18 Men and Flies, they all die

Tsunade was not amused. The recent attack on Itsuki was completely Danzo's fault and everybody knows it. But when the case was brought in front of the council, the majority still decided to support Danzo's. But what really pissed her off was that Hokage was also supporting Danzo despite everything he has done. Oh how much she hated politics.

Tsunade was seated, undisguised in a secret research room of Iryo-nin corps with only other occupant being Itsuki. It has been three days since the whole Danzo Fiasco and despite Medic corps best efforts to keep Itsuki out of the matter, he was still dragged into the storm.

'Who would have guessed they would target Itsuki. But then again, in the hindsight, them targeting Itsuki was only natural.' Medic corps is now the only branch independent of Hokage which means a lot of political clout but due to the leader not being present in the village, its influence is minimal. Now if someone capable of succeeding Tsunade appeared, it's only natural he would be targetted.

She came to the village due to the letter Itsuki sent through Jiraya, a request to help complete a jutsu he was developing along with an incomplete version of the said jutsu. But the letter Jiraya delivered was addressed to Asa Shizuki, not Tsunade Senju. Only Mogusa and a few others know of her identity as Asa Shizuki. As Asa, she had a good relation with Itsuki and helped him develop his signature Mystic Yang Palms. She never knew he knew her identity all along and she still could not figure out how.

In front of her, Itsuki was reading research notes on Hashirama's cells. This very lab was used for research on the cells with the permission of Tsunade. After the attack, Itsuki asked permission to read the research to complete his jutsu. Tsunade knew Itsuki invented Mystic Yang palm by studying her grandfather's cells, as well as the theory of incomplete technique he sent through Jiraya, was heavily grounded in his study of said cells.

Tsunade noted Itsuki complete his reading and open a thin red book covered with more protective seals than she had known in her life. Rising from her seat, Tsunade walked towards him. "So, finally done?", She asked.

"Yes, just about done. We should be ready to go." Itsuki replied, handing the opened book for Tsunade. She gave the book a cautionary look before holding it.

Inspecting the book, through all the seals Tsunade was able to barely make out the title.

"Apotheosis" Tsunade read. Looking towards Itsuki, she asked, "Meaning elevation of someone to a divine status. Why this title?"

Itsuki questioned back, "What do you think this Jutsu does?"

"Some form of chakra evolution?" Tsunade answered, half sure. Itsuki nodded but did elaborate. Tsunade was half right, jutsu does trigger chakra evolution but it was just the start.

Reading over the jutsu, Tsunade still could barely understand the workings of the jutsu. She may be the greatest Medic of modern time, but the understanding of the chakra required to create this was light years ahead of its time.

There was one particular detail that stood out to her. At the start, Itsuki divided the book into multiple chapters although there was only one chapter.

'Chapter One - Unbound' Tsunade read, wondering if there were more chapters beside this one. 'And why name it unbound?'

Sighing, Tsunade closed the Apotheosis and extended her hand to return it back to Itsuki but he pushed it back to Tsunade.

"I don't know what the council will decide for me, but I hope you can keep it if I am not able to continue this work," Itsuki answered. The council was trying to get its hands on him by any means. They have no ground for accusing him of any crime, so all old coots were willing to throw any charge they could find at his head. Anything from embezzlement to spying, but every accusation was shot down by Mogusa. This continued for the entire first day after the incident.

But the next day, Danzo brought up the accusation of the murder of one of his Guards. Despite being true, this was a ridiculous accusation. But there was evidence about vanishing on a guard during the entire incident. But there was no body found and even the claim, an academy student taking on an Anbu, killing him, and vanishing his body in a short time interval before the rest of the Guards and Iryo-nins arrived was plain ridiculous.

For the past two days, the council and Mugusa were arguing back and forth about this. Council has no evidence against Itsuki that could prove Itsuki killed one guard, but neither did Mogusa has any evidence to prove his innocence.

If the council won, Itsuki's possessions could be confiscated. And he did not want the village to get their hands on this.

But Tsunade declined, throwing the book at him. "Jeez, have some faith. Even if the council won the case, they will not go to such lengths. And don't you want to save that girl, and you yourself this technique is the only way. But I alone will not be able to perform it. So don't give up hope."

Itsuki nodded, considering her words. He sealed back Apotheosis into his mother's scroll, before miniaturizing it to the size of a matchbox and putting it inside one of the hidden pockets on his sleeve. A moment late, someone knocked on the door.

Tsunade immediately changed into her Asa Shizuki disguise. In that brief movement, Itsuki watched as her fair skin turn slack and turn unhealthy pale, blond hair turn white. Her disguise is not henge, Itsuki noted, but some advanced body control technique.

Mogusa entered through the door after Tsunade disengaged the protective seals on the door. Entering he gave a short bow to Tsunade and addressed her.

"Council has agreed to let the case go and Danzo pay reparations for his actions but... they also have a few demands regarding Itsuki," Mogusa explained but took on an uneasy expression at the end.

"Let me guess, they want Itsuki to give up his rank of senior medic and ban him from joining Medic Corps," Tsunade said nonchalantly. Mogusa seemed shocked but nodded.

"Yes, they want to ban Itsuki from applying to the medic or R&D department for an indefinite period of time. They said the time period would be only a few couples of years but their words have accountability. They can extend the ban period indefinitely." He pulled out an official document and placed it in front of Tsunade. "But this is the best conclusion I could achieve with the whole council against us."

Tsunade kept quiet but her thoughts were not on how long they could extend the ban but on what they could do during it. Because of these terms, Itsuki would have to join regular Ninja forces, and with that, he will be at the mercy of Hokage and the council. They can give him a misranked mission, sending Anbu to assassinate him while on a mission, making him a scapegoat to another village. There were so many ways they can make him disappear.

Itsuki too was having similar thoughts. But he also knew when he became a genin, his protection period would be over regardless. Kurama clan's stance is still unclear and when he became a genin, his past will be investigated thoroughly and even if the Kurama clan still kept his relations secret, Danzo will want to kill me anyway. And then there is the mysterious person who was the reason behind his mother's death.

Tsunade sent Mogusa away and turned to face Itsuki. In the past three days, Tsunade was able to get a little read on him. So she asked a question that had been bouncing around in her mind for the last two days.

"You really did kill that Anbu, didn't you," She asked. Itsuki did not reply, but him stilling just for fraction of a second. Tsunade knew it was all the agreement she was gonna get. She handed him the document containing the council's conditions.

"I accept the agreement. And don't worry, I know how to protect myself." Itsuki answered, after reading over the document.

She picked the document and left the lab to meet up with Mogusa. Leaving the Itsuki behind on his own. She knew he was in pain, but she is the most unqualified person to help others deal with it, where she could not come to terms with her own grief for decades.

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In Mogusa's office, Tsunade placed the Document folder in front of Mogusa and sat on the visitor's chair. Mogusa went over it and noted Itsuki's approval and signature on it.

He questioned Tsunade, "We both know his life will be in danger when he becomes a ninja. Why are we giving up this easily?"

Tsunade for a moment remained silent before speaking, "You know, once when Nawaki was little, only seven-eight year old I think, I took him to play in clan's training ground. After a while he got tired so we both sat to rest under the shade of one of our grandfather's trees." Her eyes blurred a little at the memory.

Mogusa kept quiet. Tsunade continued, "I had brought a full meal for both of us. It didn't take long before we finished up and moved on to dessert. He had quite the sweet tooth, you know. But then, attracted by the sweet fragrance, a lot of flies came over. This annoyed Nawaki and he tried to swat them away. But he tried and tried but was not able to lay a hand on a single one. I laughing hard on the side, watching him struggle. Suddenly, by quite an accident, he killed one. The dead fly disgusted him but then he again tried to kill more. And to my shock, after that, he killed them one after another, never missing." She finished and questioned him, "So tell me Mogusa, why was it difficult for Nawaki to kill in the beginning?"

"Before he was holding back at first," Mogusa replied, unsure.

"You are partially right, he was holding back, just not consciously." Tsunade corrected. Mogusa was still unsure where she was going with this.

"To humans, other men are like flies, just it takes a whole lot more dead bodies to stop consciously holding back. But Itsuki did not, he burned the Anbu without a flick of hesitation. He would not have survived otherwise." Mogusa widened his eyes a little bit at the confirmation of Itsuki's kill. Tsunade continued, "He has remorse but no hesitation towards killing, just cold logic. It is a very rare physiological profile I saw only three times before. Only three among thousands upon thousands of people I evaluated over decades, both allies and enemies. You want to know who those other three were?"

Mogusa nodded, a little overwhelmed. Tsunade continued, "My uncle Tobirama the second Hokage, Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, and Kinslayer Itachi Uchiha were the only ones other than Itsuki whom I had come across in my entire life. And every one of them was hailed a genius in their own right."

"If they think Itsuki is a soft persimmon they can chew however they want, they have another thing coming."

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Next Day, Konoha Council Room

"Genin cadet Itsuki, no surname, I view of current incident your rank as a Senior medic is withdrawn. Also, you are banned from applying for Medic corps and Research and Development Departments." Elder Mitokado Homura spoke the decree.

In front of a semicircular table filled with village elders and clan heads, with Hokage at the helm, Itsuki stood straight, his face betraying no emotion.

"Do you accept Genin cadet Itsuki?" Mitokade questioned.

Giving a shallow bow, Itsuki said in a voice devoid of any emotion, "I accept, honorable Elder."

At Nara-clan seat, Shikaku Nara watched Itsuki intently, his lazy demeanor missing. Or more specifically his brilliant grey eyes, oh so similar to someone he used to know.