As Hiruko traveled treetop to treetop, he continued to be lost in thought.
'I killed and felt nothing and still don't; I only fear how they'll view me.' Hiruko thought as his mind drifted through all the people he cared about.
Hiruko's eyes glanced to the quiet Tsunade, who followed at the very back of the group. 'What if she thinks I'm a monster?' Hiruko couldn't help but think
Orochimaru, who was watching Hiruko's internal contemplation, couldn't just sit and watch Hiruko get down over a stupid monkey's words.
"Hiruko, those guys were scum ones that pillaged and killed. Who cares if you killed them? The world is probably better off." Orochimaru said coldly as he ran beside Hiruko.
Hiruko, frowning, retorted back. "I know they're bad people, but when one takes a life, they're supposed to feel something, anything, because that means they're still human; that means they're still themselves." Hiruko said emotionally, his thoughts drifting to a theory he hadn't thought about in a while: that the original Hiruko was influencing him.
'Is it him, or was this always in me? Am I just not who I thought I was?' Hiruko couldn't help but ask himself
Orochimaru, watching Hiruko fall deeper into his thoughts, continued on, "So what? You're some evil being simply because you didn't break down. If that were true, every ninja who survived a war would be a monster."
"But I didn't hesitate. I didn't feel sick or angry or justified. I just did it." Hiruko said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.
Orochimaru, hearing this, didn't say anything for a moment before continuing, "And that's what makes you extraordinary. Hiruko: Most people feel the same way you do but lie and hide behind emotion. A concept that is unreliable, one that fades and contradicts itself. You, however, understand life and death are no more than merely states of matter," Orochimaru said seriously.
"I don't get it," Hiruko admitted honestly.
Orochimaru hearing this chuckled dryly. "That is perfectly fine, Hiruko, but don't force yourself to grieve just to resemble others. People like you don't become monsters because they lack; they become monsters when they pretend to have what they lack." Orochimaru said,
"I—watch out, Orochimaru," Hiruko said, using his Observation Haki to sense a projectile coming right at them. Hiruko, pushing Orochimaru out of the way, was able to react just quick enough to avoid being hit in a fatal area, but the projectile, which was an arrow, dug itself into Hiruko's arm.
"Hiruko, Orochimaru!" Hiruzen said quickly, throwing a few shuriken at where the projectiles came from, giving the group some time to regroup.
Hiruko, on the other hand, holding his bleeding arm, which slowly closed over due to his regeneration, landed in the middle of the forest. Looking at the arrow in his hand that was broken in half, Hiruko saw a oozy green substance lathered on the tip.
'Poison?' Hiruko thought internally as the rest of his team appeared beside him with Hiruzen standing in front of them protectively.
"Hiruko, are you okay?" Hiruzen asked, glancing at the arrow in his hand.
'Where's his wound?' Hiruzen thought about seeing blood on the grass but no wound or even a scratch on Hiruko.
"The arrow was poisoned. What affect it had exactly, I have no idea, or if it will even affect me, I don't know." Hiruko said honestly.
Hiruzen nodded quickly as he refocused on the sound of leaves parting that he heard from in front of him.
After a few moments a group of four came out; leading them was a young-looking, short woman with a round face and purple hair that sat in a bun on her head.
When seeing this face, both Hiruko's and Hiruzen's faces darkened as both reiterated the name of this woman in their heads.
'Chiyo the puppeteer of Suna'
'And beside her three jonin.' Hiruzen thought worriedly he was currently only a clone and wasn't as strong as his future self.
Yes, he was stronger than Chiyo as of right now, but defeating her with a clone's limited chakra reserves while dealing with the durability of a clone and her puppets would be extremely tough.
And yes, he could alert the main body, but it would take a couple of hours at the most for it to arrive.
Meaning he'd have to hold off Chiyo with her puppets and three Jonin who might also be puppeteers alone while protecting the kids.
"Well, if it isn't the Hokage of Konoha with three little brats," Chiyo said, smiling. She wasn't stupid; the Hokage of Konoha wouldn't be with three little brats for no reason, meaning these were some promising kids of Konoha's next generation.
If she could kill them, this would put Konoha back a bit or at least get them to take Suna seriously.
'Or what if we ransom them and get Suna into a better state economically?' Chiyo pondered internally.
"We have an armistice, Chiyo. You wouldn't want to break it and earn the ire of the other four great villages," Hiruzen said in hopes of diffusing the situation.
"Oh please, Hiruzen, you know that's nothing more than a flimsy piece of paper. As long as neither of us calls on a full war, the armistice is still being kept. And you don't want to start a war again so soon just for a few kids, do you?"
At these words Hiruzen's face darkened. He really didn't want to go to war again so soon; he hated war.
His eyes looking back at his students and his gaze lingering on Hiruko for a few moments, he sighed.
"How about this: we'll call this a small skirmish between forces. No matter the outcome, neither can initiate a war, and I mean no matter the outcome." Hiruzen said seriously it was time for him to take a gamble.
Chiyo hearing this nearly burst out in laughter. Sure, she knew Hiruzen was strong, but did he think he could defeat her and three Jonin all by himself while protecting four little brats?
But fine, this worked out in her favor. "Deal, but remember your own words," Chiyo said, a sadistic smile on her face.
Hiruzen, nodding, turned to Hiruko. "Hiruko, in order for me to keep Chiyo at bay and earn enough time for my real body to get here, you'll need to handle the Jonin." Hiruzen said seriously,
Tsunade, hearing this, nearly burst out in anger. "Are you out of your mind, old man? You want Hiruko to fight three Jonin? Do you want him to die?"
Hiruko, watching this, couldn't help but feel a little happy at the fact that Tsunade was standing up for him.
Hiruzen, on the other hand, could only sigh, "I know, but as of right now, Hiruko is the only one strong enough right now to do it. I believe the three Jonin can't use puppet ninjutsu, but it'll still be a tough fight—" Hiruzen said, rambling, but Hiruko cut him off.
"It's fine, sensei. I got it, but promise no matter what, don't ask about anything used in this fight," Hiruko said seriously.
Having no choice, Hiruzen could only reluctantly nod while Hiruko looked at a luminescent blue screen in front of his eyes.
[Host, you have a mission.]
[Survive Sunagakure Jonin
Reward: Soul-Soul Fruit
[Host: You have a mission.]
Ensure team survival.
Reward: Batto Batto no Mi
(A/n: Even if he completes the mission, he won't install them for a while due to Mito's comment about him needing to master what he has.)
'I haven't gotten a devil fruit-related quest in a while.' Hiruko thought, surprised, but that just meant even the system thought this quest was somewhat difficult.
Hiruzen, on the other hand, seeing Hiruko's confidence, could only believe in his student, bringing up his thumb to his mouth. Hiruzen bit it, drawing blood.
"Summoning Jutsu: Enma," Hiruzen said, calling out the technique. As he did, with a puff of smoke, a big brown monkey appeared, his beard and hair completely white.
"Hiruzen wha—" Enma was just about to ask, but Hiruzen quickly cut him off.
"Sorry, buddy, but now's not the time. We're up against someone pretty tough; I need you to transform now." Hiruzen said urgently,
Enma, glancing over and seeing Chiyo, who was also summoning her puppets by unfurling a large scroll, quickly listened to Hiruzen transforming into the adamantium staff.
"Shall we take this somewhere else, Chiyo, away from our people?" Hiruzen posed.
Hearing this, Chiyo became slightly skeptical. 'What's he planning, leaving these four brats unprotected?' Chiyo thought before reluctantly agreeing as both figures disappeared with a flicker, leaving Team Hiruzen and the Sand Jonin to themselves.
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S: look I know not everyone likes a young op mc and I'll try my best to make this a gradual process however if this ruins the story for you I understand and apologize