Inheritance

Shatter

The smile faded.

Ignoring the pain, Jiraiya knelt next to his apprentice and checked for any wounds. Remarkably, there were none serious enough to require immediate medical attention. Jiraiya raced through some handseals and bit his thumb, channelling what little chakra he could afford to into summoning.

"Kekkai: Gama Hyōrō."

Hyōrō burst into life next to Naruto, snapping to attention as he realised who had summoned him. The crimson toad glanced sideways at Naruto and started, concern flashing across his face.

"Kami Jiraiya-kun. I'd heard the kid had summoned Bunta-sama for a fight-"

Jiraiya raised a hand, cutting off the talkative toad before he could build up a head of steam.

"There's no time, Hyōrō, we need transport to Mt. Myōboku. And fast."

The toad gave him a once-over and his eyes widened almost imperceptibly when he noticed the state of the Sannin.

"Say no more, Jiraiya-kun. I'll have you both there in a flash."

The toad opened his mouth to begin the jutsu that would transport Jiraiya and Naruto into its stomach, but a weak voice halted them.

"Wait."

Jiraiya turned to the source of the noise, the Suna jinchuuriki, and frowned as the boy began to drag himself to his feet.

"Gaara is it? Be very careful. My apprentice here graciously spared your life despite your intention to slaughter his friends and neighbours. I'm in no mood for such mercies."

"I am beaten," the boy said wearily, exhaustion weighing heavily on his voice, "I have no intention of fighting anymore."

"Then what is it you want? Speak quickly!" Jiraiya demanded.

"The demon... this is the first time in a long time... I can't hear it. There is peace in my mind... He mentioned you were a seal-master?"

Jiraiya felt pride well up inside him so explosively he thought he might burst, and he couldn't resist a glance at his sleeping apprentice. Of course you tried to help him, even while he tried to kill you. Fool boy. He turned his attention back to Gaara.

"There has been a coup in Konoha. It's no longer safe for Naruto to be here. Get yourself and your siblings away. You'll have to come find us. It won't be easy and I can't make any promises, but I will do what I can to help you with your burden."

With that, Jiraiya turned back to Naruto and Hyōrō began to prepare his jutsu once more. Just as he and Naruto were being drawn into the toad, Jiraiya caught two, rasped words from the boy they were leaving behind:

"Thank you."

###

Asuma darted through the trees, carefully controlling his pace despite the adrenaline and fury flowing through him. Now was not a time for the rash impulsiveness that had dominated his youth - he needed to reign himself in. Life must come before blood.

"Asuma-sensei, should we really be leaving Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei? They're going back to the village!"

He turned to glance at Ino, eyes full of fear and confusion and was filled with empathy for the young girl. She would be a true shinobi with time, but her entire life had collapsed today. It had been battle enough to stop her from heading back to Konoha in search of her mother and father.

"Kakashi-sensei knows what he's doing," Shikamaru responded, eyes tight and hard, "it wouldn't surprise me if he already had a plan - Sasuke too for that matter."

"Shikamaru is right," he said firmly, "and even if Kakashi didn't have a plan, we'd be better off fleeing in different directions and making it harder for Root to track and pursue us. The more groups and directions that we break off into, the wider they have to cast their net."

"And the bigger the cracks we can slip through are," Shikamaru finished for him.

"But why are they going through so much effort to find us all - we're only Genin?" Ino asked, and Asuma realised she was even more stressed than she was letting on. Ino was more than bright enough to connect the dots.

"Because you are the heirs to Konoha's major clans," Asuma answered, "you may not be powerful shinobi in your own right now, but if Danzou can control the clan heirs, he can control the council. Both now, and in the future. No clan head will want to risk their heirs in open defiance."

"So the more of us escape, the more tenuous Danzou's hold on power will be?" Shikamaru asked, and Asuma nodded.

Ino was quiet for a moment, before muttering, "and that's not even counting how easily someone can be turned if you press the right buttons, turn the right screws..." her voice trailed off, and Asuma knew that she was crying without even having to look.

"We'll find a way to save him, Ino. I swear we will," Shikamaru's voice was iron-hard, but Asuma knew well the fear that it hid.

Asuma said nothing in response. He was too old, too steeped in the world of shinobi. He couldn't make the promises or give the reassurances that Ino and Shikamaru wanted from him. The absence of it reverberated between the three of them like an explosion, and the silence screamed terribly in their ears.

They ran.

One chapter remains...

***

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

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