AN:

Racan:

I agree, good Hiraishin fics are amazing.

one07:

Thanks for the compliment! It is a shame that you stopped reading Naruto fics, but Boy do I'm glad you liked mine! Thanks for the wish :-)

ThSlySage:

You really tempted me with that Bleach reference. But like I said it won't be for some time yet, sorry!

Btw! Don't worry, I'm not making any hardcore crossovers. I just wanted to use characters that I know well instead of OCs. This is my first attempt(s) at action scenes please give me your opinion!


"Nothing interesting. Again." He sighed for the who knows how many times. They've been looking through the bodies of their last mission in hopes of gaining something interesting. Fortunately, the sealing scrolls had enough chakra that they've been kept in good condition, and Biwako killed them quickly and cleanly. He didn't care enough to keep them intact nor to seal them. This means they only have to go through twenty bodies. Small victories.

That doesn't mean he isn't green around the gills.

He is in the process of sealing back the body to be turned over for bounty –he is no waster- when a curious sound catches his attention. Biwako made a cute little noise that is a mesh of pleased, interested, and pleasantly surprised. Like a cat found a new, never seen before, mouse.

He looks over and promptly mimics her. In her hands is a very nice blade. He isn't a sword nerd –that's Biwako- but he spent enough time around her to pick up a few things.

One is how to recognize quality swords and this is definitely one.

A katana just short of being an odachi with a beautiful blade that looks like black steel flickered with blood. The guard is a thick and wavy flower design that is grey on the outside and fades to black as it gets closer to the handle. Said handle is traditional in its simplicity but it gives the feeling that anything more, or less, would ruin the beauty. Black wrapping hides the same red color of the blade. The sword is topped off with a rather curious metal cap. This is all nice and dandy but the kicker is what the blade is made of. High-grade chakra conductive material, so much so that just this one blade should hold for longer than those everyday wakizashi he brought –damn puppy eyes!

"Woah, what a blade!" Really, the last three hours of looking through corpses were worth it just for this.

"Akahime."

"Hm?"

"Akahime is her name," the certainty in her voice has him steal a quick glance at her.

'Sword nerd indeed,' he stifles a chuckle at the starry-eyed look she gives the blade.

"Akahime," he tastes the name and looks back at the katana, "The Red Princess. Fitting." He looks down at the corpse next to them. "How did he have her then?"

She looks down at said corpse as if she just realized something, "He is the Jonin."

"Jonin?" He is vaguely concerned, someone like him should have been outside of their capabilities in a face-to-face battle.

She nods at him but without putting Akahime down, "He evaded my first strike but fell when he looked into my eyes. That's how he saw me, he is a swordsman." She looks at him with something akin to a request, "he needs a proper burial."

He blinks a few times and his eyebrow flies off, "burial? For someone like him?" He isn't against it per se but wants to know why.

She nods resolutely, "from one to the other. A sign of respect as a foe. Not as a person."

His eyebrow climbs back down, he starts to get it but-, "what about Akahime? Isn't she supposed to be buried with him then?" She told him once. Swordsmen –and women for that matter- are buried with their chosen blade.

She shakes her head and puts Akahime back into her sheath, "He didn't die with honor so the blade hadn't died with him," he gets a glare telling him to drop it, "Akahime is mine!"

"Fine, fine, sage."


"Hey, Biwako?"

"Hn?"

"You said you like long hair once, then why do you keep it short?" This has always been bugging him. She was always pretty with long hair, yet she cut it a week after The Night and kept it the same length as it is today. Still has the same short hair with two bangs curving around her face. Don't get him wrong, He likes this as well –Biwako could rock a shiny head and he would still like it- but there is something to be said about long hair.

He likes long hair okay?! Sue him.

She hummed but still went through her katas with unwavering focus, testing and accommodating to Akahime, "When I started looking through kenjutsu styles I found an old scroll. It was dated to be twelve years after the founding of Konoha. It was there that I learned that in the Warring Clans Era only peerless masters of the art were allowed long hair, as I am no master –yet- I can only have it short," she glanced at her friend who was still slouched over a new seal, "What brought this on?"

He hummed, "Nothing much, I just wondered how beautiful your hair would dance with Akahime."

She has never been so glad that he faced away.


"Uhhh, Biwako?"

She hummed as if her hands weren't blurring to pet five foxes equally. And is that lightning-?

'Is she- yep, she is using her Thunder Breathing.'

"Why the actual, ever-living, sage-damned, crack-headed, Nidaime smoking the Hidden Weed, fuck are you petting five foxes?" He really couldn't say it any prettier. At this point, he is past disbelief and straight into some kind of Zen mode. He actually feels like he could remake Hiraishin from scratch. Again.

And she, Biwako, -badassest woman on this green land- looked at him like he is the idiot!

"Because they wanted to be petted."

"They wanted to be-" he is trying his best not to sound like he is choking, "They wanted to be petted."

"Yes."

His patience is running thin now 'I should be the one petted!', "Where did you find five foxes?" Foxes are solitary unless they are playing with kits. And they are certainly not kits. 'Little bastards are guys too!'

She is still looking at him like an idiot while said bastards are still blissed-out, "I didn't," 'you didn't?', "They found me." Yes, because that is normal. Absolutely nothing wrong here ANBU-san!

"So," he tries his best at hiding his irritation when one of the bastards jumps into her lap. It doesn't work, "you decided to pet them."

"Yes."

'Deep breaths'

"Okay, -okay- that's fine, perfectly fine," he is starting to go from Zen to something more volatile. Or maybe he just made a circle on his emotional range of 'What the fuck?'

She nods, apparently not noticing, or not caring about, his fingers that twitch to skin those little bastards alive, "Aren't they adorable?" And she thrust one into his face.

Said adorable –irritating- little shit comes back from whatever heaven he was in and shot him a look so smug that he can feel Kyuubi stir in the back of his mind.

'Oh?! You want to be smug? Fine, try not to piss yourself' And he pulls out the Glare.

Smug bitch doesn't last a second. Nor his friends. They skedaddle faster than he can teleport.

Naruto snickers, 'think twice before going for my girl.'

"No seals for a week."

"WHY?!"

In his misery, he doesn't notice the satisfied smile on her face.


"How are the new recruits Kyoishiro?" An older man of average height asked his subordinate in charge of the recruitment. Said man had long purplish-grey hair that is only obscured by the bandages that are wrapped around his head above eye level. He wears traditional samurai armor green in color with the edges a contrasting red. His katana –Kurosawa- is bound tightly to his left hip by a sarashi.

"Not well Mifune-taisho. I believe it was too much to hope for anyone who could turn the tides of war." Kyoishiro Kurogane is what someone would call stupidly tall. His darkish blue hair was pulled up in a short topknot. He towered over everyone he met by a good head. He wore the same armor as Mifune with only the colors being black with the edges red. He is in charge of finding people to boost their numbers with, be it civilians who wish for glory, ronin –no matter how much he dislikes them- who want money or regain their honor or even shinobi who wish to hide here. Of course, they are all low-level missing-nin as Iron country cannot be shown requiring assistance from the shinobi nations.

"We weren't hoping for much either," Mifune reminds his old friend. This war –he dislikes the taste on his tongue- is nothing more than a misguided grab for power. Unfortunately whoever is behind this farce recognized it as well and the rebels mostly use guerilla tactics. His samurai are not equipped to deal with this so right now the fights are in a stalemate with Mifune not willing to sacrifice his men and the Rebels waiting for him to attack. They've been hoping to find someone who could at least tip the balance –hopefully, their way- but no such luck. Mifune can't even go out to teach some manners to these unruly children!

"Yes, I know that," Kyoishiro sighed, "but nothing? I was hoping for at least someone with potential," They arrive at the sparring mats inside a spacious dojo where many of said recruits are currently sparring, practicing, or resting. Those who see them coming in immediately snap at attention with a bow. But who it is directed is a mystery as Mifune's appearance is not the most well-known. Once Mifune and Kyoishiro signal at them to rest they go back to whatever they were doing but not without keeping half an eye on the two.

Mifune, with Kyoishiro in tow, walked between the sparring match close enough to observe but not enough to catch their attention of them when they caught sight of something rather peculiar.

A petite girl –Mifune would say around twelve years of age- was fighting against a man twice her height and volume. Now, normally he wouldn't spare more than a glance at an arrogant, glory-seeking child, but normally said child wasn't winning.

He took another glance at the child –warrior- and took in her appearance. Short black hair with two front bangs, one of which is wrapped in a bandage filled with black characters, which curve around her face, black eyes that set off his instincts, Double layered, black, battle kimono with red sarashi and, equally red, flowery design at the bottom –'Red Spider Lily?' he notes with a raised eyebrow. Her katana's sheath is, rather peculiarly, carried on her back.

'Beautiful work,' he can't help but take in –nerd out about- the weapon. He would say little less than 3 shaku in length (80 cm or 31.5 in) Beautiful blade of black color with splashes of red that give the illusion of blood, the guard is a thick flowery design of grey and black, and the handle's black wrapping hides flashes of the same red as the blade, the end is topped off with a metal cap. 'I wonder what she named it,' for surely, a weapon like that needs to have a name.

The girl just parried her opponent's blade and but, no matter how skilled she is, she couldn't win in a physical contest. Her opponent knew this fact very well and so tried to overwhelm her. She responded by sliding her katana upwards to relieve one of his eyes from duty, but he is no amateur and responded by flicking up his wrist. Judging by her expression she was surprised and her katana went flying. The samurai was about to pierce her shoulder –enough to injure but not enough to harm- when she surprised him by jumping onto his shoulder and jumping from there to catch her wayward blade, in the process unbalancing him physically and mentally –who jumps on an opponent?-.

Mifune can feel a small smirk forming, 'atta girl.'

In the air, she catches the flipping sword with deadly grace and brings it down on her opponent with all the fury of a god. Said opponent regained his balance and blocked the girl-

-Only to be surprised when the, still airborne, girl kicks his chin with a resounding thud. Her opponent is falling down –undoubtedly blacked out for a second, he could see the air move- but she is relentless and brings down her katana on his face-

Only to stop so close to his face that Mifune can see the tip of his nose bleeding down her katana.

The silence from the crowd –which formed around the time it started getting more aggressive- is deafening. He is about to clap –for such swordplay deserves recognition- when he is interrupted by a shout from a young voice.

"Wohoooo! Biwako rules! What a badass! You are the-" the young read head that he hadn't even noticed before was stopped in his crusade to embarrass the girl and entertain the crowd is cut short by a chop to his head.

"Shut up dobe," she might try to hide it but Mifune can hear the pride in her voice.

He starts walking to the two children on the other side of the mats –all the while ignoring the cheers from around him- and takes in the boy. Long, spiky red hair falling down onto his lower back pulled into a ponytail and bound neck-level by the same bandage as the girl filled with black characters that he suspects to be seals, as well as eye-catching blue eyes. His face is slightly obscured by his bangs but Mifune can see three pairs of whiskers on each cheek. His attire is similar to the girl's, double-layered battle kimono, but his is a deep crimson, similar tone to his hair, that fades into black lightning at the bottom and bound by a white sarashi.

Now that he compares them they are like each other's opposites. Where the boy bounces around her with unrestrained energy and is talking a mile a minute, the girl stands in place using a towel to wipe her face from sweat and barely acknowledges the boy yet she doesn't ignore him.

Mifune takes all thin in with a curious eye, 'how strange.'

He cuts into their conversation, "exemplary battle, may I ask for your names?" Mifune is pleasantly surprised that neither of them jumps at his presence, 'have they noticed me? I wasn't trying to hide but I should still be undetectable for the unexperienced.'

They glance at each other and Mifune can see the conversation going through even if he can only guess the words spoken, 'they've been together for long. Maybe street rats? No, the sword could be stolen but the clothes are fitted to them.'

The girl, with an emotionless mask and voice, answers first and he almost has a heart attack, "Uchiha Biwako."

'Uchiha?! There is still one outside of the Clan Killer?' He uses all his willpower not to react besides a widening of eyes. News of the Uchiha Massacre has reached far and wide so he naturally knows of it. But there was no mention of an extra Uchiha, 'maybe she is a bastard that he couldn't kill?'

If he thought only Biwako's name would cause an aneurysm he is sorely mistaken. The red-headed boy gives him a foxy grin like he is into some secret of the Universe and Mifune isn't, "Uzumaki Naruto, ya better remember it!"

'And an Uzu- holy sweet Mother of Swords, I'm too old for this shit,' the Uzumakis might not be as well-known as the Uchiha but there is not a single soul that doesn't have an idea of what happened at Uzushiogakure. But no matter what they think, Uzushio wiped out the forces of no less than three major Villages. There is a reason Mifune, and his whole country, doesn't want to deal with the hassle that is shinobi.

Still, he needs to make sure they aren't a possible threat to his country. Even if they gave him their names –he saw no lies- and they do not wear any Forehead Protectors, "And what might be your business with Iron Country?" This might become an accident with Konoha so he needs to stifle it in its bud.

The children, still wearing the same expressions, glance at each other at the obvious question of 'What does shinobi want on my lawn?'.

The Uchiha looks back at him, "We wish to help in the war."

Mifune raises an eyebrow –he has a feeling Kyoishiro does the same- and asks, "And why would we require Konohagakure's assistance?"

She shakes her head, "not Konoha. Us."

Mifune, with a still raised eyebrow, asks again, " So you are missing-nin?" They don't have the slashed protector on them, 'Maybe rogues stopped wearing them?'

This time it's the Uzumaki that answers with a cheery grin and voice, "Nope," he pops the 'p', "we haven't graduated yet. So we aren't shinobi!" His grin becomes challenging as if to say 'Don't underestimate us or you'll regret it.'

'That means no international problems, but still,' "why would you wish to involve yourself in a war that doesn't concern you?" Now that there won't be any real problem other than Konoha yapping –dreadful in itself- he is curious. He doesn't mind adding competent sword to his army –he hadn't seen her Sharingan so he doubts he saw all of the girl's ability- but the question stands.

Another glance and he hears the question 'How much should we tell him?'

The Uchiha answers, "I wish to gain a Nichirin sword."

The room stills. Those who have been, not so, subtly listening in to the conversation between two children, their Commander, and, to those that recognized him, their General, stop breathing. They just heard two, foreign, children stating their desire to obtain what is the wet dream of every blade user in history.

Mifune, for his part, re-raises his eyebrow –he has a feeling this will happen a lot in the near future- and sends a glance at Kyoshiro to confirm that his hearing isn't deteriorating. Judging by his expression no, his hearing works just fine and he just heard these two wayward kids want a blade made from the best material.

He looks back at the two little aneurysm makers and, pure curiosity painting his voice, questions, "why, exactly, would you want a sword of the highest caliber?" Because there really isn't any other way to describe a Nichirin sword. They are just simply better than anything else.

Biwako, with the same unchanging voice, answers, "other swords can't handle my kenjutsu."

"Not even that one on your back? It might not be Nichirin but it should hold," Mifune is not against giving Nichirin swords to those he considers worthy but these children are far from it.

He, surprisingly, gets a glare, "She." 'She?' "Akahime is strong, but she can only hold the weakest form and only for a few attacks."

'Ah so it -pardon- she does have a name. Red Princess, fitting,' "Hooo? From what I saw she should be perfectly capable of supporting her master," he bites the inside of his cheeks to not smirk, 'so she really has been hiding her strength.'

"Because you have yet to see me use my style."

Mifune doesn't even try to stop the murmurs that broke out at that, nor his smile. He pretends not to hear Kyoishiro's –and strangely enough the Uzumaki's- sigh of 'not this shit again'.

"Why don't we fix that then?"


A strange man.

That is Biwako's first thought when he meets Mifune –Naruto reminded him that he didn't give them a name. Mifune, the General –soft way of saying supreme leader- of Iron Country. Master swordsman, sword enthusiastic, kenjutsu nerd, and the only person with a confirmed Nichirin sword.

He is supposed to be the strongest person in the country yet he doesn't fight. She doesn't get it, why does he not fight? Is it like the kages where he just assigns some fools an S-rank mission and be done with it?

They didn't think they would meet him here. They thought they could just waltz in, notify whoever paper-pusher they could find of their enlistment, and then wait until called upon to curb-stomp the enemy forces. That was the plan until someone duller than a butter knife made of wood decided to insult them. That was annoying but okay, Naruto only cares about four peoples' opinions and only one is alive, her, while she knows that dogs will bark and if they bite they need to be put down.

That lasted until said fool who was not long for this world decided to insult Akahime.

After that, as they say, is history. She challenged –goaded- him to a duel of honor and handed his ass to him. The only reason she didn't do more than humiliate him is that she noticed two samurai coming in and the surrounding people's reaction. She, correctly, deduced that they are important and killing colleague's in front of a superior is a no-no. That's not even talking about Naruto's reaction. His index finger violently twitched, an easy tell of 'Ramen Gods above and below give me strength, we need to run' so she didn't act out of turn.

Now if only Naruto understood that as well, instead of shooting her looks of 'Did you really? and 'Must you?' with 'Damned nerd' sprinkled in.

That usually resulted in a look that said 'I am no nerd.'

That, in turn, got a deadpanned 'Think of your life very carefully.'

"Here we are." Mifune's voice breaks through her musing compelling her to look at him.

He opens a tatami door leading to what she assumes is a private dojo. They move into the center and slowly draw their blade making that metallic sound she fell in love with when she heard it. They just look at each other as the world falls between them.

"I never asked your katana's name." She is a bit interested, sue her.

Mifune smirks a bit, "Kurosawa is his name." His blade is very a simple and elegant design. A black blade with silver edge, gold and green rectangular guard, with a long hilt wrapped in green bandages making a golden colored diamond design. Although for her the beauty lies in how natural he is in Mifune's hand. ' Mifune and the Black Swamp. An extension of each other,' she smiles slightly, imagining her future, 'I can't wait to get to that level.'

Biwako blinks and Kurosawa is about to take make her a head shorter. She just barely stops the blade with a hand supporting Akahime and goes on the offensive when the blade retreats. She tries attacking from upward followed by a downward cross slash that Mifune effortlessly directs away from him. Akahime curves around Kurosawa to slash at Mifune's ankle but he jumps back but not without sending Kurosawa back at her. Biwako doesn't let him take the flow again and rushes at him making a few blurring feints that Mifune tracks easily. She tries her luck at taking an eye but he leans back just far enough to evade and she sees his reflection on Akahime. Kurosawa comes at her shoulder but she ducks and Akahime rises with her. Mifune blocks her and knocks Akahime to the side only to find himself surprised when she does a whip-like kick to force him back. They are back at square one.

Mifune gives a little smirk, "is that it? I don't see you why would be worthy of a Nichirin katana." He is trying to goad her to see if she'll attack blindly. If she does she is nowhere near good enough for one.

Biwako just narrows her eyes and engages once more, 'Playtime is over.'

She ups the ante and blurs forward using nothing but her speed. She crouches low and slashes Akahime upward from his right hip to left shoulder. He blocks but this time he slides Kurosawa down Akahime. She leans away just in time to see her expression reflecting, and a few strands of hair falling down. She flicks her wrist to get his katana away, but unlike herself, his grip remains steady and he doesn't even flinch. Kurosawa is brought down on her again, she blocks with a hand supporting Akahime's back. She tries to let Kurosawa away to the side to pass Akahime by his side but Kurosawa retreats and tries piercing her left shoulder. She responds by leaning away so she is parallel to the katana and Akahime rises to cut off Mifune's hand that holds Kurosawa. But he is not the General for nothing and Kurosawa meets Akahime once more, making her pierce the tatami. With her sword stuck Biwako jumps upwards, hand still on the hilt, and brings down a kick on Mifune's head. Kurosawa's pommel knocks it away but it's fine, she kicks with her other leg at Mifune's sword arm making it numb for a moment while she, still in the air, flips and uses her momentum to wretch Akahime out of the floor. She continues her momentum until she is but a blur and, once again, brings Akahime upwards while she is falling down. Mifune just barely manages to bring Kurosawa to block but, due to her gathered momentum, he is knocked back slightly. Back to square one.

"And how did you like that?" Biwako can't help but ask.

Mifune looks at her more seriously than before and she can't help but be proud of it, "Good for a child. But not enough reason to even entertain the thought of giving you a Nichirin blade. If this is all that would be needed then every samurai would have one." He is using an advanced social skill called lying. In truth, he is quite surprised at her skills. Like he said it isn't enough to defeat him nor to warrant a Nichirin blade, but if she fulfills those criteria she might get one. The only ones who are gifted a Nichiring blade are those with high skill or potential, a very good reason as to why they need it, and an assurance that they would never go against Iron. Unlike popular belief outside of Iron Country, it isn't those who are General that has Nichirin blade, it is those with Nichirin blade that become General.

Biwako gives a little smirk, twirls her katana, and sheathes it. Only to place the sheathed blade into her left hand while her right grips the handle. She takes a very familiar and yet not stance.

Mifune raises an eyebrow, 'Iado?' he narrows his eyes at her form, 'no, something similar but tailored to herself.'

The air starts smelling of ozone and before he can question it a voice, so small and quiet, ripples through the air like thunder.

"Raiton: Hekireki Issen: Sanren."

The world slows around him. He can take in everything now. Akahime is unsheathed in slow motion before his eyes, lightning licking her hands, she takes a step.

She is in front of him, Akahime cutting through the air in slow motion before his very face. He can just barely move Kurosawa in front of him –it feels like moving through sludge- so he may not be doubled and halved at the same time.

Only two for what he assumed to be Biwako pass harmlessly through his katana, like static.

'Clone?! When did she-' he can't finish his internal crisis because he catches sight of something moving in his right peripheral.

'No,' he can feel the shiver forming just beneath his skin, 'an afterimage.'

He is slowly turning, chasing the lightning bolt with his eyes. He notices the now he can follow her now. That is until her left foot hits the ground and she flashes away. He can follow the lightning this time and knows, even if he barely sees her outline, that she is behind from his starting position.

He is using every inch of every muscle in his body to catch the sight of her blade cutting through the air with a high whistle.

The world slows again.

Mifune sunk to the deepest part of his Zone. He managed to look at her form.

She is lightning personified. Glowing blue-white eyes that crackles in slow motion, little arcs of yellow-blue lightning hugging her form. She is slowly spinning, trying to generate as much momentum as she can.

He pushes every bit of chakra into his body –focusing on legs and eyes. Kurosawa is next to his neck in an instant stopping Akahime, close enough to his throat that he can feel something warm running down on it, and remnants of lightning lick the right side of his face. The fight is over and they both know it.

Mifune almost laughs at her befuddled –and relieved- expression, "What?" He grins slightly, " you didn't think I would die from that, right?" He noticed the flinch but wisely didn't comment on it.

It truly surprised him the first time he saw that attack and if he was anything less than what he is he might have died. But that isn't the only thing that surprised him.

"Tell me Uchiha Biwako," she perks up and he is happy to note the respect in her eyes, "what you just used was a combination between our breathing technique and elemental manipulation, yes?" He continues before she can deny it, "you said that Akahime can only handle the weakest forms of your style right?"

Biwako answers after a moment of hesitation, "yes, she can only handle three steps." He has a feeling that there is more to it but doesn't push, admitting this weakness requires a level of trust even in the least prideful.

He hums, "I cannot just give you a Nichirin anything," he continuous before she can interrupt him, "but, and this is a big but, this does complete two of the many criteria," he takes silent glee at her proudly glinting eyes, "but there is one crucial that you need to complete."

She, finally, withdraws Akahime –reminding him to do the same- and straightens her spine, as if to say 'Bring it on!'.

"I, as the leader of the country, need to make sure you wouldn't raise your blade against the Land of Iron."

She nods slightly, "just like Forbidden Techniques," she tilts her head remarkably like a fox, "do you wish for me to swear allegiance?"

He makes note of the hidden disdain in her voice. Waving a hand he assures her, "nothing as drastic. But I do have a question," he sat down in a dogeza and motions for her to do the same, "have you ever had a teacher?"

She shakes her head, "everything I learned is thanks to myself and Naruto," he makes a quick glance at the redhead that looks calm personified. That is if he didn't twirl a dozen kunai between his fingers in clear agitation.

He leans forward and grins at the suddenly wary Uchiha, "tell me, have you ever heard of someone called Kamado Tanjiro?"