Chapter 41:Making allies stronger(1)

The next day, they return back to Konoha, completing their first S rank mission, though they are forbidden to discuss it with anyone.

Due to the nature and importance it has, the village doesn't even acknowledge its ranking. They state it is A rank in official record, but the payment stated remains unchanged.

Hiruzen was quite satisfied with the outcome, viewing Kakashi in much better light than usual, mentally listing him as a candidate to be Hokage if Tsunade and Jiraiya again refused him.

While Danzo, thanks to Hiruzen, who couldn't immobilize Root and grounded in the root hideout after the Uchiha incident was furious.

'I shouldn't have delayed the invasion by informing Sasuke's performance...'

He regretted telling Orochimaru the information, which caused the latter to postpone for the next Chūnin exam.

Danzo didn't really think Orochimaru would postpone his 'revenge' just for his soon to be vessel to be stronger.

But what's done is done, so no point crying for spoiled milk.

'I have to make sure she doesn't become a nuisance after his death.'

Elsewhere, the morale of Shinobi was high especially in the medical department, where Tsunade resumed her role as the Head of the department after she left after the end of 3rd Shinobi world war.

While people from Utatane clan and people who curry favor to their former head were demoralized after finding out about her death and were instantly demoted and removed if deemed useless by Tsunade.

Hiruzen turned a blind eye, not wanting to displease Tsunade for the time being, though he fell into an awkward situation when people from Mitokado clan, Shimura clan and Sarutobi clan got the same treatment.

'Ah well, it's not like our clans can't go somewhere else.'

After removing the four leaching clans from power in the department, Tsunade sat in the office while Shizune was summarizing the document.

"Last Tsunade, is something wrong with the report?" Shizune was confused why she had a frown.

"I am just exhausted to be honest by seeing the state of the hospital."

Shizune understood, seeing how the 4 clan mismanaged the department.

Tsunade on the other hand however, was in deep thought for a different matter.

'Is it normal for a child to be this calm?'

Out of embarrassment, she didn't reveal to Kakashi how due to being excessively drunk, she basically summarized how the Uchiha massacre happened to Sasuke.

She doesn't remember what happened after she told the truth, but she wasn't bothered by it.

What bothers her the most is Sasuke's supposed indifference to the news.

'Did he know it already or he doesn't have deep attachment unlike what the faulty report suggests?'

Even if Sasuke acts nothing happened, there wasn't a time Tsunade couldn't remember a detail while being drunk.

'Oh, I almost forgot to "choose" his unique student today.'

***

Returning to Konoha, he went back to the training field.

Like he expected he found Sakura and Naruto.

'Let's see whether my gamble works.'

Naruto was lying on the ground, staring at the sky while Sakura rushed to Sasuke's side.

"Sasuke, do you know what happened to Naruto?"

Considering the bombshell Naruto received, Naruto's expression is quite tame.

Hearing Sasuke's name, Naruto's ears perked.

"Sasuke, could you have a second? I want to ask about the Fūinjutsu."

Hearing that, Sasuke smiled and followed Naruto to a distance where Sakura couldn't hear them.

Sasuke was feeling like a proud father, relieved as it would be saddening to see Naruto too dumb understand who was behind it.

Naruto sighed, and pulled out the book, which was blank, having no name.

"You are the one that used Fūinjutsu to seal the content right?"

Naruto, who either through bloodline trait or through inheriting his parents talent in Fūinjutsu understood it right away.

Naruto scolded himself for not realizing it sooner, he was unsealing the Fūinjutsu on the book unconsciously to read the content.

It was the same way he learned concealing and unsealing jutsu by just reading instructions in one go, and didn't realize how hard Fūinjutsu was until he asked Sakura about it.

Sasuke nods, which causes Naruto to sigh deeper.

"So the second married couple, where the wife is a friend of.....my mother, is your mother right?"

Sasuke nods, not interested to play dumb.

"So basically what you have written is true, and that everything that happened to us....because of...those old bastards?"

Naruto had long grown bitter towards Hiruzen, seeing multiple flaws and contradictions when seeing Land of Fire and hearing the opinions of clients during missions.

But it was the first time he referred to Hiruzen disrespectfully, severing the remaining attachment he had.

Sasuke again nods, causing Naruto to feel uncomfortable:"Why do you look so calm when talking about it?"

"I have known long before and I loathed higher ups and my brother for their despicable acts but only after graduation I realized one thing."

"That being angry and pointing a sword at them won't help me, I am just making it easier for them to suppress me, justifying the reasoning why the Uchiha clan was annihilated."

"Simplest step to take revenge is first, to remove them from power, hence why we took time to come to the village."

Naruto's eyes widened, waiting for Sasuke to finish.

Sasuke continued:"Our mission was actually a S rank to find and request Lady Tsunade to return to the village to become the new head of the Medical department after the passing of the old head of the Medical department."

"However, looking at the opportunity, I couldn't help but give them this scroll. Why not look at it as well?"

Pulling three scrolls from his back, he handed it to Naruto.

"What's that?"

"Previous massacres the higher ups orchestrated."

Hearing the word 'Massacres' triggered Naruto to summon two clones to read three scrolls in one go.

'The seal must have weakened.' Sasuke thought, seeing Naruto cloaked with crimson red chakra with three tails behind his back.

'You were wrong to believe them father!' Naruto believed, after seeing and talking to his soul through his chakra sealed inside Naruto, which came forth when Kurama tried to tempt Naruto to let him free.

It took a while for Naruto rage to subside, causing Sakura who was viewing them from distance to sigh in relief when red chakra was fading away from Naruto, still scared after seeing Jinchuriki form 2 during their time at Land of Waves.

'Hope they are not fighting each other.'

After Naruto returned to normal, he was connecting dots.

He understood Sasuke must have given it to Tsunade and Kakashi, giving them reason to go against the higher ups.

From his years doing missions, Naruto learned quite a lot about them.

Being a son of the previous clan head of once active Hatake clan, Sakumo Hatake, one who crippled the Sunagakure in 2nd Shinobi world war to a point where still suffering from the aftermath, whose was greater than Sannin combined, Kakashi didn't lack prestige.

Being a genin at age 5, Chūnin at age 6 and Jōnin at age 12, and known as a war hero in Konoha, only second to his father, he was known as the strongest active Jōnin Konoha has.

On the other hand was Lady Tsunade, the grand daughter of 1st Hokage, grand niece of 2nd Hokage and current Clan head of the Senju, renowned for countering Sunagakure once thought incurable poison in 2nd shinobi world and foremother of Medical Ninjutsu as well as greatest medical-nin of the shinobi world.

In Naruto's mind, if two of the most valuable shinobi in Konoha go against higher ups, they have a higher chance of removing them from power, making it easier to take revenge, especially since it is well known how much 3rd Hokage valued his former students.

"So Naruto don't be rash, the days of the higher ups are numbered, just wait for them and when the time comes, support them." Sasuke assured Naruto, advising him to train with body flicker so that he grows stronger at a faster rate to support.

With new motivation and enthusiasm, Naruto went back to training, training much harsher than usual.

Sasuke on the other hand grinned from a distance before resuming his training.

'Good thing he had enough faith in me or it would be troublesome to fabricate evidence for a fake story.'