Trip To Suna

Three days later Jiraiya arrived in Konoha. Right now he was inside the Hokage's office. He was listening to Hiruzen reading the report Hiroki had given him. He then took out the parts of puppets and the vial containing the black iron sand.

"So you want me to hand this to Suna as a diplomat? Who do you have in mind to go with me sensei?" Jiraiya asked.

"I was thinking of Hiroki-kun. He's the one that went to the borders and found this evidence. You two will go and give them this, thus proving that Konoha had nothing to do with the Kazekage gone missing."

"Hiroki? Isn't that Minato's apprentice? When did he get such responsibilities?"

"Ever since he became a Jounin."

"What? I've been away for two years and he's already become powerful enough to be promoted to Jounin? I guess Minato took his teaching abilities from me hehe. I'll go meet up with the kid and then head out to Suna. See you later old man." Jiraiya said as he went out from the window.

———

Hiroki was in the training field practicing his kenjutsu against a clone. He then stopped and sheathed his tanto.

"Come out. You've watched long enough Jiraiya-san."

"Sharper than before heh kid." Jiraiya said as he came down from a tree.

"I heard you were promoted to Jounin. Youngest in Konoha's history. Congratulations gaki."

"Thanks Jiraiya-san, I know you didn't come here just for that. What's up?"

"I came here to have a little spar with you. I want to know how strong you've become since the last time I saw you."

"Alright, but what do I get if I win?"

"You really think you can win? Not in a million years."

"We'll only know if we spar. Let's start." Hiroki said as he took a shuriken and threw it as he jumped back while he made one hand seal. The shuriken then multiplied into four and hit the ground around Jiraiya.

"Nice aim gaki." Jiraiya said sarcastically, until he saw Hiroki's smirk. It was then that he knew something was up.

"Katsu."

The four shuriken exploded, raising debris in the air and making a 3 meters wide crater.

"Are crazy? You want to kill me?" Jiraiya said as he showed up from behind a tree. He had used a substitution jutsu and replaced himself with a log.

"Take this seriously Jiraiya-san or you might just lose." Hiroki said as he dashed at him with a Shinshun enhanced with wind element.

Jiraiya could only block Hiroki's attack since the latter was no giving him any space to dodge. Every time Jiraiya tried making some space, Hiroki would be there, stuck to him like glue.

'I guess I'll have to use ninjutsu to get away.' Jiraiya thought as he made a mud wall between them.

Hiroki only smirked as his right hand sparked with lightening and the cry of a thousand birds was heard as he went straight through the wall.

Jiraiya used this moment in his favor and went on the offensive, but every punch or kick he sent was dodged or blocked by Hiroki. Jiraiya then stepped backwards and got up on a tree and made hand seals as he released Phoenix flower jutsu.

Hiroki seeing the hand signs and knowing what jutsu would come from it, started weaving hand signs and countered the fire with his water wall jutsu. The fire stopped in its tracks, but Jiraiya had hidden shuriken inside the flames. They hit hiroki as blood started coming out from the wounds.

"I won gaki. Let's take you to the hosp...."

"Poof"

The Hiroki in front of Jiraiya was a clone and poofed away after the injury. This caught Jiraiya by surprise as he thought that that was the real Hiroki since he didn't see him doing hand seals. He then felt cold metal touching his throat from behind him.

"My win Jiraiya-san." Hiroki said as he then put the kunai away and jumped down from the tree.

"When did you make that clone?"

"Right after the water wall."

"Okay. You explained that, but how did you get behind me unnoticed?"

Hiroki the grinned at him and teleported behind Jiraiya once more.

"Like this." Hiroki said as he then teleported back to the spot he was before.

"You've learned Hiraishin already? What type of geniuses are you and Minato?"

"The kind that doesn't slack off to peep on naked women. You lost so you own me."

"Alright alright. What do you want?"

"I want an A-rank earth jutsu. That should be enough."

"Greedy huh. Okay, you wan so here." Jiraiya said as he threw Hiroki an earth jutsu.

Hiroki then opened the scroll and found that is was the earth dome jutsu. Hiroki was actually in need of a defensive jutsu.

"Thank you Joraiya-san. I was actually in need of a defensive ninjutsu. Changing the subject, are you staying for how long?"

"Not as long as I was expecting. The old man wants me to go in a diplomatic mission to Suna and hand in the evidence somebody found near the borders."

"When are you heading out?"

"We are heading out tomorrow morning."

"Good luck. Wait. We?"

"Yes gaki. You are coming with me. Orders from the old man himself."

"Alright, I'll go get my things ready. I'll see you tomorrow Jiraiya-san." Hiroki said as he teleported home.

'Damn kid grew up fast. I didn't expect him to have become this powerful so quick. If he's already this powerful, how strong won't he be in the future.' Jiraiya thought.

———

At Konoha's gate...

"Alright, let's go kid. We have a long way to Suna. It'll probably take us three days to arrive." Jiraiya said.

"It would if we go by foot. I don't plan that." Hiroki said.

"What do you mean? It's not like you can fly. You can't fly can you?" Jiraiya asked skeptically.

"Hehehe. No Jiraiya-san. I can't fly." Hiroki said as he made some hand seals.

[kuchyose]

"But my summon can." Huroki said pointing to Kurowashi.

"Shiiiit. Huuuuuuge bird. Where in this world did you get their contract kid?"

"I'm not a bird, I'm an eagle. You better show respect old man." Kurowashi said in a loud voice.

"Kuro-san, this is Jiraiya-san. He is the one sage from Mount Myoboku I told you of before. Changing the subject now. We have to go to Suna. Would you mind taking us there?" Hiroki asked.

"Sure kid. Just climb up and we'll arrive in no time." Kurowashi said.

Hiroki climbed onto Kurowashi's back and told Jiraiya to climb as well. Jiraiya was a little wary of Kurowashi, but still climbed.

"Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiee."

"Aaaaaaaaaah!" Jiraiya screamed.

Kurowashi flapped his wings and in a blink he was already above the clouds.

"Ahahahahahahaha. You have to see your face Jiraiya-san. Ahahaha." Hiroki laughed out loud.

"Damn it kid. Give a warning next time. That almost made me shit my pants." Jiraiya said.

"Sorry about that. Kuro-san and I have a deal to not warn anyone about the take off when it's their first time flying. Kuro-san just loves the reaction from people." Hiroki said.

"Yeah yeah. Whatever." Jiraiya said.

"We should arrive at Suna in about three hours. While you contemplate the view, I'll study some ninjutsu." Hiroki said as he took out a few scrolls.

———

Kurowashi had arrived two miles away from Sunagakure's entrance gate. He left Hiroki and Jiraiya and went back to Hidden Fog Mountain.

"How will this work out Jiraiya-san?"

"We'll send in a messenger bird telling them that we are in a diplomatic mission. They will then take us to the Kazekage if everything works out." Jiraiya said as he summoned the messenger bird and sent it towards Suna.

At the Kazekage's office...

"Rasa-sama, there's a messenger bird from Konoha." The secretary said as she handed the message that came with the bird to the Kazekage.

Rasa then took the note and read it.

"There are two shinobi from Konoha outside our village. They have come in a diplomatic mission to Suna. Escort them here." Rasa commanded.

After twenty minutes, Hiroki and Jiraiya arrived at Rasa's office.

"So, what is so important that it would need one of the great Sannin to come all this way?" Rasa asked.

"And you are?" Jiraiya asked.

"His name is Rasa. Disciple of the third Kazekage and is now the fourth Kazekage." Hiroki said.

"Ah. Sorry for my rudeness Kazekage-dono. My sensei asked Hiroki and I to come in a diplomatic mission and deliver some proof of Konoha's non involvement in the third Kazekage's missing." Jiraiya said as he handed a scroll to Rasa.

Rasa read the report and then unsealed the contents inside the scroll. When he found his sensei's black iron sand and pieces of puppets he became surprised.

"What is the meaning of this?" Rasa asked.

"When I heard that the third Kazekage went missing near the borders of our countries, I investigate the battle sight and found those things. As you know we from Konoha don't use any puppets to fight, meaning we didn't have anything to do with the third gone missing." Hiroki said.

"How can I trust that?"

"You can analyze the chakra residue in those puppet pieces. You'll know that it is from a shinobi from your village or at least was, but now has gone rogue." Hiroki said.

"What are you implying?"

"I'm not implying anything. Just analyze the chakra and you will get your answers." Hiroki said.

After thirty minutes Rasa came back. He had a gloomy face and his head was down.

"I guess you found out what happened. We've come to say that Konoha has no intentions of going to war with Suna or any other village. We wish to have an alliance with Suna in the future. In the future, the third Hokage will send other diplomats to Suna with a treaty. We hope that you, your council and villagers agree to this future treaty." Hiroki said.

"Thank you for giving us these evidences. I now can see that Konoha had nothing to do with sensei's missing. I'll have a meeting with the village council and show them our findings and tell them about the treaty." Rasa said.

"Since that is done, we'll be leaving. Until a later date Rasa." Hiroki said as he touched Jiraiya's shoulder and teleported.

———

Jiraiya and Hiroki appeared inside Hiruzen's office while Danzo was talking to his old teammate. When Jiraiya was about to say something, Hiroki stopped him and put his index finger in front of his mouth signaling for the sage to be quiet. Hiruzen noticed them, but didn't say anything and kept listening to Danzo.

"Hiruzen, I can't believe that you've sent that brat together with Jiraiya in a diplomatic mission in Suna. What happens if he messes up and because of him, a war starts?" Danzo said.

"Well Danzo, for someone that was eager to start a war against Suna not even a week ago, what happened to change your mind?" Hiruzen asked.

"Well, ah. It's the best interest for Konoha."

"Is that all? Could it be that you have something against Hiroki? Listen Danzo, Hiroki is an elite Jounin of Konoha. He has a perfect completion rate for every mission he has ever done. I trust him enough to assign him such important mission and you are not the one to question me. Is that understood?" Hiruzen asked. Danzo only grit his teeth and turned around to leave.

"Leaving so soon, Danzo? Please continue to praise me." Hiroki said in a sarcastic way as Danzo was startled when he saw him. He then breathed heavily and walked away.

"Jiraiya, Hiroki-kun, back already? I hope you brought some good news." Hiruzen said.

"Yeah old man. We have good news. Suna found from the evidences that Konoha wasn't involved in the third Kazekage gone missing. It was one of their own shinobi. A rogue one to be more specific. Hiroki here struck a deal with Rasa, the Kazekage. I believe that with the evidence, they are now more than willing to sign a treaty with Konoha." Jiraiya said.

"Hiroki, what type of treaty would you recommend?" Hiruzen asked.

"I recommend a treaty of alliance between Konoha and Suna. A treaty that promises mutual military support in case war happens against any village."

"But that wouldn't be beneficial to Konoha. We have more military power than them. Not to say that we also have more resources than tem." Hiruzen argued.

"If you are looking for benefits, then there's no reason for a treaty. Just do what Danzo said and attack them, siege their lands and resources. And bathe yourself in the bloods of those you will sacrifice to achieve this." Hiroki said lightly.

"Wha... what do you mean? It's only normal." Hiruzen argued.

"Listen, let me explain. If you want peace you need to make some sacrifices for common benefits. Suna might have weaker military power than us, but by no means are they weaker then other villages. Konoha is blessed with the environment of the fire country. If we were to change places, we wouldn't be the home of breeding genius as we are known." Hiroki said.

Hiruzen inhaled and exhaled the smoke from his pipe a few times as he was in thought. He then looked at Jiraiya.

"What do you think of it?"

"The kid has a point old man. We have nothing to lose in this alliance. We only benefits. In the short term it might seem bad, but in the long term this alliance will bear its fruits." Jiraiya said.

"I see. I'll have to talk to the council about this." Hiruzen said.

"Then flush everything we said down the toilet. Your three friends only look forward to gain power. I still ask myself why you still trust them. It's clear as daylight that they don't have the best interest for Konoha in mind, but their own. You are the Hokage and you are the one to decide. If you ask me, you have to talk about this with the clan leaders as they are the ones that will send their children to defend this village while the other three will only keep themselves hidden. Shinobi are not chess pieces, Sandaime." Hiroki said, not showing any sign of emotion as he teleported away.

Hiruzen sighed and kept silent for a minute.

"His words hurt a lot." Hiruzens said.

"It's what they say. Truth hurts. I believe you already know what's the best decision for Konoha old man, you just need to take it. Call me when you have decided." Jiraiya said as he left the office.