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With great skillful skill and great speedy speed...
Quote by Blackadder
Chapter Three: Deceiving Your Opponent
One does not remain the uncontested strongest shinobi of an entire village for as long as Naruto had been without coming up with a few tricks to keep it that way. Naruto, for one, used Kage Bunshin to great effect while training. He had been doing so ever since the mission way back when he was fifteen and had to rescue Gaara (and Shukaku) from the clutches of the Akatsuki. That mission had been only barely successful; the Kazekage would have died had they hadn’t arrived before the missing-nin had begun extracting the Ichibi.
From then on, Naruto had refused to accept any possible weaknesses on his part that could prevent him in any way from protecting his precious people. And so, Kage Bunshin had become a staple of his training regime. Things went by so much more quickly when there were dozens or even hundreds of you applied to the task.
Naruto had also been known as one of the worst liars in the entire history of Konoha in his youth. Eventually, he became known as one of the best ones, but many didn’t realize that he had made such a transition for many years. How could such a stupid, idiotic, loud, pathetic excuse for a ninja lie with any sort of effectiveness? After a while, Naruto began using this perception that most people had of him to his own advantage. Just because people thought that he was horrendously incapable of deception didn’t mean that he was always truthful.
This Konoha still thought he wore his heart on his sleeve.
And now, he would soon be lying his little heart out to the Hokage, of all people.
It would be a wonderful challenge.
A silent Yashamaru escorted Gaara to the Kazekage’s office after the storm died down. He didn’t even attempt to hold the boy’s hand, as he would have the week before. Gaara was pretty sure he wouldn’t take it if it were offered to him, though. He still remembered the man’s final words keenly: “Please die.” After that incident, he was fairly sure that he hadn’t been entirely sane for several years – not until Naruto had knocked some sense and some empathy into him after the failed joint attack of Suna and Sound during his first chuunin exam.
Gaara would have to “convert” his uncle before he did much else. If he could get his uncle to see reason, to see him in a different light, then perhaps there would be hope for the rest of the villagers this time around.
Gaara also remembered his father fairly well. When he was (originally) this age, Gaara had seen the man as tall, intimidating, and a source of immense hatred and disappointment – especially after the man had begun to send assassins after him. The man had never acknowledged him as a son; in fact, he hardly ever even acknowledged Gaara at all, let alone acted as a father to him. Gaara had looked upon the man with fear.
But now? He felt next to nothing. There was no lost love between the two. He didn’t regret the man’s death at all, except for the tactical fact that his death had unfortunately lead way for Orochimaru’s infiltration of Sand.
This time, though, there was something different: Gaara had the advantage of knowledge over the man. He understood the politics of Suna much better now – perhaps even better than the current Kazekage did - and he also knew, generally, how the future would play out.
Gaara was also now much better able to “take care” of those sent to kill him. They would pose no threat to him. Gaara had every intention of wresting the Kazekage position from his father as soon as it was feasible… even if he had to kill the man himself.
Gaara didn’t kid himself: he knew that his father just wasn’t the best man for the job. The current Kazekage was almost the worst man for the job. He was impatient, power-hungry and devoid of even much human empathy. Sure, Gaara had been the same way, too, at one time… but the point was that that was no longer so. Gaara had eventually learned to actually care about the village of Sunakagure and its citizens, but his father never had. And that was one of the great differences between the two.
Gaara would have to change that.
The redhead was calm as he was lead up the stairs of the Kazekage tower. Calm and serene, for all that he was hiding a raging monster inside him. He had to seem in control, but not quite harmless, if he were to get his way.
Normally, it was the job of the guards outside of the Kazekage’s office to preemptively stop anyone dangerous from entering and possibly harming their leader. The only exception to this rule, of course, was Gaara. The boy was incredibly deadly, but there wasn’t anything that they could do about that. Yashamaru and his charge therefore weren’t stopped and made to wait at the entrance of the office; they just went right on through to see the Kazekage.
The first thing that Gaara noticed upon entering his office (and it would be his, very soon) was the killing intent and disgust radiating from the soon-to-be former Kazekage.
Gaara, quite simply, wasn’t going to stand for that, and countered with his own killing intent. He didn’t even change his facial expression while doing so… not that his face usually reflected any sort of emotion in the first place. It wasn’t enough to smother the other’s oppressive negative spirit, but it was enough so that Gaara felt nothing, not even the vaguest malaise, coming from the Kazekage. That would only help him remain calm. It would do him no good if he killed the current Kazekage because he got annoyed. Such an assassination would do him no favours at the moment. Much to his dismay, Gaara understood that it was necessary to leave his father in the Kazekage’s seat… for now. Or, rather, until he could find a more valid candidate and position him or her to take the seat until he was ready to take control himself. Nearly anybody would be better than his father.
What kind of leader sacrifices his citizen’s lives to create the ultimate weapon but then disrespects their deaths by trying to kill the very weapon that they created?
The answer to that question was “a bad one”. The Kazekage hadn’t even tried to really train Gaara into becoming a weapon before deciding that he was useless and ordering his destruction. He could have given his youngest son a chance to prove his worth.
“Just where have you been?” The Kazekage hissed without preamble. He had obviously been worried, but not out of personal concern for his youngest son. It was more because it would be… inconvenient to have a weapon fall into the hands of shinobi from another village, even if it was directly useless to him.
Gaara spoke, apparently completely disregarding the killing intent permeating the room, making his two elder relatives shift uneasily. “Father,” (He had chosen such a form of address for deliberate effect), “I was communing with the desert.” It was best to sound honest, but cryptic.
Gaara could tell by the man’s narrowing, glaring gaze that he wanted him to explain just what the hell he meant by that, but refrained from questioning him, with effort.
In the case of demon vessels, it was often best just not to ask.
“You shall not leave the walls of the village unescorted again.” The Kazekage ordered without preamble. Gaara refrained from asking just how the man would stop him should he choose to go against that order. “You shall stay and be watched by trustworthy shinobi. It would not do to have you stolen by some enterprising Cloud nin.”
This would likely be a good time to bring up his thought. “Father, I would be quite content to remain inside the village if I could stay with my siblings. They and their guards could watch me without splitting Suna’s forces.”
“Absolutely not,” The Kazekage refused immediately, seemingly out of reflex. “You shall remain in your apartment with Yashamaru until further notice.”
Gaara’s eyes narrowed minutely in a calculated show of annoyance. “And if that apartment were to be destroyed by the sandstorm?” The wind howled outside, grinding sand against the stone wall of the tower with a noticeable scraping noise.
Gaara had felt the sandy wind pick up outside throughout the duration of their conversation. By bringing it to the man’s attention now, it both served as punctuation to his statement. It also gave the implication that he could cause sandstorms. This idea had already been planted in the Kazekage’s mind with his earlier comment about “communing” with the desert: wasn’t it convenient that went Gaara “communed” out there, a sandstorm, the strength of which was rarely seen, was formed?
It was, of course, a complete coincidence that the wind was picking up just then. He could create sand-dunes and even whole deserts where there had been nothing but forest before, but that had taken an immense amount of both will and chakra. Gaara was powerful, but even he couldn’t alter weather patterns.
The current Kazekage, however, wasn’t aware of that fact. He likely had very little idea of the extent of the vessel of Shukaku’s powers at all.
Gaara wasn’t above using that ignorance for his own benefit. With a few monotonous sentences, he had implied that he could create sandstorms fierce enough to destroy whole villages at will. The threat was there, hanging in the silence between them.
In the end, Gaara was allowed to move in with Temari and Kankuro that very day. Even his father could understand that perhaps sacrificing two lives, even if they were his own children, to satisfy a demon were nothing in comparison to the possibility of having the entire village (and himself along with the aforementioned children) obliterated by the raging desert.
“Now, then, Naruto.” The old Hokage began sternly from behind his desk in his office in the Hokage tower, where Naruto had been brought upon his return to Konoha. The man was badly hiding his relief that Naruto had been found, safe. “Just what were you doing out in the forest for five days?”
To the uninitiated observer, the Sandaime appeared for all the world that he was simply a friendly old schoolmaster who had brought a young truant student before his desk for a little discussion about his behaviour in class.
However, Naruto wasn’t a student, he was a demon-child, and Sarutobi was the strongest ninja in the village, who was theoretically able to snap Naruto like a twig.
Naruto shuffled his feet, eying the floor as would be expected of the child he was supposed to be. “I was practicing.” He ‘admitted.’
“Practicing…?” The third Hokage trailed off, inviting the boy to finish the sentence.
He met the old man’s eyes. “I want to become a ninja.” The six-year-old Naruto said firmly: uncharacteristically serious. He already was one, mentally, but his body left something to be desired at the moment.
“You were practicing… ninja arts?” The Hokage questioned for clarification.
“Yes. I – um – stole that giant scroll of yours. Sorry.” He feigned contrition, looking back down at his feet. This could actually work!
The Hokage stiffened. He then turned to one of the ninja flanking his desk and made a hand gesture. That ANBU disappeared in a puff of smoke, presumably to run off and check to see if the scroll was indeed missing.
It actually was gone, but no-one had realized that yet. Naruto had made a shadow clone on the sly when he had entered Konoha, unobserved by the ANBU accompanying him. The clone hadn’t been noticed not only because Naruto had refined his stealth in his later years, but also because his new guards simply hadn’t been expecting a six-year-old to be doing such a high-level technique. Therefore, they hadn’t been watching for any sort of “funny business,” as they would have if their “captive” had been, well, anyone other than who he appeared to be. Naruto would have to break them of the habit of underestimating the people around them, somehow. No-one should be above suspicion, especially not to an ANBU, and especially not to Kakashi. Overconfidence can only lead to incompetence. Naruto had learned that lesson the hard way.
Naruto had sent the bunshin off to go steal that scroll almost as soon as he had entered the village gates. When he had been wearing the oversized Hokage hat, he had beefed up security around the forbidden documents. They really were ridiculously easy to steal. His bunshin was currently hiding out with it in the woods near the training grounds.
“Naruto…” The Sandaime began, reproachfully, as if speaking to a young child (like Naruto appeared to be). “Stealing is wrong.”
The boy nodded earnestly. “I know. But I just had to learn some awesome jutsus.”
“Naruto, can you even read?”
Shoot. Could he read at this age? Um – “Yes, of course, old man!” He burst out confidently, grinning. “I’m the number one surprising ninja, and I’ll be Hokage one day! I’ve definitely learned how to read!” He gave the man a thumbs-up.
This act actually seemed to work. The Hokage looked taken aback, but he looked like he believed Naruto – at least about being able to read. Good.
Momentarily, the nameless ANBU with the crow mask re-appeared in the office in a burst of smoke from his teleportation jutsu. “Hokage-sama, it is as the boy said: the scroll is missing.”
With that simple statement, Naruto had the Hokage’s full and undivided attention. The boy could tell that the Sandaime hadn’t really thought that he had been telling the truth before when he had said that he had stolen that scroll. Now he would, at least.
“Naruto…” Sarutobi began slowly, “Where is the scroll?”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, old man!” Naruto said hurriedly. “It’s safe, don’t worry!”
“And how do you know that, Naruto? You’re here, not with the scroll.”
“Er, yeah, about that…” Naruto trailed off, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. “I sorta am. I have a kago- kake- um- kage bunshin,” he finally managed the term, deliberately mangling his pronunciation of his ‘new’ word, “with the scroll.”
“Kage bunshin.” The Hokage repeated, stunned.
“Yep.”
“Kage bunshin, you said.” The old man repeated, drawing out the name clearly, just to be sure.
“Uh-huh. The solid kind of clone, you know? Made from shadows or something?”
“Yes, Naruto, I know what a shadow clone is. But-“ Sarutobi trailed off with a helpless look. “Naruto, do you even know what chakra is?”
“Yep. Er – sorta. It’s like magic, isn’t it?” The boy affirmed, innocently.
“Not really, Naruto.”
“But I can make doubles of myself with it! Isn’t that magic? See, look!” With a look of concentration on his young face, he sloppily formed the familiar seals and called out: “Kage bunshin no jutsu!”
To the Sandaime’s eternal amazement, he found a six-year-old perform a forbidden technique right before his eyes. Successfully, at that.
Two fully-formed, perfect doubles of Naruto appeared in a burst of white smoke. The Hokage tried not to stare.
“See, I told you I could do it, old man!” The three Narutos said at once, giving identical grins.
The Hokage processed what his eyes were seeing. Then, with all seriousness, he raised his wrinkled hands and formed a seal. “Kai.”
Absolutely nothing happened. No illusion was cancelled. The three Narutos were still standing in front of him.
Apparently, Naruto thought to himself, he was pushing the limits of believability.
“Naruto… how…?”
“Heh heh.” The three of him all simultaneously rubbed the backs of their heads. “That’s why I was in the forest for so long, you know? ‘Cause I couldn’t just come back with nothing, right?”
It took the Hokage a moment to formulate an answer. “…So it would seem.”
Naruto got off lightly, in the end. He was given a stern talking-to by the Hokage, and told firmly that he was to on no accounts go gallivanting off into the woods alone for days on end again. He would be watched by ANBU more so than he was already (not that he was supposed to know that in the first place), and he had to report to the Hokage once a day until the Sandaime was satisfied that he had learned his lesson. Naruto figured that if he was particularly annoying, he could get around that part of the punishment within a few weeks.
The stolen scroll was to be returned immediately, but Naruto wasn’t all that bothered when he had to give it up. It had served his purpose – now the Hokage would focus on that and not the possibility of Naruto having liaisons with a shinobi from a hidden village that was technically hostile to his own.
And the ANBU were aware of the fact that he could produce shadow clones. That gave him free reign to use it in training, thus, eluding suspicion. If he slipped up and used a technique that was too advanced, he could always claim that one of his bunshins had read about it. He would still have to be careful, of course, in his use of them, but… He was just happy he could produce clones of himself. It was something familiar.
This particular jutsu had remained his trademark throughout the long decades of his reign as Hokage. He had literally been able to summon armies of himself at his disposal, which had been very helpful when his village became strapped for ninja to do missions. One quick henge and poof: he had more “ninja” to send on simple D and C class missions. Any missions ranked higher than that, and he risked them dissipating at inopportune times, to the detriment of their employers, so he normally refrained from sending clones on higher class missions.
Soon, they would be useful in another fashion; instead of paperwork, he could set them to doing his homework. That would free more time to accomplish his self-imposed mission: become Hokage as quickly as possible.
For now, though, there was no rush. The Sandaime was healthy, and a good leader. Naruto didn’t want him dead. Besides, if Sarutobi were to die right now, the last person the council would consider to succeed him would be a six-year-old demon child, even if he was the Yondaime’s legacy – or perhaps because he was the Yondaime’s legacy, considering what that entailed.
Naruto therefore had several years to simply work on winning over the hearts of villagers who despised him.
Up Next: Chapter Four: Getting Into the Rhythm of the Game
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lol. Naruto's a bloody genius. ^^
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It actually really annoys me how much everyone underestimates him in the series (but I'm WAY behind...I'm at the part where they're trying to get Sasuke out of the coffin-barrel thing before he gets to Orochimaru...^^;)
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Ah, I see; you're a bit behind. My fic actually has surprisingly few spoilers, except for the fact that Gaara became Kazekage at a young age and that he was once captured by the Akatsuki. Keep up with the series! It only grows more kickass from there! :D
Oh, and thanks once again for commenting. :3 I like it when people realize that I and my stories exist. :)