Namikaze Naruto- The Unpredictable Shinobi

Chapter 36: Who are promoted?

Naruto was helping the villagers when she saw Shikaku coming out the Hokage tower after an hour. 'That was fast. I expected the discussion would take two hours.' She put on the guise of 'Takuma' and went to Sarutobi's office. She knew that the Nara had eyes sharper than a bird of prey, and her casual entry would be treated with suspicion by him, which she couldn't afford. And hence, the disguise.

 "So, what did he say, Hokage-sama?" "Same as you. Though he did give some advice on what and what not to talk with Shibi-kun and Sasuke-kun. Why does everyone think that I can't talk for myself?" He sighed irritated. 

Takuma chuckled, "It is the job of your advisors to give you advice, irrespective of whether you follow it or not. Shikaku-san is your official assistant and advisor, I am the unofficial one. We simply advise." "Fine, fine. I get it." He grumbled. Takuma began slowly, "Jiji, perhaps you need a successor." "I totally agree with you!" Sarutobi barely held himself from crying out the statement. "But the question is 'who?'." "You know each shinobi of Konoha better than anyone, you can choose." "I might have certain people in my mind. But there is also the matter of Uchiha at hand."

"What of it?" 'He' asked. "They would like it very much if one of their own was elected Hokage after me and Minato." Takuma hummed. "That's true. But from what I've seen of the Uchiha clan, those I deemed qualified for the position are too young. I know Yondaime-sama had been the youngest candidate to take the Hat. At least Yondaime-sama had received training before he took the position. But one of the candidates is younger than that age limit. The other is even younger." 

Sarutobi raised a brow as he asked, "Who are you talking about?" "Why, Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi, of course." "Itachi-kun is 17 and Shisui-kun is 20 years old. Minato was around 21 or 22 years when he became the Hokage. I can't wait for 2 years, but I'd rather one of them become the Hokage after they cross the age of 30 years. With the recent attempt at Coup, some in the council (a.k.a. the elders) wouldn't want a young Uchiha to take the seat when they could be 'manipulated by their clan' and other ridiculous ideas the council would put forward."

"I'll talk to Fugaku-sama. But who shall be your candidate?" "Someone whom I've already trained. Kakashi seems fine, even Shikaku, but he might decline it with his laziness." Both of them chuckled before Sarutobi continued. "But Jiraiya and Tsunade are on the top of my list. They are old enough, they have been trained by me, and they would have their own motivations once given the right push."

"I see." Takuma searched for the chakra signatures in the village. "Jiraiya Sensei is en-route to the main gates. He must be getting off again. I'll stop him and get him here. In the meanwhile, you can call on Nara Sr., Nara Jr., and the younger Uchiha for the Chunin promotions." Takuma left, changed back to Uzumaki Naruto, the loudmouth(?) and went to find Jiraiya. Sarutobi rubbed his temples to relieve some stress and summoned an ANBU to get the job done.

"Jiraiya-Sensei!" Naruto called out to the man who had been  a couple of turns away from reaching the Gates of Konoha. "Are you leaving without seeing me?" She pouted and he felt guilty. "Gomen, gomen. I forgot." "How could you forget your favourite student?" she continued pouting. Jiraiya opened his mouth but no coherent sentences came out. Sighing, Naruto said, "I'll forgive you this time. But there won't be a next time. You'll be shattering my poor heart Ero-sennin." Jiraiya got irked at the nickname, but he was relieved. "I get it, Gaki." He ruffled her hair. "Ne, ne, let's walk fo a while to the Hokage tower, and you can see off Sandaime Jiji too." "Why not use the Shunshin?" "I was just returning from there and Jiji seemed to be in a meeting. By the time we reach there, it would be over."

After a walk of half an hour, including a stop at Ichiraku for Ramen, they reached the tower.The signatures of the two former-genin-now-chunin was now gone from the office. In the office now stood Uzumaki Naruto, Jiraiya and Nara Shikaku before Sarutobi Hiruzen. 

"Ah Jiraiya! I wanted to discuss something with you. Can this old man humour you with some sake?" Jiraiya was pleasantly puzzled at the offer. After a shot was consumed by both men, Sarutobi began, "I'll come straight to the point. I am an old man, Jiraiya. Will you accept the position of the Godaime Hokage?" 

Jiraiya looked bewildered before he started laughing, "Sensei, you are truly going senile if you think I'm worthy of this position. I'm too lazy for this job, and spy work suits me better, an author, even better! The Slug Princess Tsunade is better suited to this position if you ask me." Sarutobi sighed. "If you say so. Shikaku here agrees with me that it would be either you or Tsunade. He himself refuses the position." He chuckled when Shikaku gave an indignant cry of 'Hokage-sama!'

"Fine, Jiraiya. This is a mission for you to find Senju Tsunade and bring her here. You can start either tomorrow or today itself. But make it quick." Jiraiya bid a 'Ja'ne' before he sprinted out of the window. Sarutobi shook his head at his former student's antics. He sent the ANBU out and put up privacy seals. 

"Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto." He began. Naruto's eyes widened as she looked at Shikaku who simply smirked. He knew. The Nara's intelligence was not to be underestimated. Of course he had recognized her parentage. "You are hereby promoted to Chunin." 

"Hokage-sama, " Shikaku interrupted, the smirk still firmly set, if not grown wider, and it promised no good. "I think I saw a blur of yellow in the barrier when you were fighting with Orochimaru." "That was Minato. And why are you asking me now?" The Hokage tensed very slightly. Naruto checked the chakras in their vicinity. Yep, this is Shikaku himself, and nope, he wasn't under any influence or Genjutsu. What was he getting at?

"I just wanted to know what happened inside the barrier that day. I saw flashes of yellow," he paused, "aside from those of Yondaime-sama." The old man glanced at the teen who gave him a resigned look. That inquisitive man would be quick to find a lie. "Well, Naruto was there. And he helped change the tide of the battle." Shikaku had expected the teen's involvement, but this surprised him. Naruto quickly added, "I did nothing much. Just used some cunning tricks and caught Orochimaru off-guard as he had underestimated me too much. Then the reanimated Hokage were free." She chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of her neck. Shikaku's eyes softened, 'Such modesty, even when hiding secrets. Truly as shinobi of great potential. My instincts were right.' He thought.

"In that case, Hokage-sama, I would like to put forward the proposition of promoting Namikaze Naruto to a Jounin, or a Tokubetsu Jounin." Silence reigned and Naruto was flabbergasted. "I- I don't think I'm worthy of it yet."She spoke lowly, stuttering for the first time. "I believe your feats during the Otogakure invasion were great, to say the least. Not to mention you have influenced many of Sandaime-sama's orders in the past. I don't know how many more actually came from you. I would say, fit to be a Jounin!" He finished.

"Genin to Jounin?! If the council finds this, they won't accept it, given what I have sealed inside me." Naruto protested. She felt uncomfortable of such praise, the modest, selfless idiot, Kurama thought huffing. Shikaku and Naruto both looked at the Hokage, daring him to choose sides. The old man sighed for the umpteenth time that day. "I agree with Shikaku-kun very much. But Naruto pulled a strong card by reminding us of the council. So I shall promote him to Tokubetsu Jounin, between Chunin and Jounin. I'll ask Tsunade later to see a fitting time to make him a full Jounin."

He declared, "Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto, you are hereby promoted to Tokubetsu Jounin!" He handed a Jounin flak jacket. Shikaku ruffled 'his' hair. "Your father was a close friend of mine. He would've been proud of you." He said softly. "He is." she replied softer, with unshed tears that were blinked away. 

Naruto collected herself as she sensed something. "I request you keep this matter between the three of us. Please, Nara-sama, Hokage-sama." She said as she sealed the jacket in a scroll, that was, in turn, sealed in a seal on her shirt before bowing. "Alright, Naruto, alright." Sarutobi said and Shikaku nodded. Seconds later, a blur of white entered from the window. Sarutobi was annoyed at this, but remained calm. "Jiraiya, when will you use the doors by yourself?" He asked.

"I donno, Sensei." was the nonchalant answer. "I came to ask you permission to let Naruto come along with me to Tsunade. He will be of great help. You know how she is, don't you?" Sarutobi's expression turned grim. "Yes, I do. You have my permission. When will you be leaving?" "As soon as the Gaki packs." Naruto piped in. "Then we will be leaving soon. Bye Jiji, Shikaku-san!" The teacher-student duo left.

Shikaku mused, 'Konoha cannot afford to lose this child. I only hope he has a big heart to forgive the village for ruining his childhood."