Apprentice

CH. 12

Naruto kneeled in front of the council, a hidden smirk on his face.

"Genin Uzumaki Naruto. For going above and beyond the call of duty demanded by your station, and completing a S+ Rank Mission, I am promoting you to Jonin." Hiruzen tossed a vest Naruto's way with Naruto quickly catching and sealing it in a hidden seal on his wrist. 

"With that out of the way, I'm still going to need your help, Naruto. With Danzo... off the council, I'm going to need you to take his place. You are the only one in this village both powerful enough and knowledgeable enough for the position." Naruto looked up to the old man, a smirk plastered on his face. "Of course, Lord Hokage. I'll gladly take the position of advisor." Hiruzen nodded, a satisfied smile on his face.

"Are you sure this is wise?" The question came from Hiashi, a concerned look on his face. "I hold no doubt in his skills, but he is still so young..." Hiruzen nodded in understanding. "Watch him during his meeting, you'll understand." He nodded hesitantly. Whether or not he agreed, an order from the Hokage is still an order.

"Let's get started, I believe Shikaku  wished to start this meeting?" The lazy Nara straitened from his slouch as his face morphed into a serious one. "Yes, with Danzo deceased we have uncovered quite a lot from his old bases. ROOT wasn't disbanded, we all knew that. What we didn't know is that he easily had enough ROOT operatives to destroy a small nation." Everyone at the table flinched in worry. Those kinds of numbers would be tough to integrate. They began to discuss what to do with them, as Naruto stayed silent, simply observing. The discussion rapidly turned to bickering and finger pointing. Naruto sighed and clapped his hands, getting everyone's attention.

"I believe there are three ways to deal with them." The Hokage motion for him to go on. "The first option is to integrate them into our forces directly after serious sessions with a Yamanaka. I can remove any loyalty and silencing seals they may have. It will take years to get them into our forces proper, and cost millions of ryo. However we'll have a funnel of clean Chunin and Jonin doubling if not tripling our threat to the other nations." All of them nodded, understanding the benefit.

"A valid plan, but it puts much too much strain on my clan. Additionally, as disgusting as it feels to say, we seriously need a body like ROOT. Having an unofficial force to run assignations and other dirty missions is desperately important. If Danzo was doing his job correctly, we may never have lost Hatake Kakashi." Naruto sighed, slouching slightly.

"That excludes the third option then. If no one desired all of them to be integrated into the forces, they would be sent on missions that were impossible, slowly dwindling their numbers into so it was more manageable. Although I have the idea, I am firmly against it. Too much like something Danzo would've done." Everyone nodded in agreeance.

"That leave the second viable option. Give them to me." Hiruzen brow rose into his hairline. "I'll command ROOT, continuing the unsavory missions they used to go on. We'll get the old blood the help they need. ROOT will become officially sanctioned and it's practices will change. I won't be kidnapping orphans, but I will be recruiting them. ROOT will go from a emotionless hell, to a home for broken shinobi and kunoichi. I believe this is the most viable option. If I am not chosen to command, than both Jiraiya of the Sanin and Yamanaka Inoichi himself are excellent options." Hiruzen nodded in agreement.

"I will be honest with you, Naruto. I do not feel comfortable giving you so much power so quickly. Jiraiya, having experienced leadership in regards to his spy network, will be chosen. I will recall him immediately, and I expect everyone at this table to assist wherever able." A quick nod of agreeance was shared as Shikaku moved on.

"The subject of Orochimaru... he's making his move without a doubt. Rumors of him leading the newly formed Otogakure seem to be true as we've discovered several shinobi with curse marks from the two observations we've done." Naruto paled as he took a deep breath. "He without a doubt wanted us to see them." Naruto nodded in agreeance as the council table seemed to grow heavier. "With Suna being so hostile recently, we shouldn't expect help from them-."