Journey Through the Mist

by Dragon6

The second book in the 'Mizukage' series. Saito comes to Nami no Kuni in search of the famed Kiiroi Senkō no Bōrei. He learns that he is the same person who he's searching for is the guy who broke him out, Uzumaki Naruto. He begs Naruto for help in saving Kirigakure no Sato from the tyrant, Akira. Naruto agrees and ships out. What adventures await the young blond in Mizu no Kuni?

12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Beta & Co-Writer: Toa Naruto

Hiromu, the incumbent Water Daimyo, was always a very cautious person. He didn't truly trust anyone in contrast to his father and grandfather before him, as his strong dislike towards anything "abnormal" heavily influenced his decisions. While his father might have been willing to trust shinobi, he wanted nothing to do with them. In his eyes, all shinobi were freaks hiding in human skin. The ability to manipulate the elements through their ninjutsu, especially the techniques that allowed ninja to weaponized parts of their own body, were proof that all shinobi were affronts to nature. When he became the daimyo, his first act was to isolate himself away from the shinobi. The man had ignored their requests for help and refused to provide them any type of aid during the bloodline purges. He'd hoped that the violent strife would've been severe enough that all of the ninja would wipe each other off the face of the planet. It was only until now, however, that he found out his decision was going to cost him dearly.

A week ago, Hiromu had received several angry messages about his lack of control over his ninja village. When he demanded that his accusers explain themselves, he was presented with a folder that revealed everything that Akira was planning. The Water Daimyo was completely floored by the amount of evidence the single folder contained and was greatly worried. He sent letters back to apologize for Akira's actions, but they did nothing to quell the other nations' rage. Instead, they sent representatives to Mizu no Kuni to personally confront him. Among those representatives was his estranged son, Nagare, representing Umi no Kuni. To Hiromu's further dismay, his son's wife was accompanying him for the meeting.

The Water Daimyo always hated the last living member of the Kaguya clan. Before her clan stage an open revolt against Kirigakure, she was sent to assassinate him and had nearly succeeded if it weren't for Nagare's timely intervention. He had wanted to have the kunoichi executed, but several members of his council were against that idea. Instead, he had her locked up in a high security detention center in hopes that her will would be broken as she served her sentence, and would thus be malleable enough to be reconditioned into a weapon under their control. What he didn't take into consideration, however, was Nagare making several visits with the prison that was holding the woman. He didn't know when it happened, but it was clear to see that a bond was growing between his son and the kunoichi as he spent more and more time with her. Through their bond, they eventually fell in love, much to his and his wife's displeasure. After she had served her time, Hisami remained by Nagare's side, even when he moved to Umi no Kuni, where they eventually got married. Despite all of their disagreements in the past, Hiromu still blamed Hisami for driving him and Nagare apart.

But now was not the time to reminisce about his strained family life, he had a more important issue to deal with right in front of him. Turning his attention back to the shouting match that was going on between his council and the representatives, he tried to bring the meeting back under control.

"People, please, can't we all speak like civilized beings?" he asked politely. That only served to incite the representatives even more

"Civilized?! What is there to be civilized about?! Your damn kage has been revealed to have been plotting to conquer our countries and expand his territories! You have the proof, we have the proof, and still you have done nothing about it!" shouted the representative of Cha no Kuni.

"Are you seriously going to believe the word of this Uzumaki Naruto outsider? What if all of this evidence turns out to be a ploy orchestrated by him to sow discord among us?" one of Hiromu's council members countered.

"You will not speak ill of Uzumaki Naruto! He has done more for us than anyone has ever done before. Not only did he save the life of our daimyo when he was still a genin of Konoha, but he has also stopped a weapons ring that was ran by the same woman that your kage currently has employed! If Naruto was the one who gave us this information, then we of Haru no Kuni know that it is genuine!" declared the female representative.

"We of Umi no Kuni side with the representative of Haru no Kuni." commented Nagare.

"As do we." added the representative of Cha no Kuni. "As such, we demand that you do something about this, or else we will take action against Mizu no Kuni."

"Are you threatening us?!" shouted another council member.

"Yes, we are." answered the representative of Kaminari no Kuni stated. "My daimyo is fully prepared to stop trade and place an embargo on your country. He will also speak with the other daimyo of the Great Five, ensuring that your reputation will be left in tatters."

"My daimyo is fully ready to unleash the full force of Umi's navy to wipe out Kirigakure no Sato and Mizu no Kuni if needed." Nagare said.

"Cha no Kuni will side with Umi no Kuni."

"As will Haru no Kuni."

"The shinobi of Nadeshiko are already on the island, and we will kill Akira for his plot." the old kunoichi representative stated. The council of Mizu no Kuni were outraged and another argument soon began. After another bout loud shouting and insult hurling, it was Nagare who managed calm everyone down. He then looked directly at his father with a dead-serious expression before he spoke again.

"This entire situation was caused by your refusal to take action against tyrants like Akira that have plagued Mizu no Kuni for years. It could have been easily avoided, but your bigotry and fear got in the way. If you had acted like the daimyō of this land, then this debacle would have never happened in the first place. You have brought dishonor and shame on my grandfather and my great grandfather's legacy." Hiromu could only clench his fists in rage, his councilors sharing his sentiments as well. "You can't avoid the consequences for your inaction, but can still do what you should've done a long time ago. You are going to brand Akira and his allies as international criminals, and you are going to denounce him as Mizukage. If you refuse, we will count you as one of our enemies and take action ourselves. This is non-negotiable."

Without another word, Nagare and Hisami stood up and left the office. One by one, the rest of the representatives stood and left the room. Once they were alone, the council erupted in another angry argument, snarling about the utter audacity of Nagare's attitude. Hiromu was also angry with his wayward son's actions, but at the same time he didn't wish to face the reprimands from the collective representatives. With a resigned sigh, he told one of his advisors to prepare a statement. Even though he was completely against what he was about to do, the man knew that he'd have to cave in to the demands set before him.

XXX

Akira was both annoyed and enraged by the current situation that he was facing. When all contact with his allies suddenly stopped, he became concerned. Three days later, he heard news of Kokuyō's death. A day later, he learned that Kyūroku had been arrested. Soon, reports kept on coming in about how of his investors were getting killed, being arrested, or going on the run. He even got reports that the kunoichi of Nadeshiko were on the island, and that Umi no Kuni were mobilizing their navy.

To make matters worse, that punk Akio had the audacity to demand things from him. The young man had arrived three days ago, all in a huff; the Kumo native and the two failures that were assigned to assist the Kiri nin had been declared nuke-nin for their part in the conspiracy. The moment that he entered his office, Akio commanded that he be given "his" warship to destroy Kumogakure. When Akira refused to comply his demand, the little moron started to throw a fit like a spoiled preteen. The kage's patience was wearing dangerously thin, and he was sorely tempted to slay the stupid man and his useless posse. It wasn't his fault that Akio was dumb enough to try and rob from the daimyo. That was practically death sentence in itself. As he tried to figure out how to recover from such a setback, he was interrupted from his thoughts when someone burst into his office.

"I said that I was not to be disturbed." Akira snarled as he glared at the intruding ninja.

"Sir, you have to turn on the radio!" the messenger exclaimed. Akira heatedly stared at him before he decided to humor the ninja. Turning on the radio, the voice of the Water Daimyo immediately filled the room.

"Due to the evidence collected by various sources, I regretfully admit that I have allowed Akira of Kirigakure too much freedom. He does not act with Mizu no Kuni's best interests at heart, and has proven to be a dangerous person. As of this moment, I denounce Akira as the Godaime Mizukage and declare him an international criminal for attempting to instigate a massive invasion against Haru no Kuni, Nadeshiko no Sato, Kaminari no Kuni, Cha no Kuni, Umi no Kuni, and several other nations. Anyone associated with Akira's forces will be considered an enemy of Mizu no Kuni as well. That is all."

Akira threw the radio across the room the moment the announcement ended, causing a small explosion of parts and splinters. Trembling with rage, he turned his attention to the shinobi who interrupted him.

"Was this heard all over the village?" Akira demanded in a low and deadly tone.

"Y-Yes sir. T-The transmission was broadcasted all throughout the village, and probably all of Mizu no Kuni." Whatever Akira was about to holler was drowned out by the sound of a massive explosion. Rushing to his window, he could easily make out the flames burning in the distance. Akira's eyes widened when he realized where the flames were coming from.

"Get everyone at that location now!"

XXX

Fifteen minutes. It took just fifteen minutes to decimate the entire shipyard. Once Nagare sent them the signal, Naruto, Ren, and Genji launched their assault. Ren and what remained of her crew easily slipped into the shipyard and silently took out the guards stationed at the base. With all of the enemies dead, no one was around to raise the alarm, which allowed Genji to slip in with ships to evacuate the engineers and their families. Once everyone was onboard and the vessels were a safe distance away, Naruto immediately summoned Gamakichi. The toad did not appreciate being summoned in the salty environment, and quickly made his displeasure apparent. After a short yet loud argument, the duo managed to put the disagreement behind them and get straight to work.

Gamakichi easily destroyed the new Rebiyatan-class ship with a simple Gamadosuzan, splitting the battleship in two with his blade. As the wreck sank to the bottom of the sea, the duo launched a collaboration jutsu at the facilities hidden in the cave. The Katon: Gamayu Endan incinerated everything in a matter of seconds, with Gamakichi performing the Gamayudan jutsu while Naruto supplied the spark with the Katon: Endan jutsu. They made sure to keep the technique active until everything was lit aflame. Even after they finally completed their attack and Gamakichi returned home, the deadly combination of flame and oil ensured that the blazing inferno would burn for several hours. Once Naruto got on the last evacuating ship, he couldn't help but feel satisfied with the destruction he'd wrought upon the corrupt Mizukage's legacy. It would be another fifteen minutes before Akira's men finally arrived at the scene of destruction. Although they were far too late to salvage anything, the underlying message was received loud and clear. The war had just begun.

XXX

Around the same time of Naruto's raid, the attack on the other Rebiyatan-class ship was starting. Utilizing an impressive disguise, Jubei slipped onto the ship and placed an object in a concealed part of the warship. He then quickly yet subtly moved to get a good distance away from the ship, but his escape was unfortunately impeded by two shinobi that appeared behind him.

"Hey, bub, where do you think you're going?" one ninja queried.

Jubei calmly turned to face him. "My shift is over, sirs. I must get back to my family." he replied in a rough tone.

"Shifts?" the other mocked. "Nice try, you old fart, but workers don't get to leave until all of the preparations are finished. Now stop wasting time, and get back to loading up the ship."

"But the ship won't be able to take on any more cargo. In fact, it won't be sailing anymore." The two never got the chance to demand that Jubei explain himself when a huge explosion erupted, its intensity severe enough to distract the duo long enough for the undercover shinobi to fatally stab them without any resistance. As the pair slowly passed away, choking on their own bile and blood, their comrades took notice of their blight and rushed to apprehend the perpetrator. Jubei simply drew his katana, a blade given to him by his father, and met the attacking force head on.

Meanwhile, the ninja stationed at the village gate heard the explosion from the docks, and made their way to investigate. They didn't travel far when they were suddenly ambushed by Sansei, Sayuri, and several members of Naruto's resistance, all of them armed with weapons crafted by Mai. Sayuri was the first to draw blood, wielding her new weapon, Hakujin no Tachi, with considerable skill and striking down several enemy ninja in an instant. Sansei's weapon was just as devastatingly effective as his sister's. Taking the shape of a large katana, the blade's hilt was larger than the conventional katana and sported a much wider sharp blade that could be super-heated by his chakra, enabling the sword to cut through anything. A gold leaf design was stamped at the base of the blade. Sansei had simply named it Kagerō.

In a matter of minutes, Akira's forces were cut down with ease without the resistance suffering any casualties. Once the bloodshed had stopped, the villagers immediately flocked the rebels to express their gratitude for liberating their home, but the group knew that they still had work to do. Sansei sent a couple of men to back up Jubei at the docks, while the rest of them began to clean up the battlefield. All was going well until a loud cry of pain broke the silence. Turning to where they heard the disturbance, the twins were greeted with the sight of one of their ninja collapsing to the ground with a sizable bleeding hole in his side. Standing behind him was Ishikawa with his index finger extended. Everyone was shocked at the sudden turn of events, and was further horrified when the man pointed his finger down and shot the ninja through his head with a Mizudeppō no Jutsu.

"What the hell are you doing?!" demanded Sayuri, to which Ishikawa responded by silently aiming his finger at them. Both the shinobi and civilians barely managed to take cover before the barrage of water bullets was unleashed. The liquid projectiles effortlessly punched through the objects that everyone hid behind, and even managed to kill a few people. "Damn it, Ishikawa, we're here to help you!"

"I don't want your help!" declared Ishikawa. "We were all just fine until your damn leader stuck his nose in business that didn't concern him! Even now, he still insists on interfering and making things worse for everyone! As the protector of this village, I will do whatever it takes to ensure the survival of my home. And if that means killing all of you and turning your bodies over to Akira, then so be it!" The man continued his onslaught as he slowly made his way towards where he'd heard Sayuri, when one of the villagers abruptly dashed out of the open and blocked his path. The man's action only served to further fuel Ishikawa's rage. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?! Get out of the way!"

"No! I won't allow you to kill our heroes!" the man bravely declared.

"Heroes? Those bastards are anything but heroes! They've brought us nothing but suffering when they decided to fight the incumbent Mizukage, all the while disregarding the possible consequences! It's because of them that we're forced to be subservient to Akira in the first place!"

"That's an outright lie and you know it!" the man exclaimed, causing a few civilians to voice their agreement in him. "Yes, you may have taken care of the village in the past, but as soon as you were backed into a corner, you practically fed us to the wolves! Akira's thugs were working us to the bone, taking what they wanted and causing harm to the villagers, and you did absolutely nothing to stop them! You just sat in your office, drinking and eating while we suffered! It's quite clear that you don't give a damn about us, and that you're only looking out for your own best interests. Well, we aren't going to let you sacrifice all of us so that you can save our own hide! Just leave our village, and never show your face here again, you coward!" Even more civilians vocally agreed with their fellow civilian, encouraged by the man's courageous words against their failed protector. Pretty soon, all the civilians in the immediate area were demanding for Ishikawa to leave. The Hōzuki, on the other hand, was fuming with unadulterated anger and responded to the man's speech by shooting him right through the chest. As the wounded civilian hit the ground, Ishikawa was prevented from firing the kill shot when he was suddenly stabbed from behind.

The enraged man growled and threw a quick back hand to his assailant. Although his fist failed to make contact, he was able to see that the attacker was none other than Jubei. Immediately, he fired multiple shots of pressured water, but the swordsman skillfully dodged each blast and took cover. The furious Hōzuki was once again put on the defensive as he dodged the tip of a sword approaching towards his flank, only to wince in pain when he felt a blade slice through his leg. He cursed at how his brief moment of inattention had prevented him from liquefying his body.

Sansei didn't give any reprieve as he quickly followed up his sneak attack. Ishikawa tried to liquefy his body in order to evade, but an abrupt sense of weakness coursing through his entire being prevented him from doing so. He was able to avoid being cleaved in half by the Kagerō, but he still received a cut across his face. Ishikawa gingerly touched the bleeding area on his cheek, all the while that same disorienting feeling reoccurred at a much greater intensity. By the time that his vision stopped spinning, he was surrounded by a trio of ninja that would gladly end his life without a second thought. Left with no other options, Ishikawa's hands flashed through a quick chain of seals as he initiated his plan.

"Suiton: Hashira Hoi!" Four pillars rose around Ishikawa and surrounded him, forming a protective wall around him.

"Get ready to attack on my signal!" ordered Sansei as more ninja crowded around the water barrier. Everyone got ready to attack the traitorous Hōzuki at a moment's notice, knowing full well that the ninja was most likely going to start fighting more ferociously for his freedom. But when the jutsu expired, Ishikawa was nowhere to be seen. "He couldn't have gotten too far. Spread out and find him! Don't let down your guard for an instant!"

As the other shinobi raced off to find Ishikawa, the remaining three convened with one another on what had occurred during the battle. "I'm surprised the cut that I landed on him wasn't enough to kill him. Akujiki had absorbed enough chakra from the ninja that I took down at the harbor." Jubei wondered aloud as he swiftly sheathed his katana.

"Maybe it was the Hōzuki clan kekkei genkai that saved him." suggested Sayuri. "If he can turn any part of his body into liquid, then there's a chance that he could somehow partially nullify the ability of your weapon."

"Perhaps, but we can contemplate on the matter at a later date." interrupted Jubei, before his gaze shifted to the medic nin that was working diligently on healing the civilian who'd stood up against Ishikawa. "For now, we have a town to look after." The twins nodded in agreement and joined the older man in aiding the people.

XXX

Akira sat at his desk with his enraged expression hidden behind his intertwined fingers. The men standing in front of him all shook with fear but didn't dare try to flee; that'd only make things worse for them. The Mizukage didn't say a word, but they knew that he wanted to hear their damage reports. After what seemed like an eternity, one brave ninja stepped forward and spoke.

"Sir, the entire shipyard has been destroyed. Everything was burned down by a large Katon jutsu, and is still burning as we speak. We're having difficulty putting the fires out due to the fact that a highly flammable oil was used as an incendiary." With his message delivered, the ninja stepped back and allowed another to take his place.

"We still haven't received any word from Kokushoku Kinzoku Roji. We'd sent them a message hours ago, but their continued silence does not bode well." That ninja stepped back so that his comrade could take the floor.

"We're still getting reports of several attacks all around Mizu no Kuni. The kunoichi of Nadeshiko have slaughtered several of our men in the north, the Sairento clan has killed all of our forces stationed in their village, and Naruto's forces have-" The man was brutally silenced when a kunai found itself in his throat. Blood sprayed out of the new wound in his throat, the man dropping to the ground as the life quickly left his eyes. Akira's glared furiously at the remaining messengers, all of whom were barely able to keep their composure.

"I want the village under lockdown, immediately. No one is to leave or enter unless I say otherwise. All citizens are to be placed under a strict curfew, and anyone caught outside of their homes past 6 PM are to be executed forthwith. Am I understood?" demanded the Mizukage.

"Yes, sir." they all chorused at once, and left to enact his orders. Once he was alone in his office, the kage began to stew over the recent developments. Everything that he'd worked for, the plans that he'd made, were now in utter tatters. All of his investors were either dead, captured, or on the run from the authorities. Even worse was that the Water Daimyo had unexpectedly grown a pair and branded him as an international criminal; already his enemies were closing in on him. It boggled the man's mind how one person was capable of causing him so much grief, and just thinking of said person made his chakra spike in response to his anger.

XXX

It took two whole days after the attacks before Kirigakure was completely under martial law, and from the few stories that got out, life was like hell on earth. By the Mizukage's decree, no one was allowed in or out, and anyone who dared to rebel against Akira were subjected to the most horrendous of fates. Just speaking Naruto's name aloud was enough to warrant a person's execution. All forms of rebellion were quickly put down by the Mizukage's top two enforcers. Furthermore, the denizens noticed was that Ishikawa was now in league with their tyrannical leader on Akira's side, their mutual hatred for Naruto forming the foundation for their alliance.

Despite the drastic changes made to Kirigakure, most of the main island was currently under the control of Naruto and his forces. His coordinated attacks were quite efficient and nearly all of Akira's influence had been easily decimated. With the shipyard gone and two Rebiyatan-class ships sunk, things started to look good for the rebels. Their numerous victories helped convince more and more people who were against Akira began to make themselves known. As a result, small pockets of resistance fighters began to surface in order to join up with Naruto. They liked how he didn't try to sway them with empty promises of wealth or glory. The only promise that he did make was that he would defeat Akira, which made him all the more appealing to countless people that were affected by the man's cruelty.

One such person was in the midst of making plans of joining up with Naruto. He had secretly been traveling around the area in disguise and heard the hope resonating in the people's voices. They were all rooting for Naruto to succeed in his war. When he'd asked why they had so much faith in the young man, the few that were willing to talk to him explained that not only did Naruto fight for the people, but he was more than willing to continuously protect and help them for nothing in return. The blond showed compassion to the people and shared their desire for peace. It was after hearing such ardent convictions that he realized that making his final decision wasn't going to be as hard as he'd originally thought; it was the reaction of a certain someone that was going to be the strenuous part.

As he stood waiting inside his tent with his back to the entrance, he was broken from his musings by the sound of someone violently throwing the tent flap open. Keeping his calm, the man slowly turned to face the murderous expression on his partner's visage. The man was not affected by her anger, however, as he'd been on the receiving end of it quite a few times in the past.

"I take it that you know full well of my intentions?" he asked.

"How can you do this to us? How could you do this to me?!" she snarled.

"This is about more than just you, Kagura, it's about the future of Mizu no Kuni and Kirigakure. Instead of focusing all of our efforts in fighting Akira, we should have been trying to help the people of our home. Even if our forces agree to the change in our directives, you know that we wouldn't be able to complete our mission by ourselves." His tone remained unchanged in the face of impending danger.

"Oh, so now you want to give up, after all the sacrifices we've made?! And for what; because that blond idiot managed a few lucky strikes that just happened to cripple Akira's forces?! You're a fool, Sentaro! We don't need that outsider's help! Our army can win this war if we just eliminate the problem in one final assault!" insisted Kagura.

"How? Kirigakure is under martial law and Akira is even more heavily protected than ever before. And your plan to resolve this entire conflict is to simply infiltrate the village and assassinate the Mizukage? Do you still have any contacts within the village that would willingly help you? They've all gone silent ever since Naruto became more prominent."

"What are you implying? That my contacts have decided to align themselves with that little shit because the like him more than me? Or do you actually agree with all that bullshit that Saito was spewing; that our revolution is just as horrendous as Akira's tenure as Mizukage?!"

"All that I'm saying is that the people trust Naruto more than us. I'm saying that Mei would be disappointed in us for how we fought this civil war. So in a way, yes, I do agree with Saito's assessment. I was given a second chance to do something good with my life when I really didn't deserve it. And ever since I took that opportunity and worked hard to change myself, people began to no longer fear me whenever they saw my blade, and started to believe in me again. When Mei was betrayed, I gave into my rage and my thirst for revenge. I regressed to the person I once was and destroyed all of the hard work that I've done to change for the better. And after all of the countless battles we fought, I now believe that if we ever succeeded in winning this war, I would no longer hesitate to kill off any one who challenged our authority, just like Akira has done. Can you honestly say that you wouldn't do the same, considering all of the choices we've made?" challenged Sentaro. Kagura, on the other hand, was completely gobsmacked at what her partner and friend was saying. She said nothing as she glared hatefully at him, before she finally stormed off in a huff.

Sentaro sighed tiredly, and collapsed onto a chair. He didn't want to say such harsh things to Kagura, but she needed to realize that they were not the righteous freedom fighters that they made themselves out to be. They were just another problem for Kirigakure that would eventually devolve until they were at the same level as Yagura and Akira. As much as it was a bitter pill to swallow, it was a conclusion that he'd continuously came to through his meditation sessions. Even in his dreams, he could see Mei, Ao, Chojuro, and all of the comrades that Akira had executed staring at him with disappointed looks. The Kiri nin witnessed the changes that Naruto's efforts brought first-hand, and saw that it was the same change that Mei had envisioned. If an outsider was capable of accomplishing Mei's goals, then it was his duty as a shinobi of Kirigakure to help him in any way possible, even if it meant going against Kagura.

He turned his attention back to the tent's entrance as Saito entered. Sentaro gave him a neutral look and waited for the elder ninja to speak.

"You've been invited to the meeting that is going to take place in Garī no Shinro within the week." Saito finally said.

"…I see." said Sentaro after a long pause. "Why is Naruto waiting so long?"

"Hitode, leader of the Umi no Kuni navy, is in charge of setting up the blockade to prevent Akira from leaving by sea; this procedure takes a lot of time to be done properly. Ryūzō Katō of the Jakō Ochō is also coming to this meeting."

That revelation surprised Sentaro before he chuckled. "Not only is the Sairento clan helping him, but the Jakō Ochō as well? He's certainly not having any trouble in finding powerful allies." The Jakō Ochō wasn't exactly a clan per see, but rather a group of people who were extremely in tune with spirits; they were often referred to as shamans by the general populace. Sometime after their formation, one member discovered the ability to merge with an animal spirit, granting him the strength of said animal and even transformed him into an animal/human hybrid. This technique was further researched, and then subsequently taught to other group members. Although they could easily communicate with any type of spirit, the ninja technique was most effective when it was used in tandem with animal spirits. With such a versatile ninjutsu, the group became known as one of Kirigakure's most notorious organization of shinobi that the village had to offer.

Unfortunately, the Jakō Ochō's meteoric rise to fame didn't come without any trouble from the ignorant masses. Many of the populace viewed the group as freaks of nature, and steered clear of them and their families. The shaman ninja were often despised by nearly all of Kiri, and were often betrayed by their fellow shinobi. Instead of responding to these indignities with violence, they opted to leave the village and relocate to a place they could call home. Luckily, they managed to escape the village before Yagura's bloodline purge was in full effect. Sentaro was one of the few people that knew that the group survived and where they were living in hiding. If that organization were to come out and support Naruto, it would definitely send a message to Akira: his reign was about to end.

"Very well, we'll go to the meeting a week from now. Thank you for everything that you have done, Saito. I truly don't deserve the help that you've provided." the shinobi said humbly.

"I'm just happy that you're willing change your ways and realize that there's another way to bring true peace back to Kirigakure, Sentaro. I can only hope that Kagura will eventually change, too." With a silent nod, Saito left Sentaro with his thoughts.

XXX

Naruto irritably fiddled with the regal kimono that he was wearing for the umpteenth time, which earned him another smack to the back of his hand from Mai. Personally, he didn't understand why he had to wear such formal clothes. He personally knew two of the people that were attending the meeting, and one of them was dressed in normal ninja attire. Feeling the pressure of the upcoming meeting, his hands unconsciously drifted towards the collar of his kimono, only for them to be slapped away once again.

"Would you please stop that?!" scolded Mai. "God, for the leader of an army, you sure do act like a child. Besides, you only have to wear this outfit for the meeting."

"I don't get why I have to get all dressed up. It's just a pointless gesture." argued Naruto.

At that moment, Genji entered the room with smirk on his face. "Looking sharp, Fearless Leader. I wish I had a camera to memorialize this moment." he chuckled.

"Watch it, Old Man." Naruto grumbled. "Are they all here yet?"

"Yes, which means that we should get going." said Genji. Naruto nodded and made his way to the war room, with the older ninja following behind him. As they entered, the blond was able to see all of his gathered guests. The first attendee was Kenpo, who was flanked by Onimusha. He surprised to see Sentaro there as well, and that he was accompanied by Saito. He then turned his attention to the new three people that he had yet to meet, giving each one a cursory glance.

Hitode was a balding man with black hair and dark-colored eyes. His sideburns were connected to his moustache, beard, and eyebrows. He had large lips and was wearing a full Umi no Kuni guard uniform, with a sword strapped to the left side of waist. Standing next to him was his first mate, Shiba, who was also wearing a guard uniform. The man was brown haired, green eyed, and had his sword strapped to his right.

Shizuka was a fair-skinned girl of average height. Her green eyes stood out against her waist-length hime-styled black hair that was tied in a high ponytail. Her short bangs and chin-length strands framed her pretty face. She was wearing a light-green kimono, which did little to hide her generous bust. Next to her was her guard, Tokiwa, whose imposing figure easily towered over all the others. She had a slender physique with a very angular face, which was accentuated by her short brown hair and dark red lipstick. She was also wearing a light blue kimono.

Ryuzo was a small man with a very muscular body. His face had strong features, with his nose, cheeks and lips being quite prominent. His wrinkles and the white in his hair proudly displayed his old age. A majority of said hair was shaved, leaving only two bunches visible. His plain white eyes appeared to lack pupils, making him quite the peculiar sight to behold. He had a red tattoo on his forehead, the design being composed of two drop-like figures with two triangles, with one placed above and under the triangles; the illustration looked quite similar to the taijitu sign. His unique outfit appeared to be a modern variant on the traditional ninja attire with bright colors and metal ornaments. Standing behind him was a younger man named Kenji, his son.

Naruto greeted each individual person and offered them a seat. Once seated, Naruto began the meeting. "We are all gathered here for one reason and one reason only. So let's get straight to the point. How are we going to kill Akira and free Kirigakure?

XXX

Kagura glared murderously at the people in front of her. All around her, her men laid dead on the ground. She herself was injured and bleeding from her various wounds. Despite her dire situation, she still couldn't believe how promptly she was defeated. Suddenly her hair was pulled so that her eyes met the gaze of her captor, Akira. She shot the man defiant look, which only deepened his smug smirk.

"Don't worry; I'm not going to kill you just yet." boasted the Mizukage. "I'm going to break you first, and then show everyone that I humbled Kiri no Emi tte Majo. Then, I'm going to parade your failure for everyone to see, and take joy in watching them do nothing to save you. Then and only then, will I grant you the merciful release of death." He then relinquished his grip, allowing the kunoichi to collapse from exhaustion. With a simple hand gesture, his men grabbed a hold of the woman and dragged her away.

XXXXX

Authors' Notes: Here's a new chapter. Thank you again Toa Naruto for your help. It's getting close to the final battle. Enjoy the new chapter. Oh, before I forget, as you probably have noticed, the weapons that are use are not of my design. The Hakujin no Tachi is the property of Rurouni Kenshin, the Kagero is the property of Square Enix and the Akujiki is the property of the Shinobi game. I do not own them and do not claim them as my own.

Glossary

Hakujin no Tachi - Long Sword/Tachi of the Thin Blade - It's very long and was made as thin as possible. The tip is weighted so the wielder can control the directon the blade flies with a flick of the wrist which makes dodging by a small margin dangerous.

Kagerō – Firefly – A heavily, stylized blade with a very sharp edge. It has a long handle and a very wide, long blade. By channeling chakra through the sword, the blade is super heated, improving it's cutting power. It can also cortirize any wound it inflicks.

Akujiki - A legendary and cursed sword. Akujiki is powered by sorcery. The blade takes Yin from it's defeated enemies and converting it into cutting power. If Akujiki's wielder does not kill enough enemies, the blade will absorb the life and soul of the wielder.

Jakō Ochō – Musk Dystany – A clan of ninja formerly of Kirigakure no Sato. They are known as shamans that are intuned with the mystic arts. They can merge with the spirit of animals to increase their abilities. They can even take a hybrid form their spirit animal, increasing their strength and power.

Techniques

Gamadosuzan – Toad Sword Beheading - A technique which only toads can use, by employing its characteristic bodily features. Its strong hips and legs give birth to an uncommonly precise leap, with which it slices at its target. Since the interval is covered in the blink of an eye, the opponent can't even try to escape.

Katon: Gamayu Endan – Fire Release: Toad Oil Flame Bullet - This is a two-way cooperation ninjutsu. The toad uses the Toad Oil Bullet technique to shoot a jet of oil from his mouth. His summoner then ignites the oil. The oil, acting as an accelerant, provides more fuel for the fire in an effect like a flame-thrower, and creating an conflagration of far greater power and magnitude than the original fire ninjutsu used on its own could have.

Gamayudan – Toad Oil Bullet - The user converts their chakra into an extremely sticky oil and spits this out as a huge mass. When this oil touches the target, their entire body is covered, and it prevents them from moving. Simply washing the oil away with regular water wouldn't be easy. Furthermore, if a Fire Release technique is thrown at the target after this technique is used, they will be enveloped in flames in an instant.

Katon: Endan – Fire Release: Flame Bullet - This technique is executed by the user gathering oil in their mouth which is created by chakra, spitting it out, and igniting it. This technique simply shoots a flame bullet at the enemy. If the amount of oil that is prepared is kept down, the time it takes to invoke the technique is reduced. This allows the enemy to be stricken unaware, allowing the oil-containing flame bullet to burn them up completely. It is also possible to shoot out a series of flame bullets by partitioning the oil, or a continuous flamethrower. If this technique is fired after covering the enemy with oil using the Toad Oil Bullet, it has the power to wound or kill. This also keeps down the consumption of chakra.

Mizudeppō no Jutsu – Water Gun Technique - The user mimics a fire gun with his hand and, through the Hydrification Technique, compresses a drop of water in their index finger, firing it with tremendous force and speed similar to a gunshot

Suiton: Hashira Hoi – Water Release: Pillar Encirclement - The user creates four water pillars which then circle around the user as a protective barrier.