Game of Shadows by Adrian King1

Chapter 113

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

Cover Art: Kissuli.

Chapter 113

"Thank you," Onoki said.

"Wow, that looked like it hurt, old man," Eiji shot back with a slight smirk that only grew wider as the man huffed. "Don't mention it though."

"That said..." The Tsuchikage muttered as he leaned back against his chair looking just as tired as Hiruzen used to those days. "This will complicate matters."

"That's about what we come to expect, at this point, Red Nose," Tayuya said flippantly from his side and Eiji could only facepalm. Maybe it'd been a bad idea to praise how freely she spoke her mind.

He chuckled.

Then again, maybe not.

"We do have a habit of running to situations that only get more complicated than they already were," Eiji agreed with a shrug, completely ignoring the redhead's comment, which only made Onoki's eyebrow twitch. He could try and reel her in, of course, but really... He couldn't be bothered.

"Why am I not surprised?" The old man asked with a grumble. "Kumo will be more aggressive now, especially since they know you've captured their Jinchuriki."

"That was what was expected," Eiji nodded as he looked at the Kage reading through the report he'd brought from Konoha. It held information regarding. The current situation with Kumo and what the Hokage thought could be useful to coordinate. Things like how Suna was still working on its own situation and wouldn't be able to help, which was expected, since they were the furthest away. Or how Kiri would be sending some support, which was slightly surprising, since they still were recovering too.

"It was, doesn't mean we have to like it," Onoki said with an annoyed expression. "I'm guessing you were sent here to help?" He asked, his eyebrow twitching again, which Eiji could understand. "I wasn't informed of that."

"Ah, sort of?" Eiji replied with a shrug. "We were actually going to be outside of the Land of Earth. But, well, we came across some information about... a bit of a situation," He explained, his eyes moving towards Kurotsuchi, who'd been silent for the most part since after his team found her and her own squad. "The situation's changed though, evidently. I'll be sending a message back to Konoha, but for now, I guess I can help out here. If you'll have us, otherwise we'll just wait or leave, or whatever."

"Like he wouldn't take the chance to have badasses like us solving his problems, Fearless Leader," Tayuya commented and he simply took a deep breath in. "Again, might I add."

Yeah, maybe it had been a mistake.

"Do you have to be so insufferably-"

"I do," Tayuya replied, interrupting Kurotsuchi. "Wouldn't be me otherwise, right?"

"Insufferable redheads aside," Eiji restarted with a roll of his eyes, dutifully ignoring the "Hey" she protested with. "What do you want to do?"

"For now, you'll be placed in the border," The Kage said and the boy felt a smile form on his face.

"More worried about Killer B than you are Akatsuki, huh?" Eiji mused. It was understandable, really. After all, the terrorists could pick from an assortment of targets that weren't him. Kumo, however, had been targeting his country most of all. Now there was Konoha added to the mess too, probably, but that still meant he had more to worry about from the Cloud.

"Indeed," The old man recognized with a stiff nod. "I'll keep an eye out for them myself over here."

Eiji had to wonder how the old man planned to pull that off. There was a reason that the last time he'd asked for help, his help to protect Han. Onoki certainly could protect his Jinchuriki himself, but he was a Kage. He couldn't afford to play bodyguard. If he was planning on doing just that now... What had changed?