SEVEN WEEKS PAST| LAND OF LIGHTNING

"This is what we have been waiting for. What everyone has been preparing towards, what is required of us." spoke Arata in a soft voice looking down with almost pleading eyes to the sword that sat in his lap.

Arata kept staring at the black katana. Undetermined by it's easily playing silent routine.

"Everyone needs to be at one hundred percent for this mission. So many things could go wrong. Hashirama has stuck to his part of the deal; appealingly he has incorporated our symbol in to their own as a sign of trust. Married Mito making her a honorable woman as well as wife to the Hokage from winning his battle or rather full scale war with Madara from what that valley looks like now. He proved his alliance even more with the correct information about the hidden villages. Which has lead us to now Akasuikage, with our prior knowledge of the villages we were not thrown off by who were the scouting ninja infringing on our land from the north."

Arata again looked from a black tarp wall to that of his black sword.

"Akasuikage, I know you can hear me. You spoke to me long ago briefly to tell me how to go shikai but you've never spoken to me ever again. Why?" he asked a bit unsure of himself.

His unsureness was almost increased by the silence he continued to hear like many times before when it came to conversations with the elusive sword.

Gripping the sword and rising to stand in one fluid motion Arata proceeded to sheath the sword in a strap upon his back with care.

With a much dramatic huff the young man declared "I won't fail my village. I swear it will never happen. Today I will prove that, I would like for you to help me in the coming battle. I can't have the Raikage for what ever reason he might have even though it is quite obvious of his reckoning of his plans, mapping out Whirlpool country or worse the village."

Walking over to a small slit in his tent's wall, showing a beam of fresh sunlight. Arata passed casually threw the widening exit and out to a cliff he saw that from his coming angle looked out to the sky and mountains in the distance but when he got to the edge showed a different view.

Arata stared at what was a breath taking image from atop the high cliff. On the ground below were gigantic white column style pillars placed in a loose circle around what was masses of black organized tents ranging in to the hundreds.

Such a spectacle was only less awing then the equally hundreds of throngs of unmarked black cloaked individuals that stood in rows with masked faces looking up towards the cliff at Arata with eyes filled with curiosity.

"They await orders" spoke a voice with a low baritone from behind Arata making him turn at the new presence or rather presences.

The individual he first viewed he would know even with the mask that covered his face only exposing a rectangular slant of golden yellow black flecked eyes and eyebrows and bridge of a nose.

That was without a doubt from the simple five foot ten height and slim build to be his best friend. . . Haruo Uzumaki. Even confirmed as such by the dull grey colored three foot long no guard, white bandaged wrapped hilt straight sword; a very dangerous weapon held at his waist by a strap.

The second being was obviously his sensei as no one could imitate the green eyes that were exposed and showed such disinterest and carefree pride.

"Yeah they are" he replied back seeing a hood being held out to him from his friend which he took then placed over his own head hiding his identity.

"Well better not keep them waiting, it could jeopardize this mission bro" chided Haruo

"It's showtime" trailed off Shuji with a calm voice.

Arata gulped down a dry lump that was developing in his throat. 'Father trained me to be a leader. . . Yet it is as he says 'Nothing ever truly prepares you' how right he was'

"Shuji-sensei like we planned you will take over as commander of the first battalion launching the attacks from the catapults while keeping our shield and cloak up until found. Haruo you with your squad will stay to the front lines and run diversion and protection of the main force while also protecting the flank and retreating path. I will proceed with the seventy-ninth section of our plan. We shall follow all planned actions and revert back to fail safe B or even G if things turn . . . drastic"

Shuji nodded with a quick jerk of his head already hopping off the cliff to get his assigned battalion to the ready.

Haruo though was a different story as he looked at Arata and gave a grunt of disapproval.

"Haruo. What is it?" the young man asked with a confused tone

"Your Dad and the 'heads made us all sit in that long meeting formulating so many different plans and what not. . . Well it didn't do no good. I only remember about three parts of the plan and just thought I should tell ya that" announced the man unashamed

Arata was not shocked not even one bit. His friend was always like this, too laid back and only one track minded. What some would call worse for wear as a captain let alone commander of a whole battalion. Arata would in fact punch those said people who called his friend that and then laugh as Haruo effortlessly beat the tar out of them or more easily killed them.

Personally and on record Arata knew what Haruo was capable of and why he was given a responsibility to be able to command so many people who had way much more experience then him and more years of life was his astounding killing capacity or lack there of limitless potential with his zanpaktou. A combination that was hailed by many in the upper mantle of Whirlpool as unstoppable.

With the recognition of being a overly capable mass death dealer, it was obvious to many why the young man had his rank when in the ninja world, death of one's enemy was synonymous with success and victory even if the one dealing the death was at times completely clue-less.

"Just make sure your guys and you watch our front, side, and exit path. An only retreat if it gets hectic or Shuji gives the retreat signal alright bro?"

The masked Haruo nodded then went up in a vortex of water.

Once again Arata turned to look over and down the cliff. To see the new assembled view that told of the decision and action Whirlpool would be taking in their secret black op attack.

Below in the valley lined up where the once village of tents stood were now war machines. Some popping up out of giant scrolls in plumes of smoke, unsealed by nine or ten guys from their container to join the rows of their counterparts.

The war machines were what Uzushiogakure had as the best to offer in long range warfare on a grand scale. The catapults built from pure steel and enforced with a myriad of seals that were simple yet played complex roles. The tension coiled weapons would launch anything of their choosing that could be loaded in the stories high baskets.

These weapons would prove very useful and unique in the semi-siege and rain down what Arata began to see loaded in the buckets of the catapults.

A few ninja to the each now dozens of catapults had set out scrolls that unleashed in the baskets of the catapults; giant balls that looked to be rolls of thousands of papers balled together.

Upon closer inspection to any ninja worth being called a ninja, one could see those 'papers' were exploding paper bombs. And thousands of them were packed tightly together with what looked to be a few, metal spikes under some of the paper leaflets.

With a sense of pride and somewhat a slight tinge of guilt the General had to give a smirk at the devastating weapons that exploded on impact. Such a arsenal of explosions would rock the most mightiest fortress and coming unwarned from the air even at their far distance of being over sixty miles away these paper balls of explosive terror would hit the Cloud village with a force unlike no other.

One last look to the men setting up the powerful machines and to another that floated high above the weapons and men, giving orders of many different degrees. Arata gave a nod to his fellow comrades not knowing if it went unseen or not as he set out on his own special mission.

Shuji was excited for once in a long while maybe even since the expansion of Whirlpool country itself in the short weeks which it took to gather all of the islands in their vicinity and run out every pirate lord or would be pirate that had plagued the string of islands for years. Then put all under the Whirlpool rule.

He felt like once again this was something that would be worth his time and even his full dedication.

Something he could tell that the ninjas he saw all standing at the ready beside the large machines or stuck to the sides of the giant white pillars feeding the large columns the needed chakra, each were understanding and wishing for this type of attack to go smoothly.

Looking around the camp or what was actually a head quarters. He saw kunoichi and ninja mixed in with a few of what he knew were his older comrades. Those who had long time standing careers as being ninja of Whirlpool.

Those who sacrificed for Whirlpool and taught him a thing or two besides his sensei when he was the 'genius of the generation' not so long ago.
He could see just from those rigid stances the older warriors took with a more grace and experience then the other majority of ninja.

They were ready for his command to attack like always. Cool calm and collected, it seemed nothing could shake them. Truly they were what experience and dedication could do for anyone.

Yet even without a word or as if it was some type of warriors telepathy he could feel many of the older warriors apprehension.

Apprehension not of battle but as he saw the eyes of one of his older comrade's trail over to his side. He saw it was disappointment at another fellow comrade who looked out of place.

Which was apparent as he stood leaning against a catapult.

A very stupid thing to do when the commander is obviously watching you from above.

Yet he did not think the old warrior was so much bothered by that as he was by something else. . . He would find out.

A simple decrease of chakra and a thought to his sword to take him down. An he was given power over his flight ability and slowly flew towards the warrior with the grey eyes.

Immediately as he landed he got respectful bows and a collective "How may we be of assistance Commander-sama"

"At ease" he said with a bored voice as he made his way to the man with the grey eyes.

The man saw Shuji get closer towards him and gave a smile under his mask. "It seemed you were always able to sense others emotions"

"Just wanted to see what was wrong with my most experienced elite before I give the order is all. . . You seemed off, Ganryu-dono"

"I'm just a bit nostalgic is all. Seems like only yesterday you were bored standing beside me and getting orders from her."

Shuji chuckled a bit at the reminder of what was so many years ago. "Don't worry I don't need babysitting this time I got it all under control please do not worry"

"Yeah I know, you were always so mature. Rising to challenges others completely met failure at. It gives me much pride to see what you have become. Even if this is my last mission I am sure from here on out you don't need my old eyes on ya anymore. Your a commander now. Leading a great attack" the man said proudly

"I. . . thanks. That means allot but Dad this attack ain't just for the tactical obvious. It's for you too, for your dedication to those many years you fought and for the many you are owed in retirement. . . I have this new battalion and they are young and inexperienced as you can tell but I will for Whirlpool and especially you make sure they fight hard and unbelievably more harder then what those before them did. To make sure Whirlpool stands for those who need it's future and for those who fought for it's past"

The grey eyed man gave a nod as a small almost barely visible speck of water trailed from his eyes. He turned his back quickly as he began to walk away but called over his shoulder "I'll be checking on our secret weapon. Go get'em son!"

Shuji nodded as he turned then looked up in to the sky as his body got lighter and lighter and he went airborne.

At a distance in the air that was visible to the army underneath him that saw him as a dot he spoke out "CATAPULTS! AT THE READY! FIRST BARRIER OFF!"

The order having rang out struck the assembled ninja and made them obey.

Catapults were tensioned coiled with the arsenal of deadly spheres ready to be sprung.

Over by each gargantuan pillar a single ninja would call out to his team that was either stuck upon a pillar's sides or at it's base to decrease chakra.
Making each pillar glow with the blue energy that was chakra before it dimmed and coursed along the tower that revealed a swarm of entwining seals that looked to run all over the column.

Around the valley in which the Uzu ninja had took refuge and set up camp a wide dome of chakra made it self visible before slowly dissipating and leaving behind what looked to be now a dome of shimmering images, that kaleidoscope the surroundings of what was visible from it's inside.

'This is for Whirlpool.' thought Shuji as he raised his arm in a one last show of signaling what was to happen.

"Sir the men are all in position" spoke a masked ninja as he dumped the body of a Cloud ninja from his shoulder in a pile of other equally dead Cloud ninja that were the patrol teams of the area but not anymore.

Haruo looked over to the last man and some of his team that stood behind him that were the last to report in to this point, from destroying any would be scouts of Cloud.

This would give them, the front line of the attack, only a few minutes until a team of ninja were sent from the village to see what had happen to their not returning scouts. In other words: everything was going according to plan.

Walking over to the bodies of some odd thirty Kumo scouts Haruo drew his sword, then channeled what was grey chakra in to it, as his own men stepped back.

With quick swipes he ran the blade of his sword threw the bodies of the men causing what was a incident that baffled all who saw it.

The bodies from the many deep cuts each with clothes and all, went up in wisps of grey smoke identical to the color of the blade that had struck them but just couldn't be fully examined as the grey wisps of smoke dissipated and left nothing behind.

Sheathing the deadly weapon with extreme concern Haruo looked back up to the four men that were before him.

His eyes went to the being that had a mismatching pair of orbs. One a simple pupil of brown color then the other the legendary doujutsu the Byakugan.

"I want you to be only interpreting signals sent from headquarters and warning us of the incoming enemy. Stay with your team and behind me. What ever you do, do not engage in battle. The rest of you stay in the trees until they realize they are under attack then switch to long range attacks. You got your orders now go"

The gathered men sounded out a "Yes Sir" before each ran off to different directions and disappeared inside of the thick forest of trees in front of him.

Haruo turned and saw the wide open valley of simple grass, large hills, and some trees that would span for miles out till they got to the Kumogakure village.

His concentration was severely interrupted as he saw in the sky, dots in close knit groups of about twenty each flying high and fast towards where he knew the enemy village would be.

He smirked as he knew those were deadly things that to a average person looking up in the sky could be mistaken for flocks of birds just too high up to clearly see. But to those targets it was meant for, it would be objects that got closer and closer till it was shown what they truly were.

Death from above.

Arata was in pure disbelief.

He had reached the village of Kumogakure. It was a pretty extraordinary feat getting past the very high wall that the village had as well as it's almost paranoid even for a ninja village guard they possessed as it were, they had a ninja everywhere one might hide or even try to conventionally or unconventionally infiltrate.

Yet as he infiltrated and got inside the village, staying out of sight or range of what he learned Kumo had a good many of; sensor ninja.

He had gotten a chance to see the village itself, not from the eyes of one of the Uzu ninja with a byakugan sketching out detailed blueprints on paper but with his own eyes and it made him a bit envious of what he saw.

The village itself was as it had been named after; a village hidden by the clouds.

A statement made fact as though the village itself had mountains that clustered together not providing much room at their bases. It did not stop the ninja of the village or a insane contractor from building structures upon the mountains high in to the mountains' peaks and sides.

That was where the villages of Kumo lived, at the peaks of the many mountains an in structures built around the mountains.

It even got Arata to think maybe if they had conquered the art of building upon mountains- something he had seen with the Tomoko clan but never like this- maybe they had hollowed out the mountains and possibly lived in them too.

Though with no envy he had to admit that combined with the wonder the village had it also had strategic honor. One that would make anyone crazy enough to try and attack the fortress a mountain could provide from being the high ground and natural barrier, which made it almost impossible to being conquered, have a hard time. This proved Kumo as a very strong defense oriented place.

Yes this place was definitely beautiful and being built where it was had much sense. Arata assumed, when they built the village all must of known in their minds a strong unreachable fortress that sprang upwards to the heavens untouchable by none but it's inhabitants was a excellent idea.

Or it was.

'A aerial strike from so far back and so sudden that even if spotted there is no time to prepare for it. This is the price' figured Arata as he saw the Kumo village after the once small dots in the sky dropped towards the ground.

Kumogakure had as planned been hit. Hit so very hard that the once flawless village was unrecognizable.

The mountains of the village had been no match to the pure explosive impact of what had blasted them and tested their integrity. Easily they had shambled to pieces and then created rock-slides that destroyed along side the exploding balls the structures built upon them and about their bases' in a tumbling sudden furry.

If some had survived and not been killed by the hundreds in the initial rock-slides and explosions. The follow up of many more exploding spheres that pelted everything randomly only to blow it up successfully then send shrapnel of steel spikes in to any unlucky individual completed the job.

Of course the immediate response of Kumo ninja was admirable at first when they started to rally and look for their attackers but it was only made in to what was a unforeseen slaughter as many of the hopping from mountain to mountain and agile ninja could only dodge the giant exploding balls and even stood strong against the shock wave caused from the explosion.

They were not invincible when spikes shredded them to pieces of holed flesh.

Even with the ninja growing wiser to the danger of the balls then resorting to long range attacks to combat and defend from such a deadly assault it was barely successful as the lightning attacks used to destroy the paper bombing balls was burned up while in the air, the shrapnel spikes it contained just seemed to become electrified and sharpened from the lightning attacks themselves.

Consequently raining down a hail of sharpened blades that unfortunately only very skilled ninja could dodge. Leaving less experienced and other fleeing individuals to be picked off.

Sudden explosions had then racked the village from with in as it was quite obvious, supply lines for propane gases and electrical systems had took hits and short circuited or the latter rather exploded.

Billows of black smoke had suffocated the once cloudy village adding a intoxicating smoky fog upon it's citizens that then started to cloak the bombardment that reigned in upon them. Only had the destruction and burning of the few wood buildings and moss, given a new smell to the acrid taste of smoke blanketing the arid village and it's dead.

Yet that seemed just the beginning as panic set in to the military village that had gone in to a disarray of what little water nature users it had determined to put out the fires that burned all around the village went unaided by their comrades who fled elsewhere.

A great sense of dedication in preserving their village was all they got as they went out in to the open from what ever area they had been hiding in rather it be the few tough mountains that still stood or the apparent underground bunker they had.

It proved their deaths as a sudden more heavy pelting rocked the village with chaos. In what was a final - if you aren't all dead you will be- bombardment.

From his hidden position Arata channeled chakra to his feet to weather what was a storm of explosions that was caused by the exploding spheres that for the first time came down all at once. Shaking the ground as if trying to ignite a earthquake.

With that last barrage Arata felt the mountain he was hiding on slowly tremble as it was becoming apparent the mountain was about to give way.

Jumping from the rock tower the young man was not scared at all as he grew closer to another mountain then flipped landing feet first on a jutting platform that bridged out from the mountain.

With another easy use of chakra he then transformed in to the identical of a Kumo ninja he saw that was falling in a barrage of rocks to the ground with what was the rest of a collapsing mountain.

No one would know the man was dead for a long time. A great plus for him as he now had his identity.

Now all he needed to do was to make it to the other half of the village. As he knew unlike these poor individuals. The bombings were over.

Chakra planted firmly to the soles of his shoes he jumped expertly from half destroyed mountain to just a few rocks standing mountain.

"Hey!" he heard shouted at him from seemingly no where.

Turning he saw that a man was calling to him and had a group of twenty ninja behind behind him.

With a shrug he asked "Yeah?"

The man seemed to get ticked off at the nonchalant response before he exploded "What the fuck are you doing! Get your ass in the bunker! Those are the Raikage's orders every one retreat to the bunker! Tch your no Raikage or Ginkaku and Kinkaku only they could survive this shit! So go!"

"I got to find the Raikage though. I have urgent news about the attackers!" he quickly replied with fake panic in his voice.

Every eye that was on him and even some that were still scanning the skies went wide.

The man spoke "You know who is doing this shit! How? The scouts we sent out haven't come back! Our sensors don't know what the fuck is going on! An can't no body leave this village! Because we might be attacked any second!"

'All according to plan. When under this type of attack they think they are to be attacked soon, head on or the attacker would just keep attacking. Stupidly they send out scouts and sit tight. Too bad they just don't head out, because if they did they could quite easily make the bombardment stop. . . God bless dad's planning' thought Arata but kept his face the panicked ninja.

"I was one of the lucky ones! Now where is Raikage-sama?"

The man immediately replied "He is over at the west edge of the village, protecting it and the civilians who couldn't get to the bunker. It is the only place that has not been dealt any damage!"

"Alright!" he responded as he ran off in to a sprint towards the west section of the village.

He got to the section of village and threw thick eye watering smoke with in seconds and was a bit surprised to see what the man had said was true.

A great section of the village was untouched by the attack and looked completely undamaged.

Arata accredited this to the hulking large man he saw upon the large mountain that had a central blue structure made of blue glass below it.

The structure had in kanji the symbol for lightning and Arata knew then that was the building he had been looking for as well as who it was for.

Racing over to the building he was immediately stopped as he jumped to one mountain and was efficiently surrounded by three Kumo ninja.

"We picked you out before you got yards in front of the Raikage! you intruding bastard! Drop your transformation!" commanded the large dark skinned man in front of him that wore the Kumogakure white one strapped vest but was more so identifiable as he looked like a twin of the Raikage with his Y shaped hair.

Looking past the man in front of him Arata gazed over to the Raikage who had in a second become a shining mass of black sparks of lightning.

'So that is the Shodaime's black lightning armor. It is nice to look at, and very unfortunate for him' were the thoughts of the young man as he looked back to his now wielding swords, three would be attackers.

"You guys are good but let us see how good?" spoke Arata as the Y shaped haired man in front of him swung his sword.

The sharp blade hit Arata's chest and went straight threw him but what was him in a second from having been carved straight threw burst in to a image of water before falling apart.

The Y shape haired man quickly ordered the other two men "Find him now!"

The two cloud ninja gave nods before doing a ram seal with one hand then focusing on any chakra in their area.

"He's over there!" announced one of the men first as he pointed towards the top of the Raikage tower where Arata could be seen looking down towards a slightly shorter peak where the First Raikage was staring back at him.

The Y shaped haired man spoke "Raikage-sama do not worry about him! We have him" before he, followed by the two ninja raced with trails of lightning following their every step towards the intruder.

Arata could not help but smirk at the blue trails of lightning following the men that sped extremely fast towards him with swords aimed to cleave a needed part of his body off.

That lightning to him was like a gift from God as it made what he was able to do with his given ability from his Zanpakuto so much easy to do. Killing them would in fact now be almost effortless. But of course this was all known before, back in the mission's planning stage.

Drawing his sword with a quick arc from his back he blocked the incoming strike from the Y shape haired man then forced the man back with pure strength as he jumped back away from the double strikes of the other ninja.

Falling threw the air with grace Arata spoke out loud but quietly "Akasuikage; Drown all in the bloody shadows, Reflect upon despair!"

With the release command spoken. The weapon underwent a swift change, the seven circled sword, gleamed with chakra that went to it's hilt making a rectangular guard of black color, at the same time small tubes exited the back of the sword's blade in a row spanning from point to the hilt and pointed outwards each a centimeter in length.

Arata quickly felt the sword's change in chakra with his own chakra capacity taking a sharp rise in size. He knew the shikai release was completed by the new what felt like a door once closed, opening between him and his sword.

Swinging his sword he unleashed a flow of red water that expelled out of the small tubes located on it's spiny back.

The water quickly flattened out and became a bridge that lead to a mountain peak.

Arata flipped as he landed on the falling water bridge that was solid under his feet, and provided the leverage to jump back upon a mountain.

Planted back on stable ground Arata called with a mental command to the still falling red water to come back to him, making it quickly swirl in mid-air then return in to the sword.

"A water user! Ha you're out of your depth! Intruder" cried one of the ninja that quickly went threw hand seals then expelled a bolt of lightning from his hand.

With uncaring eyes Arata watched the speeding lightning reach him and swiped his sword threw the electric attack, deflecting it and sending it to harmlessly clash with a half destroyed mountain.

The ninja not discouraged charged at Arata as his comrades watched with tentative eyes trying to figure out their opponent.

'Two feet behind him, One inch larger then what he is. An a bit on his shoulder' calculated Arata in his mind but what was actually a split second in real time.

Gripping his sword with but one hand Arata charged at the man who came at him trailing the lightning he had become accustomed to seeing.

The man struck out as the two met in the air with his sword.

Arata went left dodging the sword swipe then struck out with his own only to see the man vanish in a shower of blue sparks. He quickly stabbed the air where the man use to be and was not disappointed as he felt a splatter of warm liquid appear on his back before he turned to the man once in front of him, now somehow used his lightning ability to move so fast he appeared behind him.

Yet it mattered not as the man had what was a sword wound threw his heart and was falling swiftly to the ground below as Arata landed on a cliff on the side of a mountain.

He got no rest as he was attacked by one of the ninja that saw his comrade die.

The man attacked with a roar and a lightning enforced and sparking fist to Arata's face.

Successfully the man got to within a inch of his target, even dodging a lazy sword lunge from the intruder's sword by moving his body sideways out of the strikes way yet his punch and power quickly was made null as a whole that went neatly between one side of his body; threw spine, lung, heart and rib caused his lagging by a second death.

Once again Arata took to another peak not even this time watching the body that fell to the ground below: disappearing from view threw the clouds.

"G. . . Q. . . " trailed off the Y shaped hair man as he looked at Arata with a glare.

The Raikage for the first time spoke "Come at me intruder. You shall be dealt with!" he said decisively causing his armor of showering sparks to increase and manifest a shaking image of a black lion made just of the dark lightning form around him.

The Y shaped hair man called out to the intruder as he jumped back away from his leader "You are going to pay now you asshole!" crossing his arms patiently as he stood looking at the intruder waiting for him to be killed by the Raikage.

Arata saw the display of lightning and gave it its' just dues in appreciation of power "A perfect offense/defense of expert lightning manipulation. Truly you are the Lightning Shadow. But you use not just any lightning, the black lightning. A technique known threw the land as legend. Something many say gives you the title as fastest alive an a untouchable defense, yet a offense that is just as fierce."

The man did not seem moved by the praise from a being that cloaked itself in the image of one of his ninja. He simply waited, taking smartly to the defensive and entrusting in the power of his lightning armor. Letting it do what it was so kindly put. . . . Legendarily known to do.

With a quick wave of his sword Arata channeled chakra in to it as a red gush of liquid was released and fanned out in to a water wall.
In seconds the water had made anything the young General saw before him in to a tinted red visage as he looked threw the wall ahead of him, to the waiting Raikage.

Hand gripping his sword, the young man made a slash upon the view he saw of the Raikage in his red tinted wall.

One slash of his sword was given to the Raikage's head, then chest, then a few thrusts were forced threw the image of the Raikage in the red water wall that had slices in it that did not recombine as water split should have, now accompanied with holes.

This all happened in barely a few seconds and it was all over in a second for the Raikage as his black lightning completely died out as the man fell off his perch. His body was a bloody corpse of holes and slashes.

Arata sheathed his sword with finesse as he turned his back ignoring a scream of "RAIKAGE-SAMA! BROTHER!"

His job was done and all he had to do now was make a get away.

'Mission Accomplished' he thought satisfied.

Shuji burst threw the tented door of the large makeshift habitat.

He immediately scanned the quiet room seeing that twenty three beings were all seated in a helix circle with one in the middle, hands glowing with a steady stream of chakra that was kept steady from a horse seal they kept.

With experienced eyes he saw the many spiraling seals that circled around each ninja's seated position and then went to the center where he saw the being he wanted to speak to.

Covered in a smock inscribed with seals the individual looked strange and was made to look even more a spectacle as his milky lavender eyes bulged with veins that were covered in matching scrawling seals.

"Report!" Shuji commanded towards the being he was sure knew he was coming.

The man in the center spoke as if he was in a trance with a dull voice "Commander Shuji-sama the report is as follows: The attack has laid waste to seventy-five percent of the Cloud village. Casualties are very high for civilians. It is estimated the first wave of bombs killed seventy percent of the population. A measured twenty thousand civilians. Scanning shows that many of them are obliterated-"

Shuji rolled his eyes "Move on! We weren't aiming for them!"

The trance man gave a slow nod before he resumed speaking "Collateral damage is extremely high as previously stated. Although it has been noted they have a underground bunker which many fled to that is out of my field of range. Casualties on their ninja force is not at what we wanted but still extremely severe.
In the first wave alone we injured or killed what was three thousand or so of their ninja. While in the middle minutes of bombing we were able to kill no less then eight hundred of their men and injure at least a thousand more."

"And the Raikage?" inquired Shuji impatiently.

"The Raikage and two of his guard were killed"

"And our front line?" he asked a bit more relaxed

"They have not sub-stained a single casualty. An have efficiently dispatched over eighty scouts"

Shuji nodded as he stroked his chin and thought. 'A attack like this is what we may not have wanted but it is a great success. With thousands injured. Easily half if not a majority of them will die from not getting treatment from heavily swamped doctors. A projected death toll of over twenty five hundred ninja. Is a guarantee. While a recovery rate is very slim seeing as how their leader and strongest warrior is dead. Now we must leave. . . Mission accomplished'