Author's note: This chapter will take us back to things on the Earth. The last part will be the start of something very dramatic. For those of you who are uncomfortable reading about lemon, I suggest you to not read. I don't own any of the characters. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. The original characters belong to me.
Chapter 29: Burning Skies
Somewhere in the forests of the Land of Fire
With his release, Kenrojin had almost succeeded in destroying the Moon. But thanks to the valiant sacrifice of Toneri Otsutsuki and the Mother Wisp Kukurihime, the Moon's destruction was averted. Even so, the problem Earth was facing was far from over. Its people managed to caught a glimpse of the dark dragon spreading chaos and terror across the skies. It was only signalizing Kenrojin's campaign of remaking the world to his own liking.
But beneath the ground in the Land of Fire, Naruto and the gang had slowly awoken from their brief sleep. They opened their eyes, only to feel nothing but dirt below them. Having just fallen through a portal, they had been given a trip of a lifetime. Now that they were out of the dimension, it was safe to say that they had arrived back at the place where the portal to the Moon was located at. They also realized that the spring of green water was gone. It had probably been destroyed during the ritual. That only meant these shinobis were the few lucky ones to be able to visit the Moon while it was still possible. The group made sure everyone was present before moving on. After all, they had to see for itself. Had the Moon really been destroyed? They had so many questions about what had happened to Earth while they were gone.
Once they reached the surface, the Moon Expediton was struck by the changes that had taken place above them. The skies were orange as the fire itself. Everything, including the clouds, was orange. It was as if it the sky was burning.
"My god…what the hell happened?" Shikamaru uttered out, being awestruck by seeing the endless skies of orange.
"So, this is Kenrojin's doing…I never knew he was THAT powerful!" Chouji exclaimed out in disbelief.
"It's supposed to be night, yet everything is so…bright. Impossible" Lee said in astonishment.
But while observing the changes, Hinata and her fellow Hyuugas managed to catch a glimpse of something round in skies of fire. Given that they had the Byakugan, they were able to see what it was.
"I don't believe it…the Moon…it's not destroyed!" Hinata was utterly surprised in what she was seeing.
"Lady Hinata speaks the truth. We don't see any cracks on it as we speak" Ko informed everyone, speaking in favor of Hinata.
"So if the Moon's doing fine…then that means….." Sakura spoke up lowly, the pinkette starting to think about Kukurihime and the wisps that dwelled upon the Moon. A part of her felt somewhat sad over that she and the others had witnessed before leaving the Moon. "They really did it…they sacrificed their life essences…to heal the Moon…...to save it" the kunoichi felt emotional by thinking of this sacrifice they had taken.
Sakura was not alone. "Yeah…thanks to them…the Moon was saved. And it will no longer threaten our world. To accomplish such…..at a great price" Tenten noted, the brunette slowly starting to let some tears fall across her cheeks. Luckily, Lee was near her, soon comforting Tenten as she leaned onto him sobbing.
Naruto put a hand on Sakura's shoulder, the pinkette's tears soon drying. He looked at her in a benevolent manner, which only made Sakura completely fixated upon her boyfriend. Naruto glanced up to the Moon with a smile. "They all knew what they were doing in sacrificing themselves, Sakura. Instead of grieving over them, we should do what they would've wanted us to do" he told her before turning around to face everyone in the group. "As much as we want to honor Kukurihime and her noble sacrifice, now's not the time. Instead, we better not let her sacrifice go in vain. That would've only upset her and the other wisps. They, including Toneri himself, has entrusted us with defeating Kenrojin and saving our world" the blonde-haired man boosted the morale amongst every shinobi in the group.
His friends knew how right he was in saying this. But for someone like Hinata and her clan, they couldn't wonder about whether Toneri had partaken in the ritual with Kukurihime out of guilt. That seemed to be the answer. Still, it was no time for them to thinking about their former captor. He was gone…...probably forever.
Having moved outside, the large group knew it was time to splinter it into smaller groups. The members of the Grim Guard and the Divine Division had to return to the Sand Village and Mist Village respectively. The rest of the group would return to the Leaf Village. Naruto was conferring with Asami, Yukata and Hyozan about this.
"I'm afraid this is where we must part ways, friends" Hyozan told everyone with a hint of regret in his voice. "With everything that has transpired, there is no question in my mind that my superiors in the Mist Village will demand much answers from me and these three. However, we will never forget this journey" the swordsman said, with Suigetsu, Karin and Juugo standing behind him.
"The same thing can be said for us. Obviously, our fellow members of the Grim Guard must be missing us amidst this chaos" Yukata remarked, with Ittetsu, Sari, Mikoshi, Komaza and Nejiri standing behind her. "But this may be our wisest choices from now on. We can tell our Kages about everything that we have discovered on the Moon" the young woman added to her slight excitement.
Asami mused to herself in hearing her say that. "Perhaps so. But what we just experienced was no vacation" she said before looking up towards the skies. "The skies are almost burning. We have yet to find out what this Kenrojin is really capable of. But based upon what he did to the Moon, there is no question that he can destroy the Earth as well. All the Five Great Elemental Nations must be prepared for the threat he poses" she went on explaining the situation.
"Wise words. And I know that the entire world will be affected by Kenrojin's terror. However, a part of me have been thinking about what Grandma Tsunade said lately. The Triple Entente has been exposed in the public eye. The Cloud Village and the Stone Village are aware of this and relations between us and them have only worsened. They still believe that the Triple Entente was a military alliance, when it was only a cooperation between our ANBUs" Naruto told the three seconds-in-command of what Tsunade had informed him and the others. "From what Tsunade told me, someone has been leaking info of the Triple Entente to those two villages. We have yet to discover who was behind this. And just so you two know, me and Asami are not accusing either of your villages" he added, trying not to antagonize Yutaka and Hyozan.
The two leaders nodded their heads in understanding. "It's alright. Likewise, none of us are accusing you for doing that. Let's just say that whoever was behind this leaking, he or she must've had some form of vendetta towards our villages" the black-haired Sand kunoichi came up with a hypothesis for the leaks.
"The only question is who. Then again, it could've been the work of a lone hacker who was critical of the Triple Entente" Hyozan suggested, although he was not certain about whether his hypothesis was true or not. "But alas, the revelation has indeed put us on odds with the Raikage and the Tsuchikage. And we have yet to find out what actions they will resort to with regards to Kenrojin. Therefore, it would be best if we all went back to our villages and hear what our leaders have decided" he then told everyone.
"Affirmative" Asami responded, although she couldn't help but to smile at Yukata and Hyozan. "For some reason, I have a feeling that all of us will meet each other soon…only on different circumstances" the teal-haired woman said.
"I could say the same thing" Naruto noted, a slight grin creeping on his face. He then faced both Hyozan and Yukata. "Well, know that we all know what to do from now on, I say we part our ways here. But be careful on your journey. For all we know, Kenrojin is capable of harming the land itself. Make sure you reach home safely. That's all we ask of you" Naruto urged them.
"Until we all meet again…a fond farewell to each and every one of you" Asami told the members of the Grim Guard and the Divine Division.
With that taken care of, the large group splintered into three smaller ones, although the one headed for the Leaf Village was large, particularly due to the members of the Moon Expedition, the Shadow Squad and the Hyuuga clan walking together. Each group had also gone into different directions.
The members of the Divine Division were heading eastwards, to the Land of Fire's coastline. Even as they wandered through the woods, the skies remained the same. It somehow filled each of the members with slight unease.
"All these changes give me the creeps. I don't know whether I can sleep with this sky hanging over me" Karin warily noted, noticing how unpleasant it had become back on their world. "But importantly, how are we even gonna get back to the Mist Village?" Karin asked her comrades.
Hyozan rested his scythe-like blade on his shoulders. "There's a ship waiting for us at the eastern coastline. It will take us back to the Land of Water safely and quick as possible" the spikey grey-haired man answered her plainly, his gaze still focused on the way ahead of them. "But mark my words. Commander Shachi and the Mizukage are gonna us an earful for the decision we took on the Island of Tides. I'm just saying this in case you're unprepared for it" Hyozan then revealed.
"Tch. You know, you didn't have to come with us to the Moon if you were so insecure about going there. I mean, nobody held a kunai by your throat. So why bother whining about it now?" Suigetsu questioned his superior, earning him an annoyed glance from Hyozan.
"What I'm saying here, genius, is that our leadership will be upset with us because of the fact that we nearly got ourselves killed by being on that blasted place! And believe me, Shachi Arashiro is a guy you don't wanna fuck with. The same goes for Mei Terumi" Hyozan tried to explain his concerns properly.
Still, Suigetsu didn't seem to give much thought about what he heard his superior say. "Whatever, buttslave" the white-haired man rudely replied, this time earning a death glare from Hyozan.
"You take that back! Besides, who are you to call someone a buttslave? Unless I'm mistaking, you allowed yourself to become Orochimaru's test subject. Doesn't that qualifies as being a buttslave?" Hyozan decided to put on jabs on Suigetsu. The white-haired did not take kindly to hearing Orochimaru being mentioned before him.
As the two swordsmen were arguing, Karin and Juugo sighed. They moved away from the quarreling men, preferring not to get involved in this childish kafuffle. However, this also gave them an opportunity to talk to each other, especially regarding the challenges that awaited them in the world.
"I just hope the Mizukage has a plan with regards to this. The longer we wait, then the closer Kenrojin is to destroying our world. This is no time to be standing around doing nothing" Juugo hoped. Even a pacifist such as himself knew that Kenrojin had to be stopped. After all, he was destroying anything in it's way, most importantly the land and wilds. Juugo would not let that stand.
Karin looked at her former partner-in-crime. "Of course, she has. There's no way that she wouldn't. The trust she carries among the Mist villagers isn't misplaced, that's for sure" the four-eyed woman assured him.
Hearing this made Juugo smile. He understood how right Karin was, even though she was usually not the type of woman to act reasonable. But given how this crisis was affecting the entire world, it also affected individuals such as themselves.
"Yes. Thank you for reminding me, Karin" the orange-haired man expressed his gratitude towards Karin, although the four-eyed redhead was confused by this. But she eventually realized what Juugo was getting at.
Suddenly, something hit in Karin's head. It was something she wanted to ask Juugo about. "Juugo…..there's one more thing I've been curious about…do you members of the Divine Division really use codenames?" the redhead asked him.
The tall orange-haired man had to admit he was surprised to hear Karin ask him this. But that confusion soon changed into a laughter. "Why, of course we do. We're in the ANBU Black Ops after all. The codename I use is…Peacemaker" Juugo answered her with all honesty. He then looked at the bickering swordsmen. "I take it you've already heard Suigetsu's. His is Deadshark. And Hyozan's codename is quite a handful one: Ripper" he went on answering Karin.
She only giggled in return, finding these codenames to be amusing, especially Juugo's. Karin had along with Sasuke and Suigetsu, always understood Juugo's inner conflict with his battle-hungry persona. He was still trying to master controlling his rage and being careful not to let bloodlust consume him.
After an hour, the members of the Divine Division soon found themselves out of the woods, and they could spot a ship that was waiting for them at the shoreline. It was not only that which was reliving for them to know. The sea was shoring quietly, thus conforming the fact that Kenrojin's emergence had not affected them…yet.
Meanwhile, the members of the Grim Guard were heading west, first towards the Land of Rivers and then the Land of Wind. The trees and their branches helped them make the journey faster. Even so, they knew better than to underestimate the threats Kenrojin was known for. For all they knew, they worried about whether the dragon's emergence has caused sandstorms in the Land of Wind. Such could also affect the Sand Village.
Still, the Sand ninjas held onto hope. Yukata would make sure that her comrades would reach home in one piece. But a part of her dreaded over returning to the village. Some of her friends could see it on her face and they wondered why she felt that way.
"You look a little worried, Yukata. I mean, you have a right to feel that way with what's currently happening and stuff. But aren't you glad that we'll be back home?" Sari asked her, yet the brunette could read something different on her expression. That made her realize something. "Ah crap! How could I have forgotten? Lord Baki's gonna be ticked off once he sees us! I can't imagine how it feels to be thrown his rage at! It creeps me" the Sand kunoichi realized while thinking about the serious Sand jounin.
Komaza only glanced at her with a raised eyebrow. "You gotta be kidding me! There's a gargantuan dragon wreaking havoc across the world and you're worried about that!? Grow a thick spine, Sari!" he berated her.
Ittetsu didn't like the tone in his voice. "Hey! Don't take that tone with Sari. It's just rude and unhelpful" he told her.
"Settle down, Ittetsu. As much as I hate to agree with him, Komaza has a point. The whole world is in disarray, so I doubt that Lord Baki and the Kazekage would be more focused on the crisis rather than scolding us" Mikoshi informed his friends before facing Yukata. "You know that too, Yukata. Reckless as our move was, we did contribute greatly to the success of the Moon Expedition's mission. I am confident they realize that" he then told her while adjusting his glasses.
Yukata had to giggle in hearing this. "You got that right, Mikoshi. And now that I think about it, it's pretty cool to realize that aside from me, none of Lord Baki's elites were with us on the trip to the Moon. Isn't that fun to think about?" she questioned her friends.
While the majority of the group was confused, only Nejiri seemed to understand the humor in it. "Yes. It really is. We were all just humble Sand shinobis. Satetsu, Isago and Maki weren't with us, so we really deserve credit" the gentle man remarked.
"Then we can save our story for when we get back in the Sand Village. But right now, reaching it is our top priority" Yukata informed everyone as she increased her speed. Her comrades did the same thing.
Once they reached the Land of Rivers, the members of the Grim Guard were surprised and relieved to see that the landscape had remained unchanged. Only the sky remained different. This gave hope to the Sand ninjas, wondering with the same thing applied to the desert terrain in the Land of Wind. They would have to wait and see for themselves.
The main group consisting of Leaf shinobis headed northwards to the Leaf Village. Unlike their friends, they would reach home sooner. But Naruto and his friends knew that there was nothing to celebrate once their arrived home. The crisis affected the Earth still continued, albeit not threatened in the form of the Moon.
As they arrived in a clear area in the forests, the group couldn't help but to look up to see the skies of fire. They wondered whether Kenrojin would be heading towards one of the Five Great Hidden Villages and start his rampage. But so far, they had not seen anything of the dragon. Then again, things didn't seem like their home.
Naruto stopped for a brief moment to look up and see if Kenrojin could be seen nearby. He saw nothing flying. But he wanted to make sure that the others were also paying attention to their surroundings.
"You guys see anything?" Naruto asked his comrades.
"So far, so good. No sign of that damned dragon yet" the voice came from Shikamaru, as he was standing beside Naruto. "But I fear something may have happened to the Leaf Village. We best keep moving" he expressed his concerns.
"You're right. But all things considered, there's no reason to doubt Lady Tsunade, Kakashi-sensei and Kurenai-sensei. They deserve credit for staying behind and protect the village" Sakura spoke up, trying to reassure Shikamaru of the village's safety.
"Then we best make haste" Shino suggested before he began noticing something with his bugs. "Strange. For some reason, my insects tell me that we're not alone in these woods" he told them.
"He's not alone. Mine are sensing danger as well" Tatsuma said, agreeing with his fellow Aburame.
Hearing this made Naruto and others such as Sasuke, Asami and the Hyuugas be on guard. The Hyuugas even activated their Byakugans, in hopes of locating whoever was lurking in these trees.
"I sense something…...elusive" Hiashi spoke up, his bright eyes narrowing.
Shito scoffed. "You guys are overacting. What could possibly lurk in these areas? A ferret or a slithering…." the chubby man was interrupted once something appeared out of the shadows. He snapped in shock when he saw masked shinobis emerge out of hiding and surround the Moon Expedition. "Lizard…." Shito finally said the words he was trying to say.
As surprised as the group was, they lowered their guard. These shinobis wore animal masks of porcelain. This could only mean one thing. They were from the Leaf Village's ANBU Black Ops. However, some of them turned out to be members of the Shadow Squad, as they did in fact wear those dark outfits.
Asami could notice one of them stepping towards her. She smiled, given that she realized who it was under mask. "Commander Yugao. What a surprise. I'm so relieved to see you once again" she told her while bowing her head formally.
The purple-haired woman removed her mask, thus revealing her serious demeanor. "You're all back…and with the Hyuuga clan as well…...good" she spoke up, yet Yugao was not smiling so far. She directed her attention towards Asami. "But you have a lot of explaining to do, Haul. As does the rest of those Shadow Squad members…...especially you, Deathhawk" she said while glancing at Sasuke sternly.
Sasuke had remained neutral with regards to Yugao and the others showing themselves. Then again, he didn't know what would happen to him now, given his actions on the Island of Tides.
"Did Grandma Tsunade send you out to fetch us? If so, then please answer me this. Is the Leaf Village safe?" Naruto questioned Yugao firmly, wanting an answer out from her.
Yugao nodded her head in return. "The answer to both questions are yes. But we're still dealing with returning the evacuees back to the village. Right now, the entire village is on martial law. We're making preparations for any potential attacks from that infernal dragon. His terrifying howl can be heard everywhere you go, even from this location" the purple-haired woman informed him and the others.
"True. But there is some good news we want to share with you and Lady Tsunade. Even though the crisis is far from over, the threat from the Moon has ended. It will no longer threaten the Earth" Sakura revealed.
Hearing this made the ANBU commander smile lightly. "Those are good news indeed. Once we get back, you will fill in the rest for Lady Tsunade and her associates" Yugao informed her before facing the members of the Shadow Squad she knew. "Woodpecker, Penisshaft, Vision, Scarabmonger, Horncrest and Bigman. You're all coming with me" she told them by their codenames.
As such, Yamato, Sai, Tokuma, Tatsuma, Ensui and Shito went over to their commander's sider. Meanwhile, some people, such as Kiba and Shikamaru, had to resist laughing at the absurdity of Sai's codename. It just felt so…...inappropriate for an ANBU member to use such codename. But then again, this was Sai they were talking about.
"As for you, Deathhawk. There is someone who wishes to speak with you" Yugao revealed and looked over her shoulder to see someone approach the group from the shadows.
Ino was stunned to see who these men were. It was three members of the Interrogation Squad, like herself. Two of them was Tonbo Tobikate and Shimon Hijiri. The tall and serious one in the middle was its commander: Ibiki Morino. From the looks on his face, he was pissed.
"Captain Ibiki…." Ino uttered out in astonishment. But the blondie realized that her superior had his narrowed eyes solely fixed upon Sasuke. This only worried Ino on the inside. She knew something was about to get ugly.
Despite seeing Ibiki, Sasuke was far from intimidated. He only glared back at the tall man nonchalantly. Even though he didn't do anything physical, a glare from Sasuke Uchiha was enough to brew fear into anyone who dared cross paths with him. But Ibiki was not scared. As a matter of fact, he was keen on actually physically assault Sasuke. But before he could walk, he was blocked by Yugao's katana.
"Remember: no killing him. That's a direct order from the Hokage herself. Try not to forget it" the purple-haired woman reminded him before removing her blade.
Ibiki let out a deep sigh and proceeded towards Sasuke. They stood very close to one another. Even so, neither of them resorted to violence. There were only glares exchanged between the two.
"You little son of a bitch! You ungrateful, arrogant little son of a bitch!" Ibiki broke the silence by verbally assaulting Sasuke. "You're coming with us to the Hokage Tower. Once we're there, you're gonna tell us everything you did on the Moon! Otherwise, you'll be eating your own shit for breakfast!" he continued with the harsh words.
Ino was growing concerned for the growing escalation between her superior and Sasuke. "Captain, please…" Ino was interrupted by Shimon, who kindly put a hand on her shoulder. He shook his head at her, indicating that it was unwise of her to interfere in this confrontation. From the looks of what he was trying to show Ino, her interference would not benefit Sasuke in any way. Reluctantly, Ino stood on the sidelines, deciding not to move a muscle.
This was proven right, since Sasuke, despite hearing those harsh words, was still acting calm. However, he still wore his open disdain towards Ibiki. "That's fine by me" he suddenly replied to him, signalizing his willingness to speak with the man he didn't get along with.
Ibiki, looking over his shoulder, motioned for Shimon and Tonbo to come and stand close to Sasuke. It was almost as if they were trying to arrest him. Still, Sasuke didn't mind. He even pretended that they weren't here to apprehend him at all.
But Ino froze once her superior fixed his gaze upon her. What was he about to say? The young woman found herself sweating intensively as she was given that look.
"Ino. Because of your reckless moves, you and I will have to talk in my office once we get back to the village. Just the two of us" he informed her.
Gulping, Ino tried her best to hide her reservations and saluted towards her captain. "Roger" she quickly replied.
As much as Naruto and Sakura were concerned about this, they knew the reason for why Sasuke would be brought up to the Hokage Tower. He would have to answer for his actions in pursuing Saizo Uchiha. They were confident about Tsunade not wishing to have him punished, but she would still want to hear what he had been doing.
"Once we get back to the Leaf Village, you two along with Shikamaru and the Hyuugas are to meet up at Tsunade's office this instant. Surely, she would like to hear what kind of madness this Toneri Otsutsuki was trying to pull" Yugao told Naruto and Sakura.
The couple agreed with her sentiments. "You're right. Then we best head back. Given that you were waiting for us in this exact location, it can only mean we're almost close at the Leaf Village" Sakura noted, the pinkette slowly starting to remember this place being close to the main road towards the Leaf Village.
Inside the Hokage Tower, Village Hidden in the Leaves, Land of Fire
When the Moon Expedition got home, there was no time for celebration. Most of the villagers had kept themselves inside their homes, hoping that they would be safe from all kinds of harm. However, Naruto and his friends were given a warm welcome by Tsunade, Kakashi, Kurenai and Shizune. The Hokage was also happy to see the Hyuugas returned home. Hiashi and his daughters were at her office to speak with her about important matters.
"Word's alone can't express how grateful I am to your efforts as leader of the Moon Expedition, Naruto. You, Shikamaru, Sakura and the others have done a terrific job in averting the threat from the Moon. And more importantly, the Hyuuga clan has returned home safely. I am proud of you all" Tsunade expressed her utter admiration of Naruto and his accomplishments.
The blonde-haired man only grinned cheekily in return while scratching the back of his neck. "Eh, no biggie. I did say I wasn't gonna leave the Hyuugas behind, you know. And for the record, if there's one person who deserves credit for averting the threat from the Moon…it's Hinata" he told Tsunade while looking over to his childhood friend.
As surprised Hinata was, she soon found herself getting looked at by not just Tsunade, but also her teacher as well. Even her father and younger sister had begun looking at Hinata, encouraging her to tell them what she had done on the Moon.
"I…...I let myself participate in that false wedding Toneri desired so much. But once Naruto, Kiba and the others came and attacked his palace, I saw the opportunity to destroy the Tenseigan, an Energy Vessel that brought life to the Moon" Hinata told them, still recalling what she had went through. "But Toneri came and assumed that Kiba had been the one to destroy it. Kiba and Akamaru got dragged into a fight outside the palace and they were almost at their defeat…until I intervened to save them. I then challenged Toneri…fought him in a battle like I had never done before….and won…" the bluenette could not help but to feel confident in herself.
Kurenai smiled in what she was hearing. "So the reason for why the Moon briefly stopped before it could crash on our world…..was because of your victory…..amazing, Hinata!" the crimson-eyed woman applauded her student. "I have always said to myself. And don't tell Kiba or Shino about this, but I know that among my three students…you are the strongest of them all, Hinata" she then admitted to her.
Hinata felt her cheeks reddening, almost feeling embarrassed over hearing this. "Please…...you flatter me, Kurenai-sensei" Hinata told her teacher, yet a part of her was happy to hear such praises coming from Kurenai.
"We are all thankful for you sending the Moon Expedition to rescue us, Lady Tsunade. I never doubted my fellow ninjas of the Leaf for a second" Hiashi expressed his gratitude towards the Hokage. But he soon looked at his eldest daughter with a fatherly smile. "However, me and Hanabi have Hinata to thank for giving back our eyes. Without her brave effort, we would have remained blind for the rest of our lives" the clan head remarked.
This time, Hinata didn't blush, yet she felt happy when hearing her own father complimenting and acknowledging her strength as a kunoichi.
"Hiashi. If you don't mind, I would like for Hinata to stay with us longer. She probably has much to contribute with regards to information. You and your youngest daughter may return home" Tsunade gently requested.
Hiashi understood her reasons and he nodded his head formally. "Of course, Lady Tsunade. That sounds like a wise decision" Hiashi said and took Hanabi by her hand. "Come, Hanabi. We best return home. Whenever you're finished, come back home as well, Hinata" the middle-aged man told Hinata before exiting Tsunade's office alongside Hanabi.
"Grandma Tsunade. Kakashi-sensei. Is Sasuke being treated with respect as you promised" Naruto asked them about his teammate.
Kakashi nodded his head in return. "Certainly. Before Ibiki was sent out to pick you up, we requested that he refrained from causing any physical harm to Sasuke. But that being said, we will need to have a serious discussion with him in regards to his actions. While we know he was acting in good faith for our village, he still made a reckless move" Kakashi explained to Naruto and Sakura, as he tried to tell them that he also cared about Sasuke's well-being, despite being disappointed in his wrongdoings.
"We can assure you that Sasuke contributed greatly to the Moon Expedition's mission to rescue the Hyuugas. And let's not forget about what he's been through recently. His deceased cousin…...still lives" Sakura informed the leadership.
"And not only that. It turns out that Toneri Otsutsuki was only being used by this so-called Dragon Creed for their agenda, which was to weaken Kenrojin's prison and set him free" Shikamaru added to the explanation.
"Indeed. Even now, I can feel the entire world is in disharmony with itself. The skies of fire never go away. And there's no telling when that thing will make his move to create chaos" Tsunade informed them grimly.
"But there is one thing to be positive about, isn't it? About the Moon no longer being a threat to our world" Shizune pointed out, yet she knew that better words were required. "Look, I know that we have a long way to go, but at least we don't have to worry about it anymore. That means we can focus on one thing at a time" the Hokage's assistant pointed out.
Tsunade and the others smiled in hearing her statement. "Well said, Shizune. There are great merits in your words" the Fifth Hokage told her.
"I cannot imagine how hard it had to be for you to be on the Moon. I most certainly commend each and every one of you for having to put up with the challenge" Kurenai remarked, realizing how much not just her students, but everyone else from the Moon Expedition had risked their lives to save the world.
"I know. But it had to be done" Naruto insisted to Kurenai. "And I also forgot to mention something, Kurenai-sensei. Kiba and Shino were actually very helpful to me during the trip, especially Kiba" he then told her.
Both Hinata and Kurenai became surprised in hearing this. But Sakura and Shikamaru was confused, especially when it came to Kiba being very helpful. But then again, they knew that Naruto was not the kind of guy to discredit people, even if that person was someone as repulsive as Kiba.
"Lady Tsunade. Have you made contact with the other Kages ever since Kenrojin began appearing in our world?" Sakura asked her.
"Sadly, we haven't. That dragon's terrifying powers has destroyed the signals. At this rate, its difficult to communicate with the other Kages. We only have messenger hawks to rely on" Kakashi answered her. "But then again, things have only worsened ever since the Raikage and the Tsuchikage found out about the Triple Entente. The trust between us and them are at the lowest point" he added to his explanation.
"For God's sake….OUR WORLD IS IN SERIOUS DANGER RIGHT NOW! IS THEIR PRIDE MORE WORTH THAN THE SAFETY OF OUR WORLD!?" Sakura asked in disbelief, expressing her frustrations with that the two leaders were doing.
"Calm yourself, Sakura. Despite the predicament we found ourselves in, I'm certain that the threat from Kenrojin can be confronted. But right now, it would be foolish to direct our attention to someplace else. Protecting the Leaf Village is our top priority" Tsunade reassured Sakura and told everyone about what her decision was. She sighed briefly before continuing. "That being said, we best make preparations for any future attacks. In the meantime, why don't you two alongside Kakashi come with me for a minute? We have much to discuss with Sasuke" she then informed them.
The couple looked at their teacher before nodding their heads in reply. "Yes ma'am" they said in unison.
She then directed her attention towards Shikamaru and Hinata. "You two may go and rally your families. With the Hyuuga clan being brought home safely, it's a wonderful opportunity to bolster the village's defenses. The same goes with the other clans of the Leaf" the Hokage told the two.
Both Hinata and Shikamaru agreed to take their leave, understanding how busy Tsunade and the others was. Furthermore, since the Moon Expedition had returned home, it's members would contribute greatly to the defense-preparations. It was the right thing for them to do at the moment, the same could be said for their friends.
"Shizune, stay here and make sure that everything's okay. When something happens, please let us know" Tsunade told her assistant.
Shizune bowed formally towards her in return. "Right away, Lady Tsunade" she quickly replied.
"Well, if there's nothing more for us to do here, then we best go downstairs and hear what Sasuke have to say. And trust me, no harm has come to him. He made an oath to serve the Leaf Village after all" Kakashi told his students, understanding how they were still worried about Sasuke getting a fistful from an angry guy such as Ibiki. "Besides, Ibiki may be strict and serious, but he's not impatient and aggressive. That is one of the main reasons he had been made the Commander of the Interrogation Squad" the masked man informed them with a hint of humor in his voice.
Naruto laughed with Kakashi's jab. "Heh. Let's hope not" he said, only to be nudged by Sakura, who didn't take kindly to what he said.
In an isolated room, beneath the Hokage Tower
The Interrogation Squad had brought Sasuke to this large room beneath the tower as soon as Sasuke returned to the Leaf Village. He sat by a table while being surrounded by members of the Interrogation Squad. So far, Sasuke had remained quiet, not uttering out a word towards any of these shinobis. In return, they were all facing him with not-so-pleasant looks. In a way, it was as if Sasuke was being held prisoner once again.
As for Ibiki, he had personally requested a one-on-one talk with Ino. He had been very concerned about his favorite subordinate partaking this suicide mission on the Moon, despite her returning home safely. Ino had dreaded this, since she knew her captain would scold her to the harshest. Even so, she felt more than willing to have this talk with him.
Ibiki paced around his office while Ino stood still with a slight shameful look on her face. "You already know why we're having this discussion. It's all about that foolish and risky gamble you took when you decided to chase after that Uchiha-brat to the Moon. What were you thinking, Ino? You're supposed to obey my commands, not those of the Shadow Squad. And the fact that Sasuke pursued those criminals without Yugao's consent only makes things worse" the tall man questioned his subordinate.
Ino tried her best to look into Ibiki's stern glance. As hard as it was, she just had to. She didn't want to embarrass herself as a kunoichi. Ino was a grown woman, not a snobby girl as she used to be.
"I only followed my instincts, Captain Ibiki. As a member of the Interrogation Squad, I was entrusted to make sure Sasuke honored the verdict he had received from Lady Tsunade and the Leaf Council. I know that it was selfish of me to go after him, but I just had to. And I also wanted to make sure that Sasuke didn't die to this Saizo Uchiha" Ino spoke up, expressing her thoughts as honest as she could.
Despite not smiling at her, Ibiki's expression softened. He let out a deep sigh before moving right across from where Ino was standing. "While your reasoning has merits, I still can't shake off the feeling about you being put in harm's way. Me and the others almost thought you had perished in wake of that damned beast's emergence from the Moon" Ibiki admitted, his voice lowering itself.
Ino rolled her eyes as she heard this. "For crying out loud, stop acting as if I'm still a clueless teenage girl. I can take care of myself, captain" the blondie told him, although she was careful not to raise her voice.
"I know. But try choosing your paths more carefully from now on, Ino. Not only are you the head of the Yamanaka clan, you're also a valuable member of the Interrogation Squad and the Analysis Team. If someone as talented as you were to perish, our village would've lost a valuable asset. Your father was that before you" Ibiki reminded Ino, also mentioning her deceased father Inoichi Yamanaka.
Ino immediately snapped once her father's name was brought up to this conversation. She couldn't help but to recall the last words he had said to her before dying in the attack on the Allied Shinobi Forces' HQ during the world war. He had encouraged her to live on as the bush clover, which was the Yamanaka clan's flower symbol.
As Ino continued reflecting on those words, she realized that she would have to tell Ibiki something. She remained firm and glanced at her superior. What was she trying to say?
"Captain Ibiki….I want you to know one thing…despite what you claim…..Sasuke has never used genjutsu upon me…..not even once. I have never been swayed under his spells if that's what you believe" Ino tried to brush away Ibiki's concerns.
He was carrying the softened expression on his face when hearing this. "Yes, Ino. I know. But I simply can't understand one thing about you. Why are you so determined to get better acquainted with that ex-criminal? I mean, it seems to morally reprehensible in my opinion" Ibiki questioned his favoured subordinate.
Before the conversation could continue, the door to Ibiki's office opened. In came Kotetsu Hagane. "Captain Ibiki. Lady Tsunade and the others have arrived. They're requesting you and Ino's presences this instant" he informed them.
Nodding his head weakly, Ibiki followed Kotetsu, with Ino tagging behind him. They all entered the isolated room where Sasuke was being held by Shimon and Tonbo. Tsunade, Kakashi, Naruto and Sakura were standing beside them, waiting for Ibiki and Ino to show up. Once they did, Tsunade's lip curved into a smile.
"I'm glad you kept your word in leaving Sasuke unharmed, Ibiki. You deserve credit for controlling your anger" Tsunade praised him before glancing over to Sasuke with slightly narrowed eyes. "As much as I would like to punish Sasuke and the others for waltzing on the Moon, I can't overlook the fact that they were of great help to the Moon Expedition. Therefore, I will let it slide…..but only this time" the Hokage explained, yet Sasuke was not paying attention to her at all.
"Lady Tsunade. With all due respect, maybe we should ask Sasuke what he knows about Saizo Uchiha" Kakashi suggested to Tsunade. She gave him permission to speak to his student. "Who is that man? And what kind of powers does he possess? Care to explain, Sasuke?" Kakashi asked the raven-haired man, who finally focused his attention on him.
"Why is that even necessary? You already possess that information about him in those old files you found! What good will it do to ask me about that? I know nothing about how he came to be alive!" Sasuke questioned him in a slightly rude manner, yet Kakashi remained unfazed at this.
"Yes, we have the files. But we still have some missing pieces left. If your cousin was indeed murdered by your father and the Leaf Police Force…then how come he is still alive? And how long as he been a member of this Dragon Creed that's starting to…." Kakashi's questioning was interrupted by an angry Sasuke.
"I ALREADY TOLD YOU! I DON'T KNOW, DAMN IT!" Sasuke cursed at him.
Ibiki could not stand idly and let Sasuke talk to someone with such disrespect. Therefore, he slammed his hands on the table, his angry eyes directly facing him.
"LISTEN, UCHIHA-PUNK! WE'RE IN A CRISIS AND WOULD LIKE YOU TO COOPERATE WITH US. BUT IF YOU WANNA CARRY ON BEING A SMARTASS TOWARDS EVERYONE, THEN I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO TEACH YOU RESPECT…...WITH MY FISTS!" the tall man snapped, getting ready to assault Sasuke at any time.
Sasuke responded by glaring daggers at Ibiki. "WHY DON'T YOU DO ME A FAVOR AND SHUT THE FU…." Sasuke's verbal assault on Ibiki was interrupted by Tsunade slamming a hand on the middle of the table that was separating those two from one another.
"ENOUGH!" Tsunade exclaimed her irritation. Her slap was quite hard, and it even managed to create cracks on the table. That only demonstrated her enormous physical strength. The Fifth Hokage soon turned her dispassionate glance upon Ibiki. "Ibiki, you're out. At this rate, your temper is only becoming a liability to this interrogation. Go back to your office. I'll deal with you later" she scolded him.
Ibiki growled lowly, yet he soon calmed himself and took his leave. He did so out of reluctance, yet he knew better than to question the Hokage's wisdom. Ino wondered whether she should've followed him, yet Kakashi shook his head at her as a no.
"You may stay here, Ino. We need people who are not so easy to anger through mere words" Kakashi told her, yet he soon returned his gaze upon Sasuke. "And as for you, Sasuke. We understand how harsh it is for you to know about the fact that your father murdered not just your cousin, but your aunt as well. Fugaku Uchiha was not the perfect man people thought he was. In fact, people called him Wicked Eye Fugaku in the past" the masked man said, trying to sound more sympathetic towards his student's pain.
Sasuke faced the table, the young man soon finding himself on tears. Although he had learned about the truth recently, Sasuke had not gotten over it. The truth had slightly paralyzed him and almost destroyed the fondness he had carried for his parents.
"I don't understand….how could they've done that to Saizo…he never deserved it!" Sasuke sobbed and banged a fist on the table. "And he was never a failure as the Uchihas said he was! He was the opposite! Whenever Itachi was too busy to spend time with me…..Saizo would always be there….and we all promised to become great shinobis…..but that was all but a distant dream!" the raven-haired man still couldn't let his tears go away.
Sasuke's friends could feel the sadness take hold over him. But Naruto, unable to let his friend fall into despair reached out his hand to Sasuke's. This made the raven-haired man surprised, yet he could see Naruto's encouraging smile. It was secretly giving him hope.
"Don't worry, Sasuke. This time…you're not alone. We're here for you, all of us" the blonde-haired man told him.
The tears on Sasuke's face slowly started to dry. A weak smile even crept on him as he heard those words. While he refused to openly admit it, it felt great being surrounded by friends. He had slowly started to realize the importance of friendship and how much it mattered to his life.
"We may not know much about Saizo Uchiha, other than how he died. But I suspect this Dragon Creed may have something to do with his resurrection. And I am certain that this order has nothing to do with either Orochimaru or the Akatsuki. Yes, this is a order worshipping a twisted deity" Sakura began speaking up her mind on the matter.
"Well said, Sakura. All the more reason for why we must gather more details about the Dragon Creed. We must know whether it was formed before, during or after the world war. Somehow, they used the threat from the Moon to their advantage, likely thanks to Kenrojin, that is" Tsunade told everyone what she thought about all this mystery.
"But something's still amiss here, Grandma Tsunade. What is the Dragon Creed really after? And what good will it do letting Kenrojin rampaging as he pleases?" Naruto wondered. "For some reason, I'm thinking Toneri was not the only brick in this game…Kenrojin is one as well" he then admitted.
His friends were confused by Naruto's assumption. "What makes you say that? From what we have observed, Kenrojin is far stronger and superior to those three terrorists combined. Why in the world would that thing allow itself to be controlled by humans?" Sakura questioned him firmly.
"Sakura has a point, Naruto" this came from Sasuke, who finally had enough strength to join this conversation. "But even if that dragon is someone else's pawn, he can't let him do as he pleases. He must be brought down. The same goes for this Dagon Creed or whoever the hell those bastards are" he informed his best friend.
Naruto smiled in hearing this. "Glad to hear it, Sasuke. Your advice is appreciated. And believe me, we will make them all pay for what they have done, especially with the human trafficking" the blonde-haired man said.
"Speaking of human trafficking, isn't it likely that the Dragon Creed is involved in those? I mean, they did have transport those people from the Island of Tides" Ino joined in on the discussion. Her friends seemed to support that fact as well. "Which leads me to this suspicion. Could the Dragon Creed be responsible for leaking intel about the Triple Entente to the Stone and Cloud Villages?" she then wondered.
Everyone became surprised when Ino said this. "That's it! It must be their doing. They were the ones telling those villages about our cooperation" Naruto remarked as he faced Ino.
"But why in the world would they do something like that?" Ino questioned him in return.
Kakashi seemed to have figured out Naruto's hypothesis. "The answer to that may be apparent, Ino. Not only was it to divide us from each other, but also to protect their trafficking business across the world. I'm talking about the seas between the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning, as well as the route leading to the Island of Tides. The Dragon Creed didn't wish for their business to be interrupted" the white-haired man remarked, agreeing with Naruto.
"You're right, Kakashi-sensei. It all makes sense now. The order is using the two nations' isolationist politics to their advantage. In that way, their business can continue to grow. How could we have failed to notice this?" Sakura remarked in what she was hearing.
"Normally, it would've been easier to let the Tsuchikage and the Raikage know about the Dragon Creed and their machinations. But I'm afraid the threat of Kenrojin is more important to each of them. And not only that, they wouldn't believe us even if we told them" Ino noted before facing the Hokage. "Surely there must be a way to convince them, isn't it, Lady Tsunade?" the blondie asked her in a slight worried tone. Everyone else also looked at her for guidance.
Tsunade sighed in annoyance. "That answer is so far uncertain, Ino. But we do have the Sand Village and Mist Village onboard. They will understand us better than the others. On the other hand, I believe that Kenrojin will eventually unite all hidden villages against him. That is most likely" the blonde-haired woman told everyone her answer. Her frown soon turned into a cunning smile, the one Tsunade was known to have. "But even if we don't have all the answers, it still doesn't make a difference. Either we all stand up against this threat or die trying. Surely you all know what needs to be done" the Hokage informed.
Naruto and the others smiled, realizing in how true Tsunade was. It was either them or total annihilation of the world. Two years ago, they had fought tooth and nail to end Madara Uchiha and his machinations. There was no way they would let the same thing succeed.
But the discussion was interrupted once someone busted into the isolated room. It was Shizune. The Hokage's assistant was panting deeply, indicating that she had been running through the tower in order to reach them.
"Shizune…" Naruto was surprised to see her like this.
"Lady Tsunade! We just received a hawk from the Village Hidden in the Clouds! It carried an urgent message!" Shizune spoke up, still sweating intensively.
"A message…...from the Cloud Village….but why?" Sakura wondered.
Tsunade faced Shizune grimly. "What did it say, Shizune? What could have prompted the Fourth Raikage to deliver us a message despite saying he distrusted us?" the blonde-haired Hokage questioned her firmly.
Shizune stopped panting, yet she was still feeling very uncomfortable for some reason. She was now willing to tell them the reason. "The Land of Earth…as well as the Village Hidden in the Stones…has been attacked! Not by a foreign country…but by Kenrojin!" she revealed the terrible truth to everyone in the room. They were all shocked to hear what had happened. Was it true? Had Kenrojin really attacked one of the Five Great Elemental Nations?
8 hours earlier, in the Village Hidden in the Stones, the Land of Earth
When the Moon had stopped moving, the stoic ninjas of the Stone Village had been surprised. Had the Moon Expedition succeeded in preventing the chaos. While there were cheers of joy at first, it ended once they witnessed the Moon crack, a well as Kenrojin breaching out of it in an explosion. The gargantuan dragon's roar could be heard even from a country as rugged and mountainous as the Land of Earth. But little did anyone know…..the Stone Village, as well as the country in general, would be the scene of an attack from Kenrojin himself.
In the village's tallest building where the Tsuchikage and the Stone Council resided, Onoki and his closest advisors was having a crisis summit. They were all watching the skies turning orange. Joining him was some of his closest associates, among them his son Kitsuchi, his granddaughter Kurotsuchi and the tall, jovial man named Akatsuchi. They were all assessing the changes happening around them.
"This is very bad. Here I thought the crisis was over. But now there is this gigantic dragon breaching out of the Moon. But how come it still stands?" Kitsuchi wondered before facing his father. "Father, it seems that the Moon Expedition may have prevented the Moon from crashing upon Earth. But at the same time, they allowed that "thing" to breach it" he admitted.
Onoki was narrowing his weary eyes. He was angry at one particular shinobi. "Damn it, Naruto Uzumaki. It's because of you we are in this mess" the tiny, old man cursed beneath his breath. He then looked over to his granddaughter. "Kurotsuchi, have you and Akatsuchi sent those scouts throughout the country as I requested?" he asked her.
Kurotsuchi nodded her head. "Indeed, grandfather. But they tell me that wherever you go, the skies remain the same. This change has affected all countries, not just the Land of Earth.
"No kidding! Our scouts report that not even the small islands in the sea are unaffected. I'm not liking this one bit" Akatsuchi spoke up, the tall man expressing his misgivings about the current situation.
Onoki snorted in return. "Regardless, this isn't the time to be sitting around doing nothing! We will deal with the threat from the dragon on our own terms!" he snapped impatiently and focused his attention on his fellow elders, who were all high-ranking members of the Stone Council. "Now then, Stone Council. Have you all made up your mind with regards to our alliance with the Cloud Village?" the Third Tsuchikage questioned them.
The four elders composed of Kenshi, Mitaki, Ishiyama and Yakin each had different reactions to what the Tsuchikage was saying, yet they all understood the gravity of the situation.
"Crisis or not, those we cannot trust the Leaf, Sand and Mist Villages for their cooperation behind our backs! We might as well form our own cooperation with the Cloud Village, and a third hidden village if needed" Kenshi, the elder with the long, grey hair and moustache expressed his opinions.
"I had hoped not to antagonize any of the Five Great Hidden Villages. But desperate times such as these leaves me no choice. We will find out own way of this problem. But we must not waste our village's material for war" Mitaki, the elder with the curly, white hair and long beard expressed his opinion.
"My sentiments are similar to both Mitaki's and yours, Onoki. But I pray that you as Tsuchikage still have some dignity left inside of you. Try not to forget what is best for the Stone Village" Ishiyama, the tall elder with the shaved head expressed his opinions.
"I also give my blessings to this cooperation with the Cloud Village. Together, we can defeat that foul dragon who was descended upon our world" Yakin, the baldheaded elder with the curly, white hair on his sides expressed his opinions.
Onoki couldn't help but to smile. "Then it's all settled! Friends, why don't you start helping the Stone Village's people? We must declare the entire village in martial law. We do not know for certain when an attack may occur in our regions" the tiny man suggested to them.
One by one, the elders left the balcony and headed downstairs. Onoki remained in the building along with his associates. That's true, since the crisis was not over, and Kenrojin was already wreaking havoc on the world, the Stone Village had to be prepared for anything. It had been two years since he last prepared his village for something so destructive.
"Father. How do you suppose we can defeat this dragon? It's howls and roars can be heard even from here. And let's not forget, this creature flies. An attack on ground level is highly unlikely" Kitsuchi informed Onoki.
The elderly man chuckled in what he was hearing from his son. "It's not about what we can or not, my son. It's about what we must. And right now, I want you and the others to trust in my judgements. Be prepared for any battles ahead. We Stone ninjas are already hardened from our experiences in warfare" Onoki told his son, although he made sure that Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi got hold of this as well.
The black-haired woman only sighed deeply in return. "Whatever you say, old man" Kurotsuchi groaned while facepalming.
All over the Stone Village, people were informed about the ongoing crisis, as well as the declaration of martial law. Villagers and those who couldn't defend themselves were advised to stay in their homes. Normally, they wouldn't fear their home getting invaded, given the rocky mountain ranges that surrounded and protected it. But since the skies had changed, the Stone ninjas realized that the enemy they were facing was deadlier than they realized.
On the balcony of one of the tower-like structures in the Stone Village, one young woman was reflecting on Onoki's orders. This was a Stone jounin, as the woman was dressed in an attire that consisted a red outfit and a brown flap jacket. This woman had her black hair reaching to her shoulders. She was also holding a picture in her hands. That picture was of her and none other than Chouji Akimichi. They both looked happy together.
The woman sighed deeply before looking up in the skies of fire. "Chouji…..please tell me you're doing okay…..I beg of you" she pleaded.
"Sanae" the young woman snapped when someone called her name. She almost lost the picture she was holding but managed to get it in the nick of time. Turning around, she leaned onto the balcony, secretly hiding the picture from the one who called her. It was Kenshi, the esteemed member from the Stone Council itself.
"Father! Gosh, you almost scared me to death" Sanae said while nervously chuckling at the sight of the important politician in the balcony, who was in fact her father. "What's the matter?" she then asked her.
Despite her sweet and daughterly affection, Kenshi didn't smile in return. "Are your ears not working? The Tsuchikage has declared martial law. All able-bodied shinobis and kunoichis of the Stone are to patrol the village. But how come I found you daydreaming back home instead of carrying your duties?" Kenshi questioned her sternly, his voice as clanging as iron.
Sanae felt herself getting sweaty, yet she managed to hide it from her strict father. The young kunoichi groaned in what she was hearing. "I AM doing that. I was told to find a spot and be a lookout for any potential threats. And given that our home is almost as high as the Tsuchikage's tower, why not do it here?" she informed him.
Kenshi furrowed his brows in hearing this. "From our home? Quit acting like an idiot, Sanae. I want you to go down there and patrol ever bridge in the village! It keeps you better in shape than to stand here doing nothing!" he berated his daughter before noticing something hanging behind Sanae's back. The old man became suspicious. "What are you hiding from me?" he firmly asked while pointing his finger at her hips.
The black-haired woman immediately snapped once she realized her father was talking about the picture. She panicked, realizing that she would have to come up with a lie to cover it up. "Oh its' nothing really! It's just piece of paper that I…..." Sanae was interrupted by the stern voice of Kenshi.
"I rather assume you mean a picture of you and that fat Leaf Village slob you have been seeing" her father pointed out, thus ruining Sanae's chances of covering it up.
But Sanae couldn't stand the tone in her father's voice, especially with what he referred to Chouji as. "Chouji's not a slob, he's the Akimichi clan's heir! You have no right to talk about him like that!" the young woman snapped at her father.
Kenshi's eyes narrowed in hearing this. "Statuses means nothing to me, Sanae. He is still a Leaf ninja. And Leaf ninjas are not to be trusted. They only tell you lies and half-truths. Haven't you forgotten what they have done behind our backs?" he explained to his daughter.
"Argh! You're just sour over what happened between the Stone Village and the Leaf Village during the Third Shinobi World War! It's about time you soften! Isn't the last world war enough to open your eyes!?" Sanae abruptly asked her father.
But Sanae snapped once her father got very close to the young woman's face. Kenshi didn't do anything physically to his daughter, yet he did glare directly into her eyes. This only intimidated the young woman, realizing what kind of man Kenshi was known to be.
"I have experienced and survived three world wars, my daughter. They alone can make one nothing but vigilant in protecting those you love and care about. Someone like you has yet to understand what that feels like. Supposedly, you never will" Kenshi explained firmly to Sanae, not caring about the fact he was doing this to his own daughter. He then turned around and walked into the home, but not before leaving some words for Sanae to hear. "Now go outside and begin your patrolling. Show me that your triplet brothers are not the only ones that can impress me!" he barked before entering, leaving his daughter on the balcony by herself.
As much as she wanted to attack him straight up, Sanae wasn't that kind of kunoichi. She was not someone who would resort to violence, especially when it came to family quarrels. Sighing in defeat, Sanae decided to head out to the village like her father wished.
Sanae found herself standing near one of the many small waterfalls that ran down to the Stone Village, eventually creating a network of rivers below it. She felt good to be away from home, given that her father was not there to pester her. As she stood and listened to the sound of water, the young kunoichi was approached by one of her comrades. It was a young man named Ittan, who like her, was also a jounin. The spikey-haired man smiled at her.
"Good to see you, Sanae. Why the long face?" he asked her, yet Ittan could read the expression on her face. "Let me guess. You and your father had a kafuffle at home?" he asked her gently.
"Not only that. He also badmouthed Chouji right in front of my face. That old man never grows soft. Like a rock, he never changes!" Sanae groaned in reply.
Ittan had to muse himself in hearing this, yet he knew better than to laugh at his friend's struggles. "Well, he is one of the elders in the Stone Council. As such, he's an important politician of the village. Sometimes, I think his stubbornness may surpass that of the Tsuchikage's" he told Sanae, yet was given a glance of disapproval in return. Ittan chuckled nervously. "Okay, I take it back" he then told her.
Sanae continued to look at the waterfall, watching as it ran down the wall of rock to the network of canals rivers below. "I know that the Triple Entente was unnecessary and all. But is us creating a similar alliance with the Cloud Village the best solution? I hardly think so" she told her friend about recent events. "There's a giant monster terrorizing the world. What good will it do to create a military alliance?" she wondered.
Ittan had to admit he was having similar opinions as his friend. Truth be told, he also was a calm and collected Stone ninja, much like Sanae. That is why they became such good friends while being jounins. Ittan was about to express his opinions, only to stop once he and her could feel something.
The entire ground started to shake. And not only that. The waterfall stopped running. This surprised the two jounins. They soon realized that the entire village was being affected by this shaking.
"What in the world is going on? Is this an earthquake!?" Sanae wondered while looking around.
"An earthquake? In the Village in the Stones? That's ridiculous!" Ittan countered her statement. "There's no way it could ever happen in….." before he could continue, an incredibly loud and terrifying roar could be heard all around them. It came from the west.
The two jounins ran towards the nearest tower they could find and climbed on to its rooftop. Sanae and Ittan were filled with fear over what they could see coming in the burning skies. It was a gigantic creature, a serpentine dragon filled with hellish fire and volcanic scales. Unbeknowst to them and the rest of the Stone ninjas. This was the terrifying Kenrojin, the same dragon that had begun appearing on the world.
Kenrojin landed two of his claws on the summits of the mountain ranges. As his claws dug into the rocky tops, they slowly started to crack. But in those cracks, lava ran through like a network. It soon became apparent that Kenrojin was slowly beginning to change the mountainous landscape. He was creating volcanos. Fire and smoke blew out of the burning summits. They erupted, once again creating a flow of lava. The volcanos even erupted, sprouting out rocks of fire.
In the meantime, Kenrojin surveyed the village underneath him, roaring as he demonstrated his wrath upon the village. He would see it vanish beneath the tide of molten liquid. The Stone Village, and the Land of Earth was his first target of remaking the world.
"THE SUN HAS SET ON THIS MORTAL WORLD, FOOKS. MAKE PEACE WITH YOUR END, FOR THE RECKONING OF HUMANITY FALLS!" Kenrojin loudly declared to not just the people in the Stone Village, but also throughout the entire world.
To be continued…..
Authors' note: This is a great chapter. The next chapter will continue with what Kenrojin is doing to the Stone Village. Will he actually destroy it? Can the Tsuchikage and his allies mount a defense against him? That will be the next subject. And of course, most of the characters in the Stone Village are OCs, given that few were shown in the manga. Other than Kenrojin's rampage, we will return our focus to the Leaf Village for the time being. We will know how those who traveled to the Moon feels coming back home. Now I hope you all enjoy reading it so far. Until we meet again, I bid you all farewell.
