"I'll be leaving right now. Please inform Hokage-sama about the prophecy and ask for reinforcement. I need to hurry up; Naruto might be in danger."
"No problem, Iruka-san. Please be careful."
Iruka nodded and headed towards the forest.
"First phase complete." Okami looked towards the Hokage Tower and smiled. "Second phase start."
=======================================
Hiruzen stared at the crystal ball as he hovered his right palm over it. He had tried several times but he could still not locate Naruto's whereabouts. "Where are you, Naruto?"
The danger that could happen alarmed Hiruzen. Thinking of the event twelve years ago, he knew that a lot would be sacrificed if somehow the seal that the previous Hokage created in containing the Kyuubi inside Naruto's body was broken. It would be a disservice towards Minato if Naruto would be killed just because of this blunder.
As he was looking through his crystal ball, a masked ninja went inside his office, and said, "Hokage-sama, someone wants to see you."
"Who is it"
"Okami Okaya."
"Let him in, Hanshi."
"As you wish, Hokage-sama."
Hanshi went outside and informed Okami that he could enter the office.
Okami entered the room and saw Hiruzen with his famous crystal ball. He wondered how many girls he peeped on using this technique. "Hokage-sama. I've got something to report to you. It's about Iruka-san."
"What about him, Okami-kun?"
"Iruka-san went to the forest to look for Naruto. And he said that I should tell you about a certain prophecy I've seen back when I was in the hospital."
Hiruzen raised his brows. "What prophecy?"
Okami relayed to Hiruzen the things he had told Iruka. After he was done, he saw that Hiruzen was in deep thoughts. "Hokage-sama, we need to help Naruto. He's not at fault. He is being deceived by the ninja that will attack Iruka-san."
"White shoulder-length hair with a slight hint of blue to it and green eyes? The only person I can think of that match this description is Mizuki." Hiruzen tapped his fingers against the table as he analyzed the situation. "If what you are saying is the truth, then Mizuki is planning to steal the scroll using Naruto. This is clearly a betrayal."
"Then what are we going to do, Hokage-sama? Iruka-san would be in great danger as well. I could still clearly see how hurt he was while protecting Naruto inside my vision."
Hiruzen did not believe Okami right away and looked through the crystal ball, and after several minutes, he finally found what he was searching for. "Indeed, you are correct, Okami-kun. Iruka looks hurt badly and Mizuki was the one who attacked him. Hmm...wait...Crap! Mizuki! Why the hell is he telling Naruto?!"
Okami knew that as of this moment, Mizuki was informing Naruto about his true identity - being the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox's container. He slowly approached Hiruzen, and asked, "Hokage-sama, is everything alright?"
Hiruzen forgot that Okami was inside his office because of his anger towards Mizuki. He controlled his feelings and smiled. "There's a little bit of a problem but we can still handle it, Okami-kun."
"Please don't treat me like a clueless child, Hokage-sama. I am quite aware of the situation. Back at the hospital, I've seen what happened twelve years ago by looking at Iruka's past. His parents died that night. And the monster that killed his parents, it is sealed inside Naruto." Okami dared to reveal this because he had already told Iruka about this certain revelation. He knew that he would not be punished by High God.
Hiruzen stood up as soon as he heard Okami's reply. "You discovered all these details through the Prophetic Jutsu? This is a Class S secret."
"Yes. The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox inside Naruto. Don't worry, Hokage-sama. I will never tell my friend unless you allow it. Even though he does not deserve such kind of treatment."
Hiruzen felt fuzzy when he heard the extent of Okami's powers. Such Jutsu could be dangerous when taken by the wrong hand. If Orochimaru or Danzo would find out about his ability, then the kid would surely be kidnapped. Tora and Ushi might not be enough to protect the boy.
Okami heard several people shouting outside Hokage's office. He turned around and saw Hanshi rushing inside.
"There's a commotion outside due to unrest, Hokage-sama." Hanshi approached Hiruzen and gave him a piece of paper. "Report from the Intelligence Division."
Hiruzen unfurled the document. "At a time like this..."
He sighed and pulled out an empty parchment from his drawer and wrote his orders. After he was done, he put a stamp on it and sealed the document. "Here, take this scroll to the Intelligence Division. And inform several Anbu to come here."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen approached Okami and patted his head. He then walked towards the door and went outside.
Okami wondered why Hiruzen acted that way. He disregarded it since it was useless for him to speculate on things that were impossible to guess and followed him outside.
"We should have killed him!"
"Now we have to find him before he releases the demon's power!"
"Yes! He is very dangerous!"
"If you find him, kill him!"
"A monster, that's what he is! Let's kill him!"
Hiruzen felt all the more guilty when he heard these people. The sacrifice of Kushina and Minato were something that Konoha could not repay. Even then, how these people treated Naruto was a disgrace towards their heroic acts. Hiruzen knew that the couple did not deserve this but he had no control over other people's feelings.
"What's the problem here?" Hiruzen asked.
"Hokage-sama. We still can't find Naruto," one of the ninjas informed him as he held his kunai. "It's getting dangerous. We must exterminate him before the seal is broken, Hokage-sama."
"I agree, Hokage-sama. If we don't want that event twelve years ago to happen again, then we must kill him. How dare he steal the scroll. He must have evil intentions."
Okami could not help but snort loudly when he heard them. "Naruto? A monster? What in the world did he do against you that made you want to murder the poor kid?"
"Who are you?" A female ninja asked.
"Okami Okaya, Naruto's friend."
"What?! You're friend with him?"
Okami folded his arms on his chest. "Yes, and I'm proud to be one. I've heard everything that you've said earlier and I start wondering what crime did Naruto committed against Konoha."
Everyone was silent because they could not tell Okami about the Class S secret regarding Naruto's status as a Jinchuuriki. Without this single reason, they could not justify their hatred towards Naruto.
"Don't worry, I already know the Class S secret regarding Naruto. I know exactly why you are treating him like a monster. But I don't agree with you. He is not a monster. He never even acts like one. And he never will become one."
An Akimichi ninja moved forward and pointed at him. "What does a child like you know? Did you ever feel what we have felt that time? Don't you know how dangerous if the Kyuubi would be released?"
Okami's countenance was cold as he expressed his disdain towards them. "Yes, the Kyuubi is dangerous. But you know what? Naruto and Kyuubi are not the same because if they are, then all of you would not have lived today because of the way you treated him. He could have murdered you a long time ago if he was evil. You're hypocrites. Murderers. Selfish to the core. You're more of a monster than Naruto because you want to kill someone who is not even aware of his crime. A child like me at least knows that you have to punish someone for something he willfully did. Come on, tell me? Did he wish for all these things to happen to him? Don't you think that you should be thankful because someone took the burden of carrying the monster's body just to prevent further destruction against Konoha? Why? Were you able to stop the Kyuubi without sealing him? Don't you know what could have happened if the Kyuubi was not sealed? You could have been corpses lying six feet down under. Hah! You could have become fox shit."
"Then what would you expect us to do? He stole the scroll of the forbidden seal. What other reason does he has to steal the scroll unless he wants to break the seal?"
"Have you not heard the word 'Innocent until proven guilty'? And what if someone just used Naruto to steal the scroll for himself?"
"Impossible."
"Hah! Better ask Hokage-sama about the truth, then, It's useless to talk with close-minded people like you."
Okami turned around and approached Hiruzen. "Hokage-sama, I need to find Iruka-san but I need your help."
Hiruzen never expected that Okami would burst out like that. Indeed, they had mistreated Naruto but they were not aware that he was Minato's son. Even then, their acts were still inexcusable because Naruto was clearly innocent. Sometimes he wondered if Okami was truly a ten-year-old kid or not.
"How can I help you, Okami-kun?"
"I need to see Iruka's whereabouts using your crystal ball."
Hiruzen did not bother asking Okami why he knew about his crystal ball's functions. He glared at the ninjas before leading Okami back inside his office.
"Here, do you see Iruka, now?" Hiruzen asked as he hovered his hand above the crystal ball.
Okami nodded and raised his hand. "Summon: Abra."
As soon as Abra appeared, Okami absorbed him and concentrated his mind as he looked at the crystal ball. "Teleport."
Suddenly, Okami vanished like a popped bubble.
This was the first time Hiruzen saw Okami using Abra's Teleport skill. He was all the more excited to have these Pokemon as part of Konoha and protect the villagers. "Tora and Ushi, go and look for Okami inside the forest. Bring the wireless piece and make sure to update me from time to time."
Both of the ninjas nodded and disappeared in a flash. Since the time they received Hiruzen's instruction, they have been faithful in guarding Okami. They were like shadows who stayed hidden from Okami's sight.
Hiruzen looked grim as he thought of Naruto's situation. "Now he knows that he is a Jinchuuriki, I hope that this would not trigger his emotions and become vengeful against Konoha. I also hope that Naruto will not break the seal using the scroll. The chance might be one in a million, even then, if it actually happens, then drastic solutions might be done. Too bad, our Uzumaki allies ceased to exist."
Hiruzen looked through the crystal ball and saw Okami who was now together with Iruka and Mizuki. "Please be careful. Protect yourself until the reinforcement arrives there."
The regular chapter for today. I will be very busy this Sunday, so the mass release will be moved today XD. 5 more chapters to go.