Game of Shadows by Adrian King1

Chapter 97

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto nor The Gamer. I own nothing, really.

Cover Art: Kissuli.

Chapter 97

"I see," Hiruzen said simply, leaning back against his chair and taking a drag from his pipe. Eiji stood straight, in front of the man with his team behind him. They remained silent throughout the report, which he knew must have been hard for Tayuya.

"Is something the matter, Hiruzen?" Eiji asked, calling the man for his name for the first time since he arrived. The silence had gone on for just a little too long. There was something going on with the old man.

"We've been trying to get more information on Akatsuki," Hiruzen started. Not really replying to his question, Eiji noticed, but maybe he'd get there. "With what Orochimaru gave us before you left and what little we already had. We'll add what we get from Sasori now," He added, his eyes fleeting to the puppet master.

That had been a fun introduction. Eiji was sure he noticed the Anbu guards around the room moving when he said that. It was a split second thing though, so he might just have imagined it. Regardless, the Hokage had yet to express his opinion on that besides a raised eyebrow.

"Regardless... We've picked up on something," Hiruzen continued and things clicked in Eiji's mind.

"You want to send me on another mission," He hazarded a guess, a frustrated smile on his face. "Can't say that was what I expected to be told when I came back."

"I'm truly sorry, Eiji, but Akatsuki is moving and we have to react," Hiruzen said, looking like it pained him to do so as his face twisted into a grimace. "I've been trying to deal with it. Get more information, mobilize our ninja but..."

"But..." Eiji prompted, more than a little annoyed. Maybe he was taking too many liberties here, but he'd thought he'd get some resting time in between missions. A break to use to get stronger, relax with his friends, check on his family and maybe try and forget about the looming threat. No such luck, it seemed.

"But," Hiruzen nodded, giving him a sympathetic look. "We've been spread too thin as of late too. I've been coordinating with Kiri, who are still nowhere near recovered enough to deal with this group, and Suna, who are in the same situation, really. Most of my forces are used between those two."

"And here, with Naruto," Eiji realized with a grim expression that grew even more strained as the Hokage nodded. Of course.

"You are no normal child, Eiji. I'm sure you know that," Hiruzen told him, not knowing just how right he was. "I..." The old man started before pausing, closing his eyes and sighing. "I never thought I'd have to send children to fight in battlefields like this again," The Hokage said, looking about as old as a person could get. "But here I am."

"So... Do we get to know how much time we have?" Eiji asked then, looking at his leader, resigned. What point was there to question Hiruzen? He knew the old man. If he thought this was the best course of action, chances were that it was, even if he didn't like it. "And what our next mission is about?"

"I've gotten reports about suspicious sightings near Takigakure," Hiruzen informed him and Eiji nodded. 'Fu then, huh?... Also not from a big village, so that makes sense. Everyone else is on guard, they might just wait and see if anyone lets their guard down... Or until Pain decides to pay someone a visit...'

"As for time, we are still trying to get confirmation on this intel," Hiruzen told him then. "It might even be a false alarm, for all we know."

It wasn't. Both of them knew it wasn't, but it was a nice thought, at least. It was a shame that it seemed like the most probable course of action that Akatsuki would take. They might not like it, but life rarely worked like that.