Wildflower Book 1 | Naruto Fanfiction

Chapter32: Past

Hitsuji was one of the more popular Black Ops Faction Captains, and was one of those who carried out little Tama's Anbu evaluation. He wasn't surprised when the Hokage declared her a T&I faction captain some weeks prior, the girl was an operative powerhouse. He had witnessed how swiftly she had dealt with the shinobi by the cliff three years ago as well. The way she avoided direct altercations was interesting, considering she often dealt with enemies head-on.

He remembered badly wanting her in the Black Ops faction, she was perfect for it, but the Hokage had other ideas. He didn't count it as a loss, really, she was in her element at the T&I. If he had gotten her, she would've been on Inu's squad from the get go. They were a perfect match.

His memory drifted briefly, taking him back to three years prior, on the night of the Uchiha massacre. Even though she had sent a clone, the way it simply jumped down that cliff to check for Shisui's body said something to Hitsuji. She had a certain determination that most Anbu didn't. From then on, the Hokage had kept her close, and she suddenly became the go-to agent for double s-ranked operations and upwards which, oftentimes, she carried out on her own. At the time, she had already been a squad captain* for two years, and for that, he respected her. She was a force to be reckoned with. (*Do not mistake for Faction captain)

"What do we know so far, Suzume-taichō?", Hitsuji asked as he and Tama perched atop the high walls of the village. Tama surveyed the area before them with keen interest, Sharingan shining a bright crimson through the slits of he mask.

"There's no need to call me that, Hitsuji-taichō. We're equals now, no one is inferior to the other.", she said, not shifting her gaze from one particular spot. She them turned to the older man, red gaze boring into his bright blue one. "The barrier is currently being breached."

The man nodded in understanding, before sending out a hand signal, several Black Ops agents immediately went out towards the barrier and got to work on it.

"I've located Orochimaru.", she said again. Hitsuji went frigid immediately. "He's in the village."

He felt like the sky came falling right onto his head. How could Orochimaru already be in the village? If he was there, then who was trying to breach the barrier?

"His people are the ones who set up the barrier. He's currently summoning his snskes in the civilian residential area. So far, I know that he had a really good disguise, which he used to deceive Sunagakure into turning against Konoha."

Hitsuji nodded, his gaze turning back to the agents far below them. Resolutely, he nodded to himself and asked, "What are the chances of getting to him before he can act against Hokage-sama? Obviously, something big is about to happen."

"We have a fifty-fifty chance altogether. I suspect two leaders are conspiring with-"

She suddenly stopped talking, her appearance faltering greatly. Hitsuji tensed at this. He looked down to see two scared girls by her side, and they held on tightly when they realised where they had suddenly appeared. The clone had used the substitution jutsu, he realised. The real Suzume was long gone by now.

"The Kazekage.", she said, and Hitsuji immediately understood what she meant. The clone looke down at the girls, who staired, wide-eyed at the ground below.

"The arena currently has no activity, the audience has been evacuated. Orochimaru's spies and snakes are locked in battle with the Jōnin. He's already caught up with the Hokage. It looks lile they're about to fight...", Tama recounted the scene she had just witnessed. Hitsuji nodded in affirmation, Tama's word was always more than enough to go on.

"I'm ready to step in at any given moment. Get your guys to deal with the spies directly, their are genin who are out in the open are getting strained and the. The Jōnin are facing tough opponet, but Ibiki, Anko and Genma are on it. I'll see to the Hokage's situation.", she suggested. Hitsuji pondered over her words. She was right, it wasn't good to let the genin get too involved with such matters. It wasn't safe for them. The Anbu would have to step out of the shadows in such a time.