Naruto : The System Files

Chapter no.162 Speculation

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Dragon and Hiruzen sat in silence in the hokage office with Fuinjutsu sealing barriers around them.

"Can I go back to my headquarters, you have been silent for the last 20 seconds?" Dragon asked as lightly as his deformed voice allowed him.

Hiruzen snorted.

"You could stop being an ass for a second?"

"If you increase my budget by five percent I might consider it."

"Why are you my friend?"

"Because you need someone witty by your side, otherwise you'd have lost it years ago."

Hiruzen eyed the masked ANBU incredulously.

"Right."

Dragon sat and laced his fingers.

"What is your concern, Hiruzen?"

"That it wasn't such an excellent idea to trust Naruto into ANBU."

"Why would you say that?" Dragon asked, his voice betraying nothing but neutrality.

"Why would I- By Sun Goku's Golden Cloud's Dragon he nearly died!"

"And as his grandfather, you are worried about that. As Hokage, you know perfectly well that ninja die on missions. It's our way of life."

"Naruto is too important to lose during a stupid incursion in Rice Country."

"Missions always go wrong. Can you give me a non D-rank operation that did not go pear-shaped in some way? No, you can't. We can gather information, formulate plans, in the end, it doesn't survive the action. Naruto is a jinchuriki but you did not want to use him as such and I respect that. But he is a ninja. Are you going to keep him secure in a cage to keep him safe?"

"He got brain damages! He is not even thirteen and if it wasn't for the Kuyubi, he would be suffering from brain damage!"

"And Kakashi became a cyclops at fourteen and his replacement eye sucks all life from him in five minutes top. Gai is nearly deaf since he is fifteen and it's not improving. Your son had his back so badly burnt at sixteen he needed five different grafts before it took hold. I could go on. Hiruzen, all our best ninja have some form of disability. It is the life we have chosen plus Naruto is now perfectly fine." Dragon said, his tone patient but firm.

"I know that. I…"

"Just wish it weren't like that. But that is the grandfather speaking. As long as you wear this hat, you cannot make the decisions solely based on what a grandfather would do. Even if you could, it's his life, not yours. Why not be grateful that he only lost the use of his right hand and has returned alive?"

"I know," sighed Hiruzen.

"I loathe when you are right. It's just… I thought it was Sora all over again."

Dragon clasped the old Kage's forearm firmly and squeezed reassuringly. "We know in our hearts that no parent should bury their children. But the truth of the matter is that we chose a warrior's life and there is nothing to save us from this reality. Hold onto the Will of Fire, Hiruzen. I trust that if Naruto must lay down his life, he'll do so for a cause he believes in. Do you?"

The Sarutobi inhaled deeply. "Yes. Thank you my friend."

"That's what friends are for. Now, what is your concern?"

Hiruzen fell silent and massaged his temples for a while, visibly organizing his thought and pushing his worries down. The old leader laced his fingers for a few seconds before they reflexively fetched his pipe. The Kage absentmindedly prepared his smoke and lit it before he puffed a big cloud of odorant smoke with a satisfied noise.