“You were attacked by drones?!”
For once, Shikamaru was visibly upset. Drones using excimer lasers were definitely not the sort of thing the average person could whip up. This kind of development didn’t happen without a scientist on the level of Katasuke or the involvement of an international research agency.
“Just to check, you didn’t sense any chakra?”
“None at all.” Naruto shook his head. “I checked with the Byakugan too, so there’s no mistake.”
“Hmm.” Shikamaru put a hand to his chin. “How about we ask Professor Katasuke if he’s heard any rumors about the development of battle drones? We could also try asking Furieh some leading questions.”
“Leading questions?” Naruto arched an eyebrow. “Like what?”
Shikamaru glanced up at the ceiling. The donut-shaped device set in the center was made to look like a fire alarm, but it actually detected listening devices. The light on the device was not flashing, confirming the room was clean, so he lowered his voice and said, “The assassination attempt in the Land of Kizahashi. The research institute might have been behind it.”
“What?!”
“The Anbu got ahold of info that shows contact between Furieh and the guy who did it, Aze Yanaru.”
Naruto scowled. “Is there any solid evidence that he’s behind it?”
“If there was, I’d have had shinobi on him ages ago,” Shikamaru replied. “But there isn’t any, so we’re stuck.”
Konoha had asked the institute to help decipher the literature concerning the Land of Redaku. Of course, they hadn’t mentioned Naruto’s illness, but that didn’t change how risky the contact for assistance was.
Shikamaru frowned and crossed his arms. “I don’t want to give more info to someone we don’t know if we can trust, but … The institute’s the highest authority when it comes to deciphering ancient texts. To be honest, we’re not getting anywhere with analysis of the stuff on Redaku. We don’t have much of a choice but to rely on them.”
He’d gotten an email from the team at the institute that morning with their analysis of the text Kakashi had sent. It included specific notes on the method used to cure the Sage of Six Paths’ illness.
Wasting away from a curious illness, the Sage of Six Paths had cause to attend the Land of Redaku and thus did meet the astronomer Tatar on his path.
Ministered to by this Tatar, his illness nonetheless troubled him yet.
One evening, Tatar espied a meteor approaching the land. The Sage of Six Paths caught this fallen meteorite in hand and split it in twain in a singular motion.
A bright light spilled forth from the halved meteorite to bathe the Sage of Six Paths. Instantly, the Sage was freed of his illness of many years.
The meteor which fell from the heavens presented him with blessed strength, allowing his chakra to expand without limit. Tatar named the substance in the meteor that was the source of his power “ultra particles.”
To stop those who would struggle for this grand power he held, he hid half of these ultra particles in “the sky that fell to the earth,” and the other half in “the star that never strays.”
The ultra particles sleep in this world well-protected by a path lined with stars.
Should others be consumed with the illness of the Sage of Six Paths, they are destined to desire the power of the ultra particles. And thus this distant power will be made to come to this distant land.
Any who would seek out this state must tarry in the Land of Redaku reveling with the Map of the Heavens.
Basically, if they could get ahold of these “ultra particles” or whatever they were that the Sage of Six Paths hid in “the sky that fell to the earth” and “the star that never strays,” they could cure Naruto’s illness. Hawks had already been sent to Kakashi and Sakura to let them know the details of this text. If their investigations went well, they would send further clues. If those clues were written in the ancient tongue of Redaku, then Shikamaru would ask the institute to decipher them again, in full awareness of the danger that posed.
Cautious Shikamaru was choosing to take such risks because of Naruto. Because of him, everyone was forced to cross dangerous bridges. Naruto bit his lip.
Shikamaru smiled suddenly in exasperation. “Don’t get that tiresome look on your face. It’s not like you.”
“I don’t have a look on my face.” Naruto averted his eyes but unconsciously pursed his lips.
Of course he was concerned about this illness, but more than that, he was frustrated that he couldn’t do anything about it himself. The Naruto of the old days wouldn’t have hesitated to head for the Land of Redaku himself and look for a cure. But the Naruto of now couldn’t do that.
The Seventh Hokage couldn’t be away from the village for long periods, especially for his own needs. The number of things he had the authority to do had grown since he became Hokage, but at the same time, the number of things he couldn’t do had also increased. It was a weighty position.
“Don’t overthink this,” Shikamaru told him. “You just do your Hokage thing like always. That’s what’s most important for this village.”
“Yeah. I know that.” Naruto pulled over a stack of papers on the edge of his desk and set his chin on it. He felt a prickling pain in his chest and braced himself for another episode, but it wasn’t that. This time the prickling was his frustration coupled with a dull heaviness that tugged at his core.
“Hey, Shikamaru?” he said.
“Hm?” His friend looked at him.
“What if.”
What if I never have chakra again … How could I protect the village?
He swallowed the words that started to come out and looked for something else to follow that “what if” with.
“What if … Is it possible the drones weren’t attacking me, but that researcher Chihare who was with me?”