Chapter 81: Making it back home

By the end of the day, Riku was exhausted. His chakra reserves were empty and he needed rest. Unfortunately he had more important matters to attend to. That is, if he wasn’t a space-time fuinjutsu master.

He pulled out his Botib and took ten hours of sleep. Only a few seconds outside for the rest of the world. After putting it away, he flashed back to the nearest hiraishin tag he could feel, surprising the whole base. Ten shinobis were immediately on their guards at the sudden intrusion and two of them, genins, threw kunai in his direction. Thankfully, Riku had fast reflexes and caught them with one hand.

“H-Hokage-sama!” One of the genin was in panic, realizing just who he had just tried to kill.

Riku smiled gently and waved his hand, signaling everything was fine. “I came in unannounced. You won’t get reprimanded for being on your guard and acting on the spot when an intruder appeared.” He tossed back the two kunais at their owners. “I’m just borrowing the seal to get back to Konoha. Good job out there.”

The conversation being over for him, he ordered his shinobi to relax and went to pick up the phone to warn of his imminent arrival in the Village. Usually, saved for emergencies, it wasn’t authorized to directly teleport back to Konoha. Riku was the Hokage however and he had some privileges, including this one. Still if he didn’t announce himself, the security back home would act on the spot and the defense in place were far more lethal than ten shinobis. Even he wouldn’t survive. Riku knew that very well as he designed it himself.

The call was made and a heads up given for Shikaku. Riku turned around, waved goodbye to everyone present and put his hand on the huge hiraishin seal on the wall. In a dark green flash he arrived back to the teleportation room under the intelligence building.

The shinobi and Kunoichi in charge greeted him back and he gave them a curt nod. Once the security seals confirmed Riku was himself, he walked with big strides towards the exit where he took an elevator to the top.

“Status report.” He entered the command room, pushing the double door and immediately wanted to know about the situation.

Shikaku, turned around from the chakra sphere in the middle of the room. It was displaying the position of allied troops but also the enemies’. From Riku’s quick look it was being updated in real time.

“Objective reached for every camp, base and fort. Casualties are still being calculated as we speak. It will take some time before we get detailed reports.”

“Tell anbu to go to each location and put the injured and dead into crates and seal them away inside a storage seal. Once out of crates they are to go to the nearest hospital to start triage. The dead need to stay sealed.”

“Yes, Hokage-sama.” Shikaku nodded and made hand signs to a few people who immediately picked up phones and made some calls.

For the first time in the day, Riku allowed himself to sigh. “I’ll be in my office for a while.”

He didn’t wait for an answer and just stepped out of the room. He could have flashed back to the Hokage office but he wanted to walk. Putting a henge on, he walked inside the street of the village in the direction of the Hokage Tower, taking his time. Along the way, he did a bit of people-watching. While the adults looked a bit tense, probably because they had a loved one or an acquaintance away to the front, their daily lives didn’t seem to have impacted much. Parents were visiting shops and restaurants with their children. Some were on a date, some were just taking a stroll. It was almost as if the war didn’t exist outside the walls of Konoha.

Inside the tower he released the henge when he reached his floor. He greeted his secretary and stepped into his office. The only thing he did once seated on his mother’s chair was to lean back and close his eyes.

Only then did he process the cold blooded murder of a whole village in a matter of seconds. Children, couples and older people, just like the one he had come across on his way here. Their lives snuffed so easily. So fast. Innocent people for most of them, who were following the lead of a Tsuchikage who had completely lost it.

It was the only explanation Riku had for Iwa starting a war. There was no way Onoki, the man who sued for peace when Minato displayed the hiraisin during the third Shinobi war would have continued the path he had taken after Riku slaughtered a thousand of his soldiers in Suna in the same way. More so after the attack on Konoha ended in failure and lost close to half of his forces as a result. From what he knew of the man he was a very cautious one and took his time to observe what was happening before acting. That was why he was called the ‘fence sitter’ in the first place.

So many lives wasted. Innocent or not. He remembered his father’s words when he returned from Suna. They were dismissed then, too busy with the protection of the village against Akatsuki. Too busy to process emotionally what he had done. Now, despite the war still going on against Obito he had a bit of downtime before he had to join Mei and the rest of the army. In consequence, he felt it. He felt the same way his father had felt after the battle of Kannabi Bridge.

The cooing of a baby startled him. Opening his eyes on the spot he saw Minato standing in front of the desk with Kamiko in his arms. Without a chakra network, the former Hokage couldn’t participate in the war, turning him into the de facto babysitter for the girl. Karin had taken her with her in the Botib for some time and the little girl had grown up enough to be nearly as old as her older twin sisters. The twins were currently in the Hyuuga compound being cared for by her relatives while Hinata was working at the hospital.

Minato’s face was solemn despite the small smile he gave to his agitated granddaughter in his arms. Next to Minato was Hiruzen. The old man had a severe look on his face. The one he had when he was about to talk about something important but waited for his interlocutor to start first.

Riku raised his arms for his father to give him Kamiko and, once in them, he brought her close to her chest. Riku’s feelings on the destruction of Iwa by his own hands were set aside when he saw the beautiful blue eyes of his little girl. It was a reminder that his actions were for building the foundations of a more peaceful future for her and all other children in the world with the new area that would be ushered once the war was over. After gently caressing her face, he looked up at the two men in front of him.

“For the first time in my life as a Shinobi… I feel awful.” He confessed.

Minato nodded but it was Hiruze who spoke first. “It was to be expected.” The words may have sounded harsh by themselves, perhaps even a bit reproachful but the tone they were delivered with was kind. Riku stood up and looked outside the window.

“I… didn’t even do the deed myself, you know? Not directly. One moment Iwa was there, then the next… Only a crater and dirt. Nothing left. Not building, not people…”

Understanding Riku had not used the hiraishin to flash everywhere and using his Iryoken, Hiruzen asked the obvious question. “How?”

Riku turned around to face the Sandaime and Yondaime. Rocking gently Kamiko in his arms.

“Remember the Bijudama Kyubi shot at the village?”

Hirurzen blinked. “The one you sent away with a hiraishin?”

“The very same, yes. I sent it into a storage dimension where I left a shurifuin there. Why waste that chakra when it can be used for another time? I didn’t think I’d have to use it one day but you know… precaution.” Riku started to explain.

“It wouldn’t have been enough to destroy Iwagakura completely.” Minato pointed out. “Had Kyubi been whole then yes, definitely but only half of his power…” He shook his head in refutation. “Lots of damage but not enough.”

“I thought the same. That’s why I use a modified version of Tobi-ji’s mutually multiplying explosive tags. The seal releases explosive shurifuins instead and applies the shuriken shadow clones jutsu to them indefinitely until it runs out of chakra. There was absolutely nothing left.”

“Dear Kami.” Hiruzen whispered.

Sitting back down, Riku looked at his father. “Such a waste of lives.” Minato’s face turned grim and he slowly bobbed his head. Inwardly he felt relieved that his son had finally an emotional reaction to mass slaughter. Apparently, innocents were Riku’s line. “All because those idiots had too much pride. Much more than common sense.”

“Iwa’s forces?” Hiruzen inquired in concern.

“Anihilated. I helped as much as I could without undermining our troops' efforts. I’m waiting for the casualty reports.”

“With Iwa no more, the political and military landscape is now changed forever. Of the big five only Konoha and Kiri are still standing. It will take years for Suna to properly recover.” Minato voiced, shifting the conversation.

Riku nodded. “Yes, I already prepared for this. Mei knows she can’t win against us, not with the Hiraishin and the Time Seal. On the other hand, she does want the same thing as us. Peace for her village and security. Since it coincides with what we want, we have plenty of time to create sturdy bonds of friendship with Kiri. Already she’s mingling troops on the front. Once the war is over, we’re planning to exchange academy students. A year at first and perhaps down the line more.”

“That… is interesting. There will be problems with cultural differences.” Hiruzen scratched his chin while thinking about it.

“Of course.” Riku agreed. “There is always a clash at first but with time we hope mutual respect will bloom.”

Minato took back the floor. “That can’t be the only thing.”

“No. We’re going to be in open communication with them. By that I mean, Kiri, Suna and Ame. Shinobi villages are beholdened to their Daimyo. But it’s those idiots that create war in the first place.”

Hiruzen’s eyes widened in alarm. “You’re not thinking of doing away with them? That would put the whole societal system-”

“I’m not.” Riku raised his hand to stop the old man. “The purpose of this communication is to share intelligence on the Daimyos but also any shinobi village that suddenly turns aggressive. In other words, Shinobi villages, unknown to the world, would be watching from the shadows the political climate. If there is a repeat of the Wind Daimyo and Suna? Then yes, the daimyo would be disposed of but the system itself will not be abandoned. The objective is to first try to dissuade the head of a country to abandon their idea of war. See if what he wants can be obtained through diplomacy and business instead of force of arm and river of blood.”

“And if he doesn’t, he’s removed.” Hiruzen finished the line of thoughts. “Shinobi will not be ruling but will be the keeper of the peace.”

“Yes. In the long term, Mei and I intend to create a Shinobi alliance that lasts. A council if you will. It will regroup any shinobi village, no matter how big or small, who just like us wants peace and security for their people. In the end, my objective long term is to unify all the shinobi population and create standards. There will always be conflict but there won’t be any children sent to battle anymore.”

“It will be difficult. Villages will have to juggle with spying for their clients and uphold their part in the Alliance. There could be conflicts of interest.” Hiruzen pointed out.

Riku shrugged his shoulders. “Nothing worth fighting for is easy.”

Minato chuckled. “That’s true.”

“Just like Hashi-ji struggled when he created Konoha, we will struggle too. We will make mistakes but in the end Konoha pulled through, did she not?”

The cheeky grin Riku gave Hiruzen made him sigh. It was obvious he was too old for politics and such big changes.

“That’s also why you and your teammates will have to retire officially as elders.” Riku announced.

“I figured. We’re too old, too set in our ways for a system that has mostly crumbled now. A new era is coming and it’s up to generations after us to take the reins and decide their future. They won’t be very happy about it.”

“They spent decades in power and had you to carry the burden of it, Sandaimed-sama. It’s obvious they will not… Oh.” Minato turned to Riku in realization. “That’s why you gave them a job at the academy. So they can still feel relevant. They won’t be forgotten and still have a hand on Konoha’s future.”

“It’s nothing as grandiose as the position of an elder but their position is still important and they will still enjoy their reputation. This is smart.” Hiruzen understood immediately. “How long have you been thinking of that?”

Riku gave him another knowing grin. “Long enough.”

With his mood a bit better than it previously was, Riku felt the hunger he had been ignoring for a while now. His stomach let out a loud grumble startling even Kamiko. The little redhead looked at him with wide eyes of shock, wondering what that sound was. Follow current novels on N0velFire.ɴet

“Anyone up for some food?”

It was a bit early for dinner which was an hour away but it didn’t matter. Three men and a baby left the Hokage office to visit a ramen shop. Any conversation concerning the war, politics or the future was tacitly forbidden during their meal.