Naruto: Faint Smile - CH 83

[Third Person POV.]

In Konoha’s hospital, nurses moved quickly from room to room, carrying charts, as the hums of the machines filled the air. Behind closed doors, in one of the hospital’s private wings reserved for Shinobi treatment, three beds were occupied by a trio of young shinobi who had been brought in by the Anbu, recently under emergency conditions.

Shisui, Itachi, and Takeshi lay motionless, each of them kept in a medically induced coma, their conditions while severe were mostly stable. Outside their room, the doctor working their case stood speaking with a group of nurses. The three young shinobi were well-known, not just because of their talent, but because of the strange circumstances that had brought them here.

It wasn’t a normal occasion for someone to try and assassinate the Daimyo. And the fact three kids, geniuses or not, had stopped the assasination was nothing short of outstanding.

“How are their vitals holding?” the doctor asked one of the nurses, his brow furrowed as he scanned the reports in his hands.

“All stable for now, but Takeshi’s readings are still… abnormal,” one nurse replied, her voice hesitant. “His brain activity hasn’t settled, it keeps fluctuating.”

Before the doctor could respond, the soft rustle of leaves signaled a new arrival. The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, strode toward them, his face grim but calm, as always. His presence commanded immediate attention, and the nurses bowed slightly before stepping aside, leaving the doctor alone with him.

“Lord Third,” the doctor greeted, turning to look at his chart. “You’re here about the boys.”

Hiruzen nodded, his gaze drifting toward the closed door behind the doctor. “How are they?” he asked, his tone soft but carrying the weight of his concern. Shisui, Itachi, and Takeshi were not just talented shinobi— in the Hokage’s eyes, they were the future of the village. And to see them laid up like this was troubling, to say the least.

The doctor sighed, flipping through his report. “It’s complicated. All three are in a medically induced coma for different reasons, though none of them are life-threatening at the moment.” He paused, then started with the first case. “Shisui has severe damage to his chakra network, most of which is focused around his eyes. He pushed himself far beyond his limits, and we’re still working to repair the strain. But we can’t make any guarantees.”

The Hokage’s expression tightened, though he said nothing. He had expected as much, given the reports he’d received about team Yamato’s latest mission. “And Itachi?” Hiruzen asked.

“Itachi’s case is a little more straightforward,” the medic continued. “He’s suffering from chakra exhaustion. His reserves were completely drained, and his body is recovering from the shock of overworking his chakra network. His condition isn’t as severe as Shisui’s, but he needs to rest. If he wakes too early, his recovery could be set back significantly.”

Hiruzen nodded slowly, though his brow furrowed in concern. Both Uchiha prodigies were valuable assets to the village, but they were still just boys. He’d seen too many young shinobi push themselves beyond their limits, only to suffer the consequences later.

“And Takeshi?” The Hokage’s voice was quieter this time, knowing the answer would likely be the most troubling. He had been briefed on the strange incident involving the boy, but no one seemed to fully understand what had happened.

The medic’s expression darkened slightly as he shifted to Takeshi’s file. “Takeshi is… by far the worst off. We don’t fully understand what’s happening with him. His physical condition isn’t critical, but his brain activity is—well, it’s unlike anything we’ve seen. His vitals are stable, but his brain is operating on a different level. He’s unresponsive to outside stimuli, so we’ve had to keep him under to prevent further complications, and to figure out how to help him.”

“His brain activity?” Hiruzen asked, his voice sharp with curiosity and concern. “Can you explain what’s causing it?”

The medic shook his head slowly. “We’re not sure. There was some evidence of mental strain— or trauma, but we are not sure. So far, we’ve run every diagnostic test available to us, and nothing makes sense. His chakra pathways seem fine, his physical scans show no damage, but his mind…” He trailed off, clearly frustrated with the lack of answers. “It’s damaged unlike anything we’ve ever seen.”

Hiruzen stroked his beard thoughtfully, his gaze distant for a moment. Takeshi’s condition was a mystery, one that no simple medical technique could solve. Whatever had happened to him wasn’t something the doctors could fix with their usual methods, especially if it had something to do with his unique bloodline.

“Is there anything you can do to bring him out of it?” the Hokage asked, his voice tinged with a rare hint of urgency.

The medic hesitated. “We’ve considered trying to stimulate his brain activity with external chakra, but given his current state, we believed that any attempt to force him awake could cause irreversible damage. For now, the best we can do is let his mind heal on its own. We’ve kept him stable, and we’re monitoring him closely, but it’s difficult to say when—or if—he’ll fully recover.”

Hiruzen’s expression remained composed, but the weight of the situation pressed heavily on his shoulders. He should’ve sent more people with them, a bigger group… a bigger chance to avoid this. Shisui, Itachi, and Takeshi were all vital to Konoha in their own ways. Losing any of them, or even having them incapacitated for an extended period, would be a blow to the village.

They were the best of their generation, the future of the Leaf.

“I see,” the Hokage said quietly. “Continue monitoring them. I’ll be back to check on their progress.”

The doctor bowed slightly. “Of course, Lord Third. We’ll do everything we can.”

———————————————————-

[A Few Hours Later.]

Hiruzen sat behind his desk, his fingers steepled as he stared across the room at Danzo. The atmosphere between them was always tense, but despite their differences, their goal was the same, protecting the Leaf. Danzo’s expression was calm, but Hiruzen knew better than to take that at face value. Danzo never entered his office without some hidden motive, without some angle he was working.

“So,” Hiruzen said slowly, “What is it this time, Danzo?”

Danzo didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he paced slowly, his cane tapping the floor rhythmically as he walked across the room. “How is… Team Yamato doing?”

Hiruzen’s eyes narrowed, his patience already wearing thin. “You already know. So let me cut to the chase, what are you playing at?”

Danzo turned, his single visible eye meeting Hiruzen’s gaze, the faintest flicker of amusement dancing across his face. “I have no hidden motive, Hiruzen, at least not this time,” he said, his voice calm but laced with a hint of something more. “But there is something we must address, and I don’t believe it can be delayed any longer.”

Hiruzen leaned back in his chair. He knew this was coming. Danzo didn’t ask about anything unless there was something deeper involved, unless there was something to gain. Nevertheless, he waited for Danzo to continue, bracing himself for whatever proposal or the likes, the man would offer.

“It’s about Takeshi,” Danzo said, his voice measured. “You’ve heard the reports. His transformation… It was unlike anything we’ve seen. His chakra was so dense, so dark and overwhelming, it could be felt from miles away. Some would even say… like a Tailed Beast.”

Hiruzen’s fingers tightened slightly on the desk, though his face remained impassive. “I’ve read the reports,” he said calmly. “I know what happened.”

Danzo moved closer, resting his hands on the back of the chair across from Hiruzen. “Do you? Do you truly understand what this means, Hiruzen?” His tone was sharp, cutting through the otherwise calm demeanor. “Takeshi transformed into a beast—one with a level of power we couldn’t have predicted even if we had tried. The amount of chakra he released… it wasn’t natural. It was chaotic, and filled with bloodlust unlike anything we ever dealt with. And the worst part is we don’t know anything about how or why this happened, anything about his Kekkei Genkai. We don’t know how to contain it.”

Hiruzen sighed, his gaze drifting toward the window for a brief moment. Despite their differences, he knew his old friend was right, his concerns weren’t without merit. What had happened with Takeshi had been far beyond what anyone could have anticipated. The reports spoke of a monstrous transformation, of a boy whose chakra rivaled that of a tailed beast, wild and uncontrollable.

And the truth was, they had no idea what would happen if Takeshi lost control again. Seals rarely worked with Natural Energy, and those that did… didn’t work for long.

“I understand your concerns,” Hiruzen admitted, his voice quieter now. “Before this mission, I believed that if Takeshi ever became a threat, dealing with him would be… manageable, easy even. But after this, I’m not so certain. His power is far beyond what we originally thought.”

Danzo straightened up slightly, his face unreadable. “Exactly. We have no way of restraining him should he lose control again. He’s a complete unknown. The only thing we know is that his kekkei genkai naturally produces natural energy, but other than that, nothing. That kind of lack of knowledge is a danger to the village.”

Hiruzen’s eyes flickered back to Danzo, narrowing ever so slightly. “What are you suggesting?”

Danzo’s voice was low, cold. “The only way to deal with this is to have someone with the knowledge necessary to take care of him.”

As soon as those words left Danzo’s mouth, Hiruzen’s chakra flared instinctively, shattering the desk in front of him as his body tensed. He knew what Danzo was suggesting, and he wouldn’t stand for it. “I won’t let you take him, Danzo,” he said, his voice sharp and filled with finality, with a threat that said: Try me, and see what happens.

But to his surprise, Danzo didn’t react as expected. He didn’t flinch or raise his voice. Instead, he remained as calm as ever, his expression unchanged. “There was a time I would’ve jumped at the opportunity to have him under my wing, however… under the current circumstances, I have no intention of taking him, Hiruzen. As much as I appreciate talented shinobi, this situation is beyond my reach. I’ll admit that much.”

Hiruzen eyed him warily, still unsure of where Danzo was leading him, this was new territory for the old Kage. “And who would you suggest?”

Danzo’s visible eye gleamed slightly, as if the answer had been on the tip of his tongue the entire time. “The last loyal student you have, Jiraiya.”

Hiruzen blinked, the tension in the room shifting slightly. “Jiraiya?”

Danzo nodded. “Jiraiya is the only expert in sage art we have. His understanding of natural energy and its deeper workings surpasses anyone else in Konoha. If there’s anyone who can handle and teach Takeshi how to better use his power, it’s him.”

The Hokage leaned back in his chair, processing the suggestion. He hadn’t expected Danzo to propose Jiraiya of all people, but the reasoning made sense, he himself had considered the idea many times, but he knew Jiraiya was still dealing with the loss of his student, and that was a pain that took a lot to overcome. Nevertheless, Danzo was right, Jiraiya had the experience they lacked with natural energy. If there was anyone who could help Takeshi navigate the dangerous potential of his Kekkei Genkai, it would be him.

And in the worst case scenario, Jiraiya would also be the best option to develop a viable measure to deal with Takeshi.

Still, something about Danzo’s calmness bothered him. Danzo never let go of potential weapons so easily, especially not ones with as much raw power as Takeshi. There had to be something more, some angle he was working.

“Why Jiraiya?” Hiruzen asked, his voice cautious. “You’ve never been one to favor him.”

Danzo’s expression remained neutral, though Hiruzen could see the calculated thought behind his eye. “As much as I prefer control, Hiruzen, I also understand my limits. This situation is out of my depth. Jiraiya, for all his eccentricities, has a better grasp on this thing than I ever will. If Takeshi is going to be trained and controlled, it should be by someone who understands the danger he poses.”

“I’ll consider it,” Hiruzen finally said, his voice calm but firm.

Danzo nodded, accepting the decision without protest. “Do what you must, Lord Hokage. But remember, right now… Takeshi is a threat as much as he is an asset. Don’t let your judgment be clouded.”