36 The Injured Boy

"Kazekage-sama."

"Report." Ryushi ordered as soon as the messenger returned. Things are looking bad, very bad, and the information that he had just gathered over the day isn't painting a very great image of their current situation.

"The village had just been attacked. We don't know who they are exactly yet since interrogations haven't produced much results. According to the reports, the invaders set off explosives in several key points around the village to draw the attention of most of the ANBU and shinobi that were stationed in the village. It was all just a diversion, as a smaller force of the invaders had broken into the Academy and Kazekage's office. The invaders also sent plenty of their agents all around the village to ambush the ninja that were trying to save the citizens. Although our forces managed to repel them, according to ANBU Commander Rylan, we did suffer some decent losses."

The messenger replied as he gave a detailed summary of the report he held in his hand.

Ryushi was quiet for a moment before he nodded. "Are there any other things that the ANBU Commander told you to relay?" He asked, trying to conceal the slight amount of pain from hearing the state of his home and his people while he was away. They weren't the first casualties in this war that he had led them into.

In response, the messenger handed over a scroll that had been marked for the Kazekage's eyes only. Ryushi unrolled the scroll and quickly read through it, taking all the information within.

"But how did they manage to get so close into the village without us knowing? We have barriers and protections set up. The only way they could is if we have a trai-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence…" a Suna Jonin growled towards the other who said that statement. "If we start pointing fingers then this won't lead anywhere and will just cause distrust amongst us."

"I quite agree, we can't waste time doing something useless."

"But what about the mo-"

"Enough." Ryushi cut in with a tone of warning, instantly quieting everyone in attendance.

"The situation back in the village is being handled. ANBU Commander Rylan has things under control and is taking temporary leadership of the village as per emergency protocols." He told everyone. Currently all the commander level shinobi are within the tent awaiting his next order. "We have already lost much throughout this war and potentially splitting our forces due to incredulous theories won't help anyone."

He says that, but he knows the truth. The situation with the potential traitor had been a problem since way back when Souei completed his mission in the Land of Vegetables. He had attempted to investigate but the spy proved slippery enough to avoid detection.

But according to the scroll that the ANBU Commander had given him, it seems they finally have a lead.

"Tsumari, what can you tell of the previous battle in the outpost?"

Ryushi eyed the woman who still had bandages around her arms and torso due to her injuries. She was a member of the Kogeru Clan, known for their bloodline the Scorch Release. But what was more important was the fact that she was there in the fight and was the highest ranking surviving member of Chiyo's contingent of forces.

"It was a slaughter, Kazekage-sama. At first things worked out pretty well, by the time we arrived at the border outpost, Konoha forces were already attacking the base and breaching through the gates. Chiyo-sama had us arriving directly behind their forces so we had the benefit of surprise. Things were going just as planned, only for Iwa to suddenly appear in an ambush." She said, before continuing with an audible gulp. "I've never seen so many die so quickly… massive walls blocked us from the escape route and the ground beneath us opened before it swallowed the majority of our and Konoha's forces. I thought I was a goner, only for Souei to save me by pulling me up with a string. He was the reason why many of us survived too. And now both he and Chiyo-sama are missing."

Ryushi let out a breath as he now pondered the next step. He had to use all his willpower to not let his emotions get the better of him. Chiyo had always been his anchor. If someone asked him who in this world he trusted the most, it would be her.

Chiyo had been the one to help him that day when first got into the office. She was the one that continued to serve him as his chief advisor as the years went by. She was the one whose opinion about the village he cared about the most since he knew the older woman loved the village even more than he did.

And now, she and her nephew had been missing for over twenty four hours. They were last seen fighting Onoki and Roshi, under any other circumstances, he would have kept hope. But the fact that they had heard no news from them at all after a full fay, protocol states that it's safe to assume they had been killed in action.

It genuinely hurts to admit that they had lost one of Suna's pillars and one of their brightest of the next generation and potential future kage, but it was war. They had to endure.

He is the Kazekage of the Hidden Sand, he can't afford to show emotions now, not when so many people are looking up to and depending on him.

"...Very well then. At this point, it's safe to say both Chiyo and Souei have been declared KIA. For now we have to move on."

He could tell that plenty of the shinobi in attendance was angry. Chiyo was a widely respected figure in Suna. No one would accept her death lying down.

As the meeting continued in earnest, plans were revised and discussed, the final details hammered out before they were dismissed to prepare for the next battle.

"Go and rest, make your own preparations for the next bout. Dismissed."

As the last of his subordinates left the tent, Ryushi finally allowed himself to grieve. With no one to see this vulnerable side of him, he took the chance to bow his head down. Mourning the woman he had called a friend.

.

.

Konan ran through the streets of the village. She had just finished an errand for Jiraiya-sensei and was now returning back to the small shed that they used as a hideout.

It's been a few weeks since she, Yahiko, and Nagato begged the Konoha ninja to train them in ninjutsu so they could protect themselves. At first she was scared, especially at the snake-like man. Especially when he threatened to kill her and her best friends.

But Jiraiya wasn't like that at all. He had taken pity on them, cared for them, and now trained them.

She lifted her arm and a paper rose was created in the middle of her palm. She smiled at the level of mastery she has of her unique jutsu. She, along with Yahiko and Nagato, were still far from ever being able to even touch the man, but it was a start.

She had hooked on her arm a basket of fruits that Jiraiya-sensei had asked her to get. Now it was time to go home.

It was when she was on her way back when she spotted something peculiar.

In the shadows of two tall buildings, she saw the hidden form of someone lying down on the ground. Heck, the person was so deep in the shadows that she had to squint to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

Curiosity getting the best of her, she creeped closer towards the sleeping person only to gasp in surprise. The boy was older than her, and was most definitely a shinobi.

He had some of the weapon pouches she often sees on some ninja. That alone told her enough.

But what worried her was the state the boy was in. He had obviously just got out of a fight, his clothes were covered in dried blood and torn in plenty of places. His blue hair was covered in ash and soot and his face was marred with sweat.

Konan frowned as she bit her lip in nervousness. She doesn't know where this shinobi is from since he wasn't wearing any headbands.

She took a sweeping look around her, there was no one else in their surroundings and it seems whoever did this to him wasn't here.

Deciding a course of action, she put down her basket of fruits and picked him up on her back. He was a little heavy and even somewhat awkward since the boy was much taller than her.

She then immediately ran off towards their hideout.

'Hopefully Yahiko doesn't yell at me for this.'

She thought of nothing else as she was determined to save the injured boy.

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AN: Quite a short chapter but you work with what you got.

Souei will be joining up with the Ame trio and Jiraiya for quite a while here. Hope you found it to be a fun tie-in to the canon story.

Did anyone expect this was the direction the story would go? I sure as hell hope not.

Anyways, advanced chapters on my pat_reon page! Make sure to check it out! Chapter 39 should should be available by the time this chapter was posted, chapter 40 is finished and currently going through editing.

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