Something went wrong with the reviews so I'm going to answer the ones I didn't get to in the last chapter. READ BOTH NOTES PLEASE!
Antex-The Legendary Zoroark: That they are.
Greer123: Yes. Yes he has.
Testarossacain: Thank you.
Chapter 4: Antex-The Legendary Zoroark: I'm glad you like it.
Chapter 3: Testarossacain: Thank you. In the Naruto-verse, the Akatsuki are on a whole 'nother level so I decided to do the same thing here.
RWBY Notes: This chapter takes place in Volume 2, Episode 4, and yes there is some filler content in this chapter but the chapter itself is not. In this ff, the Vytal Festival takes place in RWBY's sophomore year. The RWBY kingdoms are shaped like the five great nations but without the minor nations in between. Menagerie off the east coast of Vale where The Land of Water would be, The Land of Light off the north coast of Atlas where The Land of Snow would be, and the Land of Darkness off the south coast of Vacuo, south of the Land of Wind.
Author's Notes: I have decided to focus on this story and then I will start finishing the others. It will go Unwanted Saviors, For Kakashi So Loved The World, Shinobi Revolution, and then a Burn Notice fan fiction. I had a lot of trouble with so tell me if it's choppy or jumpy because because the website was acting weird.
That's Not Possible
The Akatsuki met at their main base in Vale with bad news. Beacon Academy was going to be attacked by 100,000 grimm. Not even all of them combined could stop that. They needed an edge. Something they didn't expect. Something on the level of a tailed beast.
Nagato looked at the supply crate that had the reaper death seal on the bottom with hatred. He really didn't want to use it but the circumstances left him no choice. "We can't possibly hope to stop that many grimm on our own. And that is why I revived this."
Itachi was confused but didn't show it. "I see where you're going with this but why do we need a seal of that power?"
"Because we need a tailed beast. The three tails to be exact. We will seal it in this box until it's time and then reseal it when we need to. The seal is powered by my life force so it can only be broken either by my death or when I unlock it myself."
"And we are going to get the three tails, how?"
"The same way we did last time but with a lot more discretion and I'll make sure he is returned to the village. Konan and I will do that. The Vytal Festival starts next year and our kingdom needs to be ready so the rest of you will spread the word. Our kingdom starts within six months."
He looked at Zabuza and Haku who said nothing but looked at Nagato. "Spies indicate that there is a massive arms deal going down in the Emerald Forest between the White Fang and the Vale Mafia. Carlo Gambino to be specific. You will kill those from the White Fang and replace them with transformed water clones after which, you will dress as members of the White Fang and kill whoever the Gambino family sends."
"Why the hell are we starting a war between the White Fang and the mafia?" Asked Deidara. "I thought we were supposed to be stopping wars, not starting them."
"While you are correct, we're doing it because we need the citizens of Vale to side with us. As of right now, only the outer settlements are on our side. A war between the White Fang and the Mafia will be very bloody and very large so we'll look like heroes to the people when we come in and remove both of them."
"Now that's 2000 IQ." Said Zabuza.
"Yes. Konan and I will grab the three-tails and Zabuza and Haku will start the mob incident. Itachi and Kisame will attempt to get the faunus of Menagerie on our side. Tell them we care not for what species they are, but rather what they are capable of. You two are the strongest out of all of us. If they ask for a demonstration of your power, don't hold back but do not kill or injure them. The rest of you will establish our borders.
Our capitol is the neutral area between Vale and Mistral and we will push 40 miles into each kingdom in a circle. Do NOT leave any marks. Just look around. That is all. Dismissed."
Everyone left to complete their tasks.
Itachi and Kisame had to travel east to get to Menagerie. Having approximately 50,000 Faunus on their side would be invaluable both politically and militaristically. It would show the world that the Hidden Dawn was Faunus friendly. Of course, they would need a little convincing because it would be difficult to move that many people safely but that's what they're for.
Kisame sensed the signature dark and empty presence of Grimm and a lot of them but for some reason, they weren't attacking them. "You sense them?"
"Clear as day. The fact that they aren't attacking means they're either really old and wise for Grimm or someone is controlling them and I can't tell if they're any assassins in there with all the Grimm." They didn't stop but were more alert. "This isn't a coincidence and any shinobi worth his salt knows there's no such thing as a coincidence." Replied Itachi.
"Only bad or missing information. Think we have a mole or a rat?"
"Doubtful. I'd say we have a bug somewhere or someone who can control grimm is smart and knows that if he or she was us, this is what we'd do. My money's on the second one. You?"
"When you say it like that, I can't help but agree. This is too convenient, too well timed, too coincidental to be the work of a spy and our cyber security is second to none. Not to mention that our spies are trained to resist interrogation and even seduction."
"Yes and there's a lot of negative emotion around so no one will question why there's a large pack of grimm around for longer than ten seconds. Well, Kisame? Shall we attend to our unwanted guests? I'm no Deidara, but I really want to try out these fortress grade explosive tags that Nagato gave us."
"Thought you'd never ask."
When Itachi threw the fortress grade explosive tag into the pack of grimm about 30 feet away, he was not disappointed. The explosion knocked them on their asses and vaporized everything in a 10-foot radius. They couldn't sense the grimm anymore but there was indeed an assassin. The strongest men in the world took after him at full speed and although they were unable to catch him due to the distance between them, they did learn that he was a scorpion faunus. Rare and usually assassins. He also had the emblem for grimm on his right shoulder. Itachi's sharingan got a good look at his face and the psychotic look told them he wouldn't be easy to break.
Itachi scoffed at that thought. "They all talk. It could be now, it could be days from now, but I assure you; they all talk."
"That they do. Should we return or keep going?" Asked Kisame.
"We keep going. We're not far."
Menagerie was an island filled with Faunus and even though they snuck in, they still chose to walk down the sidewalks. This got them a lot of attention but not the kind they thought they would get. The people looked at them with curiosity and awe rather than fear and hatred. They assumed it was because of their actions towards the Faunus and the fact that Kisame looked like a shark Faunus but regardless, they weren't being attacked in the middle of the street so that was definitely a plus.
Itachi thought about what the Akatsuki could offer them. He supposed they would receive equality and equity, proper housing, and should they choose to become part of the military, equal training. Not to mention the much needed upgrade in technology but would be asking for something in return. Most likely something to do with x amount of them joining the military. Huntsmen or Shinobi wasn't really an issue at the moment.
When they got to the center of the island, they found a large mansion that held whoever was in charge of the place. Itachi knocked.
A male voice came from inside. "I told you, we are not part of the White Fang anymore!"
"We're Akatsuki. The man speaking is Itachi Uchiha and my partner is Kisame Hoshigaki. We wish to talk." Answered Itachi.
A few moments later, a 5'6'' woman came to answer the door. She had a black and white dress with gold trimmings as was clearly a cat Faunus like her husband. She smiled. "Terribly sorry about that. My name is Kali Belladonna. Come in, come in." She led them to the living room and asked them to sit down. "Can I get you anything? Beer?"
"That's very kind of you mam but we'll pass. We want to speak to you and your husband about something very important."
"I see. I'll go get him." She turned the other way. "HONEY! These people are here to see you! No, it's not the White Fang. It's the Akatsuki."
A large male cat Faunus came running into the room. "Alright, I'm here. What do you want?"
Kisame went for the blunt force trauma approach. "We want all of you to join our kingdom. I promise you will be protected until you arrive. If you join our kingdom you will receive equality and equity, proper housing, and should you choose to become part of our military, equal training. Not to mention the much needed upgrade in technology. Race means nothing to us."
Itachi looked the husband dead in the eyes. His sharingan was off but it was still scary. "What we do want to know is...can and will you kill for us? We're not a terrorist organization but certain men and women and grimm stand between us and a better world and death is the only way to eliminate them. It's not pleasant, but it must be done. Do you accept?"
"What if we decline?" Asked Kali.
"Then we'll just ask you to move to our kingdom and that's it. Everything after that is up to you."
"So you want to use us for your political games?"
"No. But if you turn down our offer, you'll make the faunus look even worse than they already do and it won't be our fault. We are offering you a chance to fight for eternal peace for the entire world. Not some racial disparity that will end with countless bodies on the ground."
Kali turned to her husband. "Ghira, please. These men from the Akatsuki are doing the right thing. I know it's not the most peaceful thing, but their methods aren't the worst in the world as we've seen."
Ghira grunted. "I'm still not convinced."
Itachi smirked on the inside. 'Not yet. You're still here and that means the idea stuck. Let me tell you something, old man. Something that surprised both of us.' "Well then let me tell you a story. The story of how the Kingdom of Vale became the strongest of the Four Great Kingdoms."
Itachi took a quiet deep breath. "Yes, you heard me correctly. Vale is the strongest of the kingdoms. It's not because of their numbers or even their equipment but rather, their minds and the minds of their superiors. Lord Ozpin's mind if you want to get specific. In the Great War, they used what little equipment they had to ensure total victory over the enemy and they used their minds to make the enemy think they had 100,000 then they only had 10,000. When they won, they would steal the enemy's better gear off their dead bodies and use it to further their cause."
Itachi paused to let that sink in. "Did you know that Vale was betrayed in the height of the great war? They lost 1,000 valuable men at what they call the Tragedy of Kyoko Pass in Vacuo and were pushed all the way back to their home country. But instead of giving up, they, again, used what they had to make sure that every inch gained was paid for in massive amounts of blood. On August 5, 1945, Vale secured their first victory against the other three nations all at the same time and turned their own weapons against them."
Ghira was starting to crack and Itachi noticed. 'Just a little bit more.' "Ten years later, Atlas and Mistral were the one's about to lose and quickly surrendered when Lord Ozpin slaughtered 1,000 soldiers from all three kingdoms in two weeks.
As a result, Vacuo is a mess, Mistral is the world trade center, and Atlas is the leading power in technology. They can growl, but Atlas is the only one with fangs to bite. The Hidden Dawn will be more powerful than all four of them put together and your people could be a part of it." Itachi got up and walked to the door. "You have 48 hours to decide. We'll be back then." Neither of the Belladonnas said anything. They were too amazing and the news was too surprising. So amazing that their mouths were hanging open. "And close your mouth. You'll catch flies."
A few hours later, the strongest team made camp and looked at their campfire with neutral expressions in comfortable silence. They would have kept it up all night but Kisame's curiosity got the better of him. "'Think he'll say yes?"
"Most definitely. Men like him only want what's best for his people. Vale may be the strongest kingdom but it is the second most racist. Only Atlas is ahead of them in that area." Replied Itachi.
"You know that Atlas will throw a hissy fit."
Itachi snorted. "Unless they can get their hands on a tailed beast or that super grimm from Mountain Glenn, I'm not worried. If they start a war, it'll be a grudge match."
Kisame chuckled at that. "Vale won't even talk to them about anything other than science, Vacuo will be a battlefield, Mistral has high quality cops, not soldiers, and we can probably convince Ozpin to start the next Great War."
"Not the most peaceful way of achieving world peace, but if I was Leader's shoes, it's what I'd do. Mistral will jump at the chance to expand economically, Vacuo will be uninhabitable by the time the war is over, and Vale will be unstoppable." Itachi looked at the sky. "Any word on what we're going to do with Willow?"
"Rehabilitation and then we'll use her to get us all the dust we want for a low price." Kisame paused. "Any word from our spies in Beacon?"
"Yes. The White Fang is going to make a move on the docks and we're going to stop them." Answered Itachi.
Kisame was a little skeptical. "That doesn't seem like news that would come from a spy in Beacon."
"That's just it. Team RWBY will be the ones trying to stop them. We will get there exactly when they do and when the shooting starts, we'll give them a taste of the real world. When those four girls are the only survivors in a White Fang massacre started by the Akatsuki, they'll lose innocence and Ozpin will not be able to ignore us." Explained Itachi.
Kisame looked at the setting sun. "Do you think we'll go to war? The 4th war was a shame but the third…"
Itachi didn't respond for a moment. "Sadly, yes. Atlas and Vacuo are going to continue to cause problems and the negative emotions will only attract more grimm in the long run." Itachi wordlessly went to his tent. "Ya mind talking fist watch?"
"Yeah, sure."
They traded watches every four hours and ever since Itachi's shift started, he felt the same presence from the time someone sent an assassin after them. The assassin was too far from Kisame's tent to be a threat but close enough to become on in a second. Itachi used his sharingan to look in his direction and saw that it was that scorpion Faunus again. Itachi flared his chakra but signaled for Kisame to play possum.
Itachi walked towards the scorpion's direction. "I know you're there. It's hard to mask a presence that slimy and evil. You have two choices. You can either come out of the trees and face me head on, or I can come and find you and suck you dry of all your secrets. Even if I have to pry them out of you with a crowbar."
Itachi started circling him and the scorpion didn't come out. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way." Still nothing. He signaled for Kisame to start moving quietly behind their adversary. Once Kisame was behind the Faunus, Itachi gave him one last chance. "Last chance. Come out now or you'll get turned into paste" Once again, nothing. "You asked for it. Kisame, do it."
From the assassin's blind spot, Kisame stabbed him with his sword. Sucking up all his aura and shredding a large area on his back. He was exhausted and unable to do anything when Itachi tied him up with chakra suppressing cuffs. In this world, those things were super effective and unbreakable to huntsmen and huntresses of all kinds.
Itachi dropped against the tree he was hiding and activated his Mongyeko Sharingan. With the assassin unable to see his face, those eyes looked like the eyes of the devil. Itachi looked in his eyes but casted no genjutsu. Only used KI to inflict fear. "You look quite skilled. Strong tail, poisoned tip, powerful weapons, good stealth." Itachi started pacing slowly. "But what made you think that you could take on the strongest men in the world? After we sent the last 15 assassins back in separate boxes every month for 12 months, people stopped coming after us directly."
The assassin couldn't see Kisame's face either but could feel his shark-like grin. "I know you weren't paid to do this. You would have asked for a massive up-front payment and no one has made any money transfers worth knowing about. You don't seem crazy enough to go off on your own so…." Kisame pretended to think and then laughed, "Oh, I get it. You're so loyal to your master that you'd die a slow and painful death and have your body be turned to ashes. I'll admit, your loyalty is impressive but futile. Who is your master anyways? Is he an evil human who treated you with kindness? Or is he faunus that lets you do whatever you want?"
Kisame seemed to hit a nerve because the Faunus lost his cool. "My mistress is not evil! She wants to create a new world by destroying the old one!"
Itachi rolled his eyes. "Evil human who treated you with kindness but you're already a psychopath so you do her dirty work for her. Typical. You feel indebted to her so you do anything and everything she says. Tell me. Do you think she'll send someone to rescue you before you crack under our interrogation methods? People like her are known for keeping their assets alive but know when to cut their losses when someone becomes a liability. Who knows? Maybe someone with better stealth skills will come to kill you instead of us next time? You have one week to escape for someone to rescue you. We'll be back in a few hours." Itachi made sure to tie him down extra tight before leaving. They still had a little over 24 hours before they had to go meet Ghira and Kali."
As it turned out, Itachi was right. The Faunus of Menagerie agreed to join them but they had to guarantee their safety when they traveled. But things had been anything but safe. Someone had been sending assassins at all times of the day and night and the grimm were almost always attacking them. They were able to escape to Akatsuki territory where Nagato was waiting and he was a life saver. Safe to say, they didn't have any problems for a while.
But that changed when an assassin was bold enough to try and kill Itachi and Kisame. He failed miserably and was knocked unconscious by Itachi. He would have used Tsukuyomi but this Faunus was a masochist so pain couldn't break him. Itachi told Nagato to go on ahead while they took care of the prisoner.
"Wonder who he is." Said Kisame.
"I agree. How long do you think he'll last?" Asked Itachi.
"Masochist are immune to pain but are weak to mental torture. Give him seven to ten days and he'll sing like a bird."
"Shall we wake him up?"
"Gladly." Kisame doused him with cold water. "How ya doin'?" The prisoner said nothing. "Thought so. I'll make you a deal. You tell us what we want to know and we'll give you food and water at regular intervals. If not, then you can start going insane trying to find a pattern. The more questions you answer, the more food and water you'll get. First question. What is your name?"
He refused to talk no matter what. So after three days of sporadic meals, Itachi had another idea. If they can undermine his loyalty, he'll tell them everything from internal secrets to what his boss ate for breakfast before he left. Itachi bent down and looked him in the eyes. "I have more questions for you but I don't need a verbal answer from you. It would be nice, but I don't need it." Itachi smirked evilly. "You seem like a loyal person. Evil, but loyal. Tell me. Do you think your loyalty will be rewarded with a rescue? Do you think you'll be rewarded with death so you don't crack under interrogation? Makes me wonder how loyal your boss is. If your boss doesn't send someone within eight days, I'd give up on hopes of rescue and answer our questions. Now then. I'll leave you to your privacy.
One week later and no one came to rescue him and no one came to kill him either. That implies that his boss is betting on him killing himself, not breaking and then killing him, and/or someone with better stealth skills than them is waiting for an opportune time to rescue the Faunus.
Regardless, Itachi's words and the lack of rescue had taken its toll on their captive. At first, he was screaming his head off in rage but after six days of sporadic nutrition and the thought of being alone with men who are known for breaking people, he calmed down and then stayed silent. He was broken. And they didn't harm a hair on his head in the process.
Itachi and Kisame let him sit in the sun for a few hours before coming back to him. That way he'd be even more likely to talk with promises of shade.
He looked at the hot sand and spoke in a dead tone of voice. "Tyrian Calos."
"Good. Give this man a blanket to sit on." Itachi put a blanket under him and Tyrian looked a little less unhappy. "Next question. What is your mistress's name?" He said nothing. "Alright then. No more blanket."
Right before Itachi got to him, he spoke. "Wait! Her name is Salem."
"Thank you. What's her semblance?"
"Something with grimm. She can control them."
Itachi pulled Kisame away. "If this is true, we have a major problem."
Kisame agreed, "And if she can control them, summoning can't be that far off."
"Well by that logic, she's half grimm."
"But that shouldn't be possible either. Grimm doesn't have souls so that means no semblance."
"That's not possible, even by our standards." Itachi paced like a madman for a moment. "But what if she has a soul and no real human body? What if the only way to kill her is to rip out her soul?"
"Well then we have a problem."
"Yes, we do. Nagato can rip it out but a soul that powerful would need something strong to store it and I don't know if the king of hell will cut it. And that leaves the Reaper Death Seal or worse, Seal of the Gods. The first one summons the Shinigami and the other summons Kami, Yami, and the Shinigami.
I won't bore you with the details, but in exchange for a soul or three souls for the latter, the god/gods will seal whatever they want into their bellies regardless of the state of the user's body. Both are suicide jutsu and I don't know if you need a chakra network to do it or if you can use anyone who can string together ten hand signs."
"Then how do we do it? I know that Hidan is expendable but everyone else is too valuable to sacrifice."
"What about prisoners like him? He has an aura and he sure as hell's expendable."
"I like where this is going but that's two of three. I'm sure we'll find people sooner or later but convincing them to commit suicide will be...difficult even with the sharingan." Itachi looked back at their prisoner. "Get him. We're taking him back." With that, the Itachi and Kisame dragged their prisoner to the cells in HQ for storage until he was needed.
Well? What do you think? Remember to leave a review and check out bits and pieces.