“Hokage-sama?”
“Yes Konohamaru?”
“We have received an urgent message from the Hidden Grass Village.”
The Hokage cocked an eyebrow, “Have the decoders work on it.”
“That was what we did originally, Naruto-sama, but. . .”
“But what?” This conversation was making Naruto nervous.
“It is in a code directly from the Grass kage. We cannot decode it. Our only thought was that it was to be sent directly to you.”
“Yes alright Konohamaru. Let me see that scroll.” Konohamaru handed a green and red scroll with the kanji for urgent on it to the blonde Hokage. Naruto read it. “This is not good.”
“What’s not good Naruto?”
“This message! Things are going to get very bad, very fast.”
“It is confidential correct?”
“Yeah. Konohamaru, are you on duty today?” Naruto regarded the young ANBU.
“Um. No Naruto.”
“Could you please give Moegi the day off?”
“Sure. She has guard duty today, right?”
“Yeah, she’s right outside the door.” Naruto watched the young raccoon-masked ANBU. “Thanks Konohamaru.”
“Of course Naruto. Anything for the greatest Hokage ever!” Naruto smirked.
“You know it!” Konohamaru saw through Naruto's mask of cheery words. Naruto was worried. Konohamaru sighed. Auh, well. Naruto would tell him what was wrong if it became necessary.
When Konohamaru left Naruto rested his head on his desk and rubbed his temples. "Why me?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Naruto read the not over and over. There was no bright side to the note. Naruto sighed.
The Grass kage’s apprentice had defected from the Grass Village. He was said to be trying to steal the jade stone. The apprentice knew many of the Hidden Grass Village’s forbidden jutsu. The jade stone would increase his power a hundred fold.
He was already one of the most feared shinobi in the world. The jade stone would give him the power to destroy all the hidden villages.
The Grass kage requested an assassination mission for him. Naruto knew this world take his highest level shinobi. The problem was that most of them were out on missions, and the remaining ones were needed to protect the village.
“Konohamaru?” Naruto called.
“Yes Naruto-sama?” Konohamaru said as he appeared from outside Naruto’s office door.
“Could you bring me Tsunade-baachan and ero-sennin please?”
“Hai,” Konohamaru disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
Naruto sighed. Again!
~~5 minutes later~~
Jiraya, Tsunade, and Konohamaru appeared in a cloud of smoke. “That will be all Konohamaru. I’ll call you later.”
“Hai Naruto-sama.”
Jiraya smirked. “You wanted to see us, Naruto-sama?”
“Yes.” Jiraya frowned. This must be serious if Naruto wasn’t rising to his teasing. “I’m not quite sure how to explain this, so I’ve translated the scroll I received earlier for you to read.”
~~After they read the Scroll~~
“So you want us to assassinate the apprentice?” Jiraya asked.
“No,” Naruto said.
“No?” Tsunade asked, “What do you mean no?”
“I want you to watch over the village. Baachan, I want you to temporarily take over the position of Hokage and Ero-sennin I want you to take over the ANBU. Have them prepare our defenses incase I fail.”
“Okay,” Tsunade said.
“I’ll do it, but isn’t Uchiha head of the ANBU?” Jiraya asked, “Don’t you trust him to handle this?”
“Well you didn’t think I was stupid enough to go alone, did you?”
“Okay Naruto, but don’t you think you should talk to the council first?”
“It would take too long. We must act now!”
“Hai.”
“Tsunade, bring me Hyuuga Neji and Haruno Sakura. Jiraya, bring me Uchiha Sasuke.”
“Hai.” They disappeared in two puffs of smoke. Naruto sighed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sasuke was sitting in a tree at Team 7’s old training ground. This had become a habit for him whenever he just wanted to think.
Today he was remembering the day he had woken up in the Konoha hospital after killing Itachi. He found out later that Naruto had found him unconscious and brought him home. The council had revoked his ninja status upon his arrival at the village.
He found out that Naruto had become on ANBU captain three months prior to his return to the village. After two months as a civilian, Naruto was announced the Rokudaime Hokage. Tsunade had convinced the council that he deserved it.
After becoming Hokage, Naruto convinced the council that, if Sasuke could pass loyalty tests, he should be reinstated as a Leaf Jounin. Needless to say, Sasuke passed. Now, a year and a half later, Sasuke was leader of the ANBU forces and he and Naruto were friends.
This was the train of thought that was derailed when Jiraya popped up in front of him.
“Jiraya-sama,” Sasuke said.
“Uchiha-san, Hokage-sama has requested your presence in his office at once.” Sasuke frowned. Jiraya usually laughed at the thought of calling Naruto ‘Hokage-sama.’ Now he seemed dead serious.
“What’s going on?”
“I’ll have to let Naruto explain that to you.” But Sasuke had already disappeared in a puff of smoke. Jiraya followed his lead.
The first thing Sasuke heard when he appeared in Naruto’s office was Konohamaru talking to Naruto.
“You want me to bring Hinata here than Naruto?”
“No. Just inform her that she will be taking Sakura’s shift at the hospital starting tomorrow. I know Hinata usually does field missions, but it is necessary.”
“Hai.” Konohamaru turned towards the door, “Naruto?”
“Yeah?”
“Be careful.”
“You know I will.”
“Okay.” Konohamaru left.
Naruto turned towards Jiraya. “Ero-sennin, you need to inform all the squad leaders of the change.”
“Hai. I take it I can’t tell them why though?”
“Hai.” Jiraya too left.
“Naruto, what’s going on?”
“Technically we should wait for Neji and Sakura, but here. I’ll explain the details later though.” Sasuke took the scroll offered to him.
Sakura, Neji and Tsunade arrived shortly after Sasuke finished reading the scroll. Naruto looked at Tsunade. “Baachan, take this scroll that explains the situation and my decision to the council. Don’t let them object. Tell them my decision is final.”
“Hai.” Tsunade was gone.
Sakura looked at Naruto, whose face was very serious. “What’s going on?”
Naruto took a breath. “Three days ago, the Grass kage’s apprentice defected from the Hidden Grass Village. He took with him knowledge of the forbidden jutsu of the Hidden Grass Village. And, being a kage’s apprentice, he was trained to use these jutsu. He is currently one of the greatest threats to the shinobi world.”
Naruto needed another breath here. “He has been trying to steal the Hidden Grass Village’s jade stone. This will increase his power one hundred fold. With this power, he could take out all the hidden villages. This is why the Grass kage has requested our help with an assassination attempt.”
“So our mission is to take out the apprentice?” Neji asked. Sasuke and Sakura looked at Naruto expectantly.
“No.”
“No?” All three asked.
“No.” Naruto looked at each of them individually. “Neji and Sakura, your mission is to protect the jade stone.”
“Hai.”
“What does that leave for me?” Sasuke asked.
“What? I can’t call you here without having a reason?” Naruto smirked. Sasuke scowled. “Oh come off it teme. You’re coming with me obviously.”
“And where would we be going?” Sasuke was getting frustrated at being out of the loop.
“Oh. I guess I forgot to mention that part.”
“Yes you did, so where are we going?” Sasuke smirked.
“We’re taking the assassination part of the mission.”
Sakura started yelling at Naruto at once. “You’re leaving!?! You can’t leave! You’re Hokage! You need to be here to protect the village! What are you thinking!?! NARUTO!!”
“Relax Sakura! It’s already taken care of! Tsunade is taking over being Hokage and Jiraya is preparing our defenses incase we fail. It’s taken care of.”
“Are you crazy?!? What if you die on this mission?”
“Then Tsunade’s position as Hokage’s not so temporary. And I’ve asked Jiraya to stay in the village. Those two have been protecting this village since before we were even born. The village would be in good hands.”
Sakura sighed in defeat. Naruto had out maneuvered her at every turn.
“Sakura and Neji, I’d like you to leave tonight if possible. Sasuke meet me at seven o’clock tomorrow at the gates.” Naruto stood up and headed for the window.
“Where are you going?” Sakura asked suspiciously.
“Out for some air. Don’t worry. I’m not like the old hag. The paperwork’s done.” And with that Naruto was gone.
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Story notes: I don't own Naruto.
Eventual NaruSasuNaru
Chapter notes: I don't own Naruto.
Chapter end notes: Review! I had to merge chapters so they were long enough, so the stories still all here. It's just that chapters are merged together.