Hikari's POV

My meeting with Itachi-san made me realized several things. One, being the elders must have been divided between the pacifist, Sarutobi-sensei and the callous, Danzo. With Sensei gone, the latter might come to the power over the elder thus, the need for a successor of the will of fire could never have been greater. Two, Itachi truly still a shinobi of Konoha, trying hard to discreetly protect the village by the shadows. Another thing, Uchiha Madara was assumed to be still alive and somehow controlling the organization that Itachi was in. I had now confirmed the fact that the threat was legitimate, thus I must devise a plan to prevent the incoming mayhem somehow. Filled to the brim with only questions rather than answers, I made my way towards Kakashi-sensei's house to check up on him as a distraction for this heavy workload to my brain. For my plan to work, Itachi and I will require some form of assistance. He is now among the few people that I could trust with my information after Sarutobi-sensei was gone.

"How I longed for your wise words, old friend," I complained silently to myself.

I was about to enter the apartment when Sasuke suddenly burst out of the door running. He didn't even notice me calling for him. When I got inside the room, the Jounins; Gai, Asuma, and Kurenai-sensei were still inside the room disgruntled along with Kakashi-sensei that was still bedridden.

"What's going on, what's wrong with Sasuke?" I questioned. Gai-sensei let out a breath before responding to my questions.

"He had found out that Itachi had come into the village in pursuit of Naruto. If I were him, I would want to search for Naruto if I wanted to kill Itachi," Gai-sensei said. I looked away at the distance, thinking about my friend. Sasuke wouldn't take this so well, as Itachi was unlikely to change his fa?ade. Thus, I was deducing that things would end in a wrong turn down the road.

"Where is Naruto, anyway?" I asked after a moment.

"Jiraiya-sama went out of the village with the kid a little while ago as a precaution should we failed to defeat those two just now," Gai-sensei explained.

"I see, would you please chase after Sasuke for me, Gai-sensei? I wouldn't think that things would end well for him if he had found his brother indeed. I want to stay to look after my sensei here," I requested and the man stood up, gave me a thumbs-up before he jumped out of the window. I took his seat near Kakashi-sensei's bed. Being instantly curious, I looked around the place, my eyes caught a picture frame and I decided to take a closer look at it.

"That's the picture of Kakashi when he was still a genin," Kurenai-sensei told. I recognized his best friend, Uchiha Obito that bore the same expression as Naruto more or less. I chuckled at the expression worn by Kakashi-sensei, brooding as much as Sasuke that was in our team picture and how the third member, Nohara Rin must have been the bridge that connects those two much like Sakura in ours. At the end of it, I noticed something that was of the most importance.

"His sensei looks familiar," I commented. Both of them smiled at me.

"He should be, his face is on the Hokage stone faces. That's the Yondaime Hokage, he died protecting the village from the Kyuubi attack thirteen years ago," Asuma-sensei explained. But that is not what I meant.

"I get that but no, he looks exactly like Naruto. The hairs, the eyes, and the ears, it's glaringly similar," I said and both of them looked at each other as I made the connection. "So he sealed the Kyuubi inside his child."

"For you to figure this much out of a picture, you're an exceptionally bright kid, you know that. I trust that you would keep that information a secret. Yondaime-sama wanted him to have the Uzumaki name to protect his child from his past enemies and in turn, resurrects the dwindling Uzumaki Clan in one fell swoop," Asuma-sensei said. I couldn't help but chuckle that's where he differs from his father. Quite the strategist, I must say.

"There is far more important information that must be kept secret other than that, Asuma-sensei, but, I concur. It made sense on how Naruto was progressing so much these days. Uzumaki Naruto is a Hokage's son, I am proud of him." I said with a soft smile. Both of them joined me before Asuma-sensei let out a chuckle.

"You know, it's no wonder that you became his students. You are wise, had a prodigious talent and commendably high intelligence. I must ask, how did you even defeat the Uchiha's Kekkei Genkai?" he commented.

"Oh, what timing for such a question. I guess there is a need-to-know basis, in this case, Sarutobi-sensei," I said to myself. I brought my hand to form the seal of confrontation before sealing the room.

"This is secret that known by Sarutobi-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, and my guardian, Hiashi-sama. My name," I tore off my headband, "my real name is Otsutsuki Hikari."

My Rinne-Sharingan flared at them. Both of them were shocked and they stood off their seats.

"Is that Rinnegan? of the Sage of Six Paths?" Kurenai-sensei mumbled.

"Kurenai-sensei, you are bright yourself to quickly deduced it to be Rinnegan but no, this eye precedes Rinnegan. I am Otsutsuki Hagoromo's older brother. I was trapped in the future because of my mother's undeveloped jutsu. Kakashi-sensei was the one that found me, brought me into the village and introduced me to Sarutobi-sensei. He saved me in a sense and I looked up to him ever since," I explained. They swallowed their throat.

"I...I...", Asuma-sensei couldn't form a coherent word, "my father spoke of the world will be facing a great threat and you would be a key to prevent it. Now I understand."

"Eh, he told you? Hmm," I was silent to consider whether or not to tell him the facts, "the organization that Itachi is in, they are collecting tailed beast. If they succeeded in their scheme, the world will be facing a global threat called Juubi once again since the time of the Sage of Six Paths. The Juubi is an immensely powerful being that consists mainly of the unlimited magnitude of refined nature energy that turned into the source of its power namely the chakra or to be exact, the beast as a whole is every tailed beast merge to form one consciousness. Although my brothers could hold their own against the beast, they couldn't defeat the Juubi and its chakra could only be sealed away from its vessel by my brother, the Sage of Six Paths.

"Imagine it, the progenitor of shinobi who was practically on Kami's level couldn't even defeat such power. A few years back the vessel of the Juubi went missing from its hiding place. My suspicion was correct when I saw the said vessel in Itachi's memories. They had already begun collecting the Bijuu."

"No way..." both of them were shaken by my words.

"This information is extremely dangerous as well as not easy to obtain and there are a very handful of people I could trust with this. I am working to prevent such global calamity to happen, to save the whole world from the Juubi, from the sins and weaknesses of my kin," I continued.

"I don't know where we could fit in your plan but very well, your secret is safe with us. You can count on us when the time comes. Oh! Before I forget about it again," Asuma-sensei finally said while holding the hands of Kurenai-sensei. He took out a scroll and gave it to me.

"What's this?" I questioned.

"It was contained in his will that he wanted you to have this if you would one day miraculously return from your disappearance. I was about to give it to you back at the dango stall when those two Akatsuki showed up," Asuma-sensei explained. I unravelled the scroll and looked into its content.

"I, the Daimyo of the Fire Country, hereby assigning Hyuuga Hikari the rank of Chuunin as a reward to his apprenticeship with the Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. With the recommendations of his legal guardian, who are the leader of shinobi clans of Konoha. He will be assigned the rank of Jounin accordingly after his return from his above S-Class mission for which he was sacrificing himself to save the Hi no Kuni along with its greatest allies, Myoboku-zan from the threat of the Phoenix Sage.

The Daimyo of the Fire Country."

In shock, I dropped the scroll unconsciously. My head was yet again, churning with chaos. Asuma-sensei grabbed hold of the scroll and read it's content.

"Wow, you went on an Above-S-Class mission alone as a Genin? This would explain him being so distraught during the first two weeks of your disappearance. Hikari-kun, you're a hero to the Fire country. Congratulations," Asuma-sensei finally said, "or not?"

"He was distraught?" I managed, baffled and confused.

"Yeah, with the Chuunin exam, the threat of Orochimaru returning and his newest student who went missing. He was out of it and we were all noticing his behaviour but we couldn't do anything. Think of it as a gift from him, Hikari-kun. You are entitled to it," Asuma-sensei smiled at me.

"I guess, you are our junior now. Congratulations," Kurenai-sensei beamed at me. My mind was still churning. I felt that I shouldn't deserve this. I didn't know what to do with this information. I felt empty as panic began welling up my insides and darkness took my sights away, I began to draw heavy breath rapidly. I was on the verge of a breakdown right the second.

"I'm not worthy..." I gritted through my heavy panting. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my head.

"Deep breaths," a voice said and it continued to coax me to follow its words. The voice of a woman, I tried so hard to follow her words. I inhaled deeply and exhaled, inhaled, exhaled until I finally regained control of my breath. I opened my eyes and saw both Asuma-sensei and Kurenai-sensei was standing around me. Concern was written on their faces.

"You have a history of a panic attack, didn't you?" she asked. I could only nod before I hung my head in shame.

"Not only that, I have a problem with self-harm and I'm also doubting my self-worth. Not to forget that I had an occasional nervous breakdown. I am one hell of a broken up kid but I was getting better since I arrived here or I thought I was. This week had been so harsh," I muttered. I brought my face into my hands.

"Ugh, here I am thinking that I am helping everyone when instead, I am the one needing help," I grumbled helplessly.

"Kakashi had mentioned this to us before. He said that you should manage to overcome this if you keep the person you love close to your heart and trust that you do deserve everything there is to it. You are worthy, you had saved us countless times," Kurenai-sensei coaxed. That managed to tame some of the rumbles that were inside my mind as I remembered how I came to be to this day. If weren't for my family here, Kakashi-sensei especially, I would be rotting in the forest, ages ago.

"Wait, he knew?!" I was surprised and they nodded at me.

"All of us did. Kakashi is not much of a talker but he would confide to us if we bugged him enough about it. Kakashi saw his broken self in you back in the forest which was why he cared for you and watch over you as you slowly regain your true self back then. Believe in yourself, you're a Jounin of Konoha," Asuma-sensei rustled my hair. I was silent as I looked at the bedridden man. How grateful I am to him. I deduced that he had found me so much earlier than I remembered.

"Is there a way to help him?" I queried. Both of them took their seats.

"Because of his conditions that were dojutsu induced, we have to take him to Konoha General Hospital. He needs medic-nin attention. A proper good one at that," Asuma-sensei explained. I agreed with him while berating myself as to why didn't I learn some medical ninjutsu in the first place. I was stuck with only general field injury first aid training that I learn from Sarutobi-Sensei. I immediately picked up Kakashi-sensei and rushed him towards Konoha General Hospital to have him admitted.

A few hours afterwards, Gai-sensei burst in cradling a limp Sasuke in. I assumed that he was locked in the same genjutsu as Kakashi-sensei. I wondered if the boy would be immensely affected by this. I shut my eyes and made a mental promise to help him endure this.

"Let's hope that Naruto and Jiraiya-sama would be successful in its mission to find the third Sannin. She is the one who could heal these two and my beloved student, Lee. Ahhh! Naruto was blooming splendidly in his springtime of youth when he promised that they will succeed," Gai-sensei said as he struck a pose inside of Kakashi-sensei's ward. He then made his way towards his favourite student's room as he yelled for his name passionately throughout his pirouette there. Satisfied with both of my friends was safely admitted, I went home to meet with Hitori-san. Luckily for me, she was expecting me.

"How did it go?" she inquired after giving me a peck on my cheeks.

"I found out that the organization that Itachi, Sasuke's brother was in have the Juubi's shell. The great threat to the people is legitimate and imminent, Hitori-san. Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke have trapped in a dojutsu induced coma. We're waiting for Naruto and Jiraiya-senpai to return with the third Sannin to heal them. She is the greatest medic-nin in Konoha," I explained. "Did you find a house?"

"No, everything is either too near to the populace or too big for us two," Hitori gave me a pout which made me smile. I never saw her expression if she ever felt so helpless with something. Well, she has never been helpless anyway. I told her that I needed to talk to Hiashi-sama first before I cleaned myself for dinner. She nodded and went ahead inside before me and I made my way towards the porch where I could usually found Hiashi-sama at that hour. I found that he was meditating on the said porch and I took a seat next to him.

"Any luck of finding a house?" my adoptive father asked me. I let out a chuckle and shook my head.

"She didn't like living near to people and other options were too big for us two," I said.

"Subtleness isn't what I could see in her personality other than the strict callousness she had shown to me. Why did you bother searching out far, you can build a house in the compound or inside our forest if you want. There is a plot of land where the landscape was breathtaking in there. She should like it there," he said. I was surprised by the offer and immediately bowed to thank him.

"Today, I found out that you and Sarutobi-sensei made me Jounin. Care to explain why?" I monotonously asked. I could see the man winced a little.

"I knew that you didn't like it but we both thought that you were missing for good. No news, summons or intel on your whereabouts. The decree was to commemorate you due to the sacrifice you made to save the country and Myoboku-zan," he explained. I clicked my tongue.

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"Well, it's hardly a sacrifice now is it?" I clipped.

"Don't think of it that way. You need it, the credentials. I trust that you will find it immensely beneficial to your cause. Besides, the disciple of Sarutobi Hiruzen are all elite Jounins and you have earned your place by your skills," Hiashi-sama continued and I could only blow a heavy sigh.

"You two spoilt me too much, you know that?" I complained.

"But you aren't a spoilt child. You're a worthy Shinobi of Konoha," he smiled. I decided to give up arguing as I could never win it when he was being this way. Their kindness was too overwhelming to me, a stranger. Then, I remembered Sakura hit my head during the memorial because I had said it in my speech. I hoped she didn't know that I still doubt myself but I will continuously help her. That's my promise to her and I will honour it.