from Academy to Anbu by theriku260

chapter 34

"Thank you Dragon-sama" Naruto said quietly, glancing down at the barely hanging on Hokage.

"Now, you are to track down Tsunade-sama and get her to return to the village to administer aide and set up our hospital. Jiraiya-sama has some leads but I knew he would take his sweet ass time getting her back- time we don't have." Naruto barely caught the thick scroll with all the known locations of Tsunade-sama, and began looking over it while the commander continued. "Hokage-sama was struck by Orochimaru's personal poison by sword, which weakened him even after being eradicated. On top of that, his wounds are massive, requiring finesse our medics don't have. They estimate he has three weeks before his coma becomes permanent… I expect you back in two, is. That. Clear?"

"Hai, Dragon-sama!"

"Now, before you head out, you need to know a few things about our stray medic."

As Naruto listened to the 'quirks' his target had, he had to wonder if he would have been better off just offering himself up to Orochimaru rather than face the monster lady's wrath!

Meanwhile, with Hikaru…

Hikaru grimaced as he and the tracker nin tore through the forest, trying in vain to catch a whiff of Orochimaru. The minions had evaded capture and carried their slowly dying master away. Konoha shinobi had orders to kill or capture all enemy combatants before they reached the borders, but to not cross them- it would be suicide to risk it when they were already tired from the invasion.

Reaching the border with Sound, the Inuzuka caught the nauseating scent of Orochimaru, growling in frustration.

"He crossed. What now, Taicho?" The Inuzuka, Hana to be exact, asked. Hikaru sighed while thinking.

"We patrol the border until a new border guard arrives. I'll send word to the village; Dragon-sama will more than likely insist we search for stragglers for the next several weeks." With that he led his team- Him, an Aburame, Hana, and two other chunin back to the safety of their border, mind already traveling to the hell he lived through.

'If only I'd been faster! I'm sorry, Yugao-senpai.'

Flashback, invasion with Hikaru!

Hikaru blocked the Mokuton blow from the first Hokage. The resurrected leader had risen five minutes ago, pairing with his brother to separate him and Yugao from their leader.

So far it was working. Hikaru's eyes ached at the intensity he was using but he plowed on, slicing the wood with his heavenly rotation. Suddenly the Mokuton stopped attacking him, and Hikaru realized too late why: his blind spot held Yugao. He turned around at the sound of flesh being torn apart. There was Yugao, his big sister from another mister, being impaled by several Mokuton spikes. Her katana, the one she always said carried her very soul, the soul of a warrior, snapped in half from a Water Dragon's jaws. She took it bravely, never uttering a sound even when tossed into the air, thus ripping the spikes out.

"Y- YUGAO!" He screamed, his world stopping.

Flashback end…

From there the battle was fuzzy in his rage. Orochimaru screamed as Hokage-sama dealt him a mortal blow, flinging him into the barrier's flames. Jiraiya-sama ripped the barrier down at that moment, sealing the reanimated Hokage with the help of Hikaru and other ANBU. Hokage-sama kept fighting despite his injuries, and allowed himself to fall only when the traitor fled with his guard. Dragon-sama arrived five minutes later, ordering him to assemble a team and start searching for the bastard, either finishing off the man or making sure he left the Land of Fire.

And now Hikaru sat on a branch eating rations, praying Yugao and the rest of his team survived, that when he got back they could have a squad dinner like old times.