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Tenzo was the first to skid to a stop on the banks of the river. Kurenai and Kakashi, who had come with him on this mission to track Orochimaru, came to a stop behind him, barely avoiding a collision. He had heard of Sarutobi Asuma, had even known of the instances surrounding the man’s disappearance from Konoha. But he hadn’t met the man before he defected, shortly after the Uchiha massacre, taking Itachi Uchiha with him.
Standing before him now was someone he had thought was merely a legend, despite the official documents saying otherwise. Despite Kakashi and the others telling him otherwise.
Here were Asuma and Itachi Uchiha-- two of the strongest shinobi Konoha had ever produced, and two names that Konoha had been wishing to eliminate from the Bingo book for some time.
Kurenai gasped, the only sound in the sudden silence engulfing the scene. Her stance faltered, her hands falling limply to her sides at the sight of her old lover. Kakashi moved, sandals crunching on the gravel lining the river bank, taking a position half in front of her, ready to defend Kurenai if she was too emotional to carry on. Tenzo himself wasn’t sure what to do and decided to take his cue from the other two.
This was Asuma Sarutobi, the Sandaime’s child, after all. This was the man who was a stain on the Sarutobi name; the man who was spoken about in hushed whispers and was a warning to clans that they should watch their heirs because even the most noble might one day turn traitor.
Asuma laughed, a bitter harsh sound. He held out a hand to stop Itachi from advancing and then nodded once to Kakashi, then to Tenzo, before his eyes landed on Kurenai and softened. Kakashi moved even more, completely blocking her from Asuma’s view.
“You don’t have to worry.” Asuma spoke, taking a few tentative steps onto the river then halting, as Tenzo and Kakashi entered into battle stances. “I won’t hurt her, Kakashi. You don’t have to hide her.”
Kakashi narrowed his eyes, using one hand to slowly push his headband up to reveal the Sharingan. Tenzo frowned. It wasn’t like Kakashi to bring his Sharingan into the battle this early, and it spoke volumes about how seriously Kakashi was taking this battle. Kurenai pushed past him, stepping onto the water, still far enough away from Asuma that she was out of range of close range attacks.
“Asuma.” She whispered, the name tinted with sadness and affection, tinted with the taste of betrayal that Tenzo could feel even though he knew nothing about the relationship between her and Asuma.
“Kurenai.” Asuma acknowledged, still standing on the water, stance non-threatening.
“Why?” She finally asked, fists tightening at her sides, words tainted with steel and sadness. “Why?” She roared, voice rising. “Why did you do it?”
Asuma’s eyes hardened, narrowing as his face lost all emotion. He scoffed, one hand rising up to gesture at the air. “Why did I leave Konoha you mean? Why did I turn my back on my father and that village?” He shrugged his shoulders. “Why shouldn’t I have?”
Asuma turned to gaze straight at Tenzo, who was surprised to be the subject of his gaze. Something about it seemed to dig right through him, to the place where Kinoe lay buried. He felt more uncomfortable in his own skin than he had in a long time.
And he had a dreadful feeling that Asuma-san knew of his origins, knew about the dirty underside of Konoha that Tenzo had always been ashamed he came from.
“Asuma-san,” Itachi said for the first time in the conversation. “We are not here for chitchat.”
“No.” Asuma acknowledged tilting his head in Itachi’s direction. “We aren’t are we?”
He pulled out his chakra blades, black cloak billowing out behind him, the red clouds on it seeming to dance in a sudden breeze. “It’s been a while hasn’t it Kurenai? What say we spar for old time’s sake?”
As the words left his mouth, Tenzo knew he was taunting Kurenai. And that she was falling for it. And that in her current emotional state there was no guarantee she’d make it out of the battle in one piece.
He exchanged a glance with Kakashi who nodded, the two of them sprinting in opposite directions to see to their respective foes.
“Go!” He yelled at Kurenai when he arrived at where she was battling Asuma. “Kakashi needs your help with Itachi-san and his genjutsu."
Kurenai hesitated, caught between her lover and her teammate for the mission. Finally, she nodded, turning to leave, but not before shooting some parting words at Asuma over her shoulder.
“I don’t turn my back on my comrades, Asuma. Not like you.”
Tenzo frowned, watching her leap away, then turned his back to face Asuma who had used Tenzo’s moment of distraction to come at him with the chakra blades. Tenzo barely made the proper signs for a Mokuton barrier in time. He skidded back on the surface of the river, bracing his arms in front of his face as the Mokuton dissipated.
“Ah,” Asuma stated smirking, as he steadied himself on the now churning river, “so you’re Kinoe.” He readied his blades again. “I look forward to this fight, Ki-No-E. ”
Tenzo’s eyes widened, face paling at each syllable that came out of Asuma’s mouth. How did he know that? How did he know who Kinoe was?
He scowled, eyes hardening.
If Asuma knew secrets like that he knew what he had to do in this fight with the Akatsuki.
Asuma-san had to die in order for Konoha to survive. And he’d do whatever it took to make sure that would happen.