The Fifth Raikage
The Fifth Raikage
Chapter 2-Wooden Marionette
(knock knock) "Come in." said Kakashi. The nurse opened the door and escorted in Tsunade and Rydo. "Lady Tsunade, what a surprise. Who is that with you?"
"I'm shocked Kakashi. You forgot about our rivalry all these years." Said Rydo with a sense of sarcasm.
"Rivalry? Was that the relationship you had with Kakashi?" asked Tsunade.
"Wait a minute, you can't be…" stuttered Kakashi.
"Rydo Tsugami, Head and Last member of the Tsugami Clan as well as the Hidden Cloud Village's Fifth Raikage. It's too bad you're hurt this bad. I would love to see if your Lightning Blade is still just as strong as my Raikoho."
"Just what sort of rivalry did you two have?" asked Tsunade.
"Well, after I got the Sharingan from Obito, I trained in a remote area from the village. There I met Rydo. Apparently my Lightning Blade was similar to his Raikoho. So every few months after we each did our respective training, we challenged each other to see whose technique was stronger. But we haven't seen each other since I joined Team 7. To think that you would become Raikage."
"And don't think I haven't heard of what you've been doing. I take it the reason you're bedridden is because of your new technique. What was is called again…? Oh yes, the Mangekyo Sharingan. Well you're not the only one who developed a new jutsu. This one makes my Raikoho look like a parlor trick. But it looks like you won't get to see it." Said Rydo. He and Kakashi seem to be staring at each other with intensity.
"What's with these two?" thought Tsunade. "Well we better let Kakashi get some rest. He'll be in that bed for a few more days." Said Tsunade.
"Fine then. Next time Kakashi." Said Rydo. And both Tsunade and Rydo left the room. Kakashi lies there and thinks back. It wasn't long after Obito had died. He kept on thinking he had to get stronger and master the Sharingan, so none of his teammates would ever be hurt again. But after weeks of training, he could only use his Chidori twice.
"You know what the problem is, don't you!" shouted a voice. Kakashi looked behind him and saw someone approaching. "The problem is that you need something that can actually stand up to that jutsu." The stranger stopped a few yards from Kakashi. He formed a few hand seals and started generating electricity. Kakashi formed hand seals as well and started his Chidori. Both shinobis dashed at each other with incredible speed. Kakashi thrusted his arm forward while the stranger launched a bolt of electricity from his hand. After what could be described as a cataclysmic explosion, Kakashi managed to cut through the electric attack with his Chidori. His arm was lodged in the stranger's chest. The stranger disappeared in a puff of smoke. "Wow! Good thing that was a shadow clone or I would have been killed." The stranger appeared from behind a boulder. "I didn't think that attack could actually beat my lightning jutsu. What do you call that jutsu?" asked the stranger. Kakashi thought for a moment. He finally figured out how to get stronger.
"I call it the Lightning Blade." Said Kakashi. The two met at that rocky plain every few months and tested each other's skills. Kakashi was able to use his Lightning Blade up to four times while Rydo created his Raikoho. "So much has changed." Thought Kakashi as he lied in the hospital.
Tsunade and Rydo are exiting the hospital where Shizune and Yuuta are waiting. "Shizune!" shouted Tsunade. "I'll be leaving with Rydo now."
"But Lady Tsunade…" Shizune started but Rydo cut her off.
"Do not worry Shizune. Yuuta will be here to assist you and we will only be gone for a few hours. We should leave now."
"Right. Shizune I'll leave the rest to you." Said Tsunade. Both of them left the village heading north-east. After traveling for two hours they arrived at an open plain in the middle of the forest. There was a cabin near the edge and wooden log posts everywhere. "Who lives here?"
"His name is Kito. This is his hideout. He escaped from the Akatsuki when they tried to recruit him for his unique keke genkai."
"What is his keke genkai?"
"Wood Manipulation." A look of shock appeared on Tsunade's face.
"Impossible. Only the First Hokage had that jutsu and that was because he was a keke genkai and he had both water and earth element chakras." Said Tsunade.
"Shhhh! I can hear someone. He's close by." Whispered Rydo.
"I don't hear anything." Said Tsunade.
"That's because I use chakra to manipulate the static electricity in the air, carrying an sound within the area. He knows we're here!" Shouted Rydo. Just then the log posts grew arms and legs and became wood clones of an old man. He was around 5'9", possibly around Tsunade's age.
"Who are you, and why have you entered my land." Said the clones.
"We're not here to fight. We need to talk to you about the Akatsuki." Said Rydo.
"Akatsuki!?" he shouted. "Leave now!" All the wood clones attacked. Rydo used his earth dome jutsu to cover himself and Tsunade.
"On the count of three I need you to jump as high as you can and try to reach the edge of the forest." Said Rydo. "One, Two, Three!" The dome crumbled and Tsunade leaped high into the air and landed near the edge of the forest. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Rydo created ten shadow clones and they disappeared and reappeared at the edges of the forest, surrounding the wood clones. "Tsunade! Stand back!" Rydo drew some blood from his finger and formed hand seals. "Summoning Jutsu:Thunder Judgement." Shouted the ten clones. A black cloud appeared above all the wood clones. From the cloud came a crashing lightning bolt shaped like a dragon. All of the wood clones were burnt to a crisp. Rydo's shadow clones disappeared into puffs of smoke and he was standing in the middle of the plain. He looked completely unharmed but he was panting and on one knee. "That jutsu always takes up so much chakra." Tsunade headed towards Rydo to see if he needed any medical assistance.
"What kind of jutsu was that?" said Tsunade, while checking Rydo for any injuries.
"That was a summoning jutsu. Only the Raikage can summon the spirit of the Thunder Dragon. When a shinobi becomes the Raikage they make a contract with the spirit. Unfortunately it takes a large amount of chakra to maintain the electricity and to prevent the electricity from damaging myself." Suddenly a voice came from behind them.
"Wood Style: Wood Snare Trap" Lashes of wood came out and bound Tsunade and Rydo. A man appeared before them. He looked exactly like the wood clones. "I warned you to leave. I told Akatsuki to leave me alone. You two won't have the chance to report back now."
"Hold on a minute!" exclaimed Rydo. "We're not with Akatsuki."
"And why should I trust you?" asked the old man.
"Because she's the Fifth Hokage, Lady Tsunade."
"What! That's impossible. You expect me to believe this young woman to be that old hag!" Tsunade's temper shot through the roof.
"Who are you calling an old hag!" shouted Tsunade. She broke free from the wood and heel dropped the ground. The old man was sent rolling backwards and the wood loosened its hold on Rydo. Tsunade was ringing the life out of the old man's neck before Rydo was able to pull her off him. "Let me go! I'll show him who's an old hag!" Rydo was able to pull Tsunade a safe distance from the old man.
"What do you think you're doing you crazy old bag." Shouted the old man. Tsunade's temper shot again and she punched the old man right in the stomach, sending him flying.
"Grandpa!" shouted a girl from behind them. "Wood Style: Rose Vine Whip". Lengths of vines shot out from the ground and caught the old man. "Wood Style: Rose Vine Bind" said the girl. Vines shot from the ground again and wrapped Tsunade and Rydo. "Grandpa, are you all right?" asked the girl as the vines lowered him to the ground.
"I'm alright Toshiko. You can let them go." Said the old man.
"But Grandpa!" whined Toshiko.
"The only person with such monstrous strength is the Legendary Sannin, Tsunade. Let them go Toshiko."
"There's no need." Said a voice behind them. Rydo and Tsunade disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"Shadow clones?" gasped Toshiko in complete shock. "B b b but how? When…" she stuttered. There was now possible way anyone could have switched bodies during such short amount of time.
"While you were busy catching your grandfather I substituted our bodies with shadow clones." Explained Rydo. He and Tsunade were standing right behind her the whole time.
"Truly remarkable." Said the old man. "I apologize for the way we acted. Please come inside my cabin. We can talk there." said the old man. Rydo, Tsunade, and the old man walked inside the cabin while Toshiko was still a bit stunned. "Toshiko!" shouted her grandpa. Toshiko snapped out of her daze and ran inside.
"I'm … I'm really sorry. Please forgive me!" apologized Toshiko. She got on her knees and bowed to Tsunade and Rydo.
"It's fine. Please get up." Said Rydo. He was trying to assure her that there was nothing she had to apologize for. Toshiko got up and went to the kitchen and brought everyone some tea. She was still apologizing over and over and over.
"Enough Toshiko." Said her grandpa. "I am Kito, the eldest of my clan. You said you wanted to talk about the Akatsuki."
"Right. But first let me ask you something?" questioned Tsunade. "Why is it that you have the same power as the First Hokage?"
"That's because we are the descendants of the Senju Clan, and the only ones left with the same chakra type as the head of our clan, the First Hokage. We use to live in the outskirts of the Leaf Village years ago when Toshiko was a child. Unfortunately, our family was approached by the Akatsuki. They said they wanted to recruit me for my ability to manipulate wood. I was able to escape with the help of the Dragon of the Leaf."
"The Dragon of the Leaf?" questioned Tsunade. "That's impossible. He died during the Uchiha massacre. Even though his body was never found, it would be impossible to survive, even if he was at the same level as Itachi."
"Well it was the Dragon of the Leaf who saved us from the Akatsuki. Since they wanted my abilities I went into hiding within this forest. I also took Toshiko with me because she showed signs of having the same abilities. If you don't believe me then maybe you should meet with him yourself. He told me that he has been tracking Itachi since he left the village. Toshiko can take you to him." The old man nodded to her.
"Yes, grandpa. We should leave immediately." She stood up and walked towards the doorway.
"Toshiko." Said Kito. "If you wish to fight the Akatsuki with the Dragon, then you may go." When the Kito said those words Toshiko let out a smile.
"Thank you, Grandpa. I won't let you or them down." Said Toshiko. She left with Tsunade and Rydo. Before she left, Tsunade whispered a thank you to Kito. The three left the cabin and headed due west with Tosh leading Tsunade and Rydo. "Excuse me, Rydo. You're the Raikage of the Hidden Cloud Village right?"
"Yes I am." He replied.
"How come you left your village to fight the Akatsuki? Won't it be unprotected?" questioned Tosh.
"The truth is, I was second in line to become the Raikage. There's someone else in my village that's just as strong as I am."
Back at the Hidden Cloud Village, Yuri returns to report to the second in command. "We have received reports from Yuuta that Lord Raikage has left with the Hokage to find Kito Senju. They should return to the Leaf Village soon."
"Rydo…" whispered the man.
Next Chapter will feature the mysterious Dragon of the Leaf!