In the center of Naruto's office, Hinata stood unmoving facing the open door. In her hand, she still clutched a soggy tissue from earlier. Her eyes hadn't left the open door since Naruto walked out. She should be accustomed to this by now, she thought, but every time Naruto ran off after another dangerous enemy, she couldn't help but fear the worst.
Even more so, Boruto and Kawaki were already out beyond the protection of the village...
Her lips pressed together as she felt her eyes sting. In the hallway, the soft pad of footsteps approached the office. A small violet head of hair poked past the doorframe. Squinting at the bright light of the office, Himawari rubbed her eyes as she looked into the room.
"Mama?" she questioned, voice thick with sleep. She took a few steps into the room.
Finally realizing she was still holding a tissue, Hinata placed it into a nearby garbage bin and went to her young daughter.
"You couldn't sleep, Hima?" Hinata asked gently. She soothed the top of her daughter's hair before pulling her onto the couch with her. It wasn't like Himawari to wake up during her sleep. For as much grief as Himawari and Boruto gave Naruto for being a heavy sleeper, Himawari usually slumbered without waking through night. Getting her up in the morning was even more difficult. Tenderly, Hinata pulled her daughter's head into her lap, and she stroked Himawari's hair.
The young girl yawned and spoke blearily. "There was a bunch of noise" she said, curling her knees up to her chest. "I thought I heard Papa and Uncle Shikamaru."
Hinata hummed, continuing her motions. She waited a few moments before saying, "Yes, Papa had to go take care of some very important business." Such news was not unusual to Himawari. In fact, Himawari often understood more readily than Boruto that her father was frequently engaged in important or dangerous village matters. Or, at least, Himawari hid that fact that it bothered her better than Boruto.
Himawari just hummed, acknowledging.
"But don't you worry, ok?" Hinata lulled. "Papa is very strong. He'll be back in no time."
Deciding it was best to omit Boruto and Kawaki's involvement for now, Hinata let the matter rest. She knew how deeply her daughter cared about her brothers, and having Himawari unnecessarily anxious or upset didn't aid their current situation. She waited patiently as Himawari slipped once again into a deep sleep, a bit of drool leaking onto Hinata's lap. Hinata smiled softly at her daughter's slackened face. She was so much like Naruto. Hinata felt her heart warm at the thought.
Waiting a few more minutes, Hinata decided Himawari was fast enough asleep, and she gently cradled Himawari, moving her into a position to carry her back to her room.
She placed her daughter's small, warm body back into the bed and pulled the covers close under her chin. Laying down beside the small girl, Hinata faced the window as she embraced Himawari's head in her arm. She would stay here with her tonight, she decided. With one final glance at the waning moon outside the window, Hinata sent out a silent prayer to Neji that he might watch over them and bring her children and husband home safely to them.
-¤-
Bathed in dappled silver light, two figures stood opposite one another in the treetops far outside of Konoha.
"Well, what do you want?" Kawaki asked of Code. Kawaki swallowed. He was putting on a brave face, he knew. Even so, this was the most confident he had ever felt facing Code, if he was being honest with himself. With the knowledge that this was all for Konoha, Lord Seventh, and Boruto's sakes, he felt more certain than ever that this was the right decision. From a young age, Kawaki had grown up alongside Code in that abysmal hole of a hideout Kara had called 'Headquarters,' but although Kawaki had grown up alongside the man in front of him, the two were far from anything Kawaki would ever consider family. No, this man was not a brother to him. Not even a friend.
In fact, while Code probably felt differently, Kawaki couldn't even consider him a rival because he had never even desired the status of 'vessel' that Code had been so desperately envious of. Code constantly picked fights with him, and Kawaki rarely, if ever, came out unscathed. Yet Jigen had found this type of 'training' advantageous in reinforcing the combat skills he wanted Kawaki to learn, so he seldom intervened.
Looking at the auburn-haired man in front of him now, Kawaki was certain that Code had grown stronger in the time they had been apart. Furthermore, based on Sasuke's intel, Code seemed to have a sensory type accomplice of some sort aiding him. This alone was concerning since, as far as Kawaki knew, Code was the last Kara Inner alive. To be sure, Code had never possessed sensory abilities of any kind ever before. Perhaps he had found one of the remaining Kara Outers with sensory abilities to aid him.
He observed the man in the branches across from him, as if he might learn his motives if he stared long enough into the enigmatic eyes of Jigen's most devote follower. Yet Code remained as unreadable as always.
Just then, Code smiled unfeelingly.
"Why... shouldn't I be the one asking why you came out here to see me?" Code parried. Kawaki noticed a flash in his eyes, like the gleam of a hunter who had cornered his prey. Code didn't wait for Kawaki to answer before saying, "That is why you came, isn't it?"
Well, Kawaki thought, he wasn't wrong. But he didn't need to play into Code's hands just yet. Still, he couldn't help his eyes narrowing slightly at Code's remark.
"No need to be shy, Kawaki. After playing house peacefully in Konoha for so long, surely you know you would have been safe if you had stayed inside the village," he teased. "Yet you came all this way outside the village. You knew I would find you if you left, so what other reason could you have for being out here?"
Code catching on to Kawaki's motives so quickly wasn't part of his original plan, but ultimately that didn't matter—as long as the rest went according to what he and Sasuke had planned. Code might be stronger than Kawaki in strength and combat abilities, especially now that Kawaki had lost his Karma, but one thing Kawaki had the advantage in was intelligence. For all the grief Code gave Kawaki growing up, Code had never amassed to much more than a backup errand boy for Jigen since he didn't know how to do much else besides fulfill Jigen's orders. So, for the sake of building Code's trust in his sincerity, Kawaki would concede a little in hopes of gaining the upper ground.
"Fine," he gritted his teeth. "You got me. Screw me for wanting to get the jump on you, I guess." Kawaki rolled his eyes, half serious. "Big deal."
Across from him, the band across Code's head cut a dark line across his face. Even now, Kawaki had to admit that the mark from Code's ability was intimidating.
Teeth slightly bared, Code clucked his tongue. "So, out with it then."
Good, he took the bait. Now was the time. Kawaki swallowed, gathering his courage. "I heard you...want revenge on Isshiki's killer's," he said. Around them the wind continued to gently blow. Code stood wrapped in his billowing cloak, his mouth never quite dropping the pseudo grin he often wore.
"You're well informed, it seems," the auburn-haired man confirmed. "Yeah, you're right. At least four people will die by my hands."
This is it. Intel on the enemy.
"It's me. I'm the one who killed Isshiki. Just me and no one else," Kawaki declared. Depending on Code's reaction dictated what would happen next, Kawaki knew. "So kill me..."—he paused—"and leave Konoha out of this."
Loaded, the words hung heavily between the two. Clenching his fists, Kawaki felt his resolve slipping just barely. He watched at Code pressed his lips together, his eyes sharpening dangerously. This wasn't how Kawaki had hoped Code would respond, but Sasuke had anticipated Code might react in this manner. Still, Kawaki had to give it his best shot for now.
"Everything is all my fault in the first place. It's my fault for fleeing Kara and leaving Jigen without a vessel," he tried again.
A single bitter laugh left Code's mouth. His eyes were dark, and a moment passed as Code's merciless laughter built until it filled the void between them. There was no mirth in Code's eyes as he lifted his face finally. In fact, he looked more threatening than ever, and any remnants of a smile had finally left the Kara member's visage.
Code was wholly unamused. "Really?" He stated. "You came all the way out here just to beg me to take you in place of your new friends? You thought I would have any interest at all in such a ridiculous proposal?"
This wasn't good. Although Kawaki knew he wasn't alone, not really... he was still mere meters from Code. Meters away from such a dangerous looking Code, at that. Kawaki felt the sting of the absence of his Karma mark more than ever at that moment, and he clenched his now empty left palm.
Kawaki had barely moved to open his mouth to respond when he found a knee thrust firmly into his abdomen. Spittle flying forcefully from Kawaki's mouth, he crashed heavily into the ground below as all air vacated his lungs. He had just made contact with the earth as he flipped and charged his modified arm, appendage glowing orange with power as he sent a searing blast in Code's direction. Kawaki watched as a purple and black blur leapt from the branches above, dodging the blast. He didn't have any time to contemplate what was happening before Code's sandal landed a crushing blow to the left side of Kawaki's face, sending him sliding across the rough forest floor several more feet. Kawaki turned over, bracing his upper body with one arm. He coughed and hacked, trying to catch his breath as drool and blood seeped from his cracked lip.
From his periphery, he saw a pair of feet within a meter of him. Kawaki grimaced and looked up at Code looming above him. Eyes unimpressed behind half-lowered lids, Code merely looked down at Kawaki's form, distain permeating his expression. "Pitiful," Code spat.
Grasping dirt between his fingers, Kawaki distantly wondered how far Sasuke was willing to take things. He decided that he would not be the reason this mission failed, however, and pulled his body towards Code's direction. He wouldn't fight back anymore just yet. He could still get more out of him.
"Code, please. Konoha—" Kawaki began.
Code sent another kick squarely into Kawaki's side, the crack of ribs breaking resounding through Kawaki's body. He rolled like a doll across the forest floor and into a nearby tree trunk. A forced groan leapt from Kawaki's open mouth as he made contact with the hard surface. He had just maneuvered onto all fours and spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground below him when he felt his head yanked up mercilessly by his hair. His scalp burned as his eyes opened mere inches away from Code's snarling face.
"Not another word!" Code seethed between clenched teeth. "As much as I may hate it, your body was Isshiki's rightful vessel. Continue to grovel in this disgusting manner and you disgrace him even further."
Code threw Kawaki's head to the ground and stood to tower above him once more. "I'm already well aware of what happened that day with Isshiki. How he died." Kawaki looked up through his hair at the man before him, no longer able to hide his distaste. "And you're correct, you're definitely mostly to blame for all of this..."
Kawaki could feel his face swelling where Code kicked him. He was certain that even if he fought back at this point, he would not last long against an opponent like Code. Especially not without Karma. However, Code still hadn't give him the information he was hoping for.
"But, Kawaki, there's something you seem to be mistaken about," Code continued, unamused, distant. "It doesn't matter who or how many were involved in Isshiki's death. They will all die regardless. You see, I have inherited the will of the Otsutsuki, and as per the late Isshiki's wish, I will cultivate a Divine Tree on this planet and procure a chakra fruit." Kawaki clenched his fist, not breaking eye contact. This. This was the abysmal information they needed—that of his true goal.
Before encountering Code, Sasuke and Kawaki had discussed strategy about how they should confront the Kara Inner.
"This may not go exactly the way you planned," Sasuke had said. "Taking Code out may not even be possible at our current skill level. It's hard to say without knowing the full extent of his fighting capabilities. But in the event that things don't go as planned, we should at least try to glean as much information as possible from him."
As they raced through the trees, Kawaki looked over at the only man Lord Seventh considered his equal. "What do you propose, then? I'll take your lead," Kawaki offered.
"You offer yourself up," Sasuke said plainly.
Kawaki furrowed his brow. "What?"
"Offer yourself in exchange for Konoha. It's a technicality, but you were the only one who delivered the final blow to Isshiki. Offer yourself as the one solely responsibly for his death if he will leave Konoha alone," Sasuke explained.
"I don't—" Kawaki began. He was a bit irritated. "How would that help anything?"
"The goal is to get him to talk. It's pretty obvious he won't take that offer. From what we've learned of him, he doesn't seem to be the type to be satisfied at a self-sacrificial offering."
"So, he doesn't take the bait, and then what?" Kawaki really hoped this started making more sense. The two continued their way through the trees, following Sasuke's register of Code's chakra signature.
"Like I said, the goal is to get him to explain what his objectives are besides targeting those involved in Isshiki's death. Knowing his obsession with the Otsutsuki and his access to Ten Tail's location, it seems unlikely he will stop at just killing off Isshiki's killers. There's more he isn't disclosing," Sasuke elaborated. "So, we find out his true objectives. Since you two have a history, he might just let his guard down enough to tell them to you. I'll lay in wait nearby until then. After that, I'll intervene and cut him down. I won't let him kill you."
"Sounds kinda risky, don't ya think?" Kawaki reasoned.
Sasuke looked over at him, face unreadable. "Weren't you the one who ran out into the woods in the middle of the night on the off chance I might find you? You specifically sought me out because I'm willing to take necessary risks."
Kawaki looked down, feeling a bit bashful. "Ah—right," he murmured.
"Once I intervene and the fight begins, if things start turning for the worse, you head straight to Konoha. Don't even think about staying to help me. Take the intel back to Konoha."
Kawaki just looked at him and didn't respond.
"Got it?" Sasuke pressed.
"Yeah...okay," Kawaki had confirmed.
In hindsight, Kawaki realized that the plans Sasuke laid out hadn't involved Kawaki getting beaten to a bloody pulp. Now faced with the man himself, Kawaki understood that there was likely no other way to get Code to lower his guard enough to let out such a big secret.
Continuing his previous thought, Code expounded. "You likely already know, but the Divine Tree devours all of the chakra existing on a planet. Unless you escape to another dimension, nearly everyone and everything will die." Emotionless, vacant eyes stared down at Kawaki's prone form.
"You understand, don't you?" Code continued. "Exacting revenge on Isshiki's killers is but the first part of a much greater catastrophe to come. In short, think of ending all of Isshiki's killers as a personal vendetta. I simply wish to kill them...with my own hands..." He paused and took a few steps back. "...All before they are fed to the Divine Tree. The end result is the same." Kawaki looked Code squarely in the eyes at this point, a snarl smearing his features.
"...That of everyone dying," Code concluded. "In essence, your sad existence is meaningless. We're talking about a whole different scale of things."
Kawaki should be stunned. He wanted to be stunned. But Code's true objective was exactly the same as the Otsutsuki's. In retrospect, this should have been obvious. The raven-haired boy spat another mouthful of blood onto the ground. He hardly had time to react before he was yanked into the air by the neck, Code's palm splayed firmly across his trachea. Sputtering for breath, Kawaki squirmed and groaned as he tried to break free. Things were getting out of hand, and Kawaki's body hadn't had time to heal itself yet.
"Oh, one last thing," Code said, scowl still set firmly on his face. "This might sound unexpected, but you're excluded from my vengeance list." Still struggling in Code's grasp, Kawaki didn't really have the luxury of absorbing what he was saying. "There's someone who wants to meet you...though it irks me that you always seem to be needed by somebody." Kawaki gritted his teeth as he tried to steal a breath. He now hung in the air above two claw marks Code had made on the ground beneath them. He hardly had time to register what was happening. His body drew closer to the ground as Code sank further into his claw marks.
"You're coming with me," Code concluded, scowling.
Kawaki yelled as he frantically attempted to rid himself of Code's grasp. The ground was quickly approaching when suddenly a foot came flying into Code's side. Kawaki found himself airborne once again before he hit the ground. The battered teen tumbled along the ground until he was able to right himself into a crouching position. Broken ribs sent a sharp sting through his side, and he winced, clutching. Glancing up through the pain, Kawaki saw the imposing form of Sasuke now standing between himself and Code, the latter having barely caught his footing at the last moment as he slid from the impact of Sasuke's kick.
"Sasuke—" Kawaki managed to groan out between strained breathes.
He had come. Finally.
If his lungs weren't so impaired, Kawaki would have let out a sigh of relief.
"Uchiha Sasuke..." Code spoke, a hint of amusement finally finding its way back to his voice.
Sasuke maintained his stance, tattered cloak billowing around him. He made no move to speak. Well, Kawaki thought, he was often a man of few words.
"You know who I am," the raven-haired man finally spoke. "Saves me an introduction."
Code chuckled. "Oh no, no. I've been wanting to meet you face-to-face like this for some time. Saves me the effort of hunting you down," he clarified, grinning.
From behind, Kawaki couldn't see all of Sasuke's expression, but from his unaffected body language, Kawaki could tell he was not impressed.
"I suppose you know why I want to kill you?" Code spoke. It wasn't really a question.
"If your referring to taking down that monster Isshiki, then yeah, I supposed I do," Sasuke said, his voice even.
Code's expression fell, unamused. "Careful," he warned. "You might shorten what little lifespan you have left. I had hoped to at least watch you suffer a bit before I let you bleed out."
Kawaki looked on as Sasuke moved his one hand to the blade at his side. Knowing how Code fights, Kawaki felt no pleasure in being in the same vicinity as him if the Kara member was fighting with intent to kill. During their time with Kara, Kawaki had witnessed more shredded bodies pile up by Code's hands than he cared to count. No, this was not likely to be an easy battle, but he also had no desire to leave Sasuke on his own against Code. He may be more of a hindrance now that he was stripped of half his power, but if there was anything Kawaki could do to help, he would offer it to the man he had once fought alongside him against Isshiki. He would aid the man that was willing to lay his life on the line for Konoha, Boruto...and for Lord Seventh.
Kawaki clenched his hands, fingernails pressing into the palms of his hands. Yes. He would protect Lord Seventh if it took every fiber of his being.
"Enough chit chat," Sasuke said, a cutting edge to his voice. "I think we've let you skulk around for long enough."
Code sneered, getting to his feet. He extended the claws from his hands, the nanotech in his arm morphing and glowing as it changed his fingers into their lethal form.
"Well then, show me what you can do, "—he extended his arm towards the ninja before him as he lowered into a crouch— "Sasuke of the Sharingan Eye."
The two lethal figures met in a blurry flash of steel against claws as Kawaki looked on in awe.
-¤-
"Yo," Kakashi greeted the group atop the roofs of Konoha. The two teens before him blinked a bit owlishly; although, as expected, Orochimaru's child was notably better at hiding his shock than the Uchiha child. Kakashi couldn't help but feel a twinge of fondness for the children who stood illuminated in the silver light of the moon. They reminded him so much of his former Team 7, yet they were also clearly different—developed in their own personalities and desires.
One underlying similarity was difficult to overlook, however...the fierce loyalty these two had for their teammates. It was this 'something' that Kakashi was willing to admit struck some distance chord within himself. It was this 'something' that made Kakashi want to aid the two Genin before him.
Sai uncrossed his arms. "Lord Sixth..." he said, taken off guard. "What are you doing here?"
Kakashi took a few steps forward. Squinting his eyes to indicate to the other three that he might be smiling, he spoke. "I was patrolling this area and heard some sounds from up here. Thought I would check it out, but if it's just these two, I can take care of them," he said in his usual blasé manner.
Both Sarada and Mitsuki continued to look back and forth between Sai and Kakashi as they exchanged words, seeming unsure of how to respond to the situation. Kakashi was experienced enough to know that look just about anywhere. He'd seen that thinly-veiled panic many times on a young Naruto's face after he'd been caught in the middle of some mischief. Kakashi couldn't help the very real smile that crept onto his face at the thought.
"Surely you don't need to bother yourself, Lord Sixth. I can—" Sai started.
"It's no trouble, Sai," Kakashi gently cut off ANBU Director. "Besides, anyone can carry out ground patrol like me. Few can carry out aerial surveillance. You're needed much more than I am."
Kakashi watched as Sarada swallowed. Her dark hair blew across her glasses as the dust filled air moved about them from the wind generated by the wings of Sai's hawk. From behind those glasses, the dark, black eyes of the Uchiha stared intently at him. She had long disengaged her Sharingan. Three tomoe, he noted when he first arrived. She had developed quite far in her ocular prowess, but Kakashi understood first-hand just how much pain one must go through just to reach that point. He felt a vague tingling sensation underneath his scarred eyelid where Obito's Sharingan had once resided, but he resisted the urge to lift his hand and rub at his reformed eye. He hoped the girl before him would never awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan. Nobody should have to experience the things necessary to awaken such a terrible power.
From atop the great white hawk, Sai remained unmoving for a moment as he contemplated. There was no real need to question his former Hokage. Sai nodded and spoke saying, "Very well then, Lord Sixth. I leave them to you."
And just like that, the former member of Team 7 flew into the air in a violent flurry of wind. Mitsuki moved his arms in front of his eyes and Sarada clamped her eyelids tightly as the grit in the air around them stung sharply at their skin. Kakashi watched behind him as the white hawk moved further into the distance across the village. Satisfied that the ANBU Director was far enough out of site, he turned back to the teens in front of him. They had yet to say anything further, clearly unsure of what to expect from him. Kakashi leaned a hand on his hip.
His voice was cool and casual as he walked closer to the pair. "Now then," Kakashi spoke. "Back to business."
"Lord Sixth this isn't what it looks like," the Uchiha girl defended as she straightened and adjusted her glasses. Mitsuki slapped at his kimono sleeves to remove some of the dust.
Amusing, Kakashi thought. The new Team 7 was as predisposed to lying as the original Team 7 when they were up to no good, it seems.
"Is that right?" Kakashi said playfully. He leaned forward, getting in their faces, and the two shrank back as the full intimidation of a former Hokage weighed down heavily upon them. Kakashi noted that Mitsuki's eyes flared with nerves almost imperceptibly; meanwhile a few beads of sweat formed across Sarada's temple. Kakashi wanted to laugh. He might be an old man by now, but he was still perfectly capable of instilling fear in a wayward Genin.
A mere foot away from the anxious teens' faces, Kakashi kept his eyes squinted into crescents. He spoke, lightness never leaving his voice, "If you guys weren't lethal ninja in your own right—and also about to do something incredibly stupid—I'd almost call you cute."
Sarada had lost all pretense of playing innocent at this point as she looked over at her teammate. He could almost hear the unspoken words she wanted to say to her teemmate. The gig's up.
It was clear then that Mitsuki immediately understood the position they were in, and he dropped the act, his golden eyes once again resolute. Kakashi still found it a bit alarming to see the eyes of Orochimaru on this young boy, but he had seen Mitsuki prove his loyalty time and time again when he was never even asked to. He was certain beyond any doubt that the Genin before him harbored no ill intentions towards Konoha. Even further, Mitsuki was plainly committed to Boruto and his team, specifically. The blue-haired boy straightened his posture once again.
"Lord Sixth—" the boy spoke.
Kakashi held up one hand again.
"I think that's enough chit chat, don't you?" Kakashi spoke seriously. He watched as Mitsuki closed his mouth and made a sidelong glance at Sarada.
"We've wasted enough time," Kakashi said. "Boruto is getting further away."
Two sets of eyes widened before making eye contact with one another.
"You mean...?" Sarada ventured.
"...You'd help us?" Mitsuki finished.
They really were quite cute, these Genin. Kakashi felt a genuine smile creep its way up to his eyes this time.
He crouched down, his face now hidden in the shadows. He lifted his hand to his face and pulled down his mask knowing the two teens were unable to see anything from this angle.
"That's right," he said, and promptly bit into his thumb. Kakashi lifted his mask and looked up at Mitsuki and Sarah. Two pairs of wide eyes continued to watch his every movement.
Kakashi slapped his palm against the roof tiles.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
A summoning array slithered across the tiles from the epicenter of his palm, and with a puff of smoke, a small pug appeared before them. Sarada took a step back.
"Long time no see," the pug spoke plainly.
"A ninja hound?" Mitsuki softly said.
Kakashi stood back up, the moonlight once again glinted off his silver hair as he rose. He placed a hand on his hip.
"Heya, Pakkun," he greeted. "Mind helping me out for a bit?"