Chapter 26: New Faces

"Is this information appropriate, Hokage-sama?" asked the Anbu commander who was standing beside Hiruzen

Ever since that night, the Anbu commander had worked continuously in order to hide this incident, and give Naruto the required time to escape to his hideout.

"Yes...we cannot disclose his identity as an Uchiha, but with this much information he would at least be considered a formidable threat which is required for his undercover operation," said Hiruzen seriously

The Anbu commander decided to ask a question which had been bugging him since the past 3 days.

"Hokage-sama, can I ask you something?" requested the Anbu commander

"Speak freely, commander," said Hiruzen flatly

"With all due respect, I don't know if you have made the right choice by sending the young boy on such a suicidal mission," said the Anbu commander truthfully

Hiruzen's head dropped in shame, but he knew this had to be done.

"You think I like this? Not a single second passes when I'm not thinking about Naruto...I watched the boy grow up and took care of him as best as I could. Do you think being a Hokage is a good job, where you only do paperwork, give speeches to young academy kids, and assign missions?" asked Hiruzen harshly

"I didn't mean it like-" said the Anbu commander quickly, but was stopped when Hiruzen raised his hand.

"This position is bloody...it is corrupt, believe me if someone more capable than me was available I would hand him this position, but the fact is there is no one. You have to send young kids to their deaths, this is not a fairy tail, this is the shinobi world where the strong survive and the weak perish. The fact that Konoha is facing another war is a more serious matter," explained Hiruzen sternly

The Anbu commander just sighed, every word his leader has said was the truth.

"What intel have we got from Jiraiya-sama's spy network?" asked the Anbu commander quickly, as he didn't want to anger the Hokage more.

Hiruzen took in a deep breath, he had to calm down, the enemy had started playing their cards and he had to think his strategy too.

"Suna is acting very suspicious, the Kazekage assures me that they have no problem with Konoha and want peace; but I'm not a senile old man, I know what Suna is up to. The Wind Damiyo has already cut their funding in favor of handing us more missions, so we are soon going to have a war with them. We still don't have any word on Orochimaru and his activities; even after all these years that brat is sneaky as ever," said Hiruzen bitterly

"What about Iwa and Kumo?" asked the Anbu commander

"I have an operative who has been keeping an eye on Iwa since the past few years...Onoki is a mad man who still hates us for his shameful defeat in the third Great Ninja war, but even he knows the world is not ready for another great ninja war...so he has not taken any official action. But if Jiraiya's reports are true..then he has been secretly funding many criminal organizations, who have hundreds of missing ninjas under their nose. Kumo is still the wild card here, either they are staying neutral or are planning something big. You know where this is heading..." said Hiruzen suggestively

"Understood...my soldiers have got some disturbing news too," said the Anbu commander seriously

"What is it?" asked Hiruzen quickly

"There have been rumors about Sky country ninja...my operatives have been getting sketchy reports that some of them have survived, it seems we have failed to destroy them totally in the previous war," explained the commander

"Shit...just keeps getting worse," said Hiruzen angrily

Sky country, was a small village who waged war against all five great nations, but were ultimately defeated by Konoha in the Third Great Ninja war, with the help of Minato Namikaze.

The Sky shinobi, specialized in aerial combat and advanced weapons, if not for Minato and his Hirashin, Konoha would have been pushed to the edge of defeat. Even if they were rumors, if the sky ninja had survived then Konoha just got added on another enemy's hit list.

"I want your Anbu...to keep searching for those idiots...find them, hunt them and kill them. I don't want any survivors!" ordered Hiruzen firmly

"As you wish," said the Anbu commander seriously

Hiruzen looked at the shinobi world map in his office, and his village which was right in the middle of it. He had lived through three wars, all his friends were now dead except for Homura.

He knew countless shinobi had sacrificed their lives to protect their home, so many young kids had died in the shadows just so the people of Konoha and Fire country could live peacefully.

This was the price that every soldier had to pay.

And Naruto was no exception either, he wasn't the first soldier who was callously being used and sacrificed for Konoha, and he won't be the last either.

"Yamato...do you know my father, my brother, my elder son, all of them died for this village. None of the people of this village remembers their names, but still they died in order to give this village a better future. You think Naruto is the only one suffering in this world?" asked Hiruzen sadly

"No...each one of us have suffered pain," said the now named Yamato, a.k.a the Anbu commander, as he remembered how his life had turned out.

"My younger son Asuma, does not understand me; my daughter in law is living as a widow, my grandson is growing up without a father...right now Konoha is facing a great danger, our enemies are uniting, even Jiraiya cannot get all the information we want, he cannot reach everywhere at the same time, he is just one man," explained Hiruzen briefly

"That is why you needed someone on the inside, didn't you Sandaime-sama?" asked Yamato sharply

"Yes, I need to know every single thing about our enemies...I want their plans, their strength, their weapons...I need every goddamn information there is to know, I won't endanger Konoha at any costs...even if I will be known as a cruel leader who sent a young boy to his death, I have done that in the past, I am doing it now...and if situation calls for it...I will do this again in the future," said Hiruzen harshly

Yamato nodded, the Hokage was right...thousands of innocent lives were at stake here.

Hiruzen knew this, Yamato knew, Sai Satou knew it...and Naruto knew it too. And despite all of this, they were doing what was the right thing, regardless of their personal feelings, they were doing their duty.

They were soldiers...but still,

"Do you think Naruto can do this all alone? He lost his friend and comrade...and Hokage-sama, it has shaken him up, He is already suffering from PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder), that is why I strongly recommend giving him backup," said Yamato firmly

Hiruzen thought about the idea, even he knew what Naruto had gone through...and he felt sorry for the poor boy; Yamato was right.

Sai was not only Naruto's friend, but also a skilled spy and tactical fighter. He was the one who had kept Naruto sane till now, and with him dying while saving Naruto would have severely broken Naruto's morale.

Naruto needed someone, a shinobi who was not only strong but one who could endure as much pain as Naruto had endured; and help keep him sane through the mission.

Hiruzen made a decision, he had to send help in order to protect his surrogate grandson.

"Yamato...send our fastest messenger Hawk to our secret hideout within Iwagakure," said Hiruzen quickly, and started writing instructions on a scroll

Yamato's eyes widened when he heard what the Hokage had said, there was only one operative there; was the Hokage really serious about this?

"Hokage-sama, are you sure about this?" asked a shocked Yamato,

"Yes, we are sending Operative Blackwolf to provide assistance in Operation Ghost..."

In a small room in a brothel sat a man, on both of his sides were two girls who were completely naked.

He was none other than Jiraiya, the legendary Sannin, and the most powerful shinobi of the ninja world.

"Man, these girls were wild!" thought Jiraiya perversely

His thoughts then drifted back to Konoha, it had been more than a decade since he had left the village. For these past few years, he had been constantly keeping an eye on Konoha's enemies, and he knew there were dark times ahead.

There was a very suspicious organization on the rise, and he had not found any information related to Orochimaru.

It was as if the Snake Sannin had vanished from the face of the earth, but Jiraiya knew his friend better.

"What are you up to, Orochi-teme?" thought Jiraiya with a frown

But most of all he was worried about his godson, Naruto. He had been in constant touch with Hiruzen, and he was sad and happy at the same time.

He was sad, that his godson had a troubled childhood, and many people hated him, but he was happy that Kakashi had taken care of the boy and had trained him well.

He felt extremely proud when Naruto awakened the sharingan, he so badly wished to see the boy when he was made chunin.

But his duties always got in the way, he had to run the spy network.

Suddenly there was a small puff of smoke, in the room and there was a small monkey now standing on Jiraiya's chest.

There was a small scroll strapped on the monkey's legs, Jiraiya understood it was his sensei's summons, and he had sent him a message.

Getting up from his bed, he put on his clothes and then slowly unsealed the scroll. He then started reading it, and his eyes widened in shock, and fear when he saw Naruto's picture in the bingo book,

And his surrogate godson, was now an S-RANK MISSING NIN!

He quickly jumped from the window of his room , and performed a set of hand seals quickly.

"Kuchiyose No Jutsu (Summoning Jutsu)"

A large toad appeared in the alley, it had battle armor on its chest, and a sword in its hand.

"Jiraiya...what do you need me for?" asked the toad curiously

"WE ARE GOING BACK HOME!"

In a small bar, sat a woman, she was wearing a green haori with gambler written on its back. Her tight grey pants, showed her well toned legs and her firm ass.

She had her silkly blonde haired tied in a long ponytail that reached up to her ass.

Beside her was a beautiful woman, she had short brunette hair and a small cute face. She was holding a small pig in her arms and had a worried expression on her face.

They were none other than Tsunade Senju and Shizune Kato.

Tsunade's life had been one sad story, she was born into the great Senju clan and was the granddaughter of Hashirama Senju and Mito Uzumaki.

She grew up to become one of the strongest shinobi of Konoha, but still she could not save the ones she loved most.

Her parents died in the first great ninja war, shortly after her grandfather.

Her younger brother Nawaki, and her lover Dan were killed simultaneously in the successive world wars, she could never forget the pain when she saw the two people she loved the most die.

It still haunted her.

Her grandmother died too, but then Kushina and Minato came in her life. Kushina was her cousin, and her cheerful attitude had helped to ease Tsunade's pain.

But Kami again had to ruin her life, the Kyubi attack happened and Kushina and Minato died protecting the village, like every important person in her life had died.

But as some people say...where there was darkness there was light too.

She came to know that her cousin had a son born that night, and she had been asked by the Hokage to look after the child.

At first she was nervous, she didn't know what a mother was supposed to do, but she knew she had to take care of Kushina's son.

Quite frankly, the boy had became the joy of her life, he again brought the happiness in her life, she wanted to stay with him and provide the love of a mother.

But she could never stay in Konoha...that place only brought her more painful memories.

She wanted to take Naruto with her and raise him...but she was denied permission. Naruto was declared as the village's asset as he was a Jinchuriki, and was forbidden to leave the village.

She and her student Shizune had fought tooth and nail to take Naruto with them.

But they failed...and she was given a choice to either stay with Naruto or leave the village and do whatever she liked, but she could not take Naruto with her.

And she made a decision.

A choice, which she regretted now. She chose to abandon her nephew as she couldn't overcome her pain of staying in Konoha, she felt ashamed now.

After a few years, she realized her mistake but it was already too late.

Naruto had been adopted by Kakashi Hatake, and was living a normal life again.

She knew she would only cause him more pain, if he found out that she abandoned him, and so despite the pain in her heart, she chose to let go of Naruto, and let him live in peace.

Even after all these years, not a single day passed when she and Shizune never thought about the little blonde boy.

They had not kept any ties with the village, but Hiruzen had assured her that Naruto was happy and was living a good life. That was the only thing keeping her going.

She really wanted to meet the boy, she loved him very much.

There was suddenly a puff of smoke and a small monkey stood in front of her and Shizune. It had a small scroll strapped on its feet, and Tsunade realized it was her sensei's summons.

Shizune took the scroll and handed it over to Tsunade.

Tsunade unsealed the scroll, and both the women blushed a little when they saw a picture of a handsome blonde boy in a book.

"That Senile Old pervert!" thought Tsunade irritatingly, was her sensei joking with her?

But Shizune's eyes widened when she saw what the title of that book was.

"Tsunade-sama...its...the bingo book," said Shizune in surprise

Tsunade got curious, and then she looked closely at the picture of the handsome man, and her eyes widened in shock, as she read what was written on it.

That face!

Those blue eyes!

She could never forget who this person was, and her eyes started burning with feminine fury as she finished reading the scroll.

Her hands glowed with chakra, and she smashed the table in front of her to a million pieces, all the people around her collpased on the ground as she leaked all her KI.

Even Shizune was finding it difficult to breathe, despite being a shinobi and her student.

"Tsunade-sama, what happened?" asked Shizune with heavy breaths, Tsunade's KI was making it very hard to breathe.

"HIRUZEN SARUTOBI, I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"