25 Chapter 24 (2/2)
”So you made jounin after all?” Kakashi broke the silence as Hikari took a seat next to him.
”Courtesy of Hiashi-sama and Sandaime-sama. He was distraught during my absence and I have no one to blame but you, you laid back, perverted teacher,” Hikari's eyebrow was twitching as he said it before he made a sign to seal the room.
”From Itachi's mind, I saw that our enemy currently is his organization, the Akatsuki. They had already made a move on the Jinchuriki and Naruto is in danger,” the boy said and the white-haired jounin nodded.
”Jiraiya-sama wanted to step in as the boy's godfather, he'll be safe with Jiraiya-sama,” Kakashi explained.
”Oh, yeah. Yondaime made him the boy's godfather. I'll have a ROOT shadowing them just in case,” Hikari casually said as he crossed his arms around his body. Kakashi was confused and taken aback.
”You knew?! Wait, ROOT??! Don't tell me Danzo got to you already. I thought, Sandaime-sama and I had masked your records well enough from him,” Kakashi rubbed away the non-existent headache on his temple.
”He couldn't sway me at first but then he had Hitori killed in front of me and I killed him for it,” Hikari slowly said.
”What? How do you manage? That man is more conceited than Orochimaru himself,” Kakashi was in disbelief.
”With immense difficulties and,” Hikari said as he peeled off his vest to reveal his cursed seal, ”dire consequences.”
”No way...” words had escaped Kakashi's mouth.
”Yup, I am the current ROOT director and don't go at me with the burden lecture and such. That ship had sailed. I am hoping to change the organization for the better and also, I got a therapy session on Monday every other week,” the boy continued. Kakashi heaved out a sigh as he considered the situation. He reminisced his times with ROOT. They were ruthless and unfeeling to even their comrades. ROOT was a thorn within Konoha's shadow and he had long since despised the discrete organization's way of thinking. With Hikari at the helm, no doubt things would be different.
”I'll approve of it as long as you remained yourself,” Kakashi finally gave in.
”Ah, about that, you know, I was lost in my rage and almost annihilated the entire organization. Luckily, Hitori, the Phoenix you saw during the siege and she is immortal. She managed to pull me back from my fury. I was in a huge mess since that was the first time I had killed a human being,” Hikari explained as he rubbed the back of his head.
”Yeah, it was never easy to deal with your first kill, even the best of us had problems dealing with it. It's good that you're in therapy,” Kakashi commented.
”Multiple personality disorder induced by emotional stress. Of course, I had to go to therapy,” Hikari finished the man's words.
”How are your teammates taking in this information?” Kakashi probed and Hikari grinned at the man.
”Don't tell them or anyone anything about ROOT, S-Class secret. I can handle the Jounin situation,” the boy said. They talked about a few mundane kinds of stuff afterwards before a bird made of ink made its way inside the ward. Hikari immediately opened an empty scroll and the bird flew into the scroll and disappeared into a form of writing.
”Director Hikari,
The Godaime Hokage is mobilizing the Jounins to complete various S-class missions outside of the village. The number of the mission is quite a lot and I suggest that we help them. Monkey and I will be waiting for your orders in HQ.
Boar”
”Godaime-sama wasn't wasting time. She is mobilizing jounin for S-class mission outside of the village,” Hikari finally said after he stood up and withdrew another scroll before he stored the previous back to his vest pouch. He took off his Jukengi and folded it neatly.
”Are you up for a mission? Hokage is calling all of us to her office,” he asked his sensei.
”Well, we don't have much choice now, do we?” Kakashi stood up and stretch a bit while the boy unravelled the scroll and put his robe onto the scroll then he made a sign. The robe disappeared in a puff and two khakis robed figures appeared in front of them holding a red Oni mask with three-eyed holes.
”Morning guys! This is my sensei. Kakashi-sensei, meet two of my trusted new colleagues,” Hikari said as he took the mask from them. The ROOT bowed at Kakashi who was agitated by their presence of course.
”Morning, Director Hikari, Kakashi-senpai,” both of them spoke in sync. Kakashi returned their greetings nervously. Hikari put on the mask and Rinne-Sharingan flared on the Oni's forehead.
”Right now, I am called Oni-kun. See you at the tower,” Hikari said before all of them shunshinned away.
Hokage's Office
When the three ROOT representatives appeared in the Hokage's office, all of the Jounins were agitated and crouched defensively before Shikaku told them to stand down.
”Sorry for barging in, the name's Oni-kun. I am the current ROOT Director. I was made aware that the village was understaffed. I am offering my operatives help in exchange for a prospect of reintegration of our unit as one of Konoha's covert branch once again with a promise of the Will of Fire as our new guidelines,” Hikari began. There were murmurs from the Jounins who recognized the voice and was disbelieving that Hikari was the new leader of Konoha's most notorious covert ops apart from the clan heads who had met him of course. Most of them were startled by the boy's chakra levels and the third eye that looked to real to be a part of the mask seemed to peer into their souls. Tsunade was the first one who first broke out to a fit of laughter.
”I should have known that you weren't a normal shinobi the minute I laid eyes on you,” she said.
”Please, Hokage-sama. Keep the information to yourself and that goes to all of you who knew the person I am referring to. So, will we reach a decision?” Hikari implored her and she immediately smiled at the boy.
”The more the merrier. I expect all of you to treat his men as a member of Konoha all the same. ROOT will never be the same with him as the leader. Welcome aboard, Oni-kun. Stand next to me please and what did I said this morning?” she was subtly threatening the boy. Hikari groaned and stomped his way to stand next to Tsunade.
”Yeah, yeah, senpai,” inside the mask, Hikari was pouting because Tsunade wasn't taking him seriously. The older Ino-Shika-Cho trio was snickering along with Genma and Aoba and Hikari shot them a murderous glare in hope to shut them up in which the first trio had failed. The rest of the Jounins was baffled at this predicament. Their superiors knew who the ROOT director was, so that was enough for them to trust the new Director.
”Sorry, I'm late,” Kakashi announced as he slipped inside the office through the window.
”What did I miss? Oh yo, Hikari!” On cue, the Jounins shouted in disbelief as the boy groaned.
”Shut up, pervert. Do you have to be late even when we both went out at the same time?” Hikari said as he took off the mask. The third eye that was a real eye had closed slowly but the rest of them didn't comment about it. Tsunade grinned before taking over the situation.
”Just in time, pipe down people. His identity as a ROOT director is an S-Class secret so don't mention it anywhere you like. Now, considering the situation at the village and around the Fire country borders, the economies had suffered. Thus, I am sending out the Jounins for S-Class mission outside of the village except for some of the essential Jounins and Anbu Corps who are guarding the perimeter.
”News of Sandaime-sama's death had put the country in jeopardy along with the news of a few Oto-nin terrorizing the outskirts village. Hence, the mission. Please take the mission details here,” she said.
”Monkey, Boar, have a ROOT member join each of the Jounin team at the gate. Masks on for the time being. One breach of secrecy is enough for a day. They can freely pick out the mission that they liked,” Hikari said as he shot his sensei an annoyed look. The two ROOT snickered before disappearing in a puff of smoke. One by one, the towering paperwork had shrunk down significantly until Kakashi took his.
”Sorry for the slip-up,” the man smiled at the pouting boy.
”Whatever, sensei. You suck at keeping secrets anyway,” Hikari said as he let out his tongue at the man. Suddenly, Hikari's face had changed. With his Byakugan enhanced by the Rinne-Sharingan, he saw that his two teammates were fighting. Their chakra was increasing exponentially and from the looks of it, Sakura might be caught in the middle of it.
”We are needed at the Hospital, sensei,” he disappeared after he said it before Kakashi followed him afterwards leaving everyone baffled yet again.