27 Chapter 27

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Unedited version, will update once it's edited.

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"It's been a while, huh?" Tsunade said, her head hanging as she approached me.

A month after Tobirama's funeral, I had decided to take back active duty to cool my head off, avoiding the village as much as possible, and when I was in the village, I tried to be alone with my thoughts, the murmurs of people accusing me of his death haunted me, it was painful to know the thought the same thing I thought, it was a constant reminder I was weak, and someone died because of it. Today I was in a small park in the Senju clan compound, perhaps not the best place to be alone, then again, perhaps I didn't want to be alone.

"Sorry," Tsunade muttered looking to the ground, her tone soft carrying a heavy tint of sadness that was unnatural to her.

"Sorry? For what?" I asked in response.

Tsunade looked back at me over her shoulder, tears threatening to drop. "You know, for not saying anything at the funeral."

"I am the one that should apologize," I said. In my own little world, I had probably let her believe I was mad at her for not standing up for me, she wasn't to blame for what they said, or for my weakness back then.

"For ignoring me for over a month? Yes, you freaking should!" Tsunade declared, and once again I was lost, "But… I am also sorry, I let everyone talk so bad about you, and… I didn't do anything, you are my friend, and I let them hurt you," at this point, she was crying.

"I'm sorry for avoiding you this last month," I hugged her, "I just couldn't look at you, or Mito… after… all of that."

"The Senju clan knows you would've saved him if you had the chance," Tsunade said.

"I fully expected you to punch me," I chuckled.

"That still on a maybe," Tsunade grinned.

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After my talk with Tsunade, the hateful murmurs continued, growing and evolving to new accusations, now… not only they blamed me for the death of Tobirama sensei, but for not resurrecting all of those who died. At first, I tried to reason with them, telling them that even if I wanted to bring all of those who died, it was out of my capabilities to do so, my powers had limits that I had to abide by. But no matter what argument I used, they didn't believe, or rather they didn't want to believe me.

And in a way, I understood. They were grieving and for them I had within my hands the power to stop their pain, to heal their emotional wounds, by bringing back their friends, their comrades, their sons, their daughters, and in their eyes, I was refusing to be of help.

Surprisingly, even with all of this turmoil boiling behind my ears, my reputation with Konoha was still the same, showing that a big majority of the population still loved me or at least accepted me.

So for a while, I ignored the rumors, focusing my work, and leveling up my professions, but then, a few months after my eighth birthday, the murmurs changed a bit, revealing information, no civilian or common ninja should have, like my ability to resurrect myself, something only Hiruzen and the council knows.

While it was true I was called the Undead Calamity of the Hidden Leaf, most simply assumed it was because I was immortal or because I had incredibly healing techniques that made it near impossible to kill me, and on both accounts, most people would be right. But, in reality, no one knew how I did what I did, no one except Hiruzen, and the council by association.

Meaning, that at least one of the council members was behind the murmurs, the question now was, which one… or ones?

Danzo was pragmatic, cold, and calculative… he didn't like, but he didn't hate me, he considered me a valuable resource of the leaf, a tool. He had no reasons to start any murmurs, which only leaves Homura and Koharu.

With that in mind, I flickered to the Hokage's office, "Hiruzen,"

"You are here to talk about that… right?" Hiruzen sighed, his eyes telling me everything. He knew who had started this, probably coming to the same conclusion as me.

"Where are they?" I asked, just now noticing Danzo was hiding within the shadows, I wonder why.

"Killing them would be treason Raiden," Hiruzen reminded me.

"As if I would waste my time with them," Killing them would accomplish nothing, but maybe cementing the idea they were selling of me.

"I just assumed…" At this I interrupted him.

"You assumed wrong," I stated.

"I told you Sarutobi," Danzo said, getting out of his hiding spot. "Raiden it's not a shinobi to let his emotions control him."

"I suppose you were right this time Danzo," Hiruzen sighed, "I just… well, I misjudged, I hope you can forgive me Raiden."

"Forgive… oh fucking christ," I sighed rubbing my temples, "There is nothing forgive, now… tell me where they are so that I can confront them," It was true I didn't want to kill them, but I never said anything about kicking their asses.

"There is no need," Danzo said, "I have… talked with them, and they won't bother you anymore, believe me… they won't" well that was ominous.

"Danzo had a long talk with them," Hiruzen sighed.

"I also took the liberty to order the Anbu to do some damage control about those pesky rumors," Danzo stated.

Well, that was… unexpected, "I see…" I sighed, "I still want to personally kick their asses though, that's not illegal is it?"

"Well, it is… but," Hiruzen chuckled, "I can't always burn a report or two if you do so,"

"As always what you have in power, you lack in brain Sarutobi," Danzo sighed, while Hiruzen pouted, "Just challenge them to a spar in the next council meeting, their pride and position will force them to accept and whatever happens after that… its merely a result of a friendly spar, no real harm done… right?" I… kinda like how Danzo thinks.

"Right," I smiled.