Boruto: Sacrifices

Chapter 9. Race Against Time

Naruto stopped abruptly as Konohamaru sprang to his feet, not drawing out a weapon yet but on his guard in any case. A look from the Hokage told him to stay put.

"Orochimaru..." the blond frowned, it was clear that the serpent man was angry, he had reasons to be... "Please... let me take him back to the village, he needs help...!"

"Oh? You noticed that?" a thick layer of venomous sarcasm coated his words as the sannin felt his hatred bubbling beneath the surface. "Where were you when he was being beaten to death then? Why was there only my son out here, fighting these rogues off alone?!"

Naruto didn't know what to say... Orochimaru was right, he hadn't been there when Mitsuki was attacked...

The Hokage's silence only served to prove his point. "I am going to get him the necessary help, and that is not going to be from that wretched village which abandoned him in his time of need."

The blond man tried to gulp as he kept staring at Mitsuki, the amount of blood... Through his lifetime, he had seen too many scenes like this, but seeing a child in this situation... and what had caused this to happen...it was hard to see, and he knew the Sannin had more than enough reasons to take his son and leave now, but... he couldn't - no, he wouldn't let the boy go away to an almost certain death!

"I accept full responsibility for what happened to Mitsuki," he said, almost in a whisper, his voice too strained. "But blaming won't help him now! He needs to be taken to a full-fledged hospital which is easier and quicker to reach..."

"I have more than capable disciples who can and will take care of him. We do not need your charity."

"Charity?!" His voice now came stronger, urgency and anger filling it. "Do you even know which hideout Karin is in?!"

"None of your concern."

"It IS my damn concern!" the Hokage yelled finally. "Are you out of your mind?! He is dying...!"

"You are not going to talk to me like this...!" the black haired man yelled, furious as he leaned forward in an attack position. "I am taking my son out of here!"

Konohamaru tensed at Orochimaru's words but he wasn't ready for Boruto's panicked, incredulous voice rising from behind him. "What?! No, you can't take him!"

"Boruto!" the jounin hissed, his eyes on the black haired man as he turned around. He moved another inch, blocking his team completely from view.

And it was maybe a good thing - with blood all over him, the snake sannin did pose a very formidable sight. Not that in any other case there would be a reason for Konohamaru to trust the man... he was suddenly very conscious of the one fact he had never forgotten. This man... he had killed his grandfather when he was still a kid... And killed all those innocent children in the orphanage like it was nothing... There hadn't been any other nuke ninja from Konoha that did - and still does - this amount of damage to the village, and considering all that, it sounded like a tasteless joke that he should be so livid right now...

It was all Konohamaru could do not to give into his instincts and attack the Sannin right there and then. Although he was unsure if it would be a fight he could win.

But... there was something - someone infinitely more important right now. As unbelievable as it was, the sannin's insatiable fury was justified in its own right - they had to rush Mitsuki to the care he needed.

"And who is going to stop me?" Orochimaru hissed, snapping the young man out of his thoughts.

Of course Boruto couldn't see the Sannin around his sensei, but there was no mistaking the hostile tone. "I..." he started but his voice faltered, clearly intimidated. His hesitation, though, was only for a second, he refused to sit aside and watch as his best friend was taken from him to an unknown fate. His voice gained volume as he countered. "I am." he said stubbornly. "I can't let you take him to God knows where."