The Future: Naruto Fanfiction

Chapter 71 THE GUARDIAN

The Hidden Leaf Camp

Tobirama has been worried since they came up with this plan. He's been worried about many things, the low chances of success, his brother's actions, the consequences of failure. Above all else though, he has been concerned for the villager's safety. The plan involves taking the clear majority of fighters away from here, leaving them with virtually no protection. A handful of shinobi at most, certainly no Hokage, no fighters who have mastered an element. At one point it was proposed that Mitsuki were left in charge of the villager's safety, but the suggestion was rejected on the basis that he is one of the more likely shinobi to make a breakthrough. Many members of the homeworld military insisted to Tobirama that the villagers would be safe here, but it will take more than the unjustified promise to calm his nerves.

The plan is to leave any moment now, he is just waiting for the few last-minute equipment and logistical checks to be completed. Sarada and Clyde have taken responsibility for that, making sure that they are bringing enough with them for their journey to the imperial palace and that the villagers will have enough to survive in the meantime. If the worst should go wrong they would have to integrate into this terrorised world. They would have to entrust their destiny to the small group of captains and shinobi designated as their guardians.

Tobirama exchanges a few words with a trio of jonin, the three of them elites who have been assigned as the captains of shinobis who will stay. As Tobirama leaves them their final instructions he comes to the grim realisation that if they fail and should they die, this trio will effectively become the new Hokage. With his lasts word said he dismisses the trio, hoping that they will protect the village in his stead, passing his duty to them the same way his past-self did to Hiruzen so many years ago.

Peterson walks past Tobirama, having himself just spoken to the small group of his subordinates who are to be left behind. As captains they are stronger than the vast majority of shinobi and should the worst happen, it would be their duty to help the shinobi and villagers survive in their world.

Tobirama looks at Peterson as he passes. "There is definitely no way my brother will find the villagers?".

Peterson shakes his head. "It would be impossible for a man of his skill. You would need to truly look to the monsters of this world to find someone who could do that. For the few people who resist Emperor Furst's rule, not even he can find them easily".

Peterson walks on.

Tobirama runs the logic through in his head, Peterson and Clyde have spent most of their lives in this world, they must know what they are talking about. This place is so large that not even his incredible sensory powers can detect the nearest people to the camp. Even for Sarada, it would take years to search the ecosystem and find someone if they were hiding. It must be safe he tells himself time after time. After a while, he begins to wonder, is he being logical or is he just trying to fool himself.

Nearby, Sarada's mind is on another worry altogether, as she looks into the vacant space before her. Her whole body seems to shut down for a moment and the dull roar of her thoughts begins to overtake her, consuming her brain from back to front, saddening her every millimetre forward it crawls until she is finally snapped from her trance by a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" Sheer asks.

"Sheer? Oh yeah, I'm fine, I was just thinking about someone from my past, that's all".

"Your parents".

Sarada feels stunned once again by how much Sheer knows about her. Perhaps, as her master once taught her, you truly do learn the most about someone when you feel their emotions through fighting.