34 Time to deal with i (1/2)

I look at tsunade and see that she fell asleep on my shoulder so I hold her while I gently get up, then I lay her down gently and put a blanket on her that I put into my inventory earlier. I then look to everyone else, ”I'll be back soon, I have to go talk to the Hokage. For you guys the Hokage is the leader of this village.”

After making sure that at least Olivier, Ezio, and Orochimaru heard me I flash off. If Jiraiya, who was in a daze because he couldn't imagine me getting tortured, wonders where I am he can ask the others.

Once I get to the doors in front of the Hokage's office I knock, and soon after I hear him tell me to come in. I slowly open the doors, enter and sit down. The Hokage took notice of this and spoke up after I was completely seated, ”Joseph... what happened to you? I may not have known you long but even during the training I gave to you, you always had a smile on your face. Right now, if I'm being honest you look like a defeated man.”

I nod slowly to what the Hokage said before replying, ”I was kidnapped and tortured. It's because I said too much about the future so I know it's my fault, especially since I should have done so, if at all, once I was stronger. I was just too overzealous and trusting...”

The Hokage sighed and thought of what to say for a bit. I sat there in silence until he finally spoke, ”Joseph... you have helped my Village a lot, No I think it's safe to say it's your village at this point if I'm being honest. You have learning abilities that put the best of us to shame, you were able to complete monstrous tasks that you, by all means, should not have been able to complete, and last but not least, sometimes it's not wrong to put trust in others. It is very important to remember that you aren't alone in your battle as you have been acting for however long, so long as you have one good Ally then you will never have to fight alone. Though I do agree with you that telling so much is wrong, you need to get better at bluffing that your hand is better or worse than it is, it will get you far in life. Like take my tactic of us fighting, I have not left this room since the fight and almost nobody knows I am here, only those with high permissions do, and this is all to make them believe us to be weaker. Joseph you are a strong person so don't let this drag you down for long, but you definitely should take it to heart and grow from it.”

I nod to what he says. It's all stuff I've thought about before, but for some reason it just feels more powerful hearing it from someone else. I know I need to change, and how I need to, but hearing someone else tell me why and how to change just strikes me much harder than myself. Maybe my low self-esteem​ is bubbling back up, well I can drown that with alcohol later, heh.

The Hokage sighs, ”Now that we've gotten that done, and that I know what happened to you let me first give you my sympathies. I am truly sorry about what happened and didn't realize it impacted you so much. I forget that you didn't grow up a ninja like we raise our young. Now, we have an important topic to discuss. I was told by Orochimaru when he stopped by that there are some people you... summoned?” The Hokage raises his eyebrows as he says this to me.

I nod in reply as he continues, ”I won't bother asking you how you can do this, but I was told these people can accomplish amazing things. Are they trust worthy?”

A wry smile appears on my face as I speak, ”Well they still have complete autonomy from me so if they don't like someone they can try to harm them. I haven't known them for long either so I have the bare amount of trust with both of them, as for the last one... well I would advise people not to aggravate the man in red as well, he is an extremely free spirit that I would be completely unable to stop should he get even a bit upset. Maybe later I can talk him out of it, but for right now he has been summoned for not very long and isn't loyal at all.” The Hokage looks at me for a moment before nodding. I think he can tell I'm already giving him a lot of information regarding them.

He then started speaking once more, ”Well I suppose that is good enough. I will inform everyone to not upset the man in red. Now I wanted to know, have you become stronger in the time you have been gone?” I nod, I don't want to say how because I can still feel an ache from those damn tigers. The Hokage nods, ”Good, then I will need you to go and fight whenever you are ready, I will let you handle it as you wish too since I want to see how it is that you will end this. Remember this is a test, so I will join in and end it all if I find you inadequate to do it, that would mean you fail the test and are not suited to be Hokage.”

I nod, stand up, and turn around before talking, ”I'll take care of it right now since I needvacation soon.” I look back to see the Hokage nod and I leave his office.

When I get back to my house I see Jiraiya petting Arthur while Ezio and Olivier were talking. Tsunade is still sleeping where I left her, and Orochimaru and Alucard are God knows where. I walk over to the three awake people, ”I am going to go try and finish this war, do any of you want to come with me?”

Ezio thinks for a moment and scratches his beard before nodding, Jiraiya smiles a bit and shakes his head before talking, ”Someone had to play backup so I'll stay here and hold down the fort, you can grab me if you need me though.” I nod and look to Olivier.

She stands up, ”I wish to see how those in this world fight so I will join you. That last man was too weak for me to make a good basis.” Yeah, she does seem like a battle fanatic now that I think about it.

I grab both of their shoulders and teleport to the front of the gate. System what do I need to attach to myself and how long will it take?