Game of Shadow

Chapter 33

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto nor The Gamer. I own nothing, really.

Chapter 33

Third Person PoV

"A week," The man spat out in contempt. "It's been a week and we still have no idea how that mess happened, Hiruzen."

"I'm well aware, Danzo," The Hokage sighed.

The Swordsmen Fiasco, as the Council had started to call it, had been nothing short of a catastrophe. One that ended rather well, all things considered, but a catastrophe nonetheless. A talent like Eiji Satou's wasn't something that one came across everyday. And while the rising stars that were Sasuke Uchiha in combat and Naruto Uzumaki in traps and fuinjutsu gave many of the older generation a much needed relief after the Kyubi Attack, Satou was still their best Rookie.

The new batch of the Academy was even better than the older one was at that very moment, many would point out. Yes, Neji Hyuga would have been the pride of the clan if he had been from the main family. Rock Lee seemed to be a Maito Gai in the making. And even Tenten Higurashi was taking the simple and often overlooked Bukijutsu to levels that few did. But they were all the previous batch had to give, in contrast with Teams 7, 8 and 10, not to mention Eiji's apprenticeship.

But everyone was also aware of what almost had happened.

Everyone knew of the connection Eiji Satou had with the previously mentioned promising teams. The impact of his death would be lasting, especially so early in all of their careers. Yes, death was part of the job, and everyone knew it. But losing such a prominent figure was bound to scar many if not all of the rookies. It was also the reason many tried to keep Genin as such for as long as possible and slowly ease them onto the truths of their world.

"It should have been a low A rank at best," The leader of ROOT muttered to himself. And the Hokage couldn't help but share the sentiment.

A low A rank, that was all the mission should have been. Contact wasn't even necessary. The mission was tracking the pair, not confronting them. But regardless of that, the pair shouldn't have been Jounin, they should have been high Chuunin at the absolute worst. A pair of new Swordsmen send to mess with the Land of Fire, to both retaliate and send a message to the Leaf. But the point was that, in case of confrontation, there should have been a decent chance of at least escaping.

Reality had turned out to be very different from what actually happened.

"Our ANBU, my ROOT and even the Mist's intelligence," The Hokage's old ally continued grumbling and pacing around his office, giving voice to both their thoughts. "How could all three of them be fooled in such a manner?"

"Alas, I do not know," Hiruzen said, closing his eyes to calm down his worries about such a breach in their sources. "But we have bigger problems."

"Bigger than someone being able to give us false information?"

"The next generation is always our biggest responsibility," The Hokage knew he had hit a nerve as he saw Danzo tense up after he finished speaking. "You know what you need to do."

"I do," His old comrade admitted, clear annoyance in his tone. "He's too smart not to consider such a possibility. But..."

"You need to speak with him."

"I was actually considering alternative routes to-"

"Danzo."

"It's not time yet, Hiruzen," The man denied vehemently before sighing and letting his shoulders fall. "But it's soon going to be..." He trailed off before the warhawk felt himself growing annoyed once more. "If it hadn't ended like it did…"