BORUTO ALTER: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS

NAGAYASU'S PRICE

BORUTO ALTER

KAKASHI grinned underneath his mask, eyes closed into thin slits.

"Ah, Lady Tsunade," Kakashi spoke with a happy but quiet politeness, bowing towards the fifth hokage who was seated before him.

Tsunade smiled, brown eyes shadowed underneath blonde bangs.

"You arrived faster than I expected." She said, seated at a table covered in hastily scribed intel.

Kakashi found himself in Tsunade's medical center, a joint project between Kirigakure and Konoha. However.. Now it had become a sort of headquarters, a central operations unit dedicated to retaining the order of Chojūrō's government.

"Naruto sent us immediately." Kakashi answered as he lifted his head.

"I'm having Mugino and Moegi patrol the current borders under Chōjūrō's control. I know that this.. Nagayasu Hoshigaki has been launching intermittent attacks. Turning villages against their own Kage." Kakashi folded his arms across a green flak jacket.

"Based on what I saw on the way here.. I understand that there's more to it than that." Kakashi said quietly.

Tsunade offered him nothing but a bitter smirk, closing her eyes as she looked away almost in shame.

"You're perceptive, Kakashi." Tsunade said somberly, resting a finger on the corner of her forehead as she slouched to the right of her desk.

"Nagayasu is powerful. He's smart, too. Very resourceful." Tsunade met Kakashi's eyes then.

"I'm sure you've seen it. How empty the markets are. How no people walk the streets. Nagayasu's attacks.. they're concentrated on Kirigakure's trade routes. He starves out sections of the land until local clans swear fealty to him." Tsunade spoke as she straightened herself, leaning forward while long hair brushed against the table underneath her.

"So his forces are formidable as well." Kakashi said.

Tsunade nodded.

"They're stronger than many of the Kirigakure nin who still serve Chōjūrō. Nagayasu has attracted powerful clans within the Mist.. clans that want more. More control."

Kakashi chuckled.

"Clans that want to be free of Konoha's passive leadership." He added.

The peace that Naruto brought us.. was it foolish to assume it would last forever?

Tsunade smiled weakly.

"Perhaps."

The Fifth Hokage then folded both of her hands together, before resting a pointed chin on her makeshift throne.

"I sent Shizune to the northern districts. Nagayasu's rogue nin are making headway there. Cutting off our supply lines. It's a crucial village.. losing it would leave the rest of Kirigakure open to Nagayasu's encroachment."

Tsunade's face seemed to falter slightly.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes.

"What's happened, Tsunade?" Kakashi asked.

Again, Tsunade gifted a slack, defeated smile.

"I haven't heard back from her in about ten hours. We've sent encoded chakra messages that should have been intercepted by the sensory nin under her. I.. trust Shizune. With my life. But this silence isn't like her. I fear the worst, Kakashi." Tsunade said.

"Then the northern districts should be our first priority. We'll see what's going on there." Kakashi nodded.

"And- We'll come back with Shizune. That's a promise, Tsunade." Kakashi looked away from Tsunade as a single tear fled from her eye.