moment, an idea came to my mind.
Yes... it could work...
I quickly made a kawarimi with a nearby metal rod, thus dodging the swift black threads that Kakuzu had thrown and prepared myself for what I was about to do.
All right, if this doesn't work, I'm dead.
I made several hand signals and launched one of the jutsus I had practiced so much.
- Magen: Kokoni Arazu no Jutsu - I muttered, trying to get the idea I had in my mind implemented into the genjutsu.
I used the illusion to make one of the debris look like me and then ran over to Kanji's corpse.
I'm sorry for this Kanji, but I need your help one last time.
I started going through Kanji's weapons pockets, trying to find what I needed for my plan.
Perfect.
I took all the explosive notes that the corpse of the Anbu had in his pockets and coated his body with them and then I used again; Magen: Kokoni Arazu no Jutsu.
- Damn you brat, you're starting to irritate me! - shouted the clone as he realised the illusion.
One of the things I had learned from practicing genjutsu with mother was that, for some reason, clones can't distinguish illusions as easily as real people, so I used that to my advantage.
After getting everything ready, I channeled some chakra into my feet and ran in the direction of the clone. The latter realised I was getting close and tried to kick me hard, but I dodged it as best I could, only receiving a rose in the right shoulder. Once close to the clone, I coated the trench knives with enough chakra so that a long blade formed on them and launched a slash at the clone's leg.
I could feel the knife cut something, and as I looked, I realised that I had only made a small scratch to the S-class monster's darkened skin.
Before I could move backwards, the Kakuzu clone had thrown its hand towards me.
Now!
I did a Kawarimi with Kanji's body and I could hear from a distance how the clone's thrown hand embedded itself in the corpse's chest.
- What the...
The Kakuzu clone's words were interrupted by a loud explosion that blew off most of the roof where he had been.
- I doubt that killed him, but it will buy me enough time.
I made several kawarimis to get away from the area and hid in the remains of a building.
Okay, I'm not sure how much time that will buy me, but for now I should focus on finding something I can use.
With a small puff of smoke, the scroll Aoki had given me for my birthday fell into my hand.
*With Akio and Aoki
Akio ducked under a slash from Hidan's scythe and answered it with a slash of his tantō across the renegade ninja's arm.
- I just got that damn arm stitched up! - Hidan shouted.
- I don't care," replied Akio.
- Akio move! - shouted Aoki.
Without thinking, Akio performed a kawarimi with a nearby debris and could see a large spear of earth come out of the ground where she had been and impale the debris it had been replaced with.
- Thank you," said Akio to Aoki, who had appeared at her side.
- You're welcome, but have you thought of a plan yet?
- Tch, not yet.
- What if...
Aoki's words were interrupted by a huge explosion coming from a nearby roof.
At that moment they both thought of only one thing: Hideki!
Before they could run in the direction of the explosion, Hidan, his arm once again limp, appeared in front of them.
- Where the hell do they think they're going! This isn't over yet!
- So, that brat who was standing next to the other Anbu is special to you? Interesting..." muttered Kakuzu.
Neither Aoki nor Akio showed any emotions when Kakuzu mentioned that theory, but the slight tension in Aoki's muscles was enough for him.
- Let me guess, his son? - the renegade ninja asked.
- Scum like you shouldn't care," Akio growled.
- Hum, you're right, but don't worry, my clone will see to it in the next life," exclaimed Kakuzu, as if he wasn't saying he sent a clone to kill his son.
Akio's eyes widened in surprise and horror at hearing that.
- Akio, go find Hideki and get out of here," Aoki said quietly.
- Are you sure? - she asked.
- Yes, I'm sure. I'll buy enough time for you to find Hideki and run in the direction of Konoha, hopefully you'll meet the help the village sends and then you can go back to help.
- Okay.
Akio disappeared in a swirl of leaves, before Hidan's scythe could reach her.
- I won't let you get away, you fucking bitch! You'll pay for everything you've done to me! I won't rest until I give your stupid life to Jashin-sama! - Hidan shouted, as he ran after her.
Aoki couldn't stop him, as Kakuzu stepped in front of him.
- I think it's about time we got this over with, don't you think? - Kakuzu asked, as black threads began to emerge from his limbs and mouth.
- Hugh... you're getting more and more disgusting," replied Aoki.
*With Hideki*
Alright, I think I've got it, and just in time, I can hear that bastard coming. Now all that's left is to pray that this goes well.
I resealed the scroll and threw a small rock to the side so that it would make noise and the clone would come.
Please let this work, please let this work....
Once I saw Kakuzu's clone slowly enter the half-destroyed building, I sprang into action. I quickly went through a short series of hand signals and said; Suiton: Teppōdama, while channeling chakra into my mouth and spitting out several spheres of water.
Luckily all the spheres hit the clone, causing it to crash into a wall of the place.
Without thinking twice, I channeled all the chakra I had left in my feet and knives and ran in the direction of Kakuzu's clone.
- Die you fucking bastard! - I shouted as I launched a slash with both knives.
I closed my eyes, expecting to feel something, but nothing happened. I lifted my eyelids and saw only a wall cut in an X shape.
- You didn't seriously think a stupid trick like that would work on me, did you?
I froze as I heard my target's voice at my back. I felt him roughly grab my hair and pull me upwards, holding me in the air.
- You see... I'm an S-class ninja, that means I'm incredibly strong, even if I'm a simple clone, you didn't really think I wouldn't notice such simple illusions, did you? - he mocked in my ear.
So... all this time you were just playing with me? Well, it was stupid of me to think I could fool the clone of an S-ranked ninja, it's not like I'm a shonen protagonist, and right now I just have to wait for the opening to play and remember my childhood.
- Although I must admit that your body explosive trick was pretty nifty, and your ambush attempt as well, you would be a great reward in the future if I let you go free, unfortunately, your parents made me angry by getting rid of my hearts.
This is it... I'm dead.
I simply closed my eyes, and awaited my fate.
I felt Kakuzu's black threads slowly begin to wrap around my body and rip off the metal plate covering my chest.
This was... fun, to say the least. Well, if you can call running from an S-rank genocidal madman working for an evil organisation controlled from the shadows by a guy who can't let the death of his childhood sweetheart go...
Before the threads could embed themselves in my chest, I was dropped roughly to the ground as I heard a loud explosion behind me. I had to cover my ears so I wouldn't be deafened by the loud sound, but I could see Akio standing protectively beside me.
I have no idea how you found me, but I will thank you forever.
I couldn't say anything, as, from one moment to the next, Akio lifted me in his arms and we moved away as fast as he could run.
- Where are we going? and father? - I asked.
She just remained silent, her eyes fixed on the road.
- Mother, what's wrong? - I asked again.
- Your father is buying us time, we mustn't waste it explaining," she growled.
Huh, is this some kind of joke, is she really leaving him alone with two crazy immortal ninjas, has this woman gone mad?
- We can't leave him alone," I said, looking at her face.
- If we stay alone we will be a burden to him.
- Still, we can help him buy time until the rest of the Anbu return and then-" "No!
- No!" he interrupted me, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout, but you must understand that we can't go back, and no Anbu are still alive, I stopped sensing their chakra signatures a while ago, they're dead.
What do you mean he stopped sensing them, did the clone kill them before he came for Kanji and I? No, it can't be, it would have taken too long, they were supposed to be outside the village escorting the civilians to Konoha. So... Who?
- I found you you fucking bitch! - a voice shouted.
Looking in the direction the voice came from, I could see Hidan, preparing his scythe to be thrown, as he ran swiftly towards us.
- Mother, it's the scythe ninja, what do we do?
- Tch, there's no choice, we'll have to fight, reinforcements from Konoha should be arriving soon.
- How can you be so sure?
- That's easy. Danzo-sama would never let two such useful tools as Aoki and I die.
Tools? Is that how she sees herself and Aoki? This is disgusting.
I was left on the ground by Akio, and then he pulled his tanto out of its holster, while covering it with wind chakra.
- Stay behind me, you'll only do something if I order you to, don't forget he's an S-class ninja, don't think for a moment he won't leave himself open for you to think you have a chance and fall into his trap.
- Good.
I have no chakra, I'm tired of running, and now there's a crazy, immortal Jashinist in front of us, it couldn't get any worse.
Seconds after I thought that, Kakuzu's clone appeared again, now with several cuts on his body.
I'd better shut up...
- Hey, you damn clone, the "thing" you were supposed to do, was to play with a stupid brat? Are you serious? - Hidan asked.
- Shut up Hidan. You can keep the woman, I need that kid.
- I didn't know you had that kind of taste," muttered the Jashinist.
- Shut the fuck up! That brat will be my future source of income," said the clone, while staring at me.
- Tch, whatever you say.
This disturbs me... what the hell does he mean by "future source of income"? is he planning to sell me in some kind of slave market? or is he trying to sell my organs? or some kind of shady renegade ninja deal? Please don't leave me with Orochimaru...
- Hideki, change of plans. When I tell you, you will run as fast as you can in that direction, you won't look back, you won't stop, you won't turn back, or anything like that, got it? - he muttered.
- What? I don't plan to leave...
- I asked if you understood," he growled, interrupting my objection.
- No, I won't.
- Hideki! You'll only be a burden if you stay, so listen up!
I can't just leave her here to fight alone... but she's right that I'll only be a burden to her if I stay...
- Fine.
Hidan lunged forward with scythe in hand, as Kakuzu sank to the ground. Akio parried Hidan's scythe with his tanto and made several one-handed signals, then stamped his foot on the ground and a stone spear came out with Kakuzu at the tip. Following that, he made several more signals and threw a great gust of wind in Hidan's face, sending the latter flying away.
- Now! Go! - shouted Akio.
Without thinking, I ran in the same direction we were walking away from a few moments ago, always without turning around, because I knew that, if I did, I wouldn't be able to avoid stopping to try to help her.
I'm sorry, Akio.
- Hadan, stop messing around and get it over with! - the clone demanded.
- Shut up, Kakuzu!
Hidan's scorched body burst out of the flames and launched a slash from his scythe, but Akio dodged it by ducking and tried to throw a slash with his tantō.
- Oh no, you're not going to cut my damn arm off again! - said the Jashinist, as he launched a kick at Akio's face.
Before she could recover, she was attacked by the clone, who punched her in the back and sent her flying towards Hidan.
- Now you've got no escape! - she shouted, madness clear in her eyes.
He used the scythe to leave a large gash in her stomach, causing a lot of blood to spill onto the ground.
- Damn, this is trouble," thought Akio, as he backed away and began to heal himself.
- Kill her at once and then go with my original, I'll look for the brat.
- Whatever you say, now go and don't interrupt my glorious ritual," Hidan replied, as he licked the blood on the scythe and his appearance began to change.
The Jashinist's skin had turned black with white spots, giving him the appearance of a skeleton. Next, he drew a symbol similar to his necklace on the ground using Akio's blood. She then put some of the blood in the centre of the symbol and stood on top of it.
- Now, bitch, you will know the true meaning of suffering! - Hidan exclaimed, with glee in his words.
- Tch, shut up you fucking freak, I don't have time for you," growled Akio, as he continued to heal his wound.
- Oh come on, let's play a little," said the renegade ninja, as he pulled a black staff from his robe.
He flicked the staff and it suddenly lengthened, giving it the appearance of a black spear.
- I told you to shut up...
Akio's words were interrupted by a sharp pain in his right leg. He looked with confusion at the area of pain and could see it starting to bleed under his trousers.
- What the hell? - he muttered.
- Oh, how I love to do this! - Hidan exclaimed, as he pulled his spear out of his leg.
Akio saw this and easily realised that he had caused his new wound, but he didn't know how.
- Now, let's get on with it!
*With Hideki*
Damn, I'm too tired from running from the clone for so long, and almost out of chakra for the same reason, I don't think I'll get too far in this condition. I should stop and rest for a while. But.... if I stop and one of the two S-class ninja escapes from Akio and manages to get to me, it will all have been in vain.
- I found you," said a voice in my ear.
I instinctively launched a slash at the head with my knives, but since they had no chakra in them, the other person was able to parry them with his hand. When I turned around completely, I could see the Kakuzu clone, who waited for me to turn around, before kneeing me in the stomach.
- I'll tell you this once, stand still and save yourself the suffering, if you keep fighting, well, I'll have to educate you," he said, as he grabbed my neck and lifted me up to his face.
I'm sure I'll regret this, but fuck it, I'm already dead, so what does it matter?
I stared at him for a few moments and then spat a mixture of drool and blood into his face.
- You look less ugly now," I said, as I gave him a bloody smile.
I could feel the grip on my neck getting tighter and tighter.
- You disrespectful little brat," he growled.
Following that, he punched me hard in the abdomen, knocking me completely out of breath, but he didn't stop there, as he threw me hard to the ground and kicked me.
I could feel something break inside me, and I was absolutely sure it was a rib.
- I'll teach you to respect your superiors," he said, as he kicked me again.
- Heh... alg... someone who must... beat a child... to be respected... deserves nothing but death," I said, between painful breaths.
- That's where you're wrong. From now on, you're not a child, you're not even a human being, from now on, you're nothing but my money machine," he said, his voice dark as he continued to kick me.
*With Aoki*
- You're fucking annoying, you know that? Why don't you do everyone a favour and just fucking die? - Aoki complained.
- I could say the same thing, you've just been dodging my attacks ever since Hidan left," replied Kakuzu.
- It's not like I can somehow get through your body when it's covered by that technique," muttered Aoki.
- Good point, now die," said Kakuzu, as he threw his thread-driven hand at him.
Aoki dodged the threads by switching places with a water clone, and then made a hand signal and several water dragons formed with the rain and launched themselves at the renegade ninja. Kakuzu just tapped his foot on the ground and a large wall of earth rose up in front of him, protecting him from the dragons.
As he was covered by the wall, Kakuzu sent his hand underground to try to capture the elusive ninja. He then made several one-handed signals and placed it on the earthen wall. Following that, a large mud dragon formed from it and flew towards Aoki.
- Tch, I'm running out of chakra and this guy won't let me rest, I wish I had brought a damn soldier pill, and if only I hadn't been confident with my abilities, I could have ended this sooner - thought Aoki, while dodging the earth dragon.
- Gotcha! - shouted Kakuzu, as his hand came out of the ground and caught Aoki.
- That's what you think.
Quickly, Aoki covered his entire body with lightning, causing the hand and threads to be electrocuted. The electricity followed with great speed to the S-class ninja's body.
- Argh! - growled Kakuzu, as he tried to keep his eyes on Aoki.
- You're mine!
Before Kakuzu could realise it, Aoki was already at his side, about to stab him with his sword. Luckily (or unluckily) Kakuzu was saved by something colliding with Aoki at high speed and knocking him away.
Seconds later, Hidan appeared standing next to Kakuzu, with a big smile on his face.
- Heh, looks like the big Kakuzu was no big deal," Hidan scoffed.
- Shut your mouth, asshole. Are you done with your part?
- Of course I am! - exclaimed the Jashinist, as he pointed to Akio's bloody, punctured body on the ground.
- Hmph. Good. Now let's finish this one and go. The Konoha ninja should be here shortly.
Before Hidan could say anything, Kakuzu's clone had returned, and dropped the unconscious body of a completely beaten and bleeding boy.
Kakuzu glared at the clone before it pulled a heart out of his body using its threads and handed it to the original.
- Just one? really?
- I got a little carried away and in the end I didn't have time to pick up any more.
- Is the brat still alive? - Kakuzu asked, feeling rejuvenated by getting a new heart.
- Yes, he is. Although I had to teach him some manners before I brought him in," replied the clone.
The original just nodded and undoes his clone.
By this point Aoki was standing, and staring in horror, at the lifeless body of his wife and his son who appeared to be on the verge of death.
An intense rage invaded his being, rage the likes of which he had never felt before, rage that Danzo had taught him to keep hidden because it could ruin a mission. He let all that rage release from his body in the form of chakra, chakra so intense that it caused the buildings that were still standing to collapse.
The chakra coming out of Aoki's body was so powerful that a light blue aura began to cover him, as if it were a protective chakra cloak.
- I'm going to kill them," he said, with a calm tone that belied his mood.
*Elsewhere
In a forest near our protagonist's village, several figures could be seen jumping from tree to tree at great speed.
- Move faster! - shouted an old man at the front of the group.
- Yes, hokage-sama! - exclaimed all the people following him at the same time.
This old man was Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sandaime hokage. Hiruzen is a man of short stature, brown skin and dark brown hair with wide receding hairline, a small white beard, his eyes are brown and he has a small wart on his nose. He also has lines running vertically under each eye. He wears a black suit with grey armour, a gauntlet on his right arm, a blade guard on his forehead and a ninja helmet worn underneath it. The kanji for "Third Hokage" is inscribed on the back of this outfit.
Behind him comes the only sannin still remaining in the Blade Village, Jiraiya, the Toad Sage and sole summoner of the Toad clan at present.
Jiraiya, a tall man, has long white hair. He has two long red stripes under his eyes that run down to his chin. He wears a green robe and over it a red cloak with 2 yellow circles and red sandals. On his forehead he wears a shield with the kanji for "oil", and on his back a huge scroll.
- Sensei, don't be so hasty, I know you're worried, but you haven't even told us where we're going yet, so far we only know that we're heading for the border with Takigakure and Kusagakure.
- Jiraiya-sama is right hokage-sama, if nothing else tell us what we should expect once we get to the place," supported an Anbu with a dog mask.
The Anbu was Kakashi, a tall ninja, who is characterised by his spiky silver hair; on his face he wears his Anbu mask in the shape of a dog and on his back a tantō that formerly belonged to his father. If you were to look closely at the eyes on his mask, you would notice that they are different, as one is a black eye, and the other a blood-red eye with 3 black commas in it. He almost always wears his traditional Anbu uniform.
- We are responding to a distress signal from a small village that lies on the shared border of the fire country with Takigakure and Kusagakure. There are signs that two S-class ninja are attacking the village. One of them is Kakuzu from Takigakure and the other is Hidan from Yugakure.
- And why is this village so important? - asked a man with a cigarette in his mouth.
This man was Asuma Sarutobi, son of the Sandaime-hokage and a former member of the 12 guardian ninja. Asuma has brown eyes, short black hair, a beard and long sideburns. His attire consists of the standard Konoha ninja uniform, with bandages on his arms below his shoulders and his tactical waistcoat is darker than that of other Jonin and Chunin. He wears the sash of the 12 ninja guardians around his waist with the kanji for "fire" engraved on it. He also wears a bracelet on both wrists.
- In that village are two of the most important ninja in the village. One of them is even almost as important as Jiraiya or Hiruzen," Danzo replied.
- Who are these ninja? - asked a man beside the Anbu.
This man was Might Guy, a Jonin from Konoha. He has black hair in a bowl cut, big eyebrows and a friendly face. He wears a full body green jumpsuit, over it his green waistcoat that shows his status as a Jonin, and orange leg warmers, also blue sandals. At his waist he wears a red protector with the symbol of Konoha.
- Senju Aoki, his wife Senju Akio and their son, Senju Hideki," replied the Sandaime.
- That's impossible, Tsunade is the only Senju alive at the moment," said Jiraiya.
- That's true, up to a point, you see... Aoki technically doesn't exist, and therefore, neither does his family," sighed the hokage.
- What do you mean? - asked a woman at Asuma's side.
The woman is Kurenai Yūhi, a Jonin from the Leaf Village. Kurenai is a kunoichi with long black hair and eyes that are red in colour. She wears makeup consisting of red lipstick and purple eye shadow. Her costume consists of a red armour mesh top with only the shirt visible right. Over this, she wears a very wide material that resembles bandages with a pattern on it similar to rose thorns. His hands and thighs are also wrapped in bandages and he wears his ninja sash on his forehead and ninja sandals.
- Hiruzen and the other elders decided that it would be a good idea to hide Aoki's existence in order to protect him from the enemies of Konoha, and even more so from the enemies of his father," growled Danzo.
- Danzo is right," said Hiruzen.
- Who is his father? - Jiraiya asked.
- My sensei, Tobirama Senju," replied the hokage.
- Nidaime-sama had a son? - Kakashi asked, shocked by what he had just heard.
- She did. Before he died he had a secret wedding with a woman from his clan, we suppose that during their two-day honeymoon they might have conceived Aoki, but we didn't find out about this until his wife came to us a couple of months before she had the boy," said Danzo.
- When she told us about everything and gave us a note that Tobirama-sensei had left us, we decided it would be best for the boy to grow up safely, or as safely as possible for a ninja, so we decided never to reveal his status as Tobirama-sensei's son to the rest of the village.
- They decided," Danzo growled, "I told you we shouldn't hide him, we could have easily won the third war if you had let him leave Anbu.
- I know, but I couldn't risk our sensei's only son like that.
- Wait, from what they're saying, this Aoki should be about the same age as Tsunade, right? Then why doesn't she know anything about it?
- When we said we wouldn't tell anyone, I meant absolutely no one, not even her clan," said the Sandaime.
- But it doesn't make sense, the boy could have had a whole clan backing him up, why not let him go to them? If you had told Tsunade about him, maybe he wouldn't have left the village," Jiraiya was annoyed.
- Everything has a reason, my student, though not all answers may be satisfactory, but...
Hiruzen's words were interrupted by a powerful burst of chakra from up ahead. The force of the chakra was so powerful that nearby birds flew away in fear.
- Kakashi! Tell the rest of the Anbu to hurry. Danzo! Do the same for your root ninja," ordered the hokage.
- Yes!" the two named replied at the same time.
- The rest of you hurry," he ordered again.
*With Aoki
- I'll kill them, I'll kill them, I'll kill them, I'll kill them, I'll kill them, I'll kill them, I'll kill them, I'll kill them, I'LL KILL THEM! - shouted Aoki, as he ran at high speed towards Hidan and Kakuzu.
- Hidan, move! - said Kakuzu, making a kawarimi with a rock.
Before Jashinista could get out of the way of the furious man, he was caught by a powerful hand that grabbed his neck with its hand and snapped it, then proceeded to break each and every bone in his body, making Hidan scream in pain. Before he could break his head, Kakuzu stopped him with a large sphere of fire.
- Don't bother! - Aoki shouted, as he stomped on the ground and a wall of water rose up.
- Damn it.
Kakuzu made several hand signals and one of the masked monsters formed once again from its back and attacked Aoki.
The latter dodged the mask's attacks with the greatest of ease, while evading Kakuzu's earth and fire attacks at the same time.
- They're a nuisance," growled Aoki, as he formed whips of water in his arms and used them to catch the mask in mid-air and crush it.
- Damn, he got rid of the mask too fast, I need to find a way to take Hidan and the brat's bodies and get the hell out of here. Wait...
A devious smile began to form on Kakuzu's face, as an idea formed in his head.
Once Aoki had turned around to look at Kakuzu, he saw that he now had his son by the throat and a chakra laden thread from his hand was slowly approaching his neck.
- If you move, I'll kill him," said the renegade ninja, as he seemed to reach into his back pocket for something.
- Damn it," he growled, "It doesn't matter if you kill us both, you'll never get out of here, the ninja from Konoha should be coming by now, and when they find you, don't expect a quick and painless death.
- Ha, I survived the first hokage. A couple of ninja from your village won't be able to stop me from leaving here alive.
- Still, you won't be able to kill me, especially if you keep using my son as a hostage.
- Oh, is that a challenge? Because let me tell you something... I've already won.
As he said this, a dark hand came out of the ground from behind Aoki's back and flew at high speed towards his back. Before he could do anything, the hand had already pierced his chest and trapped his heart.
- Thanks for the new heart brat, say hello to your first hokage in hell," he said, as he retracted his hand back into his body and pulled his new heart into his body using the black threads.
Aoki's body stood for a few seconds. The look of surprise on his face was enough to say that he didn't expect something like that.
Before he fell to the ground, several sealing arrays and black bars began to appear on his body, ink splattered from the arrays and a huge black dome began to form, trapping and destroying almost everything around him.
Kakuzu had to perform a Kawarimi with Hidan's shattered body to avoid being trapped.
When the sphere was fully formed, it had covered parts of buildings and the bodies of Akio and Hidan. After a few seconds, it imploded, leaving a large crater that began to fill with water and Aoki's body in the middle.
- What a nasty last attack - muttered Kakuzu - Alright, time to go, although I think I should thank that corpse, he got rid of Hidan for me, and his son will give me a lot of money.
The renegade ninja made a clay clone, which bowed to the dead Aoki and then fell apart, as he originally put the boy's body over his shoulder and started jumping the rooftops.
*10 minutes later
When the Konoha ninja arrived, they could only find a destroyed village, people killed in various ways and a lot of blood, which joined the rainwater and created huge crimson puddles.
- Root! - shouted Danzo.
- Yes, Danzo-sama? - asked 10 ninja in standard Anbu garb, but with white masks, and one knee on the ground.
- Look around for Aoki and his family.
- Anbu! - shouted Hiruzen.
- Yes, Hokage-sama? - 20 ninja in the Anbu outfit, and Kakashi at the front of them all lined up in front of the hokage with one knee on the ground.
- Search the area around the village for the people who caused this! I want to know if you find any signs that anyone escaped alive from here, I don't care if it was just a damn dog, I want to know! - he ordered.
Seconds after receiving his orders, both groups disappeared in whirlwinds of leaves.
- Danzo, go with Kurenai and Guy to Aoki's home, search the place from top to bottom if necessary. But bring me useful information.
- Right.
After that, Danzo, Kurenai and Guy started jumping from rooftop to rooftop, heading towards the Senju's house.
- Do you think they're still alive? - Jiraiya asked.
- I hope so, Aoki wouldn't let himself be killed so easily. I'm sure only he could defeat an S-ranked ninja on his own.
- But S-ranked ninja isn't what you're worried about, is it? I know we don't have the best father-son relationship one could wish for, but you can still tell when something is bothering you," said Asuma.
- You're too smart for your own good," sighed Hiruzen, "We have reason to believe that this attack may have been coordinated by Iwa, or someone else.
- Why would Iwa launch an attack on a village on the border of the fire country? - Asuma asked.
- I don't know, but we know that Iwa has on occasion hired a group of S-class ninja called akatsuki, a group of which Kakuzu and Hidan are a part - the one who answered was Jiraiya.
- So this could be considered an attack on the fire nation by Iwa?
- Perhaps.
- But that would mean war," said Asuma, surprise on his face.
- I know. Iwa have been acting suspicious lately. Border groups have reported seeing several Iwa ninja crossing the borders of Kusa and Taki on several occasions," said Hiruzen.
- Are you saying that Iwa may be allied with one or both of these villages?
- It is a possibility. Although... there is something that bothers me even more?
- What is it?
- Aoki and Akio had one last mission as Konoha ninja, which they had to accomplish before sending Hideki to the blade.
This seemed to catch Jiraiya's attention, so he decided to ask.
- What was that mission?
Hiruzen stared into his student's eyes for a moment and then into his son's, then spoke again.
- They were to infiltrate Kusa and Taki after we confirmed whether they were allied with Iwa and eliminate most of their shinobi forces which should include their leaders, and in the case of Taki, their jinchūriki as well.
- That's basically a suicide mission! - Asuma shouted.
- I know, but they were the only ones I could tell about a mission of such importance. What worries me, though, is that this happened so soon after they were supposed to go on their mission. I don't think it's just a coincidence...
- Do you think someone could have leaked information about their mission and sent the ninja? - Jiraiya asked.
Hiruzen just nodded.
- But you told us that this Aoki basically didn't exist, how is anyone supposed to know about their mission? How is there supposed to be a record of the mission if they supposedly don't exist? - Asuma questioned.
- That's the problem. There is no such record, so only someone who knew about the mission could have leaked the information," said the hokage.
- Who knew about it? - Jiraiya asked once more.
The Sandaime took a moment to gather his thoughts.
*sigh* - Only the elders, myself and the current Anbu leader.
- Who do you think it could have been?
- I doubt Danzo's involvement in this, after all, even if he didn't show it, this boy was like a son to him, he cherished him even more than my teammates and I did.
- And the rest?
- My teammates are too loyal to the Nidaime to betray their legacy in this way.
- Then...
- Then there is only the Anbu leader left, dragon.
- Would he have any reason to do so?
- I'm not sure, after all, dragon and Aoki were friends.
After Hiruzen said this, Danzo, Kurenai and Guy returned from the Senju household.
- Did they find anything? - asked the Sandaime.
- No, absolutely nothing," replied Danzo.
- Tch, then all that's left to do is to wait...
Before the hokage had finished speaking, both groups of Anbu had returned.
- Report," said Danzo and Hiruzen.
The first to speak was Kakashi.
- We have found traces of someone running northwest through the forest, there is currently a squad following the trail. I also received a report from one of the Anbu squads that was delayed. Apparently they found the lifeless bodies of some Anbu and many civilians in the forest, heading towards Konoha.
- Well, pick up the bodies and seal them, we'll bury the civilians and keep the code with the Anbu.
- Yes, hokage-sama," said Kakashi, disappearing with the rest of his Anbu squad.
- Now you talk," said Danzo, looking at the root ninja.
One of them approached and spoke in a monotone.
- We found Aoki-sama's body at the bottom of some kind of artificial pond covered with water and blood, but we didn't find the body of any family members," he said, laying the body on the ground, then disappeared along with the rest of the root.
The remaining ninja on the scene just looked at the man's body with a mixture of pity and disappointment.
Danzo noticing the seal on his body could only form a faint smile and approached.
- Hum... a worthy pupil to the end. I have taught you well, Aoki, now rest," murmured Danzo, as he went through some hand signals and placed his palm on the corpse's abdomen.
In a cloud of smoke, some debris, along with Akio's corpse and Hidan's mangled body fell to the ground.
- Hiruzen...
- Yes, that is Hidan of Yugakure.
- The look Danzo gave Hidan's completely broken body could have frozen hell in less than a second.
Hidan tried to say something, but his broken jaw wouldn't let him form sentences.
- That... man? Is he still alive? - Kurenai asked.
- It seems so," said Jiraiya, moving a little closer to the Jashinist's body, "I'd heard about this guy's immortality, but I thought it was hype...
- Jiraiya! - the hokage exclaimed.
- Yes?
- Seal the prisoner. We'll take him to the village and cure him long enough to interrogate him.
- We'll do that.
- Kurenai, Asuma, Guy, search the surrounding area for the body of a boy, it must be almost identical to him," ordered the hokage, pointing to Aoki.
- Yes, hokage-sama," the 3 jonins said and then disappeared.
- I will give you time alone with your student's body, but you know the protocol for dead Anbu operatives.
- I do. I'll do it when I'm done.
- I'll do it when I'm done.
Hiruzen walked away, mumbling a few condolences to the now-destroyed family, as he left his former rival with his student.
- You know... brat... at a certain point you died just like your father... protecting the village from its enemies... I am proud, and I am sure your parents would be proud too...
That day, in the rain of a destroyed village, Shimura Danzo had lost the last memory of his mentor, had lost his pupil, had lost a person he considered a son to some extent. Letting go of his beliefs that a shinobi should not show emotion for a moment, the war hawk let a small tear fall from his only visible eye. He then set his student's body ablaze next to his wife's as per Anbu protocol.
- We are the roots that protect the great tree that is Konoha..." he muttered as he walked away.