38)Foxy Adventures: Ch.38

“Clones 1 to 20. Nothing to report.”

“Clones 21 to 40. Nothing to report.”

“Clones 41 to 60. Nothing to report.”

“Got it. Go back to surveillance and get ready just in case something happens,” I spoke and the clones nodded before they all vanished into the tree tops, a sigh escaping my lips while I sat atop the palanquin.

According to a few of the clones, Kakashi and his team are currently following us on the eastern and western side of the group in a three-three formation, with Kakashi, Karin and Sakura on the east while Sasuke and two of the Jounin's Shadow Clones followed on the west.

They were a few hundred meters away so in the one hundred meter radius, I decided to add in another sixty clones to the entourage which the samurai seemed to appreciate as they were now able to focus on guarding the immediate vicinity instead of sending a group out every few minutes to patrol the surroundings.

Honestly, I think Naruto learning the Shadow Clone Jutsu and the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu is still one of his/ my best decisions to this day as I am quite literally a one-man army that can still dish out some damage and do surveillance at the same time.

'Man, I wonder what went through Tobirama's head when he made this jutsu. Knowing the memes, it's most likely along the lines of him wanting more of himself to beat up more Uchiha.'

“According to what that bitch Mito and her husband said, it's most definitely that. Tobirama had a suppressed hatred for the Uchiha that he fought on a daily basis to be the leader that he was.”

“Huh, it sounds like you admired the guy.”

“Anyone that hates the Uchiha like that is someone I like.”

“Hahahaha! Yeah, I suppose you do.”

“Naruto?”

“Ah, the boss is calling. Gotta go.”

“Yeah, yeah. You just go and hang out with the new guy and leave me to sleep,” Kurama grumbled and I chuckled as I flipped to the side, grabbing onto the edge of the palanquin's roof before landing on the side of it with a smirk.

“What can I do for you, Lord Hiroshi?”

“Oh, nothing much. I'm simply bored.”

“…You're bored?”, I asked, watching as the man nodded with a smile before shaking my head with a chuckle.

“Of course you are. Well, what did you want to do?”

“What do you do when you're bored?”, he asked as he looked at me and I raised an eyebrow before shrugging as I crouched on the side of the carriage.

“Well, I do have my own version of shogi that I call clone chess. I make 32 clones, assign a role to each clone and then watch them duke it out in a strategic game.”

“Ooh~ That sounds entertaining,” he spoke with an amused smile and I nodded as I continued.

“Sometimes, when I'm really bored and don't feel like that, I just eavesdrop on the village guards. You would be surprised at what one can learn from ninja gossiping. That and it's a pretty good stealth exercise…even if I do get caught and chased 90% of the time. It's a lot harder to sneak up on Chunin and Jounin than I expect.”

“Ufufufu~ You truly are unlike any shinobi I've met,” He spoke with a hearty chuckle and I smiled while shifting my weight when the carriage rode over a tree root on the path.

“I get that a lot. People either love the chaos I bring or they want to strangle me for making their lives messy.”

“I imagine that being like you are is dangerous for a shinobi, but there were and are many a good leader that often walk that line,” He murmured softly before smiling as I glanced at him.

“You're not wrong there. People like me don't last long in this life of business unless they have the strength to back up their words or the luck to avoid being getting stabbed in the back.”

“Or both.”

“True. I think the trick is knowing when to talk and when to let your silence scare people more,” I answered and he hummed before I blinked as the man gestured to the forest around us with his fan.

“Tell me then, Naruto. If you, as a shinobi, were to try and assassinate me, how would you do so?”

“Is that you asking hypothetically or should I be worried about you planning to fake your own murder for fun?”

“Hahaha~ Hypothetically, of course. I'm an old man with enemies and ambition. I'd simply like to know how the clever assassins would approach my downfall.”

“Well, you have a lot of trust in your samurai so I'd exploit that. One who just joined could easily be bought over and I'd have one or two of them swap out with me during a night shift. Then, I'd strike when you'd be at your least protected and when you feel safest, probably during a bath or another place that you routinely go to that dulls your awareness.”

“And if you didn't use inside help?”, Yamamoto asked, listening in along with a few of the samurai around us as I scratched the back of my head with a frown.

“I'd fake a bandit attack, then. Create a disturbance big enough to where no one can keep track of the other and where I can sneak and take a non-lethal blow meant for you. Once everyone is focused on taking care of said attacker, it's one swift attack and vanish before anyone realizes you're dead.”

“That…is quite efficient and chilling to hear, Lord Hiroshi spoke and I shrugged as I flipped over and walked beside the carriage.

“It is, but that's how most of us shinobi think about it. It's not about fighting your guards, but about making sure that you're already dead,” He was quiet for a moment as we continued to move before he smiled again.

“I can see not it was a good choice to ask for you to be with me on this mission.”

“Hey, at least you've got someone that-”, I stopped talking as I heard a soft snap in the distance and my eyes narrowed when three clones popped before they could see who popped them.

'South-east, taken out at the same time. Last thing I felt was something sharp so most definitely a kunai or some kind of sharp elemental jutsu. It wasn't cold and it didn't feel like dirt so water and earth style are out. My clones weren't paralyzed and there wasn't a sharp burning pain so Lightning and Fire are out too. That leaves Wind.'

“Yamamoto.”

“Already on it. Samurai! Stand at the ready!”, Yamamoto barked out as he unsheathed his kunai, the other samurai doing the exact thing while most of my clones appeared in the trees around us while looking outwards.

“From now on, we move slowly. Keep an eye on the forest and make sure that Lord Hiroshi is protected at all times, understood?!”

“Yes sir!”, The samurai and clones chorused in unison before I hopped on top of the carriage and spoke.

“All clones! You are to stay in the forest! Should any clone come closer, you samurai have my permission to cut them down the very second they do so!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Kurama, genjutsu surveillance.”

“One was almost placed on you, but I dispelled it.”

“Wait, can't we just-”

“Use my Negative Emotion Sensing? Already on it, but it appears our attacker is not in the clones like you were expecting,” I grimaced at that before nodding, sitting crouched on the carriage while feeling the anxiety and nervousness in the samurai as they all surveyed the area.

'Three clones taken out in one swift motion like it was coordinated. All three were taken out at the same time as well and they didn't press the attack by blending in with the other clones. That means they either used clones or this is the work of a group.'

“They definitely used a mixture of Wind Style and a katana. The cut was precise to the back of your neck. However, they also got the other three clones at the same time before they could see anything so that could mean that there were clones instead of another team. The genjutsu happened at the same time that the clones were dispelled so it could potentially be two or more.”

“Hah, clones. Anything?”, I asked, watching as those in the treetops and those walking on the forest floor shook their heads.

“You believe that they are simply testing our defences, Naruto?”, Yamamoto asked and I frowned as I continued to scan the area.

“They're not pressing since they attacked so they could b-”

“Movement! Twenty meters, southeast! Fifty meters, northeast!”, Making and dispelling a clone at the same time, the ones around us immediately shot in the directions Kurama shouted, Yamamoto and his men tensing as I lifted a hand and stopped the march.

A frown adorned my face as memories flashed through my mind when clones were beginning to pop, but there were no signs of the attacker anywhere. All I saw was a clone popping out of nowhere and then more clones popping one after the other.

'Sharp attacks from every direction that I can't see. Yeah, that's definitely a Wind Style user and most likely a genjutsu specialist or ninjutsu specialist that made them invisible. Now, where the hell are they?'

“Both approaching from the left. One is a bit further than the other.”

Shadow Clone Jutsu

Water Style: Liquid Bullet

Wind Style: Vacuum Bullet

Forming a clone beside me, both of us flashed through hand signs before I spat a barrage of wind bullets at the direction Kurama said, my clone lifting his head and spitting out a water bullet into the air that exploded and sent water raining down.

As it did so, I shot forward the second I caught sight of the invisible figure that now had a few droplets on their body, taking a kunai out before channelling chakra through it and creating a sharp windblade.

Swinging down as they swung up, the air shrieked as their wind blade clashed with mine, gritting my teeth as I got pushed back before my clone shot forward and pushed me upwards.

It was just in time too as the invisible assassin cut through the clone's neck, but I quickly clamped my hands over my ears when the clone popped with a high-pitched whistle.

Kicking off the tree while slicing down at where I could see the assassin stumbling away, I grunted as something smacked my side and sent me flying to the side.

I flipped to my feet on the side of a tree while glaring at the second assassin, grimacing when I saw the red clouds on her black cloak before hopping back to the march as the two vanished once again.

'Akatsuki and one of their weaker groups again like with Suien in the Hidden Waterfall. Hah, this is about to become so much more troublesome than I expected.'

“Naruto, is that you?”, Yamamoto asked and in response, I simply created another sixty clones that scattered into the forest, turning back to see the relieved looks on their faces before shaking my head with a smirk.

“I like the vigilance. Anyway, I think that was just them attacking to test our defences. It's more than likely that they have another larger group in waiting.”

“Is everything okay now?”, Lord Hiroshi asked from inside his carriage before I snickered while Yamamoto sighed when the man peeked out with a curious look in his eyes.

“Oh, they are gone.”

“My lord, I know you like to be entertained, but I must ask that you do not look unless we ask you to.”

“Oh, there's no need to worry. Naruto was here to stop them.”

“That's a lot of faith you have in me, my lord and I appreciate it, but I must agree with Yamamoto here. You must wait until we give the all-clear,” I said with a smile, not surprised when the lord sat back in his carriage with a smile.

“Of course, of course. Now, you said that there might be a larger group of assassins in waiting?”, He asked as we continued to march, the samurai keeping their swords out and walking in a tight-knit formation while I let my clones go back to their usual formation.

“There may be. Their cloaks tell me that they're from a group of rogue shinobi called the Akatsuki.”

“If you know of them, they must be dangerous.”

“According to my mentor, their higher-ranked members are all S-Rank rogue shinobi and they also have a larger group of A-Rank and below shinobi that they use for less important mission. Their end goal, however, is to capture all nine Tailed Beasts. For what reason, we haven't managed to figure out, but it can't be for anything good.”

“Oh my, that is quite the unnerving news to hear. I assume they are after you, then?”, He asked and I nodded as I caught sight of a clone hopping down to shake his head before hopping back into the trees.

“Yes, they are, but if they were targeting me, they wouldn't go through this trouble. No, their S-Rank shinobi would have attacked head-on and made sure that no one was left alive. This is most likely one of their weaker groups that was hired since the Akatsuki are also mercenaries for hire if I'm remembering correctly.”

“I see. Well, that is at least somewhat comforting,” The man murmured and I nodded in agreement before looking at him with narrowed eyes.

“Lord Hiroshi, can I ask you something?”

“Ask away.”

“What exactly do you have or know that would interest someone enough that they would hire the Akatsuki?”

“Could it not be that they simply wish to take me out and jeopardize the potential alliance between the Land of Fire and Land of Lightning?”

“The fact that you are phrasing your question in that manner tells me that there is more to this mission,” I spoke with a smile and the man chuckled softly before glancing at Yamamoto.

I watched as the man nodded before I blinked as he opened the door to the carriage and gestured for me to get in, to which I did with no complaints before my eyes widened slightly as Hiroshi's chakra flared slightly and seals lit up inside of the carriage.

“I am not a trained shinobi, but I along with every Feudal Lord before me have been trained in how to manipulate it to activate the many seals that were made to protect us.”

'I see. That's a Silence kanji there and that's a Muffle kanji. There are also a few more hidden in between the patterns so does this muffle or mute any sound inside the carriage?'

“I can hear your thought process and you are correct. These are seals meant to mute the inside of my carriage to ensure that no knowledge spoken of inside will make it to the outside.”

“So, there is something you're not telling me?”, I asked and the man nodded with a smile as he rested back in his seat, closing the curtains to make sure no one could read his lips.

“Indeed. What Hiruzen and I did not tell your group is that a few of my archaeologists were sent out to the Land of Eddies and the Hidden Whirlpool village to find some information on who attacked them. What they found though was an artifact. We believe that it was used by the Uzumaki Clan to amplify their barrier techniques or tear other barriers apart.”

“Wait, you have that with you right now?”

“Oh no, it's already en route to the Leaf Village through hidden means.”

“Wait, but then…this is a decoy party, isn't it?”, I murmured with a sigh, shaking my head as Lord Hiroshi simply smiled and nodded.

“There was never a meeting with the Land of Lightning to try and figure out an alliance. No Feudal Lord of a land would risk going into an enemy country for a 'peace treaty', especially after what happened with the Second Hokage and the Second Raikage as well as the 'peace envoy' that was sent to the Leaf in an attempt to capture the Byakugan. We simply needed a way to attract attention and this is it.”

“Does Yamamoto know?”

“Of course, the man was my father's personal guard before he became mine. I trust him with my life,” Hiroshi spoke and I just palmed my face with a groan before looking at the amused man.

“You actually used yourself as bait?”

“Of course. Would you look for a secret party that has some artifact you don't even know of or would you try and take out the high-value target that is travelling only with a few samurai and a single Leaf Special-Jounin? No offence to you, of course.”

“None taken. You crafty old man,” I uttered with a smirk and he chuckled before giving a shrug.

“He's the kind of crafty bastard I can respect. I like it.”

“Of course you'd like it,” I said, smirking as Kurama snorted before Hiroshi deactivated the seals and let me out.

“Now do you understand?”

“I do. Everyone, listen up!”, I shouted, calling everyone's attention to me as I stood on top of the carriage.

“The enemy knows we're here, they know how we move and they're probably gong to sent more friends to test us. From here on out, we move like we're constantly under attack. We don't use predictable routes and no more set watch times for each person! My clones will be in the trees at all times, looking out for any person that they see! For the samurai, I want you all to rotate formations and switch sleep cycles! Also, I'll be sending out a batch of a dozen clones along with one samurai to patrol at random times to ensure that no one person is taken and replaced. Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir!”, The groups shouted and I nodded as we began walking, smiling as I saw my clones patrolling the trees while the samurai shifted around and walked in some kind of spearhead formation.

“You believe this will be enough?”, Yamamoto asked and I snorted before shaking my head.

“Not in the slightest, but it will serve as enough of a warning for us. Now, we wait.”

A/N: And the mission gets tense as Naruto learns the real reason why the Lord asked for him. What he does with this information, we'll find out next time.

Next chapter: Cutting back to Kakashi and the others for a bit.

As always, read, enjoy, review and until the next one…

Ba-Bye~!!