An Imperial Influence

[Minato Namikaze]

The facility did seem a little too easy to break into, it was probably just a temporary holding cell. The two that he had battled must have meant to bring him here as well, then transport the trio somewhere else and out of the way. Whatever plans they had for the Ninja village, they needed them gone to do it.

‘So, what about our footsteps leading in here then?’ The man questioned as he turned to look behind them. They were also gone. He thought for a moment, placing his index finger over his mouth. An Idea formed in his head as he turned to his grey-haired companion.

‘Can you scan the dust with your Sharingan?’ the blonde queried. Kakashi nodded and gave the room a quick once over with his Sharingan.

‘It… It’s chakra. This makes a lot of sense now.’ Kakashi spoke, closing his eye to cover his Sharingan.

‘Ah, that’s what I thought too.’ Minato nodded. Kakashi was always impressed by his former teacher’s intelligence and deduction ability. Even without the Sharingan, he was able to determine how a jutsu worked.

‘And for those of us that don’t have decades of experience?’ Kito asked, a slight frustration in his voice. Minato let out a soft laugh, he’d forgotten what being a Genin was like.

‘Well, the dust is probably some kind of Earth Style jutsu.’ He began to explain as he knelt down and pressed on the surface of the dust. The trio watched as the displaced dust rushed back into place as he lifted his hand, leaving no print behind. ‘It probably sends a signal to the jutsu caster every time the dust is displaced.’

‘Then we should be ready to defend ourselves then.’ He breathed, wearily, as he unsheathed his blade and looked around. His face full of worry. Minato gave another laugh.

‘Yes but, if there was anyone here, Kakashi or myself would have sensed them by now.’ He spoke with a smile, reassuring the young shinobi. Though the boy did bring up a good point. If they could make a security system like this, then they could have other systems in place to reinforce it. His smile turned into a focused stare as he looked around the room, examining the cells. Something about them seemed funny, it made his senses seem dull and fuzzy.

‘The cells, some kind of sealing Jutsu?’ Minato questioned, Kakashi and Kito both responding to him with a quick nod. ‘How did you get out?’

‘I layered an odd numbered seal over the already existing even seal.’ Kakashi spoke, somewhat proudly.

‘Crude but effective.’ Minato responded as he switched his attention from the holding cells in front of him and back to the larger room they were situated in. ‘Well, we should probably look around the room then.’

He said room, but it was more like a corridor. At the back end was a lone desk and chair combo, untouched by the dust. Kito had already been rummaging through it and reading the papers that he found. So far nothing interesting had turned up, just that the facility was about half a decade old. Other than that, it housed only a few prisoner dossiers, and a few papers that detailed when and how it’s security systems were upgraded, most of which were blacked out with some sort of ink.

‘Hey, sensei, I’ve been wondering about something since you explained the security jutsu.’ Kito spoke, sheepishly as the former kage turned and gave him a smile.

‘And what would that be?’ Minato enquired.

‘Well, when we left, we definitely left footprints behind. But, earlier, when you pressed against the dust, it instantly rushed back into place.’ He spoke. Minato had to admit, the young Genin had a point, it was a little puzzling. Minato thought for a moment, scratching his chin, as Kakashi rejoined them, having been unable to open the cell doors to have a look inside.

‘If the entire security system is related,’ He paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts. ‘then when Kakashi broke through the sealing jutsu, he could have temporarily weakened all the other security systems in the building.’ He finished as he watched the boy soak up his explanation.

‘Oh, I think I understand.’ Kito nodded, somewhat amazed by his sensei’s ability to come up with such well thought out theories in a small amount of time. He’d heard only tales of the Fourth Hokage’s skill and intellect. But now he was able to learn from the man himself, in person.

‘Any luck with the rooms?’ the blonde asked as he turned to his silver haired companion.

‘No, I didn’t want to make too much noise.’ Kakashi replied, shaking his head.

‘Alright, I can try something.’ the man spoke before approaching the cell door. ‘There’s definitely some kind of seal on the door?’ He questioned, as he placed his hand on the sturdy mass and looked to his companions. They nodded in unison. Minato retuned his attention to the door and began to focus for a few moments.

‘Alright, here we go…’ He spoke hesitantly as a jutsu formula appeared beneath his palm and began to spread across the door. The jail-like facility, as if coming to life, began to rumble and make a kind of whining sound as the Former kage’s formula turned white and began to glow. Kakashi and Kito both drew a kunai as they, instinctively, readied themselves for battle. A small smile spread across Minato’s face as his jutsu began to work against the sealing on the room, the rumbling becoming increasingly violent. Then, to Minato’s surprise, it all stopped. The blonde’s Jutsu formula disappeared and the building became perfectly still and silent again.

‘So… Did it work?’ the young genin queried.

The blond looked down to the small indent that was cut into the door, it didn’t look like there was a physical lock built into the door. After all, it was sealed with a jutsu, what use would they have had for an actual lock? Minato grabbed the small handle and pulled, no reaction. He sighed and then gave the door a push. Still no reaction.

‘I guess not.’ He answered.

‘So, what do now sens-’ Kito began, before abruptly stopping mid-sentence, prompting his two companions to turn their attention to him. The two men stared at what stood in front of them, stunned looks on their faces. They were now looking at mirror images of themselves, Minato’s doppelganger was holding a kunai to the boy’s throat. Minato reached for the kunai in the pouch on his back, but his copy just brought its own even closer to the boy’s neck. Minato withdrew his hand and returned it to his side.

‘Okay, don’t do anything too hasty now.’ Kakashi spoke from behind his mask, raising his hands up in front of him, a firm grip on his kunai. The copies of Kakashi and Kito stepped forward, weapons drawn, in response. Kakashi, behind his mask, smirked.

‘I wasn’t talking to you two.’

Kito, in one swift motion, dropped to the ground, narrowly avoiding an attempt to slash his neck, and tripped the copy. He then plunged his kunai into the copy’s abdomen and rolled backwards, avoiding the other two attackers and rejoining his companions.

‘That wouldn’t have worked on me.’ Minato spoke, somewhat self-consciously, as he drew his own kunai. Dust poured from the creature as it removed the boy’s weapon and stood up. It promptly tossed the small weapon back at the boy, who proceeded to deflect it with his katana.

‘Alright, so it isn’t a transformation jutsu then.’ Kakashi spoke hesitantly as the trio prepared themselves for battle.