Canon Fodder

CHAPTER 239 LESS TIRED

The tent canvas around me became illuminated. Aurora Watanabe, my slightly older sister, stood staring at me. She bit her lip nervously. Having just told me the maids were gone. The note from Kabuto in hand, it was time to act. 

Making 8 shadow clones they filed out of the tent. Quickly moving in 8 different directions they ran at full speed as they used our Search Quirk. I had wanted to go to MHA to find out more about the quirk, but to be honest the finding part was all I needed for now. 

“What are you doing?” Aurora asked as I headed out of the tent. We were in a large grouping of other tents. People running around as the recovery for Pain’s attack began. 

“Finding my girls. Where are the others?” I asked as I brought up my quest. 

“Uh mom and dad are over there,” she said. I had meant the higher ups in the village but for now I needed to wait. I used my Search Quirk and was heading toward them. 

“How long was I asleep?” I asked. 

“3 hours. They said you needed more, but…”

“You made the right call,” I said. “I’ll be fine.” We walked into my parents tent. 

“Weston!” Father said as he did a double take. My body began expanding with new muscles but I ignored the pain. “What are-“

“I’m told the maids are missing,” I said. 

“We already have others looking,” father said. “Do you have any idea why this Kabuto character targeted them?” 

“From what I know, Orochimaru was obsessed with learning all jutsus. Guess that passed onto his successor,” I said. 

I should have known I couldn’t keep my involvement in events secret from him. I had hoped Kabuto would have jumped ship to Akatsuki, not bothered with finding some new chakra element he didn’t know about. 

“Then again…” I said as I thought. In canon, Kabuto joined up and gave Akatsuki the corpses of the world's strongest fighters. Including Madara Uchiha. Madara then broke out of Kabuto’s control. Took over the world spanning Genjutsu. If I could kill Kabuto, could I prevent the headache of having to fight all the kages? Kill the nerd, save the world. 

“What?” Father asked. 

“Nothing. I’m going out to search for the girls,” I said. 

“You should rest-“ my father said but I was already out of the tent. Scanning the area I locked onto Kiba. He was close. I moved to intercept him but the Hokage’s assistant stopped me. 

“What are you doing awake?” She asked. 

“Some people are missing. I have to find them,” I said. 

“The Hokage wishes to see you,” the assistant said. I was pretty sure her name was Shizune, but I couldn’t remember for sure. There was too much going on and my 12 hour timer was ticking away. 

I considered blowing her off for now, but honestly I didn’t need Kiba. My father said others were looking for them, but I had an otherworldly power meant for finding people. My clones would have better luck finding them. If I left town to look for them I wouldn’t be centralized between the clones. I could end up in the opposite direction. 

Letting out a sigh I nodded. She escorted me through the tents as we headed off to a larger one further into the forest. People waved at me, or said my name as I walked. I ignored them. It was harder to let my clones do the work than I thought. My mood was dark. 

We came to a large tent. Inside were the majority of team leads. Kakashi, Asuma, even Kurenai was there. Though it had come out that she was pregnant she was still working. Tsunade stood at the head of the large table. Pointing down to a map. 

Surprisingly Pain and Konan were there as well. The pale man was skin and bones. At least he was outside of the contraption that allowed him to manipulate the dead bodies he controlled. Standing by the Hokage he looked…on death's door. I wasn’t sure why he appeared so weak. Was his body unable to cope with the eyes? Or was it some sort of symbolism for Otakus that didn’t leave their room and lived through avatars on video games?

“Weston,” Tsunade said, noticing me. Many others turned to face me. Most of them had awkward looks as they studied me. Their Haki all a jumble I wasn’t sure what they were feeling. 

“Talking about me?” I asked, stepping up to the table as I pushed my worry away. I had to trust my clones. 

“Trying to decipher what you were talking about,” Tsunade admitted. “We’ve pieced some together but-“

“Yeah, I was pretty out of it. Let me start at the beginning,” I said. Stepping up to the map it was a hand drawn image of the current ninja countries and their boundaries. 

“Some…thousand years ago. There was a woman. She was sent to guard a tree. This tree released a fruit. A fruit she ate, awakening chakra in her. She had a son, maybe 2 sons, but I only know of the one. Anyway, he was known as the Sage of Six Paths,” I pointed at Pain. “You have his eyes, the Rinnegan.” 

“Questions after,” I said, stopping them from talking. Pain and a few others tried to speak further but one look from Tsunade quieted them. 

“The Sage of 6 Paths had 2 sons. One is the ancestor of the Uchihas and the other is your ancestors I think,” I told Tsunade. “At some point the Sage of Six Paths split up a monster called the 10 tailed beast. Making the 9 tailed beasts. And pretty much established the entire ninja world.”

“There is a little backstory for you all. Now the present times. All of this was set in place by Madara Uchiha.”

“How is he not dead?” Tsunade asked, not to interrupt but more to herself. 

“He is currently dead,” I assured her. “But before he passed he manipulated your friend, Obito Uchiha.”

“I saw him die myself,” Kakashi mumbled. “I have trouble believing that he would turn against the village like this.”

“Believe it or not, he’s the main bad guy right now. If we aren’t careful he could easily grab the Jinchurikis. From what I know he doesn’t need all of their chakra to awaken the 10 tails. But he needs at least some from each.”

“Why is he trying to awaken the 10 tails?”

I couldn’t remember every little thing, but that was easy. “With it he will be able to bloom another world tree. Trapping every human on Earth in a Genjutsu. Making all of us see an ideal world. No more fighting. Just sleeping our lives away.”

“That’s dumb” “that doesn’t make sense” “how is that possible” was said by people all around the tent. 

“I didn’t say it was a good plan. All Obito was allowed to see while under Madara was the death of the love of his life. From there Madara put the pieces of Obito back together. At the end Obito was a willing subordinate. Following Madara’s supposed dream.”

“But,” I said, cutting in before they could talk again. “Madara isn’t the real bad guy.”

“There’s more?” Tsunade asked. 

“Yes, much worse people. If the world tree is allowed to be awakened. And people are trapped in its Genjutsu. The mother of chakra will be able to be resurrected.”

“Who!?” People yelled. 

“She is called the Rabbit goddess,” I said. I couldn’t remember her exact name. “She is the real bad guy. Manipulating Madara who manipulated Obito. An Inception boss. A boss within a boss within a boss. This whole thing has been set up for a long time. For this one moment. It falls on us to stop it.”

“How do we stop it?” Tsunade asked. 

I studied the buxom older woman. I hadn’t had a chance to seduce her. I hoped there was time after the canon to do so. “I have asked a few people, but you lady-Hokage, were the only person that knew of the 10 tails beast. Do you mind telling me how you knew of it?”

“I read a report when I started as Hokage,” she admitted. “It explained much of what you said about the birth of chakra. And talked of the 10 tail beast.” 

“How did you get this information?”

“Supposedly this history is written on tablets in the Uchiha ruins,” she admitted. 

“Okay,” I said. “I don’t know anything about that. I know we need to get the other ninja clans involved. That weird Yin Yang guy in Akatsuki.” I looked up to Pain. “He has been making copies of himself probably since Madara’s time. There will be as many copies of him as there are ninjas in the world.”

“Zetsu?” Pain asked in heavy breath. 

“Whatever it’s name is,” I said. “Also we need to kill Kabuto.”

“Kabuto?” Tsunade asked.  

“He is Orochimaru’s successor. The very man that killed the 3rd Hokage by bringing the 1st and 2nd Hokages back to life. A man that has had years to gather other Kages. And can use them as shock troops to kill many people off. We cannot let that happen.”

They began talking quickly. Coming up with plans. “So priorities…” I said, bringing eyes back to me. “Keep the Jinchuriki safe. Where’s Naruto…and Jaraiya?” I was surprised the older man wasn’t around. 

“They left for the Land of the Frogs,” Tsunade admitted.

“Should be safe there,” I admitted. I guessed it was time for Naruto to do a real training arc. I couldn’t help but look up to Konan and Pain. The 2 Akatsuki members were awfully quiet as they listened in on a war planning meeting. 

“What about you 2?” I asked when the people quieted. 

“I…” Pain started but paused. 

“They have agreed to help,” Tsunade said. 

“Out of the goodness of your heart?” I asked. I knew he was supposed to turn good. But I didn’t have the patience Naruto had, or the drive to be some great ninja. I hadn’t bothered to try to appeal to his humanity. 

“I feel a fool for not seeing the plans going on behind my back,” Pain admitted. “I need to at least fix this.”

“And afterward? If Obito happens to gather enough chakra to awaken the 10 tails, are you going to backstab us? Keep going with your plan?”

Pain opened his mouth but didn’t have an answer. The room became tense as they waited. I was about to push further when the information poured into my mind. 

“Something came up,” I said, turning around and heading out of the tent. They yelled after me, but I was gone. I headed straight North as I left. I was at full speed soon enough. On my way to finish my quest and save my girls.