Naruto : Uchiha : Chapter 86

Hokage Tower

Council Chambers

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"What about the events that took place within the village?" the question asked quite simply did no justice to the amount of silent tension that had built up within these esteemed chambers of the Hokage Tower.

"I found it prudent not to enter so recklessly and stayed back. Might Duy too was convinced with my argument so we didn't enter.

Since we did not go, I cannot answer what exactly took place within the village. The only one who can answer that question is Naruto Uchiha." as curt and brief as he could, Sakumo answered and stood stiffly in front of the top officials of the village.

He was feeling the pressure of being in front of almost every official's scrutinizing eyes while they went over his mission report numerous times. It didn't help that they were pointing out each and every small detail to each other which went on in small whispers, that, much to Sakumo's dismay were inaudible to him.

"Did you try and stop him?" before Sakumo could answer, the Hyuga clan head interrupted him with a small condition of his own.

"Just a yes/no will suffice." he added sternly, and Sakumo wanted to say that it wouldn't be a fair argument without an explanation, but relented in the end.

He was but a mere genin, while they were the top officials within the village with surplus amounts of power right now. It would be a fool's choice to try and argue with any of them right now.

"Yes, I did." just like that, he felt as if he had hammered down the final nail over Naruto's coffin. The report he had made to them was rolled up right in front of his eyes and stacked with the others. All the whispers going on around the room ceased altogether and were replaced by little warm smiles that didn't fool him in the slightest.

"Then I guess we should congratulate this genin." Akio Inuzuka broke the small tense silence and prompted several nods from the rest of them.

"Indeed." it was the Yamanaka clan head who had taken up the mantle to congratulate the boy for his success. "Your conduct was proper, as is expected of a team leader. You analyzed the situation astutely, made calm decisions and never once lost your cool or rushed in to give away your position until it was absolutely necessary.

A fine job under pressure, if I do say so myself. A shinobi must know when to retreat and try and save as many as he could." relief washed over Sakumo's face while his tense shoulders loosened up a bit hearing that.

That was a close call.

Too close for comfort.

But he was glad that everyone had come out…

"However…" now that broke him out of his thoughts almost instantly. "…your teammate's actions, I do not think should go unnoticed." Sakumo did feel a sense of foreboding hearing that and gulped audibly seeing the small smiles that were threatening to break out on each of their faces.

It almost seemed as if they were enjoying this.

He just didn't know how close he was to the truth.

"I am bumping up this mission's rank to B, please collect your payments for the mission." walking up to the missions desk, Sakumo did collect the payment scrolls.

This wasn't assigned by any client, it came under the jurisdiction of the village's internal affairs. So, they had all rights to do as they pleased with it's outcomes. But one thing was odd, he mulled inwardly when eyed the scroll in his palms with a hint of confusion flashing across his face.

"Sir, there are only two…?" he asked more than said. And it didn't look like they had made any mistake from the innocent looks plastered on each of their faces.

"Yes, that is yours and Might Duy's. We'll hold onto Naruto Uchiha's payment and the rectification of his actions until he is here to explain his side of the story. Personally." the last word was spoken with added emphasis, and Sakumo wanted to argue.

After all, what the hell had Duy and he himself actually done to deserve this raised payment for a mission where all they had done was travel to and fro between locations?

It was Naruto who had rushed into enemy lines, it was he who had fought…whoever it was he had fought. And even if it was a mistake on his part, he deserved the payment much more than them if they were getting paid.

He absolutely needed that money.

And there were numerous reasons he could speak of without even thinking about them.

How the hell would Naruto be paying for his living expenses. Much less the medical bills that were racking up at the hospital? Didn't these fools know he had to pay for every damn thing himself. Being an orphan along with a legal adult in the eyes of this village, he had no one to rely on.

Even Duy was better off than him simply because of the support he had from his parents who were involved in small merchant businesses in the village.

He opened his lips for a small protest of reason, but was cut off almost before he had even let a whisper slip past his lips.

"That will be all. You are dismissed" pursing his lips and clenching the scroll tightly in his palms, Sakumo walked out without a word. He ignored the orders they were giving out to the new team of chunin being sent out to recover the corpses from the fallen village.

He was far too engrossed in his own thoughts right now to care about anyone.

In the end, it was only Naruto who had taken the heat for this mission. While Duy and himself alone had reaped the fruits of his labor by sticking back from the danger and carrying his torn body back to the village.

For some reason, he didn't feel like getting paid for a mission rather than the guy who had essentially done damn everything on his own. But that really was his heart speaking, even he knew that.

Logically, they had done everything perfectly well. Naruto had been selfish and foolish by leaving them back and going in like that. It was only a miracle that he and Duy had come out of this unscathed by doing the right thing.

So, with a heavy payment scroll and an even heavier heart, the silver haired boy made his way to the hospital where his teammates were to pay a visit to that damn fool who was the primary cause of his self loathing right now.

"Well, as sensei always says - 'Missions don't always go as planned." he consoled himself.

Sakumo, at the very least hoped that Naruto hadn't injured himself beyond repair for such an unpretentious thing ...

...

Meanwhile In Konoha Hospital

"Um miss…" Duy couldn't help but squirm a little while standing in front of the regal looking woman who was looking at him quite ... flatly.

She had healed his friend, but even still she was making him quite nervous with that blank look on her eyes. It wasn't that he hadn't seen her before, he had. Each time he had been with Naruto, so he had gotten to see her warm side and even a couple of pats to his head.

And this was far from the woman he remembered seeing in the past.

"Is he alright?" he asked a little meekly to try and change the subject and at least get some sort of life in this dead looking corridor of the hospital. It was an irony in itself - the loudest member of Squad Seven speaking like a frightened rabbit, the idea itself was laughable. Duy had wanted it to come out polite, but this was all he could manage for now given the circumstances.

"Yes…" now that relieved him, even if only a little. "…if he had used that technique any longer, then surely it would have had some lasting effects. But he is fine for now." Mito couldn't even begin to describe her feelings at this point.

One minute she was having a peaceful sleep in her room, the next moment Duy had frantically barreled into her house saying Naruto needed her.

At the hospital no less!

And the blonde boy she adored so much, was in a condition she hadn't expected to see him in even in her wildest dreams. Apart from those gaping holes in his right shoulder and lower abdomen, her examination had left her dumbfounded.

Thankfully, those holes at least were at non fatal points, but that was all that could be called good news.

Each and every nerve - and the nerve count in a human body was no joke - was strained to the point of almost collapsing! The effects largely resembled to ones that had been seen in someone getting shocked from a high level Lightning technique during intense combat.

But this was like someone had kept it over him relentlessly without a break, just like torturers used on prisoners at the T&I department - only without the restraints they used so as to not kill them before milking out every damn word out of their mouths.

Which, for an element as offensive and draining as lightning, was completely unheard of.

No one, and that meant absolutely no one, ever used such a technique on themselves. So, her curiosity as to what exactly had occurred on that mission was quite reasonable.

...

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