Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its character belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I make.
Chapter 118: Hiruzen Decision
INSIDE JUNGLE
NEAR THE BORDER
Thanks to the Third Raikage decisive decision to withdraw to give treatment to his people who are wounded after being attacked by Raiken, they never discovered Hiruzen unconscious body lying barely three kilometers away from their retreating forces.
Had the Raikage searched the surrounding jungle more carefully, the war might have ended differently with Hiruzen being threatened or humiliated.
But this greedy old man was saved once again, although his condition are not good.
The injury on Hiruzen body are so severe that he can't move around by himself, that is why after Danzo left him he was lying on the floor alone. Hiruzen had remained unconscious for three straight days.
His body, battered and drained, survived purely because of his chakra reserves, built over decades of relentless training and battle. Even in a near-death state, his chakra continued circulating slowly, protecting his vital organs and preventing complete collapse.
On the fourth day, his eyelids trembled and he can feel it very heavy to open it.
Light filtered weakly to him as Hiruzen eyes opened slightly. His vision blurred at first, shapes shifting between shadow and green. For a moment, he thought he was still dreaming and he felt exhausted.
Not the exhaustion of a long battle but the bone-deep weariness of someone who had been emptied entirely.
His body begged him to close his eyes again.
"How many hours have I been asleep…?" Hiruzen muttered weakly.
His voice sounded hoarse, unfamiliar even to himself but no one answered his question so he tried to move.
"Ahhh—!"
A sharp, stabbing pain flared from his left shoulder and side, forcing him to grit his teeth so hard his jaw trembled. His shattered arm throbbed violently, and the partially healed wounds tore at his nerves.
Sweat gathered instantly on his forehead.
Fragments of memory returned, the battle that he got before fainted, chakra lightning, the Raikage Hell Stab, Danzō retreating figure.
"Danzō." For a brief moment, anger flickered inside him. 'He left me.'
But almost immediately, another thought followed.
'No… I allowed it by preventing him from leaving.'
Hiruzen closed his eyes tightly, forcing himself to calm down. Anger would waste precious energy he could not afford to lose.
After steadying his breathing, he slowly reached toward his ninja pouch with trembling fingers. His movements were sluggish, lacking the energy because his body had left exhausted with cold night and day.
He searched desperately for medical supplies, if he wasn't mistaken there might be another scroll left there. He had used up all the healing scroll level 2 and 3 but there must be something left.
His finger searching and found it was correct, Level Two Healing Scroll had ran out. Level Three... same there is none left.
Only a single Level One Healing Scroll remained.
"…So this is what it has come to," he whispered bitterly.
With careful hands, he activated the scroll and pressed it against the most severe wound on his torso. Warm chakra spread through the torn flesh, knitting it just enough to close the open gashes and stop the bleeding.
It did not fully heal him but it stabilized him, that alone was enough for now.
Afterward, he searched his bag again, this time for food and water. Unlike his medical supplies, he had prepared generously in that regard.
"Good… at least I wasn't careless there," he murmured.
He took out a storage scroll and unsealed it slowly. A container of preserved hot ramen and sealed drinking water appeared before him.
Even the simple smell of food made his stomach twist painfully.
Hiruzen ate slowly, forcing himself to chew despite the dryness in his mouth. He drank carefully, rationing the water even though he had more.
Ten minutes later, warmth returned faintly to his limbs.
His breathing steadied. Strength had come, although it is just a little flowed back into his body.
He leaned back against the tree trunk, exhaling softly.
"How long… have I really been asleep?" he muttered again.
Three days? More?
But no one is there to answer his question, the situation in jungle was silent and there are only a sound of insect.
Thinking back, he realized how fortunate he had been. For a days he had lain unconscious in the open forest and no wild animals had approached him. No scavengers had torn into his flesh and even the enemy had spotted him.
If Kumogakure found him alone and heavily wounded, they might do something to him.
Now that he was awake, however, reality felt far heavier.
Sitting alone in this jungle make him feel bored, loneliness crept into his chest.
Slowly and painfully, he pushed himself up against the tree trunk and forced his body to stand. His legs trembled from weakness and his injured arm throbbed with every slight movement. Even breathing felt very difficult.
He began walkingone slow step at a time.
He did not know how far the war had shifted. He did not know whether Kumogakure patrols still roamed nearby. He did not know if Konoha had sent search parties or if they even believed he was still alive.
For the first time in decades, Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage found himself alone in the wilderness, wounded and without protection.
The title "Hokage" felt meaningless here.
There were no advisors, no ANBU guards and no village walls.
Just trees and sound of insect, after nearly an hour of slow, exhausting movement, Hiruzen finally stopped.
He needed to think for a while because walking aimlessly in his current condition was reckless. First he need to found out how many days had passed since the battle, enemy scouts could still be combing the area. Encountering even a single hostile shinobi in his weakened state would be fatal.
'No... I should hide because this is a lot safer," thought Hiruzen.
He would hide, he is Hokage and most likely they would send search teams once his disappearance was confirmed. As Hokage, they would not abandon him so easily. Staying concealed would allow him to observe movements, enemies or allies before revealing himself.
The jungle, despite its dangers, offered cover. He found a concealed hollow between large roots and began masking his chakra presence, suppressing it carefully. From there, he could watch and wait.
It was the logical decision but little did Hiruzen know. That decision would strand him here for nearly a week.
By the time he returned to Konoha, a new Hokage would already be sitting in his chair and the village would have begun moving forward without him.
-----
There is 30 advanced chapter on my patreon.
Chapter 144: Danzo And Hiruzen
Chapter 145: Political Reform
Chapter 146: Democracy?
Chapter 147: Minato Feeling
Chapter 148: Disciple
-patreon.com/zorojurown