Chapter 42: Operation Gardening

Team Yukari was in position.

They were at the secret entrance of Root’s headquarters ready to strike at 9:05 AM. So were the other teams in their own way inside the maze-like underground complex. The orders were simple: Subdue first, if impossible, lethality was allowed. Let no one leave, alive.

Kakashi was looking at his watch patiently. By his side, Yugao was sword drawn and taking slow but deep breaths. Riku was putting barrier tags all around the entrance so no one would be able to leave that way. He had given a bunch to each time to activate once inside. That way, if they miss a straggler, the said straggler would have to find another exit.

“Go.”

It was said in barely a whisper but in the silence that was all around it sounded like a yell. Team Yukari moved with Yugao taking the lead, followed by Riku then Kakashi. They ran fast but not at a speed that would leave them tired should the way forward be long. Riku’s shurifuins were a godsend in this closed and narrow environment with lots of corners. Especially the smoke and flashbangs. Sometimes the Type-B2 were used to block an access that would force the root shinobi to take a detour that would lead them towards another team. In their mad rush, Yugao would cut down their opponents, Riku would heal them with his Iryoken and Kakashi would put restraining chakra and paralysis seal on them in one go. That was a very effective method of subduing. Should anyone be present to witness how they work, they would have thought Team Yukari had been doing that for years. They already dealt with three different Root teams before they arrived in a large room with plenty of passageways. After studying the layout meticulously and remembering every detail, they knew where to go to reach Danzo’s office. The sound on earth crumbling and explosion could be heard as they moved but they paid it no mind.

Riku was distracted by the memories of the clone he had left with his sensei. They contained vital information that he immediately shared with his teammates as he punched a Root agent in the face after dodging a tanto strike. The poor agent was knocked out.

“Danzo’s dead. It wasn’t pretty. Sensei and the council nearly died because of a dead man switch seal the asshole had on him. My Kage bunshin ate the dust though. Nasty seal he had on himself.”

“Wounds?” Kakashi inquired, throwing a B2 at his opponent, trapping him.

“I think Elder Koharu lost a hand up to just below the elbow. The Hokage’s office is completely trashed, so are part of the upper and lower floor. Everyone else is alright, I believe.”

“Not too bad.”

They reached the traitor’s office and before they entered, Riku held them back. Danzo clearly had some knowledge in fuinjutsu and there was no way he would have left his office unprotected. Even in his own lair with his own brainwashed minions.

That was the right thing to do as he noticed two seals on the door. If one didn’t have the right seal or chakra signature and tried to enter, they would have burned to ash in a matter of seconds. Fortunately for them, after Gaara’s rescue mission, Riku had delegated a shadow clone to the study of dealing with other people’s seals, with the help of Karin. He could potentially remove the cursed seal on every root shinobi’s tongue but since it was cursed he’d rather have more experience in removing the seal first. Who knows what kind of damage the seal would do if one tried to do that.

The seal trap was disarmed and the door opened. He tried to notice if other seals were present inside the room but apparently not. Just in case he created a few shadow clones to study the closed area and beyond two secret doors there were no more traps.

“We’re good.” he said to his teammate. “There is a secret door here and another one there.” He pointed to the left side and then right at the wall behind the desk.

“Alright. I’ll check with the other teams, Yugao, you sealed away every guy we put down, Riku begin searching this office. I want to know everything that’s inside this place.”

Member “Yu” and member “Ri” ot Team Yukari nodded and did as ordered. Kakashi went back to the large room where he met a few teams. Among them was Gai’s.

“Gai, how did it go? Is everyone alright?”

“Neji, Hinae and I are fine. We encountered resistance as expected but we quickly subdue them.”

“For being shinobis of a black ops of a black ops, they were rather weak.” Neji commented.

“That’s because of their training.” Answered Yamato who just came in from  the nearest entrance and heard the conversation. “They are trained to be textbook perfection of every move and with the brainwashing and the stunt of their emotions they have no creativity or emotions to build upon and push their limits further. In the end, they are very capable chunin level shinobi but nothing much more.”

“That’s the most un-youthful thing I have ever heard.” Gai replied with a frown.

“Such potential wasted for the greed and megalomania of a single man. Konoha would have been stronger with them in the corps.”

“There is still hope for them, Hinae-san. I’m sure after intensive therapy and deprogramming they would be properly functional again.”

“Let’s hope so, Kakashi-san. Let’s hope so.”

Kakashi pulled out his BoS and unsealed half a dozen captured crates.

“What’s this?” Inquired Gai.

“Special crates for capture and don’t ask for more. You can fit two people inside one. Once you put up the lid back on, a simple OX, Dragon, Dog, hand seals series will activate the barrier carved on the crates, locking the prisoner in."

“Won’t they just break it down from the inside?” wondered Neji.

“They can try.” was the answer he got from the silver haired jonin. He got an eye smile as a bonus. The implication was clear: prisoners won’t be able to get out. “If you’re that worried, here.”

Kakashi flipped his BoS’ pages and unsealed a good pack of fifty tags. Checking they were the correct ones he tossed them at the young Hyuga.

“Chakra suppressing seal and paralysis seal all in one. Put one right onto their torso and they won't do a thing. Now, once your crates are full bring them back here. So we can seal everything away.”

“Won’t that kill the prisoner inside?” inquired Gai.

“No.”

“Something tells me, Riku is the one responsible for that.”

“You’d be correct Hinae-san.”

“What are you talking about?”

Neii was completely clueless at the conversation happening.

“Neji, you can’t seal a living being inside a storage seal. They die, without exception.” his sensei explained.

“But why?”

“Nobody knows or rather knew. The crates must protect the prisoners from death, so someone, Riku-san I believe, knows.”

“That’s correct and believe me, the answer is… both complicated and complex. Apparently, the Sandaime needed a fifteen minute explanation to get it.” confirmed Kakashi.

Neji wanted to ask more out of curiosity but Gai grabbed his shoulder and shook his head. Now was not the time for question if ever. Besides, the current mission was S-rank and everything learned during it was S-rank too. The less Neji knew or anyone for the matter and the better for them.

It turned out that they would need more crates than expected. Yugao had a few empty ones but a good dozen more were needed. Giving command to Yamato who was talking with children recruits their intervention had saved, Kakashi and Yugao went to see Riku. Both to get new crates but also to see what he had found out. They didn’t expect to find him sitting down, facing away from the door, with many many folders and files scattered all around him.

“Riku?” called out Yugao but she got no answer.

“Did you find something?”

Kakashi had no better luck. The two exchange a look and Yugao went to put a hand on their oblivious teammates. They both thought that something must have been very wrong for two reasons. One, Riku didn’t instinctively try to punch Yugao ( who was always ready to block it in this situation.) and instead just turned his head to look at her, not letting go of the file in his hand. Two, Riku’s face was very pale as if he’d seen a ghost. That was a face they had never seen him have before. He seemed lost. Like he didn’t know what to do or think.

“Riku?”

“Y-yes?”

“Is everything alright?” his childhood crush asked him.

“I… No.” he replied, shaking his head. “I… I need some fresh air.”

“Then go. We’re finishing here. Leave your crates for the others on the-”

Riku’s own BoS impacted Kakashi’s face as Riku ran away outside the room. Alarm bells began to ring even louder in Kakashi’s mind and he was about to pursue when Yugao called him out.

“Taicho, look.”

He turned away from the entrance and walked toward his subordinate. She was holding the same file Riku did when they entered the room. Her face too was white as a sheet. The fleeting thought to not have a look at the file crossed his mind but he discarded it. He took the file and began to read. The more he read, the more his eyes grew big and the paler his face became. It took him a few seconds to deal with the information then a few more to deal with his emotions which were stirred. Absolute anger, sadness, sympathy, fear. He didn’t know what to settle on, so he settled on none and pushed everything down to be professional.

“We need to tell Hokage-sama. Right now. Don’t let anyone inside this room. Don’t-”

“Talk about this file to anyone, I know but what about Riku?”

Kakashi was stumped. He didn’t have an answer to give her. Taking a deep breath and wiping his face with his hand, he thought about changing the plan but ultimately didn’t.

“The only thing we can do for him now, is to leave him alone and be there when he needs us to.”

Yugao nodded and began organizing the files scattered around. Kakashi left to return to the hall. He opened Riku’s BoS and went to the right pages to unsealed crates. He tossed his own book at Gai.

“Page 50 to 70 contains empty storage seals. Put one or two crates inside. Don’t touch the seals on other pages.”

“You’re leaving?” his rival noticed.

“Important information to share urgently with Hokage-sama. Danzo’s office is off limits to anyone but Yugao, who’s there, and me.”

Leaving the room, he began to run towards the closest exit of the complex. Once outside he shushined as fast as he could to reach the Hokage Tower. He was quite exhausted when he reached his destination. With their leader’s office gone, Kakashi was redirected towards Elder Homura’s office two floors down. He knocked on the door and was invited to come in. He was welcomed by Tsunade, Hiruzen and Homura and Kakashi thought rightly that Koharu was at the hospital.

“Ah! Kakashi, is it done?”

“Yes, Hokage-sama. No casualty on our side and a few on theirs. Everyone else had been captured. A report is not why I came here though.”

“No? What for then?”

“Team Yukari found Danzo’s office. While Yugao and I dealt with the rest of the operation, Riku was to search it. When we got back to him he… had this folder in hand.” he replied and handed the said folder.

Tsunade had an eyebrow raised wondering what this was all about but took the folder, opened it and began to read. Her reaction had been the same as each member than Team Yukari with the added malus of a massive killing intent permeating the room.

“I’M GOING TO KILL THAT CUNT AGAIN!” Tsunade yelled at the top of her lungs and broke Homura’s desk into matchsticks. She didn’t stop there and broke the wall of the office leading outside then Shushined away.

Both Hiruzen and Homura wondered what the hell had been in that folder and what had Danzo done to get a reaction like that from Tsunade. Picking the folder from the ground and with Homura looking above his shoulders, the two old men began to read.

Project Hokage

The nomination of Namikaze Minato to the post of Hokage had proven that shinobis from civilian or mixed heritage were able to reach the requirements for the job. So far only someone from a clan ever held the title. That an orphan child unaffiliated could become the leader of Konoha is a feat unprecedented and asked the question if it is possible to “raise” a Hokage.

As such I wish to determine, via experiment, if Namikaze Minato was able to succeed Sarutobi Hiruzen as a result of his status as a prodigy or as a result of his upbringing.

As a reminder, here is a brief recap of Namikaze Minato’s life so far:

- Lost his parents at four and lived at the orphanage.

- Began to live alone at 6 when he could enroll at the academy. No outside help from anyone during his years at the academy, not from teachers, not from non-existent friends.

- Graduating two years early at 10.

- Learned under the tutelage of Jiraiya of the Sannin as an apprentice for ten years.

- All teammates died during the war.

- All but one student died during the war.

The experiment is simple and its goal is twofold.

1) Determine the possibility of “raising” a Hokage by making the subject go through the same experiences and upbringing.

2) Possibility to have another genius of Namikaze Minato’s caliber.

The test subject should of course be born from Namikaze’s seed and preferably of an ovum from a particularly strong kunoichi.

Dr. Kenkyuusha Isha

At the bottom of the page was Hiruzen’s Hokage’s seal of approval. Anyone who knew Hiruzen, knew he would never have approved of such a thing. Not like that. The next page was even more sordid.

Project Hokage

Agent 17 was selected to bear the subject. Her cover allows her to promptly get married and pass the subject as her husband’s and hers. As such, Agent 17 would marry Warudo Kaito and become Warudo Sora. The use of drugs and genjutsu to make Warudo Kaito compliant may not be necessary because of his infatuation with Agent 17’s public persona.

Once the test subject reaches the age of four, Warudo Kaito is to be disposed of and Agent 17 officially KIA. Her true fate is yet to be decided.

The test subject should only be observed. Contact is forbidden. Only observation.

Subject  PH-000

Birth Name: Riku

Last Name: Warudo

Eye color: Grey Blue

Hair color: Dirty blonde

Distinctive signs: None

Sperm donor: Namikaze Minato

Ovum donor: Senju Tsunade

Hiruzen took a deep breath when he read that and he wasn’t the only one. Now they understood why Tsunade completely lost it.

Reports:

Year 4:

Subject started living at the orphanage after adoptive father’s suicide and adoptive mother’s execution. (Agent 17 outlived her usefulness. Her death would distract the village from Orochimaru’s real spy)

Year 6:

Agent 17’s actions had resulted in the ostracization of Subject PH-000 from the village. Results are twofold. 

1)Subject PH-000 has unlocked by himself his chakra and started training intensively in chakra control exercises. Created new and harder exercises to push further his chakra control. Ingenious. Study of viability of such exercises required. If useful, application on new recruits. Possibility of Subject inheriting his father’s genius and talent.

2)Subject PH-000 has developed a strong dislike towards the villagers. Mainly the civilians. Suggest correction of such a view.

Year 8:

Genius intellect confirmed. Subject is top of the class by a wide margin and with perfect scores. Trains tirelessly but smartly. Failure to bond with others despite the wish to do so. Non-clan affiliated classmates were warned by parents to stay away from Subject. Classmates from clans look down on Subject for being an orphan and clanless. Still practicing his chakra control. Academy instructors sabotaged the ranking to make Uchiha Sasuke Rookie of the year. Refusing to let Subject graduate early.

Subject academically beyond the whole academy’s course by the end of the year. Providing study material of a more advanced level may be required to not waste potential.

Year 9:

Subject remains friendless. Still sabotaged in favor of the Uchiha. Demonstrated a vivid interest in Iryo ninjutsu and fuinjutsu from the material he ‘found’ near his usual dwellings.

Year 10:

Subject demonstrated not just interest but very high talent for Iryo ninjutsu and fuinjutsu. Can use chakra scalpels, write storage seals and explosive tags. Discovered by accident (along the jinchuriki) his wind nature affinity. (Wind too for the jinchuriki, to add to his own file).

Year 11:

Subject learned a simple d-rank wind jutsu: Gale Palm. In record time. Began writing barrier seals. Began carving shuriken with seals. Working on an object-less kawarimi. Create a book made of chakra sealing paper. Ingenious idea. Further study required for viability of such a project along the carved shurikens. Chunin instructor Umino Iruka is fair towards Subject who finally received his title of Rookie of the year and retroactively for all the previous years. As a result, a slight change in behaviour: more open towards Chunin Umino. Expected to be in a Team with either Inuzuka Kiba or the jinchuriki, both fighting for the dead last place. Hatake Kakashi is the most likely possible jonin-sensei. Precautions need to be taken in case the genin test is failed.

Year 12:

Subject PH-000 ended in the genin corps. No Jonin-sensei wanted him in their team or as an apprentice. Experiment potentially compromised. Sandaime has a new particular interest in the Subject. Recommend stopping any close surveillance.

Year 13:

Subject PH-000 continued to study on his own by visiting the library. Began to be included in a team composed of chunin Kamizuki Izumo, Hagane Kotetsu and Tokubetsu Jonin Gekko Hayate. Entered the chunin exam as a third member of Team Hinae. Completely dominated the second phase by eliminating Konoha’s enemies and helping Konoha genin teams. Made bonds with an Uzumaki female from Kusagakure (kidnapping impossible: Under Sandaime’s watch). Severely outclassed the jinchuriki during the preliminaries. Anbu takes him away in the morning and brings him back to his home in the evening for the month until the finals.

Displayed clear superiority against Uchiha Sasuke (16 seconds of fight before victory).

Defeated the Hyuga prodigy by use of his special shuriken seals. Found six ways to defeat the Hyuga clan’s ultimate defense in one display and used one (need to find what the five others are).

Match against Suna’s jinchuriki in his favor thanks to his creativity and intellect before the invasion started. Ichibi’s jinchuriki saved by his sensei. Would have probably died by Subject’s hands otherwise.

The use of the Sandaime’s Shuriken Shadow clone Jutsu during the final implies that he trained the subject during the month of disappearance. Possibility of recreating the Jutsu himself.

Subject PH-000 was detrimental in the survival of the Sandaime during the invasion and to the containment of the Shodaime and Nidaime.

Promoted without deliberation by the Sandaime. Came back from his first mission as such with Senju Tsunade and as her apprentice. Observation mission of Subject PH-000 severely compromised because of his new status.

The unexpected addition of a Sannin in the Subject’s life puts the experiment on better tracks. While quite different from Namikaze Minato’s path, it’s only in the details. The overall big picture is still respected.

There were no more entries after that.

Both Hiruzen and Homura didn’t know what to say about what they had just read.

“If it wasn’t for the unknowing involvement of Tsunade and Minato… I might have agreed to such a project, providing circumstances were a bit different. But this... This is a mess. Kami… We need to tread carefully with both of them.”

“Especially Riku, Sandaime-sama. Hokage-sama will deal with this but Riku? He just found out his whole life is a lie.”

“Indeed but this is also a great opportunity.”

Both Kakashi and Hiruzen looked at Homura, not seeing what he was talking about.

“No matter what we may think or feel about it, the project is a success so far. More importantly, the Senju are not extinct.”

“That’s…! I didn’t think of that.” Hiruzen confessed.

With Riku being Tsunade’s son, there was still a chance for the Senju to make a comeback. That would be an incredible boon politically. Furthermore, should Riku be recognized as a Senju; the villagers - since they’re idiots - would change their tune about him which in turn would make things easier for Riku to have the recognition needed to become Hokage. The reemergence of the Senju clan from Hashirama’s own line may also bring back the Mokuton. It was a bit far-fetched but the possibility was there. Of course, not Riku since he didn’t manifest the famed kekkei genkai but his descendants may.

“Maybe this day may not be that horrible, after all.” Homura commented. “Koharu will probably shit bricks when she hears about this.”

“I nearly did.” Hiruzen answered to his friend. “Kakashi, who else knows?”

“Hokage-sama, you two and Team Yukari. Also possibly the agent or agents charged with Riku's surveillance. T&I will find out. The doctor who got the idea for the project too.”

“No, the doctor is dead. Died 8 years ago of old age.” Homura confirmed. “He was an acquaintance.” He explained his knowledge of the dead man.

“Regardless, this needs to be hushed for now. It’s a private matter between Tsunade and Riku.”

“Hiruzen…”

“I know. But it won’t do if we both push them. You know how Tsunade is and while Riku is more polite about it, he’s the same. Gosh, how did I not see it at all between the two? Heck! Riku always reminded me of Minato. Now I know why.”

“I thought the same, Sandaime-sama. Riku has sensei’s body build and his face… It’s subtle but it’s a mix of sensei and Hokage-sama. It’s all so well blended together that it’s difficult to see. I can’t unsee it now.”

“What do we do, then?” Asked Homura.

“We wait for Tsunade to calm down and hope their relationship will get stronger. That aside… Kakashi, transfer all roots agents to T&I. Make sure to impress Ibiki and Inoichi that any mention of Riku or Project Hokage by one of the prisoners is an S-rank secret and needs to be locked down on the spot. They should not ask questions about it either.”

“Understood. If I may, Sandaime-sama. What happened with Danzo, exactly? Riku said he had a deadman switch seal on him and that Elder Koharu lost an arm but he couldn’t tell more.”

“When Riku activated the suppressing seal under Danzo’s seat, his own suicide seal activated in answer. From Homura’s expertise on the subject, the seal activates when the one it’s written on dies. To do that it checks the chakra flowing inside the body.”

“And with the suppression seal on, it detected none.” mused Kakashi, understanding what happened.

“Yes. It created a vacuum sphere around Danzo and sealed anything that was inside the sphere into the seal. Unfortunately when the seal activated, Koharu wasn’t fast enough to escape unscathed.”

“I hope she will recover well.” the jonin said out of politeness.

“With the findings of young Karin and Riku, be they medical or fuinjutsu related, she should have a new arm by the end of the day.” commented hiruzen.

“Those two are really prodigious in those fields. They remind me of…”

Homura stopped there to not reopen old wounds but Hiruzen went with it.

“Minato and Kushina, yes. Not for the first time the idea had crossed my mind.”

“Were Orochimaru’s files on the Shodai cells accurate?” Inquired Kakashi, changing subject.

“They were. Danzo had a fully functioning arm made out of Hashirama-sama’s cells. To the point that his face grew on his shoulder.” The answer was given with such distaste by Homura that internally Kakashi was surprised by it.

“That wasn’t the worst. A dozen Sharingan were grafted to the arm and he even had one in his right eye socket.”

“How… He stole them from the Uchiha dead bodies.” Kakashi realized. “But… To have so many… The Uchiha were all processed during the day. Danzo would have needed to know that Itachi…”

“Kakashi!” Hiruzen interrupted. “Think no further on this. It’s better for everyone.”

“The Uchiha will be gone soon and nobody will miss them.” added Homura.

Knowing a warning when he heard one, Kakashi let go of this line of questioning. That wouldn’t stop him from thinking about it. Itachi had been his subordinate and he always found it  weird that he had snapped and killed his whole clan. Now if Danzo was involved…

Bowing to the older men, Kakashi left the office and went back to the Root’s Headquarters. He knew that today would suck but not how much. The worst? It was only 10 am.