By the time I reached Kushina's house, the lamps along the street were lit, glowing brightly in the twilight. I knocked, and the door swung open a heartbeat later to reveal Kushina, her hair as wild as ever, a towel slung casually around her neck.
"Akari? What brings you here?" she asked, surprise softening quickly into a smile.
"Dinner," I said simply, leaning one shoulder against the doorframe. "All-you-can-eat ramen. My treat."
Her eyes lit up instantly, like I had dangled treasure in front of her. "Seriously? Don't tease me with ramen, Akari."
"I wouldn't dare joke about ramen with you," I teased as I stood straight. "Come on, let's go before Teuchi needs to close the shop."
Minutes later, we were seated side by side at Ichiraku's, steam curling around us as bowls began arriving in a steady stream. Kushina went straight for her beloved Large Miso Char Siu Ramen, the pork slices piled so high it was almost absurd, while I opted for a spicy kick with Tantanmen Ramen, pork broth layered with chili oil, sesame paste, and minced meat.
The rhythm of our chopsticks and the clatter of empty bowls soon filled the space. Kushina plowed through one bowl after another, laughtering between bites. I kept pace with ease due to my increased appetite, as I now had eleven clones, though she was simply a force of nature when it came to ramen. By the time we finally leaned back, groaning softly and waving off Teuchi's offer for another round, over three dozen empty bowls stood stacked like a mountain around us.
"Ahhh," Kushina sighed, patting her stomach with a grin. "This… this is happiness. I might like you more than Minato if you keep doing this."
"I can't steal my big brother's girl, especially if she is my big sister; Minato taught me a lot for me to finally have my own version of the Flying Thunder God technique," I chuckled as I paid our bill. "Come on. I was buttering you up because I need a favor or two, but I promise you will be interested."
"You think that I am so easy to buy off?" she balked playfully.
"I'm leaving you behind," I teased as I headed towards the street.
"Wait, wait! I'm coming! I'm just so full... carry me, Akari," she complained as she waddled behind me.
"Carry you?"
"Yeah, you need a favor or two, right? The ramen was only worth one," she countered with a hint of a lazy whine at the end.
"As you wish," I retorted evilly then scooped and threw her over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
With no shame, I activated my Yang Chakra Enhanced Strength to make sure that she stayed in place then started tickling her side with my free hand; payback from when she would do it to me when I was little. She laughed and stubbornly refused to surrender until she started to feel sick. We walked the rest of the way back to her house, still chuckling occasionally. When we were inside, Kushina collapsed onto the couch and asked for a juice can from the fridge.
"Here, favor number two prepaid," I taunted, holding a can over her head, before she took it, and I sat down next to her on a chair.
"Mmm, and helping yourself to one of my drinks makes it three needed now," she countered as she opened her juice.
"Yeah, yeah, we can go on all night... How about you hear me out first?" I retorted, taking out a scroll from one of my inner jacket pouches, which caught her attention. "I'll partially unlock the scroll, so that you can peek inside. They have summoning contracts linked to them, so we can't take them out causally, but if we make you a workshop with the right fuinjutsu wards... well, I'm sure you would have to handle them a few times to understand the summon seals."
I channeled a bit of chakra into the storage scroll and unlocked the first layer, allowing her to 'see' what was stored. It took her a few moments after she grasped the end before she realized what the six strange-looking swords were.
"Are these...?" she gasped softly, shocked.
"Yep, six of the seven Swords of the Mist, though Duy left a few in bad condition. If the Mist can't give me a proper ransom to get them back, I want the ability to offer them to the Iron Country. Adapting some of the sword forging techniques to their own style could allow their strength to get a boost, possibly as a whole across their army if the technique is not too difficult, but that's just my dream. Selling a trademark set of swords to a neutral country isn't too feasible, but I'm hoping the threat will make my Dad give me something fair for them when negotiating with the Mist, money or chakra metal. I should be able to send a clone here occasionally even while I'm deployed, so she can let you work on them once you make a room that's protected against Space-Time techniques," I explained then tucked the scroll back into its pocket.
"Hehehe... I'd be more than happy to help you," Kushina agreed readily.
"I'm sure," I chuckled. "But that offer is an incentive for you to help me with the second favor I need or, rather, want. I've developed a new technique that I use with the Flying Thunder God that allows me to get a 'visual' of a map and the points that I have linked to it. I can get an understanding of the battlefield, but what can be communicated is limited... Using the Flying Thunder God technique as a base, we could set up different alarms, create a large-scale table map with moving figures to represent the anchor points that ninja teams carry, and even transfer reports, and possibly supplies, across long distances without danger of being intercepted. The value that it has to the village is significant, but it has the potential to secure you some more freedom and possibly even the ability to leave the village, if we can make the scale big enough."
At the beginning, she frowned as what I was asking was difficult. Tobirama was a true genius when it came to ninjutsu and fuinjutsu, and the Flying Thunder God was his one of his most impressive techniques. Even as the heir to the Uzumaki legacy, she would take months, if not years, to manipulate the fuinjutsu for even the most basic ideas that I had suggested... but that last part turned her skepticism into passion. For years, she had wanted to escape the ANBU guards that watched her every movement, and the walls of Konoha which were also the walls of her cage.
"I'll do my best," she promised.
"I know, and I will help as best as I can. You may be the expert, but I can copy a stack of partially completed seals for you to tweak the final characters. I can send them back to you with my clone when I get the chance," I replied with a smile.
"Sounds like a deal," she said with a grin. "Now, let's talk about your birthday... anyone special I need to invite?"
"Ugh... let's not talk about my birthday; we're in the middle of a war with three villages."
"Exactly, it's the perfect time to celebrate something and give those of us stuck in the village something different to do... It's not just me, your best friend, either. Your parents are stuck here, and I'm sure your dad is working late night most nights; they need something happy to take their mind off their troubles."
I groaned, leaning back on my chair, and complained, "Bring my parents into why don't you?"
"If only my parents were still alive..." Kushina started with a mocking grin on her face, but I stopped her with a direct shot with a pillow.
"Fine, fine... you win, but make it a day or two before I deploy to the Mist, then it can double as a going-away party," I relented.
She chuckled, "You really don't like parties."
"There just isn't much point. Aside from you, we'd just have my parents and team to join us, so I don't see why I need to make a big deal about it," I stated.
"But two years ago, we only had your older brother, Tsunade, and Nawaki; that doesn't seem much different."
"Shut it," I grumbled, knowing that I did not have many friends in the village as I never went to school and spent most of my time training under Tsunade, nearly becoming a Shizune replacement.
Kushina laughed then reached over to a drawer on the table and pulled out a deck of cards. The night settled into a lighthearted atmosphere as we played games and chatted for hours. I ended up crashing on her couch, not the first time, so I made breakfast, which in this house without advance notice, was instant ramen and some reheated leftovers that I had saved from my food stall hopping the day before. The smell was enough to draw Kushina out of bed, though she looked half-awake and part of her long hair stood upwards.
"What is it?" she asked as she sat down out at the island dividing the kitchen and living room.
I finished draining two cups of noodles then added them to the stir-fry mix of what I had, and retorted, "Ramen noodle stir-fry surprise."
"So, leftovers," she chuckled.
"There is still plenty of instant ramen you can make for yourself; I'll replace these two this evening."
"I'm just kidding. No need to be so serious," she replied quickly.
"Uh huh," I mocked, making sure the noodles were coated then divided out our portions and dropped the empty pan in the sink.
I brought the plates over with a set of chopsticks for each of us then sat down next to her. We ate and chatted lightly, mostly about what I wanted to do for the party, which I was finally able to get her to agree to a cookout in her backyard with my mother, Biwako, doing most of the cooking and Kushina just handling the drinks and atmosphere. I had been her friend long enough to know her strengths and weaknesses, and cooking would forever be her enemy no matter how hard Minato and I tried.
After I finished the meal, I headed out with the promise that I would be back in the evening to go over the details of my fuinjutsu project. She made me agree to cook dinner while I countered and forced her to buy the groceries before I managed to escape her house. It may have been early, but the sun was fully up, and I had an important visit to make this morning.
On the other side of the heart of the village was the Uchiha compound, and my destination. During the night, instant of sleeping, I had wondered about what I could offer to Fugaku that to truly cement his allegiance to the village, even willing to the Hawk faction within his clan. Thinking about how things 'could' play out, the image of a young boy that I had seen not long ago flashed in my mind, Shisui.
His fate had been as a double agent to the Hokage then discarded like a pawn by Danzo when his death was more valuable to the snake. He was one of the first dominos of the Uchiha clan massacre, so watching over him was important, even with Danzo gone. I wanted him as my student, and this could be my shot.
I was stopped at the gates and, upon stating that I was there to see the clan head, the young guard sent a clone to report to Fugaku. A few minutes later, the same guard escorted me into the compound and led me to Fugaku's house. Mikoto was already waiting at the door, so I followed her into a formal sitting room where Fugaku was waiting. She poured tea for both of us then bowed lightly and left the room. We exchanged the expected pleasantries over cups of steaming tea before his dark eyes narrowed slightly.
"You asked to meet me, Sarutobi Akari. I will ask plainly, why?" Fugaku asked.
I set my cup down carefully, fingers resting lightly against the porcelain. "As you have likely heard, I will be commanding the Mist front. I understand how it appears, and I also know that you would never do anything to risk the war front, but I still feel that a slight has been done to you, and your clan. Whatever this rift is between my father and his advisors against your clan could end with them..."
There was a hint of curiosity hidden under Fugaku's normal stoic face, showing that he was somewhat interested.
"Honestly," I continued, "the boy had caught my eye earlier this week when I saw him training in one of the fields before dawn one morning but did not think much of it at the time. Perhaps it was fate, perhaps not... but I am in need of an assistant to run minor errands around while we're on the front."
"Who is the boy?" he asked.
"Shisui, I believe. He should be Kagami's grandson, no?"
"He is. You know who Kagami is?"
"Yes, there is a picture of him, my father, Danzo, and the Second Hokage in my father's study," I replied.
Fugaku smiled, and it was strangely disturbing despite him being genuine. "So, you would like Shisui to be your assistant on the Mist front...? That's possible, but the Uchiha will need priority on missions."
"We're dividing all clan teams to make mixed teams, specializing in specific tasks as we will be using a new strategy. I don't play games when lives are involved and only want what is best for our people, our village," I stated firmly, not willing to budge on this fact.
"An Uchiha genin, kept off the field to act as an assistant..." he started with a hint of anger in his voice.
"What if he was my student? Now, he is learning at my side as I manage a war front, and I never said that he would stay out of the field. Once I am sure that he can keep up with my team, I'll have him join on occasional missions and, if his combat skills are good enough, he might even deploy alongside me on special assignments. I truly intend to nurture him into the future, so with my identity as Hurizen's daughter and Tsunade's student and his own as Kagami's grandson, his ties to the title of Hokage would be difficult to match in another generation. An Uchiha could be Hokage before you retire as clan head."
For a moment, silence stretched between us, with the only sound the faint clink of tea cups. Then Fugaku's brow furrowed slightly. "And what of you? Are you not yourself being prepared for the title and want to control the Uchiha? His pedigree is mostly given by you."
I shook my head without hesitation. "That might be my father's plan, but not my own. I don't have the patience to be Hokage, and the power behind the title won't strengthen me for whatever danger comes next for the village. I plan to support Minato when my father looks to step down; he has the charisma, brilliance, and heart. He could truly unite the village and show that we don't need one clan to carry the mantle every time. The Hokage must belong to the entire village, not one bloodline."
Fugaku studied me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, his lips curved into the faintest hint of a smile. "Strange words… but perhaps not unwise. I can respect that perspective if it is true, but we can only see in the future. For now, if you will take Shisui as a personal student, I will allow him to be your assistant on the front."
"Yes, I will."
"Then, I shall have a servant summon him. Please relax while we wait for his arrival," Fugaku said then stood up and left the room quietly.
I sighed then closed my eyes as I considered the other tasks that I needed to accomplish in the next week or so before I left the village once again. Kushina and I still needed to work out the details for my advance mapping idea, but there were things that I could order now for the basic version that I could currently use. Aside from that, I needed to read through the recent reports of that region, check the supply list and troop manifest, and possibly meet with other clans if my father had hidden any other troublesome groups.
Fugaku rejoined me a short time later, but he was not one for small talk, so we sat in relative silence as the minutes slowly ticked away. The wait was not long, but it definitely was not short either. Thankfully, the door slid open and a familiar young boy, though I had never met him personally. There was a light in his eyes that was uncommon among the Uchiha, and possibly a bit a naivety, so it was easy to see how my father would turn him to his side in the future.
"Clan Head," he said with a bow, his voice just a little higher than he likely wished, betraying his youth despite his serious tone.
Fugaku's expression softened just enough to suggest approval. "Shisui. How have you been finding your time with the village patrols on the Police Force?"
The boy straightened, his shoulders squaring as if bracing for judgment. "I have been learning a great deal, sir."
His delivery was steady, but there was a faint tightness in his words as though they were rehearsed. I had to hold my breath for a moment to prevent myself from chuckling; Shisui had been one of the top ANBU agents in the original timeline, so the thought of him acting like a police officer was ridiculous to me. But Fugaku did not press the point, and he gave a slow nod, letting the boy hold onto his dignity.
Instead, he gestured toward me. "Do you know who this is?"
Shisui glanced at me briefly, then back to Fugaku, his expression polite but uncertain. "A Sarutobi, I think…?" he offered cautiously.
Fugaku's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, though not with anger. "This is Sarutobi Akari."
My name landed like a stone in still water, and Shisui blinked rapidly before his eyes widened. His stiff demeanor cracked, replaced by surprise as recognition dawned. It was the first time that I saw the effect of my new reputation on someone who had not recognized me before.
"You're..." he cut himself short, straightening again, his voice steadier though his gaze was sharper now. "You're the Hokage's daughter. The one who… who fought on the Sand front and pushed them back."
I inclined my head faintly, lips quirking at the corners. "That's one way to put it."
Then I turned to Fugaku, waiting for his signal. He held my gaze for a moment, then gave a single, deliberate nod. That was all the invitation I needed.
"Shisui," I began, leaning forward slightly, my voice calm but carrying weight, "I have an offer for you. I am looking for a personal assistant and student while on the Mist front. Your main duty will be delivering messages within the main camp and keeping the command center organized. I will see to your training as well, and once I've recognized your strength, you will either be allowed to take on missions with my team or join me on special assignments. I can't promise you the most exciting duties for now, but I can promise to help set you up for the future."
Shisui's dark eyes flicked toward Fugaku instinctively, searching for guidance. The clan head, after a long moment, gave another nod that was slower, more weighted, a signal of approval meant to steady his nerves.
Shisui turned back to me, then bowed lower than before, his voice steady despite the quickened breath I could hear beneath it. "If you will have me, Akari-sama, I will be your student."
"Good," I said with a smile. "I look forward to your future prospects as I am sure that you will become a pillar of the Village and Uchiha.Tomorrow morning, meet me at Training Field Nine. I want a complete evaluation of your skills, taijutsu, ninjutsu, genjutsu... everything you have to show me just how strong you are. Afterwards, I'll introduce you to my team over dango. They're a handful, but they'll be your teammates at time and quite strong despite their age."
The boy's eyes gleamed with excitement. He bowed again, this time without hesitation. "I will be there, Akari-sensei."
Satisfied, I rose, straightening my clothes as I glanced back at Fugaku. "Thank you for trusting me with one of your clan. I'll make sure he becomes someone the Uchiha can be proud of."
Fugaku's reply was little more than a hum, but in it was a quiet weight of agreement.
With that, I excused myself and stepped out into the Uchiha compound. Drawing a few stares as I left Fugaku's house, I kept my face neutral and headed into the village to order a few things before returning to Kushina's house. It would certainly be interesting to find out my father's opinion on my new student once he found out, but I doubted that I would see it, or the Elders', but hopefully, it would be enough to stop them from forcing me into the Hokage's seat; even Minato's achievements so far have not caught up to my own.