Chapter 12: A Grim Truth

Temari shook her head as she turned away from the Kazekage Mansion. Following Naruto and her brother out onto the street, she carefully shut the gate behind them. Kankuro, however, was still staring through the gate at the mansion doors.

"Can you see him, Naruto?" Kankuro whispered.

Naruto shook his head.

"The Echolocation Jutsu cannot pierce through windows. If he is following us, then you would be able to see him easier than I could."

Kankuro bit his lip, studying the front of their home again for any glimpse of his little brother. While he couldn't prove that Gaara was following them to the Academy every day, he knew it was true. It would only be a matter of time before Gaara felt the urge to kill at the wrong time, and started a murderous rampage in the Academy.

"Let's get going," Temari urged, and Kankuro reluctantly turned away.

"Just… keep an eye out, will you?" Kankuro entreated. Naruto nodded.

They walked for a few minutes in silence, the streets barren of life.

"Why do you think he's acting like this?" Kankuro suddenly asked for the hundredth time in the past several weeks.

Temari groaned.

"I don't know, Kankuro, perhaps he's trying to just spend more time around his family?" She replied, clearly communicating her annoyance.

Kankuro didn't seem to notice.

"But that's not like Gaara at all." Kankuro countered before turning to Naruto, who was quietly staring off into the distance. "Didn't Gaara try to kill you like, three times?"

"Hai."

Kankuro raised an eyebrow in disbelief, "Then why do you read books in the living room with him? Aren't you afraid that he's going to try again? I don't know how he's fail-"

"Kankuro!" Temari interrupted, glaring at her younger brother.

Kankuro looked at his sister sheepishly and turned to Naruto, "I'm sorry. I promised to not bring that up again."

Naruto didn't answer.

Temari sighed internally as Kankuro finally let the matter drop. It was all Kankuro talked about now, ever since Gaara had started spending an abnormal amount of time in the mansion. Personally, it didn't really bother her. In the past, Gaara rarely spent more than five minutes at home a month, if that. It had always caused her to wonder where Gaara slept when he wasn't in his containment cell or at home.

Though, to be honest, Gaara doesn't actually sleep, Temari thought sadly. Every time she thought about what Gaara must be going through every day, it made her want to find him and hug him. Though, she knew he would never accept it.

So, she'd resolved to treat Gaara like anyone else, and didn't specifically try to talk to him or bother him. It worked out because he usually spent most of his time in his room, which she never entered, or sitting in the living room. Out of the three of them, Naruto spent the most time around Gaara, which she had not expected.

For the first week, she'd believed, just as much as Kankuro, that Gaara was going to attempt to kill Naruto. Rasa had reassured her that a team of Suna Elite had been stationed in the Mansion, and all could neutralize Gaara should he try something. But nothing had happened.

She hadn't expressed it openly to anyone, but she was happy that Gaara was spending time around them all, even if he rarely said anything.

As they reached the edge of the dead zone, the area around the Kazekage Mansion that civilians avoided like the plague, Temari turned to look back the way they'd come. Kankuro noticed and looked at her curiously. She shook her head.

She'd thought for a moment she sensed Gaara behind them, but that was impossible. She wasn't skilled enough to detect Gaara even if he was there.

Naruto, however, could see Gaara perfectly. He was using Gaara as practice as he kept track of the Jinchuriki, and walked through the rapidly populating streets. He'd been taking every opportunity he could find to use his Byakugan and walk at the same time for the past month, but he was still far from being able to move at a Shinobi speed while doing so.

Yet, despite being able to see Gaara following them across the rooftops, Naruto didn't say anything to Kankuro or Temari. Gaara clearly had worked out how the Echolocation Jutsu functioned and was taking care to stay out of the Jutsu's range.

Naruto was distracted by a movement in the corner of his "eye" and shifted his focus to someone else following them. It was a Kunoichi, one he'd never seen before. He was only able to follow her for a moment before she disappeared.

"Look out, Naruto," Kankuro warned, grabbing his arm and pulling him out of the way of a civilian carrying two large buckets of water.

"Thank you," Naruto said as he quickly checked the street in front of him before trying to find the Kunoichi again.

She was gone.

"Were you looking for Gaara?" Kankuro asked in a whisper, looking over his shoulder as if Gaara would be standing on the street behind them.

"Yes." Naruto lied.

"Did you see him?"

Naruto shook his head.

"We're here," Temari interjected as they stepped out into the plaza in front of the Shinobi Academy. Students were pouring in from all directions, all heading toward the open front doors. Naruto lessened the range of his Byakugan drastically, taking care to keep track of all the students around him. He didn't want to trip and be trampled by his fellow students.

—

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Raidon, his second in command, asked.

Tera frowned, though it was hidden by the darkness cast by his hood. Raidon had not questioned him for nearly a decade, and the fact that the Shinobi was now... was concerning.

Deciding not to answer, Tera walked to the room's only table and sat down in the head seat. Raidon disappeared into the shadows of the room a moment later, where he would stay until called.

Snapping his fingers, he watched the tip of his index finger ignite into a small flame. Leaning forward slightly, Tera placed it against the wick of the candle. The room lit up as it caught and began wildly dancing back and forth.

There was quite a draft in the drab and empty apartment since he'd opened both of the windows half-way when he first arrived. Additionally, the door to the hallway was unlocked. He wasn't sure how his guests would decide to enter, and he didn't want to impede them.

He didn't have to wait long. His first guest was blatantly obvious in their approach as they walked down the street toward the hotel entrance. Even from several floors up, Tera could tell they were under a Henge.

It was possible this meeting was already compromised, the fool had probably walked through half of Suna under a Henge. It would be a miracle if none of the Suna Shinobi noticed him.

He briefly considered leaving now but decided against it. Tera was confident his other guests were not as stupid, and he couldn't spare another night to meet them.

However, he'd come prepared regardless. He was dressed in his usual attire of all black clothing, each barely distinguishable from the next. His only identifiable piece of clothing was the large black cloak he wore, his face obscured by the hood.

After all, it wasn't a guarantee that his guests would accept his offer, and he was already considering killing the first guest for his incompetence.

No, I can't do that. I would lose standing with the Suna underground, and I need everyone I can get. Tera thought in annoyance. Despite putting out a call for recruits, with the most tantalizing reward he could have possibly offered, only three had answered.

Two of them he'd recognized by their reputation. The third was a mystery.

As the chakra signature of his first guest ascended the stairs and exited out onto the third floor, Tera followed them through the wall with his eyes as they approached the apartment room door.

Tera's eyes narrowed in suspicion as the signature paused at the door for a moment before they pushed it open.

"You can drop the Henge, Samuk."

The unremarkable-looking civilian who'd stepped into the room nodded as they closed the door. A second later, their form fizzled and fell away, revealing a Shinobi wearing what was once Suna Shinobi attire. However, the insignia had been ripped from the fabric, and numerous holes were patched with black cloth.

Surprisingly, Samuk himself was black, a rare occurrence in the Land of Wind. Those with darker skin were usually only found in the Land of Lightning.

"Please, sit. Two others are coming." Tera said, motioning toward one of the chairs at the round table.

Samuk nodded and walked to one of the three chairs, choosing the one to Tera's left.

Tera observed Samuk, noticing the kunai hidden in the Shinobi's sleeve as it briefly pressed against the fabric as he sat down. Tera noted the hardened look in Samuk's eyes and expression.

The man was infamous in the criminal underworld for his dedication to getting his revenge on the Kazekage. Of course, being just one man, there wasn't much Samuk was capable of doing to harm the Kazekage other than killing civilian travelers as often as possible.

Samuk had really gained his reputation when he'd managed to kill one of Suna Councils sitting elders. The feat was only added to by the fact that he was a banished Shinobi, a rare occurrence in the Elemental Nations. Most Shinobi turned traitor were now missing-nin or were immediately executed for their crimes.

Samuk was an exception.

Tera's attention was drawn to the window behind him as he sensed another signature, far more potent than Samuk's, move toward them. He didn't hear the window slide open. Knowing it creaked, he was impressed. Despite the lack of sound, he knew his newest guest was inside the room as the signature moved behind him.

Samuk didn't seem to notice them, so they were most likely under a Genjutsu.

"Welcome, Tsukasa," Tera said. The signature halted abruptly, a mere few feet away. Samuk looked up sharply, his eyes darting around the room.

Tera could tell the Genjutsu had been dropped as he heard the sound of high-heels clicking against the wooden floor. Tsukasa walked into view on his right and sat down, folding her hands on the table.

He could tell she was analyzing him, deciding whether or not to trust him.

Tsukasa was the other guest he'd known, though, like Samuk, it was only by reputation.

Tsukasa wore a bright red kimono, and the top half of her face was covered in a red, demon-like mask. Her black hair had several red high-lights in it as well. All of which contributed to her name in the underworld, the Red Demoness of the Court.

"You claimed that by joining you, I will receive a Kekkai Genkai of my own," Tsukasa said, her eyes narrowing beneath her mask. "That's quite the claim."

"We have one more coming," Tera replied, ignoring her challenge. He'd known she would be skeptical; however, she had arrived regardless. Which meant she believed there was some validity to his words.

Tera watched the window across the room closely as his third and final guest landed on the wall outside. As they climbed through the window, Tera was surprised by their strange appearance.

"Welcome, please... sit."

Like himself, this new stranger wore mostly black, although several pieces of their clothing were red. He couldn't immediately determine whether they were male or female, their clothing seemingly designed to hide their gender on purpose. The bottom half of their face was hidden behind a black mask, and the rest was obscured by their large straw hat.

"I am Otabane."

Even their voice, while deep, seemed to be genderless.

"I will begin by answering the obvious question, and yes, I can provide you each with your own, unique, Kekkai Genkai."

Tsukasa stopped tapping her red fingernails on the table, "How can you make such a claim? I saw your request, and I couldn't believe it. I spent days trying to figure out how you could even claim to do such a thing."

"The Stone of Legend," Otabane interrupted.

"Yes… that… but it was destroyed in the First Great Shinobi War by the Order of Liberty when the Land of Lightning tried to steal it." Tsukasa countered, "It's gone."

"The one that was broken by the head monk of the Order of Liberty was a fake," Tera said, causing Tsukasa to look at him sharply. "The real one was taken to Kazedama, where it came into the possession of the current Daimyō."

"You're saying that Torio Sakamoto, a war hero of the Third Great Shinobi War, has a new Kekkai Genkai?"

Tera didn't respond, he didn't need to. It was evident that the last pieces in some puzzle Tsukasa had been trying to solve were slotting into place. It seemed like she had tried to find the Stone of Legends herself in the past.

"If what you say is true." Samuk started, "how can we hope to take this stone from the Daimyō? Besides the fact that he is one of the Land of Wind's most powerful Shinobi, he's also protected by a crack team of Shinobi. Every one of them was selected for the Daimyō's guard because of their skills and power."

Samuk stared at Tera, trying to read his face under his hood. "I do not intend to die fighting Kanade of the Searing Winds just so you can have the Stone for yourself."

"I do not plan for anyone to die," Tera replied, and Tsukasa leaned forward in her chair. "The Daimyō's son, Miyasato, who goes as Naruto now, is here in Suna training to become a Shinobi."

"You wish for us to capture the prince," Otabane asserted. Tera nodded.

"Hai. Once we have captured the prince, we will use him to blackmail the Daimyō into giving us the stone."

Samuk looked uncertain, "Surely the prince will be guarded? How can you be sure that the Daimyō will give up this stone for his son? If it can really give Kekkai Genkai like you claim, then it is extremely valuable."

Tsukasa laughed, "Torio would most definitely give up the stone for his only son. I was there before Miyasato was born. Nothing matters more to him than his son. He wouldn't ever shut up about it back in my days when I was on the royal court."

"The prince is carefully guarded, which is why you three will be working with us to capture him." Tera said, "Is that a deal?"

Samuk and Otabane nodded immediately, but Tsukasa hesitated. Tera didn't move, but he was prepared to kill the Red Demoness if she tried to leave. He couldn't risk Suna becoming aware of his plans.

"I have one last concern," Tsukasa said, "I know more or less how the Stone of Legends works. To obtain a Kekkai Genkai, one has to hold the stone for a long time, I was never able to learn how long, and successfully endure its challenges. After that, it will grant the holder a Kekkai Genkai."

Tera nodded in agreement.

"How many chances do we get with the stone?"

"One."

"That is agreeable, I'm in," Tsukasa said.

Kumo Embassy, Sunagakure, Land of Wind, EN.

"Do you think they'll be able to get inside without being seen by the guards?"

Taguchi scoffed, "Of course they will. They're RAIKOU, and Suna isn't looking for them. They'll be here any minute."

Fujino chuckled, "They could already be in this room, and we'd never know."

"I'm concerned that they didn't arrive earlier," Iwata said from her spot on the couch. She and her three teammates were all spread out around the embassy's living quarters. Taguchi was sitting at the table, drinking coffee. Fujino was leaning against the doorway, and Taisho was laying on the other couch, looking at the ceiling.

For the past three weeks, they'd avoided suspicion as much as possible. Suna seemed to have accepted that they were the replacement Shinobi for the embassy, and hadn't given them any trouble.

Suna wasn't what she was worried about, though. They had stayed on high alert, trying to keep an eye out for any sign that the organization, whatever it was called, was aware of their missing member.

It was driving her insane.

As Taguchi had put it, they might as well relax as they waited for the RAIKOU to arrive. If the organization came knocking, they were all fucked anyway. Much better Shinobi than them hadn't stood a chance.

Thankfully, they were still alive.

She'd never admit it, but she was relieved and glad that the Raikage had ordered two RAIKOU teams to back them up. The tension was going to kill her. She'd been unable to sleep for days.

Even though she saw the black pair of boots appear in front of her on the floor, the complete lack of sound prevented the information from processing immediately.

Looking up sharply, Iwata drew a Kunai as she got to her feet. None of the eight RAIKOU reacted, and she quickly slipped the weapon back into her pouch.

Each of the Black Ops Shinobi wore solid black clothing, with light grey jackets. The RAIKOU insignia was embroidered on each of their chests.

The one closest to her took his mask off and, extending his hand toward her, she took it.

"My name is Ashito. I am in charge of this operation. We have orders from the Raikage to capture, interrogate, and eliminate a high-level member of the organization your team discovered." Ashito said. Letting go of her hand, he pulled a scroll out of his Kunai pouch and handed it to her.

"This is for you."

"Iwata Kayami," she said as she took the scroll and unfurled it.

"No way…"

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This chapter was posted on: 2/28/20 (Exactly one week after the previous one)
This one is for you buddy! Thank you so much for all of your amazing OC's!

Special thanks to those that helped create this chapter:

Tensleep
Qibolu
Grimtruth

Beta Readers:

Tensleep
Qibolu

OC Creators of OC's in this chapter:

- Samuk (Grimtruth)

- Otabane (Grimtruth)

- Tsukasa (Grimtruth)

- Ashito (Shikamaru)