Boruto: Sacrifices

Chapter 17. Tale of the Cousins

'Come on, you numbskull. Are you just gonna stay here and sulk over it for all eternity?!'

'Sulk over?! You just killed all of our family and you say I'm sulking?!'

'Let me clear up one thing, I didn't, we did. Now man up a little and follow me if you don't want those tracker ninjas to hunt you down.'

Hiraku's eyes opened to the blinding sunlight that was seeping through the prison bars. Sitting up on the bench and rubbing his eyes, it took a while for his thoughts to stop spinning.

Why did he have such a dream right now...?

...

Hearing a knock on his door, Naruto looked up as a jounin opened it.

"Lord Seventh, Lord Raikage is asking for your audience."

Hearing this, the blond got up on his feet. "Allow him in."

In the next minute Darui came in, followed by a guard. The guard gave a respected bow to Naruto before retreating back out. The door closed behind him.

The two kages looked at one another before Naruto finally indicated a seat. "Please, have a seat."

As soon as he did, the Raikage didn't waste a moment to speak. "Naruto, this threat is serious. Especially considering what happened in Kirigakure too. We need to call for a Gokage meeting as soon as possible."

Naruto nodded. "Yes, I'm planning that, too. Until this time, we didn't even know the Sound was planning something... and if they seek the assistance of rogue ninjas..."

"They can be a threat for any village at any time." The Raikage completed. "Especially since considering... the fragile conditions some of the villages are in." He was silent for a minute. "What I don't understand is... why...? Why would the Sound make a move like this, when we haven't heard from them for so long?"

"There are still many details left in the shadows... But you know how the village was originally found by Orochimaru?"

"One of those legendary sannins who turned mad and killed one of the previous Hokages? Yeah, I do remember the story..."

"Well, after he was defeated, Otogakure was left in ruins. We didn't know what happened to those people afterwards... But apparently, from what we gathered, they wanted revenge on the one person who ruined their lives."

Darui nodded. "What better way than to attack his former village and make it look like it was the sannin who did it?"

"Indeed." Naruto stopped for a moment. "What about the rogues from Kumo? What is their story?"

"Goro and Hiraku? They had become rogue ninjas long before I became Raikage, but they had caused an extremely disgusting crime that was well known in Kumo for a long time..."

...

A small boy, possibly at the age of four or five, was running through a large, lush garden. He was visibly edgy, his eyes huge, panting...

'Stop it, Goro! My parents are coming, they are so not going to like it!'

'Ah, you are always worrying too much.' Some cracking noises accompanied the carefree voice. 'They are gonna be long gone before uncle or aunt reaches here.'

Hiraku's widened eyes found the little fire protected by stones - Goro was a clever boy, even at his young age at seven. He wasn't the one to let the flames spread and draw even more attention to what he was doing.

The carcasses of what looked like two bunnies, as a whole, were lying in the heart of the fire...

...