The atmosphere inside the Hokage's office was heavy—so heavy that even Naruto, who never stopped fidgeting, stood still. Team 7 lined up on one side of the room; Team 8 on the other. And standing slightly apart, near the corner, were Sukuna and Karin, both unusually silent.
Most had no clue why they were summoned here, not even the Jonin sensei. It was common for the Hokage to give missions, but asking for a specific team… not so much.
Only Sukuna had a hint of an inkling why they were here. He was no Sherlock, but as he started to connect the dots it became rather obvious.
Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled beneath his chin, his gaze sharp despite the exhaustion visible around his eyes. Behind him, the late afternoon sunlight filtered through the window, casting long shadows across stacks of mission reports and sealed documents.
"Truly, a Hokage's paperwork never ends. It's an eternal fight…" Sukuna pursed his lips in light amusement, not like he was going to get that from the atmosphere seeing how tense it was.
"I'm certain you all know why you're here," he began.
No one dared to speak.
"What happened to Izumi Uchiha… and to Kiyomi Haruno… is not something I can overlook." His voice was quiet but carried a weight that filled the entire room.
"Someone attacked two of Leaf's most promising kunoichi. Izumi Uchiha died in the line of duty while Kiyomi Uchiha remains in a Coma by a powerful Genjutsu, as reported to me by the hospital staff…" Hiruzen said with a grim tone, pausing for everyone to let the intel sink in before his eyes roamed around the room.
It might be Sukuna's hallucination, but his eyes lingered on Sasuke and himself just a tad bit longer.
The question was, if yes, then why. Sasuke made sense but why him? He had nothing to do with this situation.
"And Izumi's Sharingan," Hiruzen's expression hardened, "both of her Sharingan have been taken."
Hinata gasped softly. Kiba swore under his breath, something about this mission being troublesome. Even Shino adjusted his glasses, a rare sign of agitation.
Someone going after their village's one of the two major Doujutsu so openly was inviting war…
Sasuke's fists tightened until his knuckles turned white.
But Hiruzen wasn't finished.
"We are going after the one responsible." Hiruzen exhaled slowly.
He gestured first to Team 7.
"Team 7, your task is to track down the individual connected to Izumi's death." His tone dropped to something quieter—almost a whisper.
Sasuke's clenched fist relaxed after hearing this. This was what he was hoping for. He wouldn't mess up this time…
Kakashi for once didn't understand why a mission like this would fall onto a Genin Team like his. It didn't make sense. The only possible reason could be that Hiruzen was trying to show the Uchiha clan that he wasn't partial in this regard.
To give them a satisfactory answer?
He couldn't say. However, by all means, a team of Anbu was better suited for this mission than a newly formed Genin team.
Hiruzen nodded before turning toward Team 8.
"As for Team 8… your mission is far more urgent. You will find Tsunade."
Kiba blinked. "Tsunade? As in… the Slug Princess?"
"Yes," Hiruzen nodded.
"She is one of the greatest medical ninja to ever live. Right now, she is the only person who might be able to wake up Kiyomi from her Coma." He sighed deeply.
"But she left the village ages ago, locating her won't be easy. Let alone convincing her to come back." Hiruzen said, the last part just a whisper, but Kurenai heard him just fine and internally cursed.
"There goes a dent in my almost perfect mission record…" She couldn't help but suffer through it. After all, they were a tracking team; it was their job.
"As for why I have both Sukuna and Karin summoned here." He pointed at the two kids standing a bit away.
Karin stiffened.
"Karin here is an excellent sensor nin. Quite to the point that I originally wished to put her in Team 8. However, circumstances didn't allow." Hiruzen muttered.
The said circumstances being the clan heirs getting priority over orphans.
"Your sensing abilities far surpass those of any other Genin. You will accompany Team 8. Without you, finding Tsunade may take months."
Karin swallowed, then nodded slowly. "No pressure, right?" she muttered under her breath.
Hiruzen almost smiled at her honesty.
"And as for you, Sukuna…" He shifted his focus.
"Nice job, my boy. I learned from Kakashi about your contribution in the Waves mission. You have done well…" He switched faces faster than Sukuna's Dismantle. From grim and serious to an old friendly grandfather in a second.
No doubt the old man was trying to emotionally manipulate him, Sukuna was sure of that. But he knew how to play the game.
"Ah… it was nothing. In fact, if not for the technique Hokage-sama gave me, I might not have been able to do that well."
"Ah… indeed, indeed. To think that after Minato someone would learn my teacher's technique so well. It's good to see Konoha have such talent. Konoha's future is secure with you all." He smiled.
All eyes turned to him.
Team 7 already knew, but Team 8 wasn't privy to what happened in the Waves mission. Hinata, Kiba, and even Shino didn't understand what Hiruzen meant by learning his teacher's jutsu, but Kurenai's eyes were widened like saucers.
'And to think it was Kakashi who said that the kid didn't have much potential. How come this bastard still had a face to show,' she had no idea…
Hiruzen studied him for a long moment, expression unreadable, then nodded. This was the kind of attitude kids have…
"You will join Team 7."
Naruto sputtered. "Eh?! Him?! Again?"
Even Sakura didn't seem too happy. Not that they didn't like him or anything, but his brotherly love through training was a bit too much.
And the ending of the Waves' mission was still in their minds—he made them kill all those bandits.
Kakashi put a hand on Naruto's head to quiet him, though his own eye narrowed slightly with interest.
Hiruzen ignored their bickering. "You will all leave by morning. Your missions begin then."
Everyone bowed and left.
Finally, Hiruzen let out a long, heavy sigh before settling down on his trusty old Hokage chair. He had been having a headache ever since he learned about Izumi's death.
Not that he particularly cared about that girl's death—he had seen many deaths in his life, this was nothing new, not to mention she was a Uchiha.
No… what troubled him was the message he got from Itachi when the body was found.
Itachi's condition was special; while technically a traitor, he was still loyal to the village and sent intel to Hiruzen from outside ever so often.
So when he sent the secret message informing him about coming into contact with both Kiyomi and Izumi and their fight… however, not once in his message did he mention he planned to kill Izumi, let alone take away her eyes.
Hiruzen knew a third party was involved. Because he knew Itachi, without any reason, wouldn't kill a Konoha ninja. Disable them, perhaps injure them, yes, but wouldn't kill them without a good reason.
And as if a third party being involved wasn't enough, Itachi had to reveal the one thing Hiruzen dreaded to hear the most.
Izumi too had awakened her Mangekyo. She fought him with it.
"Someone happened to know about Izumi's Mangekyo or found it out between their battle and took advantage when she couldn't defend herself. Killed her and took the Mangekyo…" Hiruzen really had a headache brewing.
If not for this reason he wouldn't have taken immediate actions.
He immediately sent his Anbu to find the culprit.
And knowing that the Uchiha clan too would not sit idly if a Mangekyo user died outside the village, he had to make this entire situation up.
Konoha right now couldn't handle any more upsurges.
As for Tsunade, well, he just wished to use this incident to call her back. Kami knows the village needed strong support in this time.
Of course, there was also the fact that the only person who could have known about the culprit who killed Izumi and took her Mangekyo was Kiyomi. Only Tsunade could wake her up as things stand now.
"I'm getting too old for this…" He sighed, feeling the weight of the hat increasing every single day he sat in this chair.
xXx
A/N : Who do you think could have done it ? Kill Izumi I mean.
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