Shikamaru Shinden Chapter 3

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CHAPTER 3

“It’s been a long time.”

In the room next to the Hokage’s office, Shikamaru spoke to a familiar pair of faces.

A tall white-face monkey and a short white-faced cat. From their figures, you could see the monkey was a man and the cat was a girl.

“Like, a very long time.” the girl said, removing her mask.

Her long orange hair was now cut short. When Shikamaru had met her she’d been fresh out of Academy. That was over a decade ago. The young girl had become a woman. She wore a confident look, but Shikamaru knew she’d also seen many a dark battle.

“Are you like, still saying like all the time, Hinoko?” Shikamaru asked.

“It’s not something you can like, just stop doing,” Hinoko replied.

“I see… Hinoko.” he sighed.

“I’m gonna like keep saying it!” Hinoko said.

In the past Hinoko had hated her real name being said, instead preferring her ANBU name “Soku”. She seemed to not mind so much now, but the nostalgic feeling still made Shikamaru’s mouth twitch into a smile.

“I’m sorry to be a bother.” the man said. removing his monkey mask. He’d revealed his thick eyebrows and square jaw, however; Shikamaru had remembered him as a dark-haired man. He was now grey.

This man was known as Rou, He was a veteran shinobi, very mature and much older than Shikamaru.

The three had once performed a mission together in the Land of Silence. The goal was to assassinate a man who could control people in a genjutsu by using his voice, Gengo. As Gengo had captured Shikamaru’s friend Sai, they’d went to rescue him without saying a word to anyone else.

The mission had remained in Shikamaru’s memory, as he’d been caught in Gengo’s jutsu and had to be snapped out of it by Temari. Back in those days, he’d stepped into the darkness in an attempt to reduce it. His goal was to bring peace to the world, in his own way.

Ninja like these two where invaluable.

“Lord Shikamaru is now the number two of Konoha, if you’re too rude, you’ll be ‘severely punished’,” Rou said, his nostrils flaring.

Rou had emphasized ’ severely punished’. It had made Hinoko furrow her brow.

“Like, this old guy hasn’t changed,” Hinoko muttered.

“She also seems to have cracked down on her 'severe punishments for number two’” Rou said.

Hinoko had a flustered smile. Rou had a bad habit of making bad puns. They were at least… interesting, but not funny.

Shikamaru gave a pity laugh and smile, praising there weird little fight. Hinoko pretended not to hear it.

“It has certainly been a while since we’ve all grouped together. Does this mean there is another troublesome job?” Rou asked.

“Yes,” Shikamaru replied, cupping his chin in his gloved hand. He cast a conspicuous look at the other two.

“Rumour has it, the area near the 'mountains’ has been rather 'foul-smelling’ lately. We’ve noticed a degree of 'magma’.”

Shikamaru said carefully.

“Oh..”

Rou’s eyebrows tightened.

Hinoko smiled with her orange painted lips, as she caught on to the hidden meaning of those words.

“I heard for the first time in while the 'smell’ has come back.” She replied, brushing her hair from her eyes with her orange painted nails.

Certainly since the end of the war, after the 5 nations had allied, the infighting among the countries had quickly decreased. But just because they were allied, it didn’t mean there wasn’t any friction between them. Stability became rigidity, which made any sudden changes impossible. A sharp blow would cause fragments to shatter off the whole. Some saw this peace as an illusion, and those anxieties needed to be nipped in the bud.

“Did like, something happen in the last meeting?”

Hinoko asked. She had a sharp intuition.

Shikamaru answered with a nod.

“The Tsuchikage made a strange request” he replied.

“What was it?” Rou asked.

“She wants a public disclosure of Konoha’s confidential information to all of the villages,” Shikamaru said.

“Oh haha, there’s like no way she can ask that of us. Secrets are meant to be secrets, she’s a Kage she should know that.” Hinoko laughed.

It was as she said. As the Tsuchikage, Kurotsuchi’s proposal was insane. Exposing your villages information was equal to losing a war.

But Kurotsuchi was not a foolish woman. She’d made a well-informed request, there must have been something behind it.

She was disturbing the Shogi board. Daring to do the wrong thing, is that what she’s wanted?

It wasn’t the release of Konoha’s information that made Shikamaru think that, but the atmosphere of the meeting. But that’s where his train of thought ended.

He didn’t understand her reasoning for wanting to disrupt the 5 nations. The Stone village was hiding something. If he couldn’t figure out what it was, Konoha would be doomed. He couldn’t afford to lose this game.

Shikamaru’s heart was sinking into a bad feeling, ever since that meeting.

“Is it possible to like, refuse the request?” Hinoko asked.

“No.,” he replied.

“Like, why not?”

“The scientific ninja tool used by Boruto in the last Chuunin Exam, followed by Momoshiki’s attack, Sasuke’s added spy activity… It really does look like Konoha is preparing an invasion of the other villages. Trying to make up excuses won’t work, Sasuke was compromised. I don’t think many believe we can make it past this. Kurotsuchi didn’t believe us from the get-go. We said we’d have her answer by the next meeting. She’s going to expect one and I don’t know what to do..”

Shikamaru explained.

“She’s a woman who can’t help herself,” Hinoko growled.

“When I was younger, Kurotsuchi was a close member of the shinobi alliance. I don’t understand why she’s trying to disturb our peace. So I need you to investigate why.” Shikamaru moved on.

“So you think there’s something going on in the Stone village?” Rou asked.

“There like, surely is,” Hinoko said.

Shikamaru who was staring at a blank space, his arms folded, looked up at Hinoko.

“If you think that there is something going on in the Hidden Stone, it’s going to be hard for us to infiltrate. If the enemy is expecting war, then security is going to be tight.” Hinoko said.

“That’s why I chose you two,” Shikamaru said cooly.

They both looked at him.

“Who was it that helped me infiltrate the Land of Silence? I understand both of your powers.”

“We’ve listened to this point, please continue,” Rou said.

Rou had the ability to freely control chakra. Impersonation, suppression, and exaggeration. He could do it for both himself and others. It had a very diverse usage. With his skills, not even the best guards would notice him enter their stronghold.

Hinoko had the ability to shoot out her chakra from her fingertips, which could disrupt peoples chakra points. She was the ideal hitman. If she cut out the watchman’s chakra, could make it past any border wall.

“Are we bringing one more person?” Hinoko asked.

“No, more people would just get in the way,” Shikamaru replied. “I’m leaving this to you two, I have a different job to do.”

“Eeeeeh????” Hinoko raised her voice thoughtlessly. Even as an adult, she still had some childish mannerisms.

Her habit of shrieking hadn’t gone away with age. When Shikamaru had asked Temari out on a date after the events at the Land of Silence, Hinoko had let out a girlish squeal. Her voice still had the same pitch frequency.

“I’ll also be investigating the Hidden Stone,"Shikamaru said.

"So are you like, coming with us?” Hinoko asked.

“No, I’ll be entering the village fair and square. From the front gates. I haven’t played old man Oonoki in Shogi for a while, even if I go without sending ahead, he’ll let me in.”

Rou nodded along to the explanation.

“When Lord Shikamaru form Konoha goes for a visit, we infiltrate the village,” Rou confirmed.

“That’s right,” Shikamaru affirmed.

Hinoko’s mouth formed a thin smile.

“Even without you, we could do it,” she said.

“There’s something else too Hinoko. I want to check on Oonoki.” Shikamaru said.

“Okay stop with the Hinoko stuff now,” she snapped.

“It’s your name isn’t it?” Shikamaru muttered.

“Shut it!” she growled.

“Hinoko stop it. Go eat some mushrooms (Kinoko) and calm down.” Rou butted in.

“You turned Hinoko into Kinoko?! You impossible old man! Your 'punishments’ are really going downhill lately!” Hinoko cried.

“Bleahhh.” Rou teased.

Shikamaru felt sick in his stomach from the two’s silly act, but he was grateful he could carry on with his plan with their help.

“This is an order from me.” Shikamaru declared.

“You can like, count on us!” Hinoko said.

With a withering smile, Shikamaru nodded at her outburst.

