Downed Barrier

I felt a strong urge to laugh when I heard the orders Kakashi gave to the ANBU. I mean, doesn't he remember how stubborn Naruto can be?

And indeed, as soon as the blond woke up and learned about the attack, he almost jumped out of the window if the ANBU hadn't stopped him to...

— I am Naruto Uzumaki, the future Hokage, and I won't run away from problems, dattebayo!

Oh? Even after all this time, he still announces himself as Uzumaki, huh...

I'll take note of that. Later, I'll ask Karin and Mariko what they want to do with him. Killing him is not complicated, but I don't think Mikoto would take it well when I revive him, so we need to find a way to impress upon him that he can't continue tarnishing the name of Karin's clan.

Although... it could always look like an accident, and Mikoto wouldn't know anything.

Well, in any case, today I only have two items on the agenda.

First: Kill Shikaku.

Second: Help Hinata with her plan.

No, wait, I also have to kill Nagato and possibly Obito if he shows up.

We'll see how things go; I'm flexible when it comes to facing these plot developments. Although it's uncomfortable to see Shikaku still breathing after seeing what he plotted, I need to wait long enough for Hinata and her people to leave the village before finishing the matter.

— Hold on a second —I realized a problem I hadn't taken into account— Kakashi instructed the barrier team to be on alert. So, won't the alarms go off when Hinata and company leave the village?

I can't even use the butterflies I used with Nagato; not only do I not have enough for so many people, but they are also single-use.

It was already quite a job to make these!

Fortunately, Hinata's group and the Inuzuka group have just gathered, coordinating to move discreetly while everyone has their attention focused on the Pains and the summoned beasts.

I should take care of the barrier team to avoid all this preparation going to waste. The problem is that I have no idea where or what the people in charge of the barrier are. It's better to call someone who knows about it.

— Hello, Anko? —I called through the den den mushi— Yes, I'm on it. They haven't left yet; I'll kill him later. Yes. What can you tell me about Konoha's barrier team? Uh-huh, yes, I see... got it. Thanks, dear. By the way, what are those screams I hear in the background?

For some reason, I imagined a scene of tortured prisoners in the dungeons of a medieval castle when I heard them.

— Pakura is preparing the ingredients for a new recipe, that's all —Anko replied after a moment of silence— It's just that the ingredients don't want to get into the pot, and she's "persuading" them kindly constantly. Ameyuri is also helping with great enthusiasm!

— Ingredients? —Pakura has been improving her cooking more and more, and I'm very curious about what she might be using this time, especially considering that Ameyuri doesn't usually enter the kitchen and is more on the team of eating than cooking.

— She wants to make her version of the boeuf bourguignon recipe you taught her, with a different type of meat —Anko answered after struggling to pronounce the name correctly a few times— She says frog meat should be very chewy, and it turns out we got a couple recently that are the perfect size for the pot.

— I see... —I ate frog legs in my previous life, and they tasted like lemony chicken. Frogs shouldn't be that bad— Remind her to clean them well and gut them properly; the third book on the second shelf in the kitchen should have references to help.

— Perfect! —Anko perked up at that— I have to hang up and go help my sisters; that pair of frogs doesn't seem willing to accept their fate and are starting to be annoying. What if they wake up the kids?

— Try not to overdo it with the poison; it would be a shame if they went bad.

— Don't worry; Fuu already brought the big hammer —Anko reassured, probably waving said hammer even though I can't see it— By the way, how many people will little Hinata bring in the end? I don't know if I can still call her that; she's anything but little at this point... —I heard her whisper.

— Mmm, there are seventy-four children —I replied while quickly counting what I could feel with the Mantra— Forty-two are girls, and the rest are boys. Six less than expected, but I suppose there must have been some unforeseen circumstance.

— Noted; Haku will start preparing everything for their arrival. See you later! —Anko said her goodbyes.

Kachak!

— If it weren't for the fact that I know it's impossible, I would think they are trying to cook those two old guys from Mount Myoboku —I reflected with humor, aware that it would be a funny scene.

One of the jokes in the series was the bug cuisine that Jiraiya and Naruto had to eat during their training there. It's interesting that they never took five minutes to look for fruits or vegetables around.

Would energy-nature-infused meat be tastier?

I shook my head and decided to focus on the present; I have to be attentive to several things, and it only takes one to go wrong to have problems.

— Hinata and the unmarked children will be out in a few minutes if there are no interferences; I better hurry with the barrier team.

I'll take a minute of silence for the parents of the branch family who decided to entrust Hinata and her little sister with their children so that they can live without the Caged Bird Seal, finally breaking those shackles.

After all, even though they will act as if someone kidnapped their children according to the plan, it's very likely that they will all die when the main family people find out that Hinata and Hanabi are also among the missing.

They would need scapegoats to point fingers at and punish.

All of this is based on how many survivors there are after Nagato causes his distraction commotion. If by any chance I could eliminate the main branch, then we could go back for the adults.

Assuming my elemental form, I move quickly through the dark alleys to reach the building where the barrier team monitors its status. When I see the inside, a thought can't help but cross my mind.

— Curious, it looks like the headquarters seen in the war against Madara.

They even have that floating water sphere in the center!

Quite distorted, but at least it seems that there aren't many people, just a couple of dozen. I began to knock out everyone while looking around with interest, considering whether to make a copy for Sky Island.

By the way, weren't they supposed to bring reinforcements?

No, wait, the order given to them was to be on alert, not to send reinforcements.

I would have sent reinforcements, I'm just saying.

I have to stay around here for a few minutes to make sure no one reactivates the monitoring or regains consciousness until Hinata and company are out. So, while still controlling everyone with the Mantra, I start rummaging through the drawers.

— Mentholated gum? Disgusting, leave it behind.

— Secret correspondence with an even more secret admirer? Boring.

— Icha Icha Paradise volume... in the trash!

— Pickle-flavored snacks? I've seen worse.

— A brochure for a wet T-shirt contest?

I think I better stop looking in the drawers; there are some really sad things, and I shouldn't...

— The original Uzumaki barrier scroll? Mine.

Yes, definitely not going to look anymore; this will be a good birthday present for Karin.