The Adventurous Gamer Ninja - Daichi Hekima-Chapter 366 – Rescue Mission: All Factions on the Move
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the Gamer. Please support the official release.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the Gamer. Please support the official release.
Hidden Leaf village - 6:05pm.
The evening sun filled the Hokage's office with soothing golden light. The Third Hokage sat behind his desk with his hands clasped and eyes closed. Stacks of documents and scrolls were piled in front of him but the old kage didn't pay them any mind.
The weight of the recent events and the information he learned through the Second Hokage had taken him by shock. All that was happening these last few days has been weighing on his shoulders.
Suddenly, there was a light scratching sound at the window. Hiruzen opened his eyes and looked to the side while raising an eyebrow. 'Pakkun.' he realized, recognizing the small silhouette.
The Hokage made a small motion with his hand and an Anbu ninja quickly opened the window. The ninja dog quickly jumped and sat atop the desk in front of the old man.
The cool evening air washed into the room and the Hokage heard the faint sounds of metal clashing from the distant training grounds.
"Pakkun. You came faster than I expected." Hiruzen murmured looking at the ninken.
"Yeah. I didn't want to delay anything given all that's happening." The ninken said and took a small scroll from the jacket on him. "Got something for you from Kakashi and Daichi."
Hiruzen took the scroll and nodded with a small smile. "Thank you for delivering it so quickly. This will be immensely helpful."
"Where are they? Are they near the Hidden Stone village." Pakkun asked. He was worried for Kakashi as he knew the man had a less than friendly relationship with ninjas of that village.
"They're deep in the Land of Earth right now but as far as I'm aware, they're not near that village." The Hokage replied.
"So they managed to get that far so quickly huh. I suppose that's good news… Any leads on Lady Tsunade?"
Hiruzen sighed and gave a small nod. "Some. They've managed to gather some credible information."
"You don't look pleased," the summon observed quietly.
Hiruzen leaned back in his chair and folded his hands. "No, I'm not pleased at all. This is far more than a mere kidnapping or a single rogue ninja's ambitions. They've uncovered a major conspiracy. Not only is Tsunade at risk, but the entire power structure of the Land of Earth may be on the brink of collapse." 'If the Earth Daimyo finds out what his minister did and if there is any evidence of our interference this could turn into a huge problem.'
Pakkun nodded. "I see. What a mess. Guess I should get some rest in case Kakashi calls me, unless you have something for me to deliver to Kakashi?"
Hiruzen considered this. "No, Pakkun. Thank you for the assistance." The Hokage smiled slightly and nodded at the summon.
"Of course." With those words the ninja vanished in a puff of smoke.
Hiruzen let out a deep breath of air and quickly opened the scroll. Inside were a series of documents. Intelligence reports, profiles, and analyzed data on several high-ranking officials of the Earth Daimyo's court. Information gathered by the 3rd Minister of their own Daimyo court.
'When I go to the Capital, I will have to pay him a visit as well. It wouldn't look right if I didn't thank him for the help.'
The documents contained detailed profiles of the Finance Minister, the Intelligence Minister, and other prominent figures within the Land of Earth's ruling circles. Names, affiliations, secret deals, and suspicious transactions lay bare on the pages.
Hiruzen drew in a slow breath. The Finance Minister's ambitions were disturbing enough, but the notion that Orochimaru might be working with or manipulating these officials to achieve some nefarious end was even more troubling.
He recognized the handiwork of Kakashi in these reports. Notations in a code they'd long established, highlighting crucial points, and Daichi's precise handwriting in small side annotations.
He then thought about what he learned through his reanimation. 'The plans for a coup from a member of the Earth Daimyo's court. A well organized scheme involving Tsunade's abduction to harness the Senju bloodline for a private army. A plot to overthrow the Daimyo, and even talk of war with the Land of Fire.'
Hiruzen's fingers tightened and his jaws clenched as he tried to repress his anger.
'The sheer audacity of that man is making my stomach tighten. This isn't some small matter of political jockeying. He created a looming crisis and if I don't handle this carefully, it could destabilize the Land of Earth or maybe even the entire bordering region. When Lord Ryuga hears of this he will certainly try to spin it to his advantage.'
Suddenly an idea struck Hiruzen. 'Hmm. Maybe I can use this to my advantage. This would be the perfect excuse to send a large team to that nation.'
He returned to reading, noting the Intelligence Minister's quiet rise in power and influence. How he'd managed to seize important mineral-rich lands, how the Finance Minister had lost those rights. No coincidence there, he mused, recalling Daichi's suspicions as relayed through the reports.
'Orochimaru must be working behind the scenes, playing these ministers against each other to secure resources.'
Turning back to his desk, he began composing a message. 'I'll have to update Lord Ryuga immediately.'
His pen scratched over parchment, outlining the key points of the discovered conspiracy, without revealing too many details that might put the Leaf village's operations at risk. He chose his words carefully, forging a diplomatic yet urgent request for caution and readiness.
Once the message was completed he spoke. "Summon Sparrow. I have an urgent task for him. And send Shikaku my way."
An Anbu ninja appeared and nodded before disappearing from his sight.
—-
Land of Earth - 6:17pm.
"This is it, then," Jiraiya said, his voice steady in the quiet of the safe house.
Outside, the sky had deepened into a darker blue, dusk settling over the Land of Earth. The small group stood gathered near the doorway as they were ready for their hours-long journey. They had spent precious minutes finalizing routes, adjusting plans, and now the time to act had come.
Tobirama inclined his head. "No more delays. Let's move out."
Danzo said nothing, merely offering a curt nod. He stood, arm folded inside his robe, his single visible eye flicking over each member of the assembled shinobi. Jiraiya took one last look at the makeshift table to make sure he secured everything, then turned on his heel and stepped out into the cool evening air.
Kakashi followed close behind, while Daichi came last, closing the door softly behind them. The village streets were quiet, save for a few murmurs of townsfolk settling in for the night.
"Lord Jiraiya," Daichi addressed quietly, "be careful out there."
Jiraiya gave a wry smile. "Yeah. Don't worry, kid. We'll definitely save them."
The genin nodded. Kakashi placed a hand on his shoulder as if to reassure him.
Tobirama, standing slightly apart, waited patiently. Danzo was at his side. The three, Tobirama, Jiraiya, and Danzo would head toward the western section of the country. Meanwhile, Daichi, Kakashi, and one of Jiraiya's shadow clones would head north, toward the lands acquired by the Intelligence Minister.
They moved and soon split at the edge of the village. A simple intersection, dimly lit by a single lantern, served as their last shared ground before each trio took separate roads. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
Without ceremony, Jiraiya, Tobirama, and Danzo turned west, their silhouettes receding into the twilight.
Daichi, Kakashi, and Jiraiya's shadow clone faced north, where the land rose steadily into hills and crags. Kakashi adjusted his headband and glanced at his student. "Your hunch. I have a feeling it's going to pay off."
Daichi glanced at the mini-map his gamer system provided him, observing their surroundings through its abstracted lens. He saw the faint markers of known landmarks and their current position.
'Everything seems normal for now.' he thought. 'Time to inform Dragon of the change in plans.'
Through the communication array jutsu—a subtle mental link—Daichi reached out. "Hey. A slight change of plans. You can meet with that person later. Go to the new location in the west.''
''What do you mean? Isn't that where you're all already going?'' Came the question from Dragon.
"Yeah. About that. That trail is most likely a decoy. I'm pretty sure Orochimaru is in the northern lands. Where the intelligence minister's mines are."
"Are you sure? I mean all the evidence-"
"It was a lucky break from the system." Daichi's words made his shadow clone immediately understand everything.
"Ok. I get it. So that snake was behind his victory in him getting those lands huh. It's a good location. Wait. Are you all going to the northern lands?"
"No. While the others didn't dismiss my theory they didn't want to take any chances. We've split up into two teams. The Second Hokage, Danzo and Jiraiya are going to the western location. Orochimaru has probably built a base there. But I'm pretty sure it's going to be devoid of people. Or there may be some reanimation ninjas guarding it. Not sure. Me, Kakashi sensei and Jiraiya's shadow clone are heading towards the northern lands."
"Ok. What do you want me to do?" Came Dragon's question.
"Get to the western site. Find the base. But make sure to evade everyone's eyes. Once you're sure they're not there, I want you to break into that base. But only after I have rescued sensei and Shizune. I don't want you to go in early and alarm that Snake."
"Yeah. I got it. Just send me a signal when you want me to move in."
With those words, Dragon, who was dozens of kilometers away from Daichi, changed his course. Even though Daichi believed Tsunade and Shizune wouldn't be found in the western section, he still needed eyes there.
Hidden Rain village - 7:00pm.
The cavernous interior of the Akatsuki's hidden base in the Land of Rain was eerily quiet. The only sound was the steady drip of water, echoing in the darkness. At the center of this chamber stood three figures. Pain, Konan, and Madara.
Pain's Rinnegan eyes, focused on Madara's masked face. Konan stood slightly behind Pain, her paper-blue hair and stoic expression unchanging.
"This is troubling," Pain said softly. His voice carried an echo that seemed to settle in every corner of the chamber. "A man calling himself Dragon has appeared. And based on what you said, his actions could be… disruptive."
Pain emotionlessly looked at the masked ninja near him. 'Disruptive yes… But to whom? The Akatsuki… Or you?'
Madara crossed his arms. The orange mask's single eyehole revealed nothing of his true thoughts, but his posture spoke volumes. "He's more than disruptive," he said, voice low. "He attacked Root and took Danzo's Sharingan collection. He calls himself a revolutionary, one who hates the system and the village. What I met was just a shadow clone. If that's so, he's a powerful wild card we cannot afford to leave in play."
Pain inclined his head. "Monkey D Dragon. The name is probably an alias. You suspect he may be an Uchiha?"
"I can't confirm it," Madara replied. "But what man can take the Sharingan and use it without trouble? Very few. His hatred for the village suggests a lost clan member, or at least someone with a deep grudge. Dragon claims to be a revolutionary… If he's gathering power, that puts him on a collision course with our plans."
"But we don't know that for certain." Konan stepped forward, her eyes narrowing. "Why do you want him dead? Because he threatens the goals of the Akatsuki or he threatens your agenda?"
A pause, laden with meaning, settled over them.
Even after hearing the accusations, Madara's voice remained steady, "This isn't about me. He's dangerous. Anyone strong enough to raid Root and fight Danzo and survive, cannot be taken lightly. And as I said before, if a mere clone of him is so strong, he will be a formidable enemy for you all."
"But not for you?" Pain asked questioningly.
The disguised Obito was silent as he held Pain's gaze. "No. Not for me."
Pain let out a quiet breath, the faintest gesture of contemplation. "If he is indeed strong, I may consider recruiting him. A strong ally is always useful to our cause."
Konan turned her head slightly, the delicate paper flower in her hair fluttering with the movement. "But we already have ten members," she reminded Pain. "Akatsuki's structure is stable. Why would we need more?"
Pain's gaze settled on Konan, gentle but unyielding. "Konan, power shifts and flows like water. We are on a path that will require more strength than we first imagined. If this 'Dragon' proves amenable, why not add a potent force to our side? And if he's a Leaf shinobi looking to defect, he might have valuable information on the village. Even if he's not, we could still gather intelligence on him."
Madara made a dismissive gesture. "I prefer elimination. He's meddlesome."
A faint ripple passed through the shadows near the floor. With a silent, unsettling grace, Zetsu rose from the damp stones. Half-black, half-white, his strange form bowed slightly. "I have news," Zetsu said, his voice a dissonant duet.
Pain turned his head slowly. "Speak."
Black Zetsu inclined forward, glee or malice hard to discern. "I've tracked Dragon again. He's currently moving through the Land of Earth. Not only that," Zetsu paused for effect, "he recently attacked the Finance Minister of the Land of Earth."
Konan's brow furrowed. "The Finance Minister?"
Zetsu nodded. "Yes. It seems Orochimaru took help from that very minister. And he abducted Tsunade Senju so he could conduct experiments on her. Dragon's interference may have disrupted their alliance. I can also confirm that the shipments from Land of Snow were indeed the minister's doing under Orochimaru's guidance."
Pain's eyes flicked in faint interest. "Orochimaru," he said the name quietly. It was a name that still brought a certain tension to the air. He was a traitor to the Akatsuki's original goals, a deserter who had once worn their ring and carried their banner, only to leave when it no longer suited him.
Madara's single eye narrowed. "So Orochimaru's in the Land of Earth, working with that minister. And Dragon is heading where Orochimaru probably maintains a base."
Pain pressed his lips together thoughtfully. "If he's heading there, then perhaps we have the perfect chance to deal with two problems at once."
Zetsu looked at Pain with an impassive gaze. "I take it that Daichi Hekima is no longer Kakuzu and Hidan's primary target?"
Pain's gaze hardened. "No. The boy was useful to consider, but priorities changed. I had interest in him for his medical skills and possible leverage, but Dragon's actions have made him a higher priority target. If 'Dragon' possesses a power like the Mangekyo Sharingan or significant strength similar to a kage, then capturing or eliminating him is paramount." He turned to Zetsu, his tone final.
"Inform Kakuzu and Hidan. Tell them to switch targets. Forget Daichi. Focus on Dragon. And while they're at it, if Orochimaru is indeed there, they can settle that old score and retrieve the ring he abandoned, if it's with him."
Konan's eyes lingered on Pain's face. "So we are abandoning the pursuit of that Genin entirely?"
Pain shook his head slightly. "Not abandoning, Konan. Because Daichi wasn't even one of our main goals. He was only a potential asset or leverage. Right now an unknown person's interference and Orochimaru's presence have changed the situation. We have to adapt. With that snake distracted by his own experiments and Dragon's meddling, we have a rare opportunity."
Konan stepped beside Pain, folding her arms into her robe's sleeves. "If we do find this man, how do we ensure he doesn't become a liability like Orochimaru?"
Pain answered softly, "If he refuses our offer, we'll kill him. Simple." He glanced at Madara. "This satisfies you, I trust?"
Madara, his identity still concealed, gave a short nod. "Yes. At this moment I'm not sure if he's aware of your existence. So just make sure he doesn't become another loose end."
Madara turned to Zetsu and stepped closer, his voice low and dangerously calm. "Ensure that Kakuzu and Hidan understand the urgency. Orochimaru must be punished for his desertion. And 'Dragon' must not slip through our fingers. If need be I will go after him myself."
Zetsu nodded, half of his face smiling wickedly. "I'll deliver your instructions immediately."
Pain inclined his head in acknowledgment. "Go then. Be swift."
Zetsu vanished back into the floor as if made of liquid shadow, disappearing without a sound.
Author's Note:
Everyone is headed into a collision course. I'm so excited to write the end of this arc.
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