I take out a towel and put it on Hiruzen's forehead.
The bastard now has a fever.
His chakra networks are rotting his vessels around his legs.
I'm doing bypass circulations using tubes and chakra threads...
But I can only do so much with shitty equipment.
We have to somehow meet up with Tsunade or someone of her caliber.
"We might have to cut off your leg", I inform Hiruzen.
He simply smokes like a chimney.
His arm isn't doing any better.
Even if I can't save his legs... I have to somehow save his arm.
And it's been two fuckin' days.
Sakura hasn't turned up.
I have been tending to Hiruzen nonstop, so my clothes smell like shit.
I have to take a shower...
The camouflage seals have held up well. But... I can already sense some Anbu snooping around.
People here are asking questions.
The news of mine and Sakura's death has reached here among the brokers.
These guys are good.
I wonder how long before they bust through my door.
"You know, Hokage sama...", I ask.
He turns his head to my side... weakness is apparent on his face.
"Orochimaru spoke of another invasion", I state abruptly.
Hiruzen simply looks at the hanging light bulb with a long-ass sigh.
"So... the first one was just a warning", he speculates.
"Orochimaru had plans of his own... but he might've switched sides midway", I assume.
"Oh really? Did you two have a chat?".
"Yes... he was there during the preliminary", I wave away a fly trying to sit on his legs.
"Hmm... he did seem to have a soft spot for you", Hiruzen strokes his beard.
I don't know how to answer that.
"He mentioned something about people from inside wanting you dead. That's the whole reason I didn't give you up to Shimura sama", I confess.
"Is that so?", he chuckles.
"Does anyone come to mind?", I ask.
"Nope... not a single one", Hiruzen shakes his head.
I sigh.
"That said... how do you know Shimura?", he asks.
???!!!??
"He is one of the leaders of the founding clans of Konoha... along with Sarutobi, Ino-Shika-Cho trio, and many others", I simply say with a shrug.
"Oh... it just seemed like you 'KNOW' him... not from some bookish knowledge", Hiruzen says with a smirk.
"Do you suspect him?", he asks bluntly.
"Absolutely", I nod.
"Is it because of the disguise?", he asks.
"Maybe".
"Maybe he too wanted the same thing as you... hiding me from the traitors", Hiruzen's smirk gets wider.
That's a lot of faith he puts in a guy who can massacre whole generations for convenience.
"Why don't you go to him then?", I spit.
"Maa! My legs don't work... or I would've hopped away", he laughs.
I can't...
Not now...
Hiruzen slaps my shoulder with his good hand.
"Relax, kid! This isn't the end of the world. Everything will work out. Your trusted spy is roaming the village gathering what allies she can... you should be proud", he says.
"Spy?", I furrow my eyebrows.
"Sakura Haruno. Your right-hand woman. I knew the moment I laid my eyes on her, she would make the perfect Anbu", Hiruzen is now pulling his beard at this point.
"It fills my heart with joy to see such talents", he says with a sigh.
"Gathering allies is Naruto's thing. I'm guessing she is still looking for Jiraiya right now".
His eyes seem to be glued to my face.
"You know... you remind me of Tobirama so much", Hiruzen suddenly blurts.
I can't help but widen my eyes.
"I'm flattered. But I must disagree. He wasn't a fan of the Uchihas... I can't imagine being like him", I say with a straight face.
"What gave you that impression?", Hiruzen stopped stroking his beard.
"He created a dedicated batch of Forbidden ninjutsu just to fight off the Uchihas", I say while folding my hands.
"That sounds exactly like what you do", he says.
"Hokage sama... with all due respect... I only do what's necessary", I almost raised my voice.
Somehow... me being compared to Tobirama is irritating me.
"So, you think the creation of those jutsu wasn't necessary?", Hiruzen has gone into professor mode.
I take a deep breath to get my cool back. He is doing it on purpose.
"I'm... not saying that... Hokage sama. The jutsu created by the Nidaime are the cornerstones of ninjutsu for the Fire Nation. No matter what purpose they were created for", I say.
"What I'm trying to say... what I do has rather personal implications. Even now, the alignment between us hangs on the fact that you will take me off the red list", I say.
"Why didn't you just abandon me when Shimura arrived?", he asks with a chuckle.
"It's because of Naruto, obviously. His relationship with me will become nonexistent if he knew I just abandoned you. Even by mistake", I say while biting a nail.
I don't even have time to do my nails these days.
Hiruzen only shakes his head with a smile.
"Sasuke kun... I'm astonished how dishonest you are with your feelings", he says.
Something just snapped in my head at what he said.
"Then, Hokage sama! What do you want me to say? I saw a frail Old man lying on the ground and took pity? Is that what you want me to say? Cause that's exactly what I felt!!", I say while gritting my teeth.
Hiruzen stays silent.
"Guess not", I answer for him and get back to keeping his legs from rotting.
But the smile on his face doesn't go anywhere.
Maybe he is wondering why I am so angry at him.
I wonder that too.
I thought I made peace with it.
"Sasuke kun... you just assume what Tobirama was like instead of asking. That's rather immature for someone of your caliber", then he simply turns his back.
Now I'm the one feeling guilty.
Hahaha... I'm the worst. If Naruto was here, he would beat me to a pulp.
Heck... if Hiruzen could use both his hands properly, I wouldn't have dared to look him in the eye.
"Don't beat yourself up, kid", he suddenly says, turning his head slightly.
"I'm just an Old man rambling nonsense. The fact that you talked about it seriously is good enough for me", he says.
I sigh.
Man... I actually feel good for some reason.
"Mind telling me, if you aren't feeling sleepy?", I ask with a smile.
A smirk rises on his face.
Then... I suddenly feel a chakra signature.
The man taps the wall gently, looking for cracks or potholes.
They are close... dangerously close.
I get up with an axe in my hand.
Hiruzen pushes my shoulder.
My head jerks in his direction with confusion.
Hiruzen puts a finger on his lips.
I see his chakra getting dimmer and dimmer while his breathing becomes next to nothing.
I follow his lead and do the same.
My head almost starts spinning from hypoxia.
The man... probably an Anbu, is hiding his signature rather well.
He seems to be pressing the bricks.
I pray with my hands held tight...
Please don't let this bastard find us.
But eventually, the signature walks away... disappointed.
I open my mouth to breathe... but Hiruzen literally pinches my mouth shut!
"Slow", he whispers.
I slowly breathe as he instructed.
"Shit... who was that", I huff.
"Probably Matsumoto", Hiruzen recognizes the person.
"You know him?", I ask.
"Yeah?", he says as if he is lying.
"What is he? Tracker?", I ask.
"Yeah? He is a tracker all right. I personally trained him for a couple of days", he remembers fondly.
. . . . .
"So? Is he good at it?", I ask.
Hiruzen makes a "so-so" gesture.
"Meh", he says dismissively.
"Guess it's time to move", I sigh. If that's a "meh" level tracker, then it's time we start moving.
"Hmm", he simply nods.
"Sasuke kun", he calls. "Were you... praying just now?".
I almost turned red from embarrassment.
"Yeah? I do it all the time", I say as if I'm defending myself.
"Tobirama sensei used to pray", he says. "Who do you pray to?", he asks.
"Usually just the Sages. But I start calling Buddha when things go hairy", I say with a shrug. That's just a personal preference, nothing disciplinary.
"He used to pray to Shura", Hiruzen strokes his chin.
"That's an interesting choice of Kami", I say with a wry smile.
"You know what else is interesting..."
The conversation starts...
For someone with decades' worth of secrets... he is a rather talkative person.