Chapter 41: A talk with gramps.

Everyone sat awkwardly at the table and ate.

Hanabi gave Oden a threatening glaze every now and then.

Neji just stared at the wall as he ate.

Hinata gave Oden a look before looking down.

Hiashi sighed multiple times.

Oden ate as if nothing was bothering him.

Akai ate the most and complained about today's youth.

"Oden, why didn't you choose to be the fifth Hokage? You would fit the title." Hiashi tried breaking the silence.

The Hokage has to work hard and hear the annoying nagging of everyone in the village... I'm too young to waste my time like that, so I handed the Hat to Tsunade." Oden said

"You did what?! Brat when was the last day you were the Hokage?!!" Akai shouted, sounding slightly worried about something.

"This morning... why, what did you do?" Oden asked slightly angry.

"This morning... then it should be fine... sigh, no wonder there were almost no people at the Saratobi cla...." Akai had to stop himself from finishing his words as he saw the stare Oden was giving him.

'This brat will be the end of my, why did Butsuma and Oden become so stuck up, I was way better when I was their age.' Akai thought in bitterness, remembering his past self.

After they had eaten, Oden and Akai left for home, while Hinata chose to stay the night as she wanted to spend time with her sister. Their relationship had started to become better since she married Oden.

"Follow me, I want to stop by someplace." Akai said in his elderly voice.

Oden nodded and followed until they reached the burial ground for Konoha shinobi. Each clan had its area. Oden followed his grandfather, already guessing where they are heading.

Soon they stopped in front of the grave of "Kasumi Zaraki"

"She's your grandmother, she was a good woman." Akai said as he looked at the gravestone of his dead wife. Soon he turned and took a few steps to arrive in front of another set of gravestones.

Oden simply followed.

"Your father wasn't the greatest genius of our children... but since he was the eldest, he received the potential for the eternal Mugengan, making him the successor. He didn't want that, yet fate had already decided for him." Akai said with a nostalgic smile as he remembered how stubborn his son used to be in his younger days.

Oden simply listened as he read the other stones.

'Butsuma Zaraki, Misato Zaraki, Hisashi Zaraki, Muto Zaraki, Matsui Zaraki, Yohei Zaraki' Oden read the names of his uncles and aunts, suddenly when he saw the back of his grandfather, he saw a very lonely back.

"Grandfather, you still have me, and soon I'll give you many great-grandkids..." Oden said, hoping that his grandfather wouldn't feel too lonely.

"Sometimes I can't wait to meet my family again." Akai said in a bitter tone.

"You might only have me.... but don't forget that I only have you as well, so don't think along those lines, try to live as long as you can for my sake." Oden said as turned around, not wanting to get too emotional.

"You're right." Akai said before walking away in another direction.

'Hopefully, that'll buy me more empathy points... I felt like his patience was running low.' Akai thought in relief, his plan had worked.

Although the old man had ulterior motives, he was also genuine in what he had said.

As Akai had left, Oden turned around once again, standing in front of his father's grave.

"Sorry I haven't visited until now.... to be frank, I don't know how to face you, I just hope you and my mother can be proud of me." Oden said.

His father had fought to marry the person he loved, which was a low-class servant of the clan. Therefore his love has been an uphill battle which led to her becoming very stressed and depressed.

After they finally were allowed to marry, she had grown weaker, then she died after giving birth to Oden, so he never met his mother.

His father became colder after her death, holding some anger toward the clan, yet he never allowed that to hinder his role as the clan head. And he never showed hatred towards his newborn son as he was the last memory he had of his late wife.

All in all, Butsuma was a cold father, yet a good one.

Suddenly a Jonin from the Zaraki clan arrived at his location.

"Patriarch, bad news!" The Jonin spoke hurriedly.

"What's going on?" Oden asked, allowing the Joining to relax slightly.

"Two of our chunin have been captured by Kumogakure which has further strained the relationship between our villages, the Fifth has called for a meeting!" He said.

"I see, return to your post, I'll take over this matter." Oden said as he got ready for war.

Even if Kumo had only taken one civilian from his district, he would have treated the matter as if they held his own children hostage.

With a stern face, he flashed towards the Hokage tower.

Oden didn't even wait at the reception as he hurried past, and as he arrived outside the door to the Hokage office, he opened the door and walked in.

He knew Tsunade felt his chakra signature so he wasn't afraid that she would be caught by surprise.

As Oden walked in he found The Fifth Hokage sitting with a frown, her Hokage hat almost shadowing her eyes. Beside her were two advisors arguing, Hiruzen had also arrived, and beside him was Danzo.

They all turned toward Oden.

"Oden..." Hiruzen said in worry.

Silence took over the room.

"..."

"What happened?" Oden finally asked as they stared at him.

"A few Jonin from Kuma infiltrated the land of fire and kidnapped two of Konoha shinobi... more precisely, from the Zaraki clan..." Danzo said.

"So it wasn't my people who were in the wrong?" Oden asked Tsunade, making sure Danzo wasn't lying.

"No..." The fifth said.

"And what will your response be." Oden asked with a flat tone.

"I don't know... Yet." Tsunade said. She had been thinking of a way to resolve this.

"We should... find a middle ground." Hiruzen spoke.

"No, this is the second time, we should be offensive at these times." Danzo heavily retorted.

The advisors also argued and debated. Oden kept silent as he wanted to hear their thoughts.

"Oden-San... what do you think?" Hiruzen finally asked after seeing that Oden had just stood there stoically.

"Have you not realized what's going on?" Oden asked, instead of answering.

They all kept silent, as they knew the bitter truth.

"The first time they attacked one of our most noble clans, was when Hiruzen had regained his seat after the fourth had died. They wanted to know how weak we had gotten, and what the attitude of the new Hokage would be..." Oden spoke what they all had guessed.

"And now, Konoha was attacked and we lost many of our shinobi. Kumogakure wanted to test our attitude and strength once again after the inauguration of the fifth Hokage, If we show weakness here, they might start a war!" Oden laid everything out.

"I agree, so we should start the war first." Danzo spoke almost instantly after Oden.

"But if we act aggressively, they might also start a war." Hiruzen said, worried about how many lives would be lost if that happened.

"And what, Kumo can just do whatever they want inside of our house? Tsunade... I'm going to be frank with you, the Zaraki clan will not take this laying down, I'm not here to receive orders from you, I'm only here to see if you're with me or against me." Oden spoke.

Danzo smiled. Danzo had always thought that the correct path for shinobi was the path of darkness and blood. So he liked the way Oden thought.

"And what if we can end things peacefully, and Kumo lets the hostages go alive and unharmed?" The fifth asked, wanting to know how Oden would act.

"It's too late for that, since they took our people they need to pay for it." Oden said.

"I can't send an army, we're already undermanned after the attack of Orochimaru, what else do you suggest." Tsunade asked, trying to find a middle ground.

"You can send something better than an army." Oden spoke confidently.

"Better than an army, what?" one of the advisors asked.

"Me!" Oden said.

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

I really like the gramps and think that maybe I should write a spin off, the story of Akai Zaraki when he was young and cause trouble, and alwayd gave the first Hokage a headache 😂

But that story would have way more comdedy, similarnto my Marvelous Superman story.

Also, I want the first place in weekly popularity again, so lets goooo with the powerstones!!!!!