AN: Author Note – Alltariss – I always wondered about the fics that have Naruto grow up abused and still have that happy-go-lucky attitude. They never explain if it's because of brain damage or something else. And I hate those that use that 'Mask' plot device. You don't need to pretend to be a retard to appear weak and stupid. It's very rare to find a fic that pulls it off very well.

This chapter reveals a lot of information regarding the history of the nation that Naruto lives in and also some details about the various factions that exist within it. The historical aspects hold great significance since it is the deeds of the past that gave birth to the evils of today.

Chapter 7

Whispers of a Red Dawn

The Great Five Hidden Villages had a solid relationship with the Shogunate and the Emperor. Each village swears their allegiance to them in return for the right to operate autonomously. The relationship was further solidified after the infamous Western Rebel Invasion. The ability to function and govern itself under its own laws, rules, and regulations was a privilege that every village valued and respected.

The Yakuza began as a small clan that had many operations in the criminal underworld. In the latter years of the Sengoku Jidai(Warring States Period) they accumulated more power by establishing themselves as mercenaries and spies to the highest bidder. In the current era the Yakuza are the primary source of crime throughout the nation of Nihon. With agents in every province, city, and town, it is no surprise that they rule the criminal underworld.

Ishikawa Shinichi was trained to see through layers if deception and sift through the lies to reach the truth. His master imparted a lifetime of knowledge and skills into him in the hope that he would surpass his predecessors. In the end Ishikawa was a deceiver who was rarely, if ever, deceived.

Within the Yakuza was a select group of agents whose purpose is to oversee certain aspects of the criminal underworld. These agents have under their purview a variety of operations that they oversee personally for the clan. Each of these agents are the leaders of their respective areas of criminal expertise. Among those who frequent the dark underworld of crime these individuals are known as the Yakuza Nine.

Among the Nine is the Master of Death, Oka Souta. The Yakuza have many contacts and sponsors within both the political and military arena, but the ninja forces are one commodity that they have failed to enter due to the majority of the ninja forces comprising of military clans and families. This is due to the fact that most members of these families have been ninja for generations. The Master of Death's responsibility is to act a liaison between the Yakuza and the Ninja.

Ishikawa held in a sneeze for the nth time as he watched from the tree branch.

Curse this Kami-damned rain.

He had observed the estate for three weeks, probing its defences in search for the slightest weakness to exploit. For those who exist among the higher echelons of the Yakuza hierarchy, it is a standard practice to keep work very separate from home. Their bases of operation have high-grade security systems and manned by large security forces. To enter such a location would be akin tempting the Shinigami to devour your soul.

The estates where their families reside in are another matter entirely. The security force should be appropriately renamed as an ex-ninja mercenary unit. The security system is the best one can buy from the West, in addition to any other security system created by ninja.

If I was tempting the Shinigami before, then I'm insane to go through with this. This is dressing myself up in sushi and serving myself to him on a silver platter.

The estate was located in the city of Akita a certain distance away from the main city. The city centre was an assortment of markets each accommodating to certain goods. The housing that surrounded the markets were mostly apartments with many luxuries provided either as part of the home or as a community shared one. For any merchant clan with wealth and reputation lived in clan estates located on the outer ring of the city.

Oka Souta's family estate was located off the beaten path and well within the forest that surrounded the city outskirts. With primary walls attached to roofed walkways that enclosed the compound, it was able to easily accommodate the mercenary unit of twenty.

Ishikawa had spent much of his time observing the men and women who guarded the walls of the estate. He had noticed that at no point was there a blind spot. Unlike regular security forces they didn't waste time chatting or doing any unproductive activity. It was a testament to their discipline and skill.

As well has how deep Souta's pockets are…

Each of them were dressed in military standard black fatigues over which they wore armoured flak-jackets which was a rarity. The jackets would have steel plates woven over the standard material to provide additional protection against physical attacks. Some had weapons such as swords and knifes, one even carried a kusarigama(chain and sickle). The flak-jackets also had several scroll pockets at the front and had clips on the back for attaching small packs. The additional packs they carried were marked with standard symbols that Ishikawa recognised.

Armour, scrolls, medic, and survival packs… These guys must be paid a fortune. No wonder they do their duty with such diligence. Not even the Daimyō's guards would be this well-funded.

He knew that he could most likely take on the unit and come out on top if he resorted to using every trick in his arsenal. Yet doing so would also result in the entire estate being reduced to ashes. Such an event was out of the question, this was a mission that would require a delicate touch.

Subtlety, guile, and an unshakeable determination is what I'll need to get this done without a scratch.

In the three weeks he stalked the area he had noticed a bear that would occasionally try to get inside the estate since it was attracted by the smell of food. The grand party that Souta held for his son's birthday had only increased the animal's curiosity and determination. The guards used small fireworks that would give both a bright flash and a loud bang to scare it away. Even so the bear would keep coming back every few days.

Ishikawa noticed that every time the bear reached a certain distance towards the walls the guard would instantly know its exact position, even when they had no line of sight and could obviously not see it.

Yet again, more proof that Souta's pockets are exceptionally deep.

Chakra Security Systems are heavily regulated and cost a fortune to maintain. The seals themselves are crafted by a Master Sealist and no one lesser than the master rank would perform such a task. The designs and schematics are easy to decipher for any competent practitioner of Fuinjutsu, but it was for a good reason that only masters would dare attempt such a thing.

The seals require Chakra in order to function and while it is possible to hire people to constantly charge the seals it would be far too expensive for what it's worth. Thus the seals are designed to draw from Chakra in the surrounding environment. While it sounded perfect on paper, it had its own set of problems.

Having a single security system in an area would be acceptable. The environment would easily compensate for the Chakra used by the seals, but if many systems were in place then the surroundings would not be able to restore the Chakra taken as quickly as it can replenish itself.

That is what led to the destruction of Rōran. The entire place is a Dead Zone, completely devoid of Chakra.

Since that incident the Shogunate and the Imperial Family implemented a series of laws and regulations designed to prevent overuse. To install and maintain such a security system requires more money than most could afford. Even wealthy merchant clans couldn't afford such a thing.

The knowledge that Souta had such a system installed made Ishikawa's mission increase in difficulty tenfold. The objectives were to infiltrate the premises, grab the information, and get out. Now such tasks seemed to be impossible to complete.

Ishikawa took note that there was a range of roughly a hundred metres from the walls that would alert the guards if anything entered the detection field. He knew that he wouldn't be detected so long as he never touched the ground, and was infinitely grateful that there were plenty of trees near the walls that he could hide in.

He had noticed that the only moment where security would present a weakness was when the bear would appear. A team of four would leave the wall scare the bear away. It seemed excessive to send four men, but the point was to simply scare the creature away, not kill it. It would seem easier to kill the creature in order to eliminate the recurring problem, but that had consequences.

The land of Nihon had many spirits and supernatural creatures. Many temples and shrines are devoted to such things and every person paid the proper respects to them. It is commonly believed that the storms that destroyed the invading fleets of the Mongols were brought about by the spirits of the land. Thus it is considered taboo to disrespect the heavenly beings. Killing the bear for simply being curious could anger the spirits of the forest. The last thing the guards would want is to face the fury of a spirit.

The sky was dark and the stars shined across the night. This was the best chance to get inside the compound. Ishikawa watched and waited as a thick cloud slowly moved to obscure the full moon. The torches provided minimal light, just enough to get the job done. He was surprised that Souta spent a fortune on the guards and security systems, but would have such cheap lighting.

A mistake that you'll regret once I'm done.

The torches were protected from rain, but not from wind. The method for sneaking into the estate relied on Ishikawa's ability to perform Fūton(Wind Release) ninjutsu. A difficult task considering that he lacked the affinity for it.

Prior to nightfall he had hunted a rabbit and used its blood to hopefully lead the bear to the edge of the detection field. It was to his satisfaction that his plan worked and the bear could be seen sniffing the trail of blood. He waited and was rewarded by seeing four of the guards leave the walls of the estate to deal with the animal.

Ishikawa quickly leapt from tree to tree until he was in the one closest to the walls. Only ten metres separated him from the wall, a small distance for those trained as a ninja. His hands immediately performed a number of hand-seals and focused his Chakra as he took a deep breath.

"Fūton: Kami Oroshi (Wind Release: Godly Wind from the Mountain)"

He exhaled slowly releasing a strong gust and guided it upwards before he made more hand-seals. The column of wind widened and flattened as he brought it back down at a descending angle.

The wind made the flaming torches flicker to the point where they appeared to temporarily go out. Without a moment of hesitation, Ishikawa leapt onto the wall and climbed over the railing. The wind began to die making the torches disperse light once more. He swiftly leapt over the other railing and attached himself to the wall with Chakra.

He waited, for a moment, then another, and another. It seemed clear that he had made it into the compound without alerting any of the guards or arousing any suspicion. He was surprised that he hadn't set off any alarms by touching the walls.

Seems even your pockets have limits to how deep they are.

Ishikawa knew that the walls could have been rigged with the same detection field as the outer grounds, but was willing to risk it. He used the gift he inherited from his master to observe and found no seals attached to the walls.

The rain was a blessing in disguise as the sounds of rainfall allowed him to move more freely without worrying about making noise. He activated his master's gift and observed his surrounding once more.

Could this bastard's home be any more ostentatious?

The garden was similar to the Zen gardens found in temples. There were large and small stones within sand boxes that were shaped using the rake nearby. A small stone-paved path leading to the pond was decorated on both sides by flowerbeds. The pond he had noticed was connected to the small artificial stream that used its own seals to function. Majority of the garden consisted of rare decorative plants.

This garden alone must have costed enough to fund a private military force.

Ishikawa noticed that Souta had indeed installed electrical security systems from the West. They were very expensive and required that one have trained staff available to watch over it. Security cameras were relatively new technology for the nation of Nihon. The ability to record events and play them back sounded very useful for those seeking to protect their investments.

A pity that any competent ninja worth his salt can easily bypass such an obstacle.

He deactivated his gift and slowly observed the garden for multiple points of entry. At the beginning of the stream was a store room with a raised wooden pathway that lead into the rest of the house. He slowly walked along the wall until the storeroom was within leaping distance, before bounding towards it and quickly entered it through the open window.

The rain had thoroughly soaked him to the bone. His clothes clung to him and water dripped noisily as it hit the hardwood floor. Ishikawa clapped his hands together and focused his Chakra into the water all around him. Soon all the moisture in the air and the water that clung to him rose and formed a sphere that floated mid-air.

He kept it floating as he silently opened the door and closed it behind him after bringing the water outside. He moved it near the ground before cutting off the Chakra thereby letting it fall with minimal sound. Now he was dry and could infiltrate the house without fear as the only inhabitants were Souta's family and their servants.

The house appeared to be three stories high from the outside, but the home had five floors. Three above ground and the rest below.

Naturally the information I need in the lowest level.

The family were having dinner at the moment and thus the servants were all working near the dining room and the kitchen. He made his way into the closest room to find a bedroom with toys strewn about.

His children's room. Even the toys cost a fortune… Does Souta even know how to save money?

Making his way into the room opposite to him revealed Souta's bedroom. Ishikawa was getting restless, he needed to find what he needed and leave quickly.

The longer I stay here the chances of being found rises and worse, I may unknowingly leave evidence of my intrusion. Why didn't I use it to scout the entire place again? Oh right, because a true shinobi wouldn't rely such a thing. Damn my code of conduct!

Fortunately the next room he entered was Souta's office. To the left of door was a stairway leading to the lower levels. Without waiting, Ishikawa walked down the steps until he reached the barracks of the guards.

The barracks was furnished with bunk-beds and tables. The tables had empty bowls of food and weapons lying about. With a cursory glance Ishikawa ascertained that the living quarters were vacant and thus safe to enter. Making his way to the other end of the room was a difficult task.

The room had eight security cameras each equally spaced from one another for maximum coverage. The key to fooling security cameras was using Genjutsu. Normal Genjutsu relied on affecting the targets senses and fooling them into believing something different from reality. Unfortunately security cameras were inanimate objects and had no senses to manipulate, but that didn't mean one couldn't fool them.

Another form of Genjutsu was to create an illusion through the bending of light. Such a form of Genjutsu meant everyone would be affected by it instead of having to individually capture multiple targets in separate illusions. The reason many never learnt such techniques was because they were taxing.

Ishikawa closed his eyes as he focused, bringing as much Chakra as he could control to the surface of his skin. He had used his master's gift more than he would have liked, but now he felt annoyed because he would be using the gift he stole from the original Kageken.

Colour bled from his sight leaving only monochromatic shades. He expanded the Chakra an inch wider from his skin before commanding it to bend and warp around him. Now if one were to look at him they would see nothing.

"Ninpō: Meimei(Ninja Art: Divine Dark Invisibility)."

With careful deliberation he slowly made his way through the barracks until he reached the stairs leading to the lower level. After ensuring he was out of sight from any camera he relinquished his hold of the technique. The door that stood before him seemed quite plain in appearance, with the exception of the seal array that adorned it.

Red-painted and with a single door knob, it would be normal for one to simply assume that it lacked any protections. Unfortunately, the seals that were painted all over it prevented anyone except Souta from opening it.

He observed the Overseal for a few moments. It was a spiral encased in a circle with a web of illegible cursives branching outwards. He knew this design very well, the one used by the Uzumaki clan before they died out. Many still used it falsely proclaiming they were taught by an Uzumaki clansman.

Only one person has truly studied under a Uzumaki Sealist, and he was member of the Legendary Sannin(Three Ninja).

Jiraiya had the privilege of being taught Fuinjutsu by an Uzumaki, after showing great talent for the art. Uzumaki Mito imparted much of the basics into him, but never revealed any knowledge that was exclusive to her clan. Thus, Jiraiya had clawed his way to the highest rank on determination, talent, and ingenuity.

What is unknown by many is that Sealist's tend to specialise in certain fields of Fuinjutsu. The Nidaime Hokage, Senju Tobirama, had great interest in the manipulation of space and time which eventually led to the creation of the Hiraishin technique. Jiraiya on the other hand had chosen to focus on archiving methodology. His skill at encryption and decryption were legendary amongst code-breakers in every village far and wide.

Ishikawa knew that there was a chance that the Sealist who inscribed the seal array on the door could be Jiraiya. If it was then he was in good fortune, as he knew a secret that only those with Code Black Clearance could ever know. Within every seal that Jiraiya creates for any client who hires him is a hidden switch that would instantly disable it.

Ishikawa charged the tip of his finger with Chakra and began to tap in a number of spots on the Overseal in a very particular sequence. It was Morse Code combined with knowing the right places to touch for each part of the secret phrase.

The frog who dwells at the bottom of the well, knows not the grand ocean.

With a slight pulse of Chakra and a miniscule glow, the seal faded from sight leaving the door open for the infiltrator.

Well what do you know? Even Souta buys Jiraiya's services. A blessing in disguise, a heavenly boon from Kami! If you hired him for your secrets then the others probably have as well.

Entering the room revealed rows of shelves all filled with documents and scrolls. Each shelf was numbered by date making Ishikawa's job much easier.

The Kyūbi Event happened three weeks ago…

He found the correct shelf and to his delight every document was well ordered to lessen the time taken to search for something. He theorised that if the Yakuza truly knew about the event then they would have had heard it from Souta.

The mysterious attacker who unleashed the Bijū upon the village would either have contacted Souta personally, or through an intermediary. Either way Souta would have been contacted a week after the news spread of the event which was a few days after it took place.

He sifted through a few files but found nothing pertaining to the event. He picked up another file after a cursory glance and was about return it back where it was found, but paused when he noticed the embossed symbol on it. It was a fluffy cloud, which seemed to indicate a file relating to Kumogakure(Village Hidden in Clouds), but the design was completely different from the one used on Kumo headbands. He paused to recall all the different factions that he knew used clouds as their symbol.

Kumo is obvious. Another possibility is the Flight Unit from Iwa, it could even be remnants of ninja from Soragakure(Village Hidden in the Sky).

Somewhere in the depths of his thoughts he knew that there was something missing. A crucial piece of the puzzle that was needed to solve the mystery. His mind wandered to reports previously read in his past, hoping to remember what it is that he needed. Suddenly he recalled a report he had read from Danzō.

The Akatsuki(Dawn/Daybreak) organisation that rose in rebellion against Salamander Hanzō. Their symbol is a red cloud.

Ishikawa couldn't figure out why Souta would have a file on the rebel faction. The Akatsuki were made of self-trained ninja, only some were actually Chūnin(Middle Ninja) in skill level. They were a small group that sought to take over Amegakure(Village Hidden in Rain). The only members that were of any threat were the leader and his two second in command. He knew that there was a rumour that the leader had the legendary Kekkei Genkai(Bloodline Limit), the Rinnegan(Saṃsāra Eye).

He opened the file and found multiple storage seals with ascending numbers. A small note explained that each seal held messages from the Akatsuki. With a small pulse of Chakra he opened the first one.

Year 2240, March

The organisation known as Akatsuki would like to arrange a meeting. We wish to create a solid relationship with the Yakuza Clan, its allies, and affiliates. We of the Akatsuki seek not money or resources, but rather information. We understand that such a request comes with a cost and we are more than prepared to pay any price you find appropriate.

Please send your reply to the address enclosed. As a sign of good faith and as proof to show we can easily pay your price, we have included a list of our financial assets.

We eagerly await your reply.

Madara.

Ishikawa's blood chilled as he read the name signed at the bottom. There was only one person he knew that beared the name of 'Madara'. The man was the only person who could possibly challenge the Shodaime Hokage in a fight as an equal. The greatest leader of the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Madara, was a shinobi with skills that conquered any who stood against him. Only when he fought against the Shodaime did he find someone capable of defeating him.

Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama had forged a peace between the Senju and Uchiha clans which had been at war since the age of the Rikudo Sennin(Sage of Six Paths). When the hostilities between the clans ended, they created the first Hidden Village in all of Nihon, Konohagakure. After the creation of Konoha, Madara betrayed the village and fought Hashirama in a duel.

The fight between them is one of the most legendary in the history of Nihon. A tale on par with the mythology of the past, it was no wonder that Ishikawa felt fear at what the message implied.

If he is alive, if the Uchiha Madara of legend is alive then he must be more than eighty years old. Far from his prime, but still dangerous enough to warrant a 'Flee on Sight' order.

He sealed the message back into its corresponding seal and opened the second last message in the file. He assumed that the last message would be one that arrived after the Kyūbi Event.

Year 2242, September

As we previously discussed the Kyūbi Jinchūriki presents a valuable opportunity for the Akatsuki. The seal that jails the beast within will weaken until it is capable of being opened easily. Your information regarding the Jinchūriki is very much appreciated. Thus, expect a bonus with our usual payment for your services.

We would very much recommend that any and all agents within the vicinity of Konoha should evacuate before this month's end. We will move against Konoha whilst the Jinchūriki is in labour and will unleash the Bijū within the village to cause the maximum damage possible. With Konoha weakened it should provide better opportunities for both of us to exploit.

The attack will place an economic strain on the country which will provide the Akatsuki more freedom and manoeuvrability to exercise our strength.

As always we eagerly await your reply.

Madara.

This was all the proof that he needed to prove the Akatsuki's involvement in the Kyūbi Event. Even worse was their blatant admission of what they intended to do. The plan went exactly according to their wishes. Konoha is in ruins and rests in a precarious position that could easily burst into the next Shinobi World War.

Once again he resealed the message and opened the last one.

Year 2242, October

The attack on Konoha was both a success and a failure. The Kyūbi was never meant to be jailed again and now it remains out of our grasp. This has unfortunately set some of our plans back for years, but such an incident wasn't unexpected. We have made adjustments to our plan and will work towards it as usual.

It will please you to know that Konoha sustained severe damage and will need time to recover. This will allow both the Yakuza and the Akatsuki to move more freely for a short period of time within the country.

We of the Akatsuki will continue to maintain our beneficial relationship as it has proved most profitable. Our payment will be made as usual, same place, same time.

As always we eagerly await your reply.

Madara.

Ishikawa spent a few moments pondering on all the information he had learnt. A shiver ran down his spine as he realised just how dangerous the current political and military climate was. After placing the message back into its seal, he removed a scroll from the pouch worn on his waist behind him.

Jiraiya was a Master Sealist who specialised in seals that dealt with the encryption and decryption of information, among other things. One of the things he had inherited from the Sealist who taught him was a seal that allowed the duplication of items. The Kageken placed the file on the ground spread open to show all the storage seals that held the messages within.

He opened his scroll and within was multiple seals one after another. He kept unrolling it until the number of seals matched the file. With a pulse of Chakra he linked each seal to the ones in the file. With a secondary pulse the seals glowed a golden colour and began to draw Chakra from Ishikawa at a steady rate. After a minute had elapsed the process was complete.

He placed the file back where it was meant to be, ensuring that there wouldn't be any signs of his intrusion. After securing the scroll back into his pouch, he turned to leave the room. His mind was a maelstrom of thoughts as he struggled to understand exactly the grand designs in play.

Damn it all to hell. Why did shit have to get so complicated?

AN: Note – Hope you enjoyed learning a bit more about the world Naruto lives in.