All good plans can unravel in the blink of an eye. What took decades to build could be reconstructed in a second. Humans had a saying: it was much easier to destroy than to build. Zetsu was experiencing this fatality of plans for the first time in his existence. Since he was born, the humans he had chosen had always drunk and played in the palm of his hand. He had designed everything to his liking and it all flowed as he wished.
But the death of Obito threw a spanner into everything.
Of course, things became difficult because of one little problem: humans were mere mortals. His plans required years to come to fruition. But humans had an expiry date. Indra died, despite all his powers. Even Hagoromo perished. But no one had come close to granting his wishes like Madara. Zetsu was truly proud of the work he had done with the Uchiha. Manipulating the Uchiha had always been easy. They were quite emotional creatures.
Obito was supposed to carry on 'his' will. But the unthinkable occurred: Obito was killed in battle with Minato. He looked at his baffled, wondering how he could have allowed something like that to happen. He had always operated in the shadows. He couldn't simply manipulate Nagato with words. He should have stopped Obito from acting on his vengeance. The Uchiha had driven Kiri into disaster because he hated it for what happened to Rin. And then went to Konoha for the exact same reason.
The only thing that kept Zetsu from destroying this world was that the Gedo Mazo had been summoned back, and Nagato still had the Rinnegan. He simply had to protect the Uzumaki for everything to go according to plan.
Zetsu sprouted from a tree, appearing in front of the Tsuchikage's company. The moment the old man saw him, he held his hands together and formed a sphere in a second. Zetsu almost clapped in support of the old man's speed. He also knew that if that attack hit him, he would be dead.
"I'm not here to attack you," he said, sounding unbothered by the threat of Onoki's jutsu.
Onoki was already floating in mid-air, and the words from the creature in front of him didn't settle him. He stared with wide eyes, ready to attack at the slightest hint of movement.
"Who are you and what are you?" Onoki demanded.
"It doesn't matter who I am... but if you've met all members of the Akatsuki, you've met me."
"So you're with the Akatsuki then..." Onoki still didn't lower his guard.
"No," Zetsu replied.
"What do you want?" Kitsuchi demanded, his eyes moving about in case this thing was simply keeping them busy while allies tried to attack them.
"I have been watching everything, and I know you think the only way Iwagakure can be truly safe is if the Uchiha are gone."
Onoki stared. It wasn't always humans trying to sell something. Even the devils offered a lot for a price. Onoki had not come this far in his life by falling for all known tricks. He wasn't even desperate enough to simply accept help from just about anyone. He wouldn't deny that what the creature was saying was false.
"And you have a way to make all our problems go away," Onoki said, in a sarcastic tone.
Zetsu recognized the tone but still replied, "Of course," he said. "You think you've seen the power of the Uchiha, but you know nothing. You were a kid when you fought against Madara, and you only survived because he didn't go all out against children. One of them destroyed Sunagakure. Do you think Iwagakure can survive?"
The very thought of a Susanoo standing above Iwagakure terrified Onoki to no end. He had thought Naruto was just being arrogant when he made his threats, but it turned out that he indeed held the power.
"And them fighting the Bijuu was simply because Naruto wanted to test out their power. The Mangekyo Sharingan can control the Bijuu with just a glance. So, your Bijuu amount to nothing." If Susanoo wasn't enough, Zetsu twisted the knife, just to make the Tsuchikage realize what they were dealing with.
It had already become clear to Onoki that before those people, Jinchuriki were nothing. How had even the Senju competed with the Uchiha in their warring times? How was Iwagakure even supposed to compete with all these powers? It was no wonder even Hashirama had originally sought to give the Bijuu to other villages as gifts. Konoha had not needed them. None of the villages had been able to successfully capture the Bijuu, but Hashirama alone had done it.
"Who are you, exactly?"
"I am someone who has been wronged by the Uchiha. And I also know someone who has a grudge against Konoha. Someone who has the power to challenge the Uchiha. But it wouldn't even be necessary to dive Konoha."
"I'm not interested."
"That is fine," Zetsu said, unconcerned. "We will talk again. But I leave you with a gift. Members of the Uchiha clan in the Military Police Force were killed in battle with Danzo. The current Uchiha clan has only a few members because of it. Why do you think it happened? The Uchiha wanted to rebel against the village. Konoha knew those who wanted to rebel and then gave them a mission. But it was under false pretense. The aim was to slaughter them all."
Not the whole truth, but enough to make things work in his favor. It would do him no favor if he revealed that Fugaku actually killed his fellow clans man. It wouldn't even do him any favor if he revealed that the current clan head was against the rebellion and agreed that members of his clan had to be killed.
"You can do as you like with the information." Zetsu said, and then disappeared into the tree.
Onoki undid his Jutsu and fell to the ground on both feet, with shock. The Uchiha can sought to rebel? He'd found it curious that a man of Fugaku's power could be killed by Danzo. Fugaku had power beyond just about anyone in Konoha. But if this was true, and revealed to the village's population, Konoha's people could turn against the Uchiha. They would mistrust the clan. Konoha's power would fade, and he wouldn't have to worry. Hell, he'd be betting on the clan and village turning against each other.
"Do you think it's true?" Kitsuchi asked with an expressionless mask. But even he realized, if this was true, it could break Konoha. When this happened, Iwagakure would have the time to amass its strength and breathe with freedom.
"It could be. But if it is true." Onoki smiled. He didn't know when he last smiled so happily.
"It will change everything." Akatsuchi said. "It will be a disaster for Konoha. If it occurred, Konoha has obviously kept the secret. It's not a secret that the Sandaime's successor is Uchiha. If Konoha's people come to know this, they will not accept him."
Onoki nodded. He could always deal with what that creature wanted. For now, the only existential threat to his village was Konoha. And he had a tool he could use to disrupt the Leaf's great run.
"We'll hire our best spies to go to Konoha and deliver the news. We don't have to verify it. We just have to spread it. fortunately for us, this is much easier. It doesn't matter if Konoha suspects us. Whether is true or false doesn't matter. It's easy to plant a seed of doubt in the hearts of people."
Gifts didn't always come wrapped up in gift packages. Onoki was thankful. If this could work, he would sleep peacefully for the first time since Suna was destroyed. Hell, he imagined even the tripartite alliance could be brought to a halt. Nothing like a civil war to destroy your enemy. The good thing was that he wouldn't even need to use any of Iwa's strength.
"Kitsuchi," Onoki said in a serious tone. "This is a risk. But I don't think Konoha is behind that man. He has his own agenda. He is using us for something, but we can always handle the fallout if Konoha is on its knees. Hiruzen is not even in Konoha. This is the perfect opportunity."
"You want me to head to Konoha?"
"Yes." Onoki nodded. "Getting into Konoha will be easy. Deliver a message from me that Iwagakure will also participate in the games Konoha wants to host. You'll spread the word while there. Three or four civilians will be enough. Word will spread in a couple of days."
"Consider it done." Kitsuchi said in a serious tone. "I bid you safe travels back home."
Konoha
A few naughty thoughts. A flow of blood. A rush, really. And the third leg became engorged with blood. It came in different sizes: big, small, miniature. Naori often said sizes didn't matter, but she still admitted that a miniature erection was laughable.
As Naruto has come to learn, women were also conscious about their bodies: how they looked, beauty or ugliness, a flat chest or a huge rack, a curvy body with a sizable behind. None of it should matter to a Kunoichi, but for sexual purposes, it all mattered.
In this realm, whether Naori could slaughter hundreds of men in a second mattered not. She was a woman. She moaned like mad. She had twisted desires. He too made sounds he would otherwise not make. It was a private affair, yet a whole-body exercise filled with ecstasy. For such joy, the corrupted raped. A mass violation of another's body. Was it hard to ask? There were even whorehouses to buy sex. But the twisted preferred it by force.
Naori lay naked beneath him, her swords locked away in the recesses of her mind. She had no defenses, which made seduction such a useful tool in Anbu. Every inch of her body had been touched by him; she was completely shaved, with the only hair remaining on her head. Her skin was delicate, giving her the appearance of a maiden. She was exposed, and to him, it was incredibly satisfying, causing his penis to ache. He yearned to thrust it inside her, but he restrained himself.
He grabbed her breasts, caressing them, while she kept her eyes closed. Both of her hands were stretched out, rubbing against his penis, which may have already been dripping with excitement. But who could blame him? Even saints could fall under the spell of a woman.
His lips captured a nipple. He didn't suck, but his tongue danced all over it. As he did, she let loose a moan. Sometimes he didn't know if it was real, but he knew it was a lyrical music that enticed him to do more. From her nipples, he moved to her lips.
He grew tired of her lips, the warmth of her breath on his face as they kissed. It was an exchange of saliva, which might disgust children, but for adults, it was a skill learned through experience.
Naruto moved lower, but not with his mouth or lips. Instead, his index finger. The small lips of her opening lay before him. His finger rubbed against them. He slid it inside, eliciting a moan from her. But he simply wanted some of that sweetness inside. He removed his finger without rubbing against her inner walls. Wet, he rubbed it against her clitoris. He started slow, as did she. As he increased his speed, adding a bit of chakra for warmth and stimulation, her moans increased as well. Her legs wrapped around him, gripping him tightly with each rub.
He didn't mind her trying to strangle him while he rubbed. Sometimes it ended in climax, sometimes not. Her moans were music to his ears. Her trembling, fingers digging into his skin, only made him want to caress her even more. Sometimes he bled, sometimes he didn't. It didn't matter. It was all pleasure.
After a while, he stopped, a little out of breath. She shut her legs as soon as he stepped off. She lay on her side, her gentle eyes on him, her breathing a little labored.
"Imagine, I'm with another woman like this."
"I'd kill you. You're only allowed to touch me."
"You're going to kill me then." He smiled, and then grabbed her legs once more. He pulled her closer and spread her legs. "But you're the only one I can call my wife and love."
"Are you cheating? The only person you'd cheat on me with is Mikoto." She said, and then yelped, much to his amusement. She made the sound because he suddenly turned her to the side, effortlessly. She had no defenses, so her body was flexible.
Bent over, like a dog with her head on the bed sheets, Noari glanced over. She'd felt a little embarrassed the first time he turned her over. There were different positions, each with their own stimulation.
"You want to be on top?"
"Not like I'm lazy."
She turned her face, bent over as much as she physically could. She felt his warm left hand on her waist. She closed her eyes and waited. Without a tease, his member slid in. She felt stretched, a volt of electricity through her spine. She trembled as a moan escaped her lips. He slowly slid out. The pressure eased, but the pleasure was gone. She wanted to yell at him for teasing again. Her words died in her throat as he rammed in again, a loud moan flew out of her lips. She hated making the bastard feel proud, but it all came out involuntarily.
As he slid in, Naruto felt her insides pressing against his member. She was tight, making it all the more pleasurable. However, he also knew it was dangerous. He could feel her warmth enveloping him completely, causing him to ejaculate a little too quickly inside of her. He grabbed her waist with both hands, fully immersing himself in her warmth.
Amegakure
Jiraiya stood motionless, shocked by what was in front of him. Her appearance was not frightening, but the fact that she was alive and looked so cold was unsettling. She was supposed to be dead and buried by now, nothing but bones from where she was buried. But there she was, floating in the majesty of an angel, as the people in this village called her.
It had taken quite an effort to sneak in. Amegakure was notoriously difficult to infiltrate. Those who succeeded in moving through the security never made it out. His own people had disappeared without a trace. He had to ascertain a lot of facts before coming to this village, but Konan's appearance wasn't on his list.
Hanzo wasn't even alive to begin with. Amegakure appeared to be flourishing, far from the war zone he was supposed to witness. The signs of battle were visible. It was obvious that the so-called god had moved with precision and power when clashing with Hanzo's people before finally defeating him. That was a man the youthful Sannin couldn't defeat.
"It has been a while, Jiraiya-sensei," floating above the ground, Konan greeted the Sannin without an ounce of emotion in both her tone and expression.
If he wasn't in a serious mode, Jiraiya would have flinched. "Indeed," the Toad Sage said. "I was under the impression that you were dead. I received news of your death. Was it all a lie?"
"No," a slight shake of her head. "We did die."
Konan had developed into quite a woman. She was beautiful. He had always known she would develop into a fine woman. But still, she was far from the smiling and kindhearted girl he had trained. Nagato had been the kindest, but so too was Konan.
His eyes narrowed as he saw the cloak she was wearing—the Akatsuki cloak. His information was indeed true. The leader of the Akatsuki was here. Could it be Yahiko or Nagato? But given the magnitude of destruction he saw, it could only be Nagato with the Rinnegan. Then again, Yahiko had always had a god complex.
"What the hell happened to you, Konan?!"
"Why are you here, Jiraiya?" she dropped the sensei part.
"I was investigating the Akatsuki. I never actually thought I would end up meeting you of all people," he smiled bitterly, but still on edge.
A missile from the sky crashed into the ground in front of Konan. There was no explosion. No dust or flames picking up into a flaming ball. The ground was hard steel. When the missile crashed, there was only water splashing, and the rain that had been pouring suddenly came to a halt. The clouds started to part.
Jiraiya stared, shocked once more. Anymore, and he was going to die from shock. Yahiko was standing in front of Konan, with piercings on his ears and nose. And above all, the Rinnegan. Nagato had red hair. That was definitely Yahiko. Then what happened to Nagato? Why did Yahiko have his eyes?
"Are you Nagato or Yahiko?"
"You do not even recognize your own student, sensei?" It was the same cold tone as Konan. It was just devoid of any emotion. "You've been questioning people in this village. They must have told you already; I am God."
Jiraiya laughed. He burst into laughter for a few seconds before staring at Yahiko with a deadly expression.
"What the hell happened to you?!"
"We grew, Jiraiya-sensei. We grew." Pain responded. "Depending on how you answer, you will die here or leave this village."
They were dead serious. A student killing their teacher? These were not the same kids he trained. He didn't even teach them to behave like this.
Perhaps Konan was right, in that they had indeed died.
Did you openly attack Konoha? If you attacked Konoha, you are my enemy. You must know what happened to Suna."
"We've heard," Nagato replied through the Deva Path. "But we're also just as capable."
The words sent a chill down Jiraiya's spine. There was no fear, just an equal force of nature that was more than willing to match the Uchiha. Nagato had not shown anything extraordinary aside from being able to quickly learn all five basic elements. But they had killed Danzo—they had to wield extraordinary power. If he was not careful, he may not leave this village.
Jiraiya chuckled with bitterness. He had not made the wrong decision in training them. Even if they ended up fighting him, he would not regret the decision he made. He had saved kids from a war Konoha was fighting.
He mentally prepared himself. If he had to fight them, then so be it. He trained them. It was his mess to clean up.
"It seems you came here because of the attack on Konoha by Suna. We knew you would come," the words from Nagato snapped Jiraiya out of his thoughts.
Jiraiya glanced at Konan. Ever since her partner came, she had been mute, her expression never changing. It was such a shame that such a fine woman was like that. But the shinobi world was riddled with dangers. Even saints became murderers overnight.
"Yes... I came here because of that. If you tell me that Sasori and Deidara did it on their own and you had nothing to do with it, and have no intentions of harming Konoha, I'll sit with both of you for a drink and hear out why you've become like this. A lot must have happened after we separated."
Konohagakure
Intentions could always be hidden, and Naruto liked being upfront. However, there was nothing wrong with a little game of hide and seek. Strengthening the Hyuga clan? He didn't see it that way. The Hyuga would be purchasing swords from the Uchiha clan, and the Uchiha would maintain the swords. But the cherry on top of it all was that the Hyuga would be indebted to his clan. Of course, there was nothing wrong with Hiashi's clan pulling its weight for the sake of Konoha.
Seeing Hiashi looking all giddy and excited was quite amusing. Naruto didn't join in on the fun. He had his own agenda. For the village, it was refreshing to see clan heads of the most powerful clans together.
"You're even more excited than Neji," Naruto said, hands on his back, walking along the streets of the village. He was heading toward the Inuzuka compound to speak with the clan head, a continuation of talks Itachi never managed to finish.
"I see potential that will elevate my clan. It didn't sit right with me that the Uchiha clan is getting all the power."
"A pity you didn't really enjoy being at the top for too long. How did it feel being above the Uchiha?" Naruto asked, glancing at the Hyuga out of the corner of his eye.
Hiashi frowned. "A fleeting moment, but I enjoyed it. If this continues, my clan will be on top again. One thing that works great for us is that we have the numbers," the Hyuga said proudly, almost gloating.
Naruto wasn't about to allow Hiashi to have the last laugh. "You think I would give you anything that would make your clan stronger than mine?" he scoffed. "What you view as progress is nothing more than child's play to me. It is flashy work that I wouldn't even teach members of my clan."
Hiashi glared at Naruto. He wanted to swear at the Uchiha, but he remained dignified. "I have to leave Konoha. Is it even fine to talk business while you walk?"
"You're about to leave, but you can always talk to me when you come back."
"No..." Hiashi sighed. "It is about security for when I leave for my mission, the Hyuga's role, and the procurement of swords. I spoke to Neji, and he mentioned his sword is specially created to be used in such a manner."
"You will have guards assigned. There are a couple of Jonin who will escort you. As for the Hyuga's role, there will be no special treatment for your clan. I don't work on favoritism like that. Merit will define where everyone is placed. As for that business, we can discuss it at a later stage. But I will only find it tolerable for the Hyuga clan to use what I am teaching Neji if the Uchiha clan provides and maintains the swords."
"I can live with that trade-off," Hiashi said, and then stared at the road ahead. "You will only show favoritism if it includes your clan."
"They are Uchiha," Naruto said and didn't add anything, as if being simply Uchiha was enough to warrant a special place. "You're a clan head, but no Uchiha will escort you. They are busy training members. And besides, anyone who currently wears the Military Police uniform is an exemplary shinobi. I do not work with mediocrity in my force."
"You don't make things easy," Naruto said.
"I'm not trying to make you like me," Naruto said in a cold tone. "Kiri is still interested in finding out about what happened to their shinobi."
Hiashi didn't need to ask. "Will she ask the Sandaime?"
"She might. I'm told he was an important person," Naruto replied with indifference.
"And what will you do about it?"
"I dealt with it. His body was turned into ashes. So, there is nothing to worry about, unless of course, you want to confess."
"There will be no confession. You know how that will make us look if we do that."
Naruto smiled. "We?"
"You're the executor."
"Indeed," he said, still smiling. The gates of the Inuzuka clan came into view, and Naruto stopped. "Well, I trust you will return with signed documents from the Fire Capital and funds that we will use to pay the shinobi in training."
"If I don't?"
"I'll have to hunt S-rank criminals for their bounties. Or just leave this altogether. But I don't think you'll fail like that."
"Naturally," Hiashi puffed his chest and turned away without another word.
Hana was waiting for him at the entrance, her pet dogs with her. One of the three animals growled when he looked at it, but Naruto just smiled with amusement. He considered scaring it, but that would just be bullying. Hana dealt with it, and after a few pats on the head, the dog wagged its tail and kissed her on her leg.
"Sorry about that. He is just shy around strangers," Hana said in an apologetic tone, her head bowed a bit.
Naruto waved it off. "Lead the way," he said.
"Oh…" Hana blinked. She had expected a little more in response to her partner's aggression and her apology. "Okay…" she said. "Please follow me."
Naruto said nothing along the way. He just followed her in silence. Hana didn't try to make small talk. Of course, this wasn't the first time she was with the Uchiha. She had gone on a mission with him once. He looked as if he didn't even know her. Then again, with how powerful he was, she was nothing but an ant in his eyes.
Her mother was sitting in an empty room, a proud smile on her face, her dog partner lying behind her. She did not stand to greet the Uchiha clan head. Hana wasn't surprised. Her mother wasn't going to be intimidated in her own home. For the Uchiha, it was all amusing, if she was reading his face correctly.
"I'll leave you to talk."
"No… stay," her mother said in a firm tone. Hana did as told and went on to sit beside her mother.
Naruto sat down gracefully. The clans all had a special trait about them, but they were all weak. The Akimichi did have something going for them, but Naruto thought they were all too relaxed. For this reason, he had no respect for the other clans, at least in terms of their strength.
However, it didn't mean they were all useless. Even this clan had its uses. They were good at sniffing out things, like dogs. Naruto would use them for this purpose. They may have pathetic strength, but he could work on that.
"What do we owe this pleasure?" Given Tsume's tone, it was apparent she didn't find any pleasure.
"Itachi came here a couple of years ago to talk to you about recruiting some members of your clan for specific purposes. They would not become members of the Military Police but would be used by the Military Police. I came to continue such a discussion but without a changed premise.
"I want to create three teams within the Military Police. There will be a tracking division in the Force. I require special abilities for these teams. Each team requires a member of your clan, a Hyuga, and a normal shinobi. We have Hyuga in the force but no Inuzuka. I'd like for you to give me some of your best. Of course, you'll have to accept that they will go through rigorous training to meet our standards."
"Are you saying we do not meet your standards?" Tsume said with a low growl.
"Yes."
"I'd like to show..."
"Mother!" Hana growled, giving her mother a stern look.
"What? He is disrespecting my clan right in front of me!"
"He is still not someone you can fight."
"You're underestimating your mother." Tsume waved off Hana's concerns with a dismissive wave of her right hand.
Hana sighed.
"The Inuzuka have no generational shinobi to speak of..." Naruto said, with cold indifference. "Take it however you like. Everyone who joins the Military Police is always trained. Even our Jonin go through training sessions. Our standards are a little higher. They must be, for the duties we carry demand it."
The tracking team, or rather, the hunting team, wouldn't necessarily be used for fighting. Their job was simply to track down suspects and targets. Of course, as the Principal, they had to be strong enough to fight if the situation required it.
"I'll select a few members."
"Make it six. I'll assess them and decide whom to recruit."
"So, it is true." Tsume scoffed. "You're more than willing to discard those who are deemed less skilled."
"I had initially believed that everyone can improve with hard work. You can reach a certain level purely through hard work, like Guy. But shinobi are limited by skill, imagination, and physical limits. Certain things cannot be taught. And there are some lazy and mediocre shinobi. That, I do not accept." Naruto said, standing up. "Please send them to the Military Police academy. They must be there tomorrow at 8 am."
Wave
The Mizukage—she was such a fine woman. There was grace about her presence. She carried herself with an aura of a woman in power and with power. There was none of that Kage arrogance about her. Her eyes radiated warmth and genuineness. Immediately, Hiruzen knew he would get along with her, just as Shisui had. He also understood why the Uchiha had become friends with her.
It had nothing to do with her beauty or fine figure. It was simply her nature. Shisui wasn't one to be attracted to such things.
"Mizukage-dono," Hiruzen smiled warmly, extending his aged hand toward his counterpart.
"Hokage-dono," Mei bowed her head a bit, took the Sandaime's hand, and shook it. "It is a pleasure to have finally met you."
A warm hand. Not rough like many Hiruzen had shaken. "So am I," the Third said, and pointed at the small table.
There was no one else in the room. He had arrived about three hours earlier, just before sunset. He had come to have dinner with the Mizukage. Their talks were scheduled for tomorrow, and he wanted to apologize for making her wait for him.
Once they had sat down, Hiruzen spoke again. "We had to turn away when our scouts told us that the Tsuchikage was heading to Konoha unannounced."
"Your Anbu explained." And Mei had understood. "Were things sorted?"
"No, but we had clear thoughts. He wants a Kage meeting to be held as soon as possible," Hiruzen said. He didn't like that they were heading straight into serious matters. He had planned for a casual conversation.
"Not a bad idea," Mei said with a small nod. "Could avoid another Great Nation being wiped out of existence."
Hiruzen chuckled, not in coldness, but because he got the joke. She had hidden it well by not even smiling. But when he laughed, she showed him her brilliant smile.
"Indeed," he agreed in all seriousness. "Shisui tells me you had reservations about that."
Mei didn't immediately respond. She wished there was something on the table - a glass, a knife, something she could hold. The old man's gaze was piercing. He was obviously studying her.
"I just thought it was excessive. There were innocent lives."
"Some people say there are no innocent people in the shinobi world. That is not true, of course," Hiruzen smiled. "Naruto and Itachi are different people, yet the same in some ways. Their differences are apparent, but they can still do the same thing. Naruto fights for the love of his clan, and Itachi fights for the love of his village. Itachi dislikes war and will do anything to avoid it, even if it means he has to sacrifice his family. Naruto loves his clan above all else and will do anything to protect it, even if it means wiping out every other Great Nation."
Mei wanted to point out that Naruto had a love for violence. Chaos and destruction seemed to be his joys. Shisui said it. Naruto didn't deny it.
Sunagakure was a threat. If Konoha and Sunagakure went to war, it would eventually drag in Kiri. She had already sent her men to assist the Leaf. But someone like Itachi would want to avoid such a bloody mess. If he was willing to sacrifice his family as the Sandaime said, then he was capable of destroying another village. And he did. For Naruto, that was just fine. A nuisance to his clan would be eliminated.
"What about you?" Mei asked quietly.
"It doesn't matter what I would have done," Hiruzen said with a slight shake of his head. "Itachi will succeed me. I simply allowed him to solve things in the way he would if he were Hokage. I'm at the end of my reign. I won't deal with the consequences in the long run. Itachi will."
"Shouldn't the older generation make the decisions and allow the young ones to live without the burden?"
Hiruzen chuckled. Perhaps he hadn't changed at all. He still didn't make difficult decisions. "You're not wrong. But I have been wrong. You want to do everything based on your convictions and ideals. I led Konoha in that way. But the result is that I weakened it. If things had gone my way, we'd be at war. My people would be dying. Your people would be dying. It's black and white. But it's not always that simple."
Mei knew. She knew it wasn't always simple. Naivety could destroy a shinobi village. As long as the shinobi world was structured this way, they would sometimes have to harden their hearts and do what must be done to protect their homes.
In her silence, the Sandaime spoke again. "I wanted to have a casual conversation with you before our crunch talks. But things have taken a different direction."
"It is not so bad. I'm understanding you a little more."
Hiruzen shook his head. "I'm just here to finish what I started. You should strive to understand Itachi."
"I'm told it won't be difficult."
"He is a good shinobi. There is more grace in him."
"Unlike the complete intolerance in his clan head."
Once more, Hiruzen cackled. "He is not as bad."
"I've met him. He is bad. You can indeed sit with him and reason. But the fact that he can completely disregard any friendship or connection at the sight of an imperfection makes him a dangerous ally. He doesn't seem like someone who can overlook anything he deems unreasonable. And that is the thing. What is reasonable to me may not be reasonable to him."
"If you're looking at it subjectively, yes. But I do understand your concerns," Hiruzen said with a nod of his head. "How was your travel?"
"Pleasant. I haven't had much time for leisure since I became Mizukage. Being away from the office is refreshing."
"Same thoughts," she replied.
"It must be worse. Konoha is much bigger and you have a lot of issues," she added.
Hiruzen waved his right hand slightly and said, "Each with their own load. Is there anything you'd like to ask of me?"
"I can't think of anything. I can only express my gratitude for what you've done for us. You haven't demanded anything but have helped us in our time of need," Mei said earnestly.
"I wish my actions were with noble intentions," Hiruzen responded.
"I understand, and it doesn't change the outcome. Anyone else would have demanded something. You've only asked for our friendship," Mei smiled. "Kindness does have its benefits after all. You're much more loyal to someone who gives you food than a family member."
But the shinobi world showed no loyalties. Hiruzen sought to change it with this alliance. Perhaps even reshape the shinobi world on a systematic level. He firmly believed it was the duty of the current generation to make the world a better place for the next generation. Of course, shinobi had a tendency to repeat the same mistakes. The past three wars have shown that shinobi do not change overnight.
"Let us dine then," Hiruzen smiled and clapped his hands.
About an hour later...
The full moon illuminated the sky with its light. The shadow dwellers would have trouble trying to slither through the streets unnoticed. The night was bright, with shades of anything that stood visible, as in the day. It could have been a sight if the moon was painted bloody.
"Enjoying the view?" a warm voice asked.
The voice pulled Shisui out of his thoughts. He had been standing still on the rooftop of a building, staring deeply into the sky. He didn't turn to face her, even as he recognized her voice - he kept his gaze fixed on the eye of the moon.
"I wanted to," Shisui said quietly. "But I have been engrossed in my thoughts."
"Something troubling you?" Mei stopped by Shisui's side, catching his familiar scent and the fresh breath from the sea. She could feel it all. She glanced at the moon for a moment and then settled down, feeling a little tired from her conversation with the Sandaime Hokage, and knowing that tomorrow would be a big day.
"No..." Shisui released a heavy sigh. He glanced at the Mizukage for a moment, their eyes meeting. Even in the night, he could see her lipstick and make out all the features of her face.
"You're staring," Mei said, a sly smile on her lips.
"Yeah," Shisui chuckled. "Everything has been going so well. It's frightening, really. I have never seen things work so well with little resistance."
Growing up in the Uchiha clan had been anything but jolly. If he wasn't faced with the bloody Third War, piles of corpses, and the blood of his comrades, it was the burning hatred within the Uchiha clan. Even the end of the Third War had brought little joy to him. The Kyubi had gone on a rampage, and the Uchiha clan grounds had become hell.
Things had moved ever so smoothly after all the tragedies, and Shisui was becoming a little suspicious.
"Don't be a cynic."
"It's just strange when there is this much peace. We should, of course, try to enjoy it. But I have learned from experience that when you are walking toward a destination, there are bumps along the way. We haven't come across any hard bumps that make us question anything. It has been forever peaceful."
Mei glanced at him with a sharp eye. "You're not talking about Konoha."
"Yes... it's about my clan. We've been doing so much. I saw a member of my clan in this village," Shisui said with a smile. "He is here to bring the presence of Konoha's Military Police Force. There is expansion and expansion. I fear we may soon hit a rock."
"Well, you should be prepared to deal with anything," Mei said. After all, there was no clan in the shinobi world that was as powerful as the Uchiha. And as far as she had learned, reckless in battle, Naruto was actually cautious around anything to do with his clan.
Shisui gave the moon one stare. It didn't budge, of course, nor even acknowledge his stare. He settled down, knees lifted, and then spoke.
"I hope."
But there were fears. Real fears, because even Naruto had real fears that gave him nightmares. If something happened to both Itachi and Naruto, the clan would fall. For Itachi, it wasn't the fear that someone could kill him, it was the fear that he would give up his life in a blink in order to protect Konoha, as all Kage had done before him.
"What brought you out?"
"What did you mean the Military Police is being brought here?" Mei asked in a sharp tone.
"We liberated this nation from a man named Gato. If not for that, this country wouldn't be where it is. It is prime for business. However, it has no protection. Konoha is looking to offer protection."
"Oh..." Mei sighed in relief. She had feared it would be something worse. "I came to talk to you about a matter I spoke with your clan head. He must have told you he had gone to meet me to ask about a marriage between us. And showed willingness to permit it, with a few terms, of course."
"Predictable terms, I suppose."
Mei nodded. "I want to be married, but I'm not desperate for it. I won't tie myself to anything I will regret or that will make me miserable. If I'm going to agree to it, you must also want it, not be compelled. Our lives will be much happier that way."
Shisui was silent. Changes occurred every day. The dreams he had when he was young were influenced by what surrounded him. The environment was much different now. Romance? He didn't know anything about it. Both Naruto and Itachi were far ahead of the curve.
"I know nothing about romance," Shisui said with a laugh. "Did you want to talk about it with the Sandaime?"
"Yes."
"Just let him know it is possible. It is something both of us must talk about."
"Aren't we talking about it now?" Mei asked with a raised eyebrow.
Shisui opened his mouth to speak but then shut it again. He glanced at Mei, looking deep into her eyes with an unreadable look. What even was love? What even was it to like someone? Did it matter if he loved her? He thought it did. Mei wasn't looking for convenience in marriage – she was looking to be loved. Shisui thought he could do that.
"We've spent a lot of time together. Far more than I thought possible. I never indulged any thoughts of a relationship with you because I knew Naruto wouldn't like it. We are pressured to marry and start families. Not for the love of children but because the clan has few members and the existential threat to the Uchiha clan is there. If I married you, I would be happy. I wouldn't be forcing myself, but doing something that would make me happy.
"But you must understand the pressures and consequences of such an engagement. Are you prepared to live under the demands? Are you prepared to depart from Kirigakure to live in Konoha?" Shisui spoke in a warm tone, a complete contrast to his expression.
"I've still not heard you say you like me."
Shisui smiled with embarrassment, but Mei just giggled. "I've given what I can do in Kirigakure. So, yeah, I'm ready for anything."
Area 44
The rooftop of the academy was crowded with shinobi, active MPF personnel, and the trainees. Some gathered within the trees, a few Anbu joined in their own little corner, watching with expectation. Itachi was going to be their boss in the near future, and so, they came in a rush to observe him in battle. His stories and exploits within Anbu were known to all, but seeing it with their own eyes was worth the effort.
Naruto didn't care if they watched. He hadn't had a good sparring session in a while. Staring down the barrel of a gun had a different feeling compared to witnessing more of his strength. He outclassed them in battle but never did anything extraordinary. Fighting Itachi would allow him to show them more of his strength.
In his right hand, he wielded his gunbai, and in his left, his spear. They wouldn't go all out unless they wanted to destroy the Forest of Death, but there would be enough fireworks to warrant the use of a gunbai.
Without warning, Naruto waved the gunbai in a single swing. Gusts of wind picked up as he swung the gunbai, picking up dust, and the gusts powered toward Itachi with a whistling sound.
Naruto disappeared in a blur, taking advantage of the gusts that obstructed Itachi's view. He flashed behind the Uchiha and then drove his spear straight toward the Uchiha's back. The spear pierced through Itachi's back, but he exploded into a log. The spear split the log in half. Multiple shuriken flew toward him from behind. He was sandwiched between the gusts he'd released earlier and the shuriken, and Itachi was hiding somewhere, watching and ready to pounce.
He smiled. It was so like Itachi.
He burst into flames, disappearing from the path of the two attacks. The gusts hit the shuriken, deflecting them to the sides before dying out.
As they died out, Naruto formed a couple of feet away, and as soon as he touched the ground, Itachi materialized behind him, out of thin air. The future Hokage drove a kunai toward his back in a downward flash. A clang sound and sparks flew as metal clashed with metal. Naruto had responded swiftly, twisting around while bringing his spear. It was a match as the blade of the kunai collided with the spear and dragged down.
Naruto didn't wait for the momentum to end; he grabbed his gunbai firmly and channeled chakra through it. It caught fire while his spear was still clashing with Itachi's kunai. He then tried to swing it toward Itachi, but he was well positioned to react swiftly. Itachi stretched out his right foot and met the face of the gunbai with the base of his foot. While it was kicked back, the flames on it exploded. As soon as the flames exploded, Itachi vanished into thin air.
The Uchiha flashed behind Naruto and acted with blinding speed, driving his kunai toward Naruto's back. But even then, when the gunbai was on fire, Naruto still managed to wave his left hand and bring in his spear. Clang. Metal clashed once more as his spear collided with the kunai.
As if he had expected it, Itachi didn't resist. He dropped his kunai and vanished. He only appeared in mid-air, his right leg stretched out, cleaving through the air with speed and aimed toward the side of Naruto's temple. Remarkably, Naruto still ducked under the kick. He avoided it by a whisker, but he avoided it nonetheless.
The second he dropped down, something on the ground exploded. It caused flames to rise into a small column, but large enough to completely engulf Naruto. By then, Itachi had already disappeared. The flames burned for a couple of seconds before they were waved away by a powerful gust. They were pushed in all directions and dissipated into the air, leaving Naruto standing on the ground, spear stabbed down, and his gunbai hanging over his shoulder.
A hail of kunai came flying from the trees. Naruto didn't try to wave his gunbai, knowing he would only be left open. He simply leapt backwards and then dropped his gunbai to the ground. It wasn't going to be very effective since Itachi was simply avoiding using ninjutsu.
The second the gunbai touched down, Itachi flashed into the clearing, darting toward him. Naruto simply watched, thinking it wasn't like Itachi to charge head-on like this. He was curious about what the Uchiha intended to do and then dashed toward the Uchiha. As he neared, he hit the brakes and then launched a swift roundhouse kick toward his fellow Uchiha. Itachi ducked under the kick and then opened his right palm, driving it toward Naruto's chest. Naruto's left hand collided with his palm, blocking his strike.
The right foot was then brought down for an axe kick. Itachi crossed his hands above his head. The second the kick collided with Itachi's hands, another Itachi flashed behind Naruto. A swift roundhouse kick was aimed toward the clan head's upper body. There was a resounding sound of flesh meeting flesh when the kick collided, but that was followed up by Naruto's body turning into a log. The log was crushed by Itachi's kick, turning into wooden splinters.
"I was wondering what you had planned," Naruto said, sitting on a tree branch, his legs slowly swinging. He glanced toward his chest, seeing a wire. The second he landed, a shuriken had zipped around him.
The other observing shinobi were within earshot, but none of them moved. Perhaps because they didn't sense Itachi. But as soon as they felt the flare of chakra, they all swiftly dispersed.
A huge, intense ball of flames formed within seconds from Itachi's mouth. He was just behind Naruto. As soon as he formed the fireball, the leaves caught fire. As he launched it, almost at point-blank range, it burned the trees caught within it, marched toward Naruto before seemingly hitting him and then exploded into a huge column of flames that engulfed the tree and forced the shinobi to create some distance from the pair.
As the tree burned, Itachi flashed into the clearing and picked up Naruto's spear. Itachi suddenly twisted around while flashing the spear. The spear grazed Naruto's cheek, drawing out a bit of blood. Naruto just stood still, his head tilted to the side, as he tried to completely avoid the spear.
"You should be careful with your weapons. Leaving them lying around is dangerous," Itachi warned.
"If I were stupid, that would be a grand message. Certainly one that would leave me humiliated," Naruto replied.
The answer came when the spear burst with lightning. The sound of lightning currents swept through the training ground as Itachi's entire body was hit by lightning. He dropped the spear to the ground and remained frozen for a second. As soon as Naruto took a single step, Itachi leapt backwards, a bit slow, but Naruto didn't attack him. He landed a fair distance away and stared at Naruto.
Itachi was surprised. He had been literally shocked. A weaker shinobi would have been left paralyzed or worse, even burning. There was a lot of energy that came out. He was sure he knew all of Naruto's tricks. He hardly used any, but Itachi was certain he knew all of them. It was a habit for Naruto to drop his weapons in battle, but it never resulted in anything like this. This was the first time he was actually experiencing Naruto doing something like this.
"When did you implement that?" Itachi asked.
"Well, even you can be caught by surprise. Then again, that stems from the fact that we have been sparring since we were little kids. It gives you a sense of security about what I can do. Worse, I have never been the one to actually hide my abilities," Naruto explained as he picked up his spear.
"You've always shown indifference to hiding abilities," Itachi acknowledged.
Naruto shrugged. "I'm still a shinobi." He then smiled. "And I don't display the same arrogance as I used to when I was younger."
Itachi nodded in agreement.
It was never a question whether Naruto could fight a strategic battle. He just loathed it because it didn't allow him to be reckless and thus took all the fun out of battle. Since he awakened the Mangekyo, he had never been in a battle where he was stressed. So, it was all boring for him. But it was a pleasant surprise to see that he could still reveal some tricks up his sleeve.
Itachi removed the short sword from the sheath on his back.
Without warning, he lunged toward his clan head, ready for a sword battle. As someone who didn't have the same chakra reserves as Naruto, he couldn't afford to waste chakra as he didn't know when it would end.
Itachi launched an attack like a jab straight toward Naruto's face. Once more, Naruto showed good use of his eyes by blocking the tip of his sword with his spear.
Naruto tried to sweep him off the ground by sliding his left foot. Itachi jumped up, while once more jabbing his sword toward Naruto's face. Naruto didn't try to block this time; he leapt away.
As soon as Itachi landed, he felt lightning currents in the atmosphere, and like a bolt of lightning, Naruto lunged at him, driving his spear toward his chest. Itachi flowed like water, dancing through the ground with a quick spin, completely avoiding being pierced through by the spear. When he faced Naruto, he flipped his sword to his left hand and then palmed the spear away from him, knocking Naruto slightly off balance.
Itachi disappeared into thin air, almost like teleporting. He appeared above the ground, in front of Naruto, and made a vertical swing just above Naruto's shoulder. Naruto protected himself by taking a step forward, getting closer to him, and slamming his swinging hand on the wrist, knocking the attack back.
Sensing movement, Itachi saw Naruto kick his spear toward him. It was amazing just how fast and agile his clan head was. He intentionally dropped his spear and then kicked it up. If Itachi didn't flee, it was going to enter through his anal exit.
He burst into a murder of crows and formed behind the clan head. Without wasting time, he took a single step, lifted his right foot, and then tried to land a front kick on Naruto's back. His clan head still managed to twist around, hands folded across his chest. Itachi's kick slammed into the wrists, and the force set him skidding backwards.
As soon as the momentum stopped, Itachi flashed in front of Naruto. His right foot swept through the air in a roundhouse kick. Naruto blocked the kick by lifting his left arm, but it wasn't enough. The kick sent him flying to the side.
While airborne, Itachi flew into the air and then tried to stomp on him. Naruto managed to blur away, and Itachi crashed into the ground, lifting up chunks of earth and creating a small crater. Yet, his eyes were busy tracking Naruto's movements.
The clan head was darting through the ground, rushing toward his falling spear. He certainly didn't want to engage in a sword battle without a weapon. Itachi dashed after Naruto.
When he caught his kunai, Naruto did a swift 180-degree twist, driving his kunai toward the incoming Itachi. As if he had predicted it, Itachi slid through the ground, knees bent to avoid the spear. His sword clashed with the spear, and all that was heard was the sound of his sword running through Naruto's spear.
He then pushed the spear from above him and quickly raised his knee, but Naruto met it with his own. A slight shockwave occurred as the knees collided in mid-air. Both leapt away to create some breathing room.
Naruto hurled his spear toward Itachi, but not at an impossible speed. Itachi was able to dodge it. But as soon as it whizzed past him, Naruto was in front of him. He had definitely used Shunshin to get closer to him.
His clan head's elbow brutally slammed into his chest. There was a small boom as he was hit. He coughed and tried to ignore the pain as Naruto did not let up. He twisted around, jumped up slightly, and returned with a high kick.
Itachi positioned his left hand on the side of his body, but it did nothing. Naruto's kick was brutal. It felt like he was trying to block a hammer with his wrists. He felt a sickening crunch when the kick collided with his arm and then his upper body. The blow sent him tumbling to the side.
Itachi didn't allow himself to be carried away from the ground. He flipped twice and then hit the ground, skidding backward a bit before coming to a complete halt.
"It shows that you trained with Guy-san." Naruto had always worked hard to physically train his body, mainly to be able to handle keeping his Sharingan active for as long as he wanted.
"I was humiliated. Never again," Naruto replied with a shake of his head. "But it seems you haven't been taking care of your body."
They continued to exchange a few blows for a little while longer before stopping. Naruto gathered them all. Some of them had their pride knocked back and dragged through the mud after being told they needed more training. The ones who had trained with him first understood. They experienced the gap in power. If he told them they needed to improve, then they needed to improve, unless they had reached their physical limits. That was something even Naruto admitted to be a reality they must all accept.
"You're not children. I won't explain to you the lessons you should have learned during this battle, and I will not ask you about it. I expect you were reminded of some of the fundamentals you have taught your own students and were taught when you were Genin. Some of you grumble at being forced to train again like Genin. I dragged you all through the training ground. But today, I wanted to show you what I simply expect in battle. We did not use much of our powers, but this is the very least we expect you to be able to handle, even if not by yourselves, but in your teams."
Riku stepped out. "Even we still have to continue with our training. You'll never work alone, but you must not rely on team strength. You must rely on your own abilities. There are dangerous S-rank criminals out there. Some of you are Jonin, but you can't fight an A-rank shinobi on your own. You are stationed at a small village and a dangerous A-rank criminal approaches your area and manages to defeat you, and plunder the area.
"Its embarrassing and breaks shame to our names," Riku said in a cold tone. "But the message sent to other criminals is that we can continue our reign of terror because military police is weak. Naruto-sama demands the very best because he doesn't criminals breathing without fear. He doesn't want fellow shinobi who lose sight breathing freely because they confident in their strengths. If you feel being forced to go through training again despite being a Jonin is embarrassing, you can leave and never return."
Nobody stood up.
"Good." Naruto clapped his hands. "We've cut off the weak links who cannot meet our standards. All of you will become members of Military Police. You won't be doing missions. You will receive a monthly allowance from us to take care of your needs. We're not going to be unreasonable. And as you train, we will take care of your training gear and weapons you'll use. But once you succeed in your training, we will give you nothing."
Wave
There was no referee; only Shisui and Chojuro were in the room. Kakashi was left to roam the country. He couldn't bring two guards when Mei only had one. They were friends, but they had to be fair. Shisui also knew a lot more about what they could get from each other than he did.
Hiruzen stared at the papers spread across the large rectangular table. Mei was on the other end, with Shisui and Chojuro occupying the flanks. There was a lot to be signed. Things had still flowed smoothly even without anything being signed. Signing documents was simply to make things formal.
He glanced at Shisui and smiled. "I should give my appreciation to Shisui. He met you and trusted you'd do well as Mizukage and has worked with you since, without ever looking back. If it was someone else, things wouldn't have gone as well as they did."
Mei nodded in agreement. "Indeed," she said.
"I'd also like to express my gratitude that you sent your men when we looked to be in need. It shows that you're an honest ally we can always rely on. History has shown that treaties can be ripped apart without any consequences. But I'd like ours to hold a little more value and continue our friendship in the same spirit."
"Likewise," Mei smiled. "Shisui tells me you're looking to make Konoha become fully independent of your Feudal Lord's coffers. I wish the same thing. I have strived for an improved economy. For shinobi, we rely on missions to sustain us. But that is often not enough to run a Great Hidden Village. Our economies must become sustainable."
"I'll admit; I don't know much about economics. But I know a few things. We've never looked at things from the side of the flow of goods, taxes, flow of money into the village. It has always been 'do we have enough to fund the next war?' 'Are there enough missions for shinobi to take?' We became nothing more than glorified mercenaries. I have sat with a few merchants in Konoha on how to improve things, and they have offered some suggestions."
"Our main service is shinobi services, of course. Our income comes from mission requests. But there has to be something else we can offer. I've heard you have chosen tourism. We want Konoha to become a supplier of different goods. For land, we could get seafood from you and then supply it to merchants, who would then sell it to other nations in the Fire Nation and other countries. That is something we want to work with you on. We will, of course, come to an agreement with the Wave.
"On the other hand, we have vast lands that are favorable for farming. The Land of Water does not favor such due to its conditions. You could rely on us for the provision of certain grains."
It was nothing she hadn't already gone through with Shisui. "The important thing is rates. It will be bothersome when there is no stability in prices. We don't want a situation where when you or I come across financial difficulties, we charge more than we should."
"What do you propose?"
"A yearly review of prices we charge. And in case there is something extraordinary that forces price increases, there is a notification, with detailed reasons. As the seller, you'd have the right to increase. But all such prices must still be reviewed in the yearly review, and if there is some cheating, penalties."
"In what form and who would enforce the penalties?"
"We get the Feudal Lords involved. If someone breaches an agreement, they would be the ones to enforce penalties, based on the agreed principle."
Hiruzen nodded. "I can agree to that," he said with a smile. "How about this… if we receive ten missions that are to be done in the Land of Water, we will send two of those missions for your shinobi to complete. But then take a ten percent commission fee."
"That favors you a little more," Mei said. "We are in the middle of the sea. Your position means you get more missions. We'd obviously send more missions to you."
"A minimum of five missions every quarter, then? It has nothing to do with earnings, but rather with keeping our shinobi working together and maintaining constant contact," Hiruzen explained his thoughts.
"Five missions per quarter, then," Mei motioned for Chojuro to write it down. "Medical services. Shisui tells me that you want to have exportable medical services. Kirigakure does have some lands that possess herbs that can be used to create medicine. You can always send a request, and we will look for them."
"At a fair price."
Mei smiled. "That will be expensive," she said. "You can't put a price on good health. After all, some situations can be a matter of life and death."
"I understand," Hiruzen said. "We have already agreed that someone will be sent over to Kirigakure from Konoha. When you want to send communication to us, you will go to them. We haven't decided on who to send, but it will mean Shisui's visits will no longer be frequent. We will find someone who can work with you."
"We still have no problem with that. But let it at least be someone who is important and can be said to be a representative of the Leaf."
"I will consider that."
"When Naruto came to Kiri, he spoke about a marriage between Kiri and Konoha. There is an agreement in principle that a marriage can happen between Shisui and me. His condition is that a child between us must be born in Konoha and will be a child of the Uchiha. If we are going to have representatives on either side, when it does reach that stage, I could move to Konoha and, while residing there, be a representative of Kirigakure."
Hiruzen glanced at Shisui for confirmation. The Uchiha nodded, and Hiruzen smiled happily. "I assume it is not merely politics."
"Yes."
"If it is something both of you want and Naruto has given his blessings, then I can only congratulate you," Hiruzen said with happiness. "But that puts pressure on me to send someone important as well."
"I trust you will consider it well."
Hiruzen smiled. "We've already written down the fine details regarding military cooperation. There is nothing more for me to add on the agreed-upon details."
"I do have something I'd like to add," Mei said. "How about each year, we exchange academy students? They can decide for themselves whether they'll stay until they graduate from the academy. We mustn't agree on a fixed number, but something that can be communicated based on what we can afford and the number of available students."
Future generations would have a hard time turning against each other. If this went through, there would be shinobi in a generation who have lived in either village. Hiruzen imagined telling a shinobi who lived in Kirigakure for three years as a child and became a shinobi in the village, to ready for war against that same village. Truly, this would foster greater cooperation and friendship among the villages.
"If Kiri, for example, has you as a representative, you would be able to oversee everything: their progress and how well they are being treated. They can also go to you to complain." Hiruzen smiled, nodding his head almost vigorously. It was just how much he liked the idea. "It will also be easier for our people to travel. If people from your village are in the Fire Nation and wish to travel but have lost their papers, they can always come to your representative to be issued papers."
Mei nodded. This was truly something revolutionary. They would change the way things worked in the shinobi world. "For such large operations, one person won't be enough. Of course, if we're sending someone, we'd also have to send their families as well, and people who will assist them in their duties." Mei paused, thinking. "A piece of land must be reserved for such operations. Let us make it acceptable to have a number of shinobi who will live in the compound for the protection of the representative. That is, you will not be responsible for the protection of our representative unless there is a specific request."
"From the onset, know that if we do this, Konoha will send some members of the Military Police Force."
"That is fine," Mei said. "And we are doing this. We came to finalize and formalize things. It's us, Kage. We can decide."
"You're right," Hiruzen released a heavy sigh. His attitude to always defer decisions to others almost revealed its ugly nature. "I don't think we've left out anything."
Hokage Tower
Kitsuchi was a well-known man throughout the shinobi world. It wasn't his relation to the Sandaime Tsuchikage, but rather his battle power that brought him fame. Blood relations hardly gave fame in the shinobi world; if they did, Shikamaru would be known throughout for being the son of a man who was part of the famous Ino-Shika-Cho trio that achieved many victories in past wars.
For a man of his caliber to be in the Leaf, it showed that Onoki was having sleepless nights.
"This is a pleasant surprise," Shikaku said.
"Circumstances," Kitsuchi grunted.
Iwagakure was restless, fearing for its own future while the people of Konoha seemed carefree. The mood around the village was jovial. You wouldn't think that the Leaf was the very village that attracted tragedy like no other. But under the immense power of the Uchiha, they could afford this peace and happiness, knowing well that there was no threat that could ever dislodge them. It was an eyesore to him, and he wanted the Leaf to experience the same fear as they did.
Alas, he had no power.
Of course, security appeared to be tight. If he had come here for something else, he would have a difficult time and would get caught before he could even whisper "Uchiha." No doubt, he was going to be watched. But for his mission, it didn't matter. His only fear was that it was unlikely Konoha wouldn't know it was him who spread the news. Regardless, if the rumor turned out to be true, the Leaf would have far more troubling issues to contend with.
Shikaku nodded, then motioned for the man to sit across from him in the mission room. "How can I help you?"
"We actually came across the Sandaime Hokage before I came here," Kitsuchi revealed.
"We?"
"I was with the Tsuchikage. But there was something the Sandaime said that left us with questions and interest. I came here to ask before we take action."
"What is it?" Shikaku had no smile, just a straight face, his tone mirroring his expression.
Kitsuchi raised his right hand. "We cleared some air with the Hokage," he said to ease the tension. "It's actually about the games you're going to host with the Cloud. Iwagakure wants to take part in them to express our good faith in being part of the alliance. I want a little more detail on the issue."
Shikaku was silent as he studied Kitsuchi. No, this man couldn't have come here just for this reason only. If they had such questions, they could have asked the Sandaime Hokage if he indeed did tell them. Then, was there another reason this man was in the village? Did he come here with another ulterior motive? A concrete possibility. Shikaku decided to add a bit more caution.
"It is a competition that will see fights between our best Chunin and Jonin competing. You can bring your best, or not," Shikaku smiled. "If you do, it will make things interesting."
Kitsuchi nodded. "Who will be competing for Konoha?"
"We haven't decided."
There were monsters in the pool. Iwagakure could look at him. But Konoha didn't have the luxury to play a game of cards to decide who would fight. And that was without even touching the damn Uchiha. Who didn't even know Kakashi or Gai? Tsunade and Jiraiya were also present. Asuma Sarutobi was famous in his own right.
"And the winner?"
"Bragging rights." Shikaku shrugged. "That will be decided by the Kage when they meet."
"I see," Kitsuchi said. "Have the Jinchuriki really been returned to both Kiri and what remains of Suna?"
"Yes. We did not need them, and those people need them for their own protection. We did consider it would make others nervous if we kept them."
The way the Nara nonchalantly said he didn't need three Bijuu bothered Kitsuchi. It was not one, but three Bijuu, and the Leaf simply gave them away because they didn't need them. It was ridiculous. But such was the power this village wielded. It was like a repeat of history when Hashirama first distributed them.
"It makes things a little easier then," Kitsuchi said, faking humility. "It wouldn't be fair to the rest of us."
"Why are you worried? It isn't like the Leaf has a history of invading other nations."
Kitsuchi stared. He who betrayed was often afraid of being betrayed. The naive lived in their own ignorance and often suffered the consequences. "Uzushiogakure didn't have a history, and yet it suffered."
"That will forever be a stain on Konoha for having failed our ally."
"But you get the point."
"Yes... and I hope you got mine."
"Of course," Kitsuchi said. "I'll depart tomorrow night. Is that acceptable?"
Somewhere in the Fire Country
"Hoshigake Kisame."
In his slow stroll across the forest of the Fire Country, Kisame came to a halt, hearing a dark voice calling him from behind. He slowly turned around, taking hold of Samehada, just in case. It could be the person who killed Ao. Something deep had obviously happened for the man to have simply disappeared without a trace.
When he turned, he saw something he knew wasn't human. Then again, even he didn't look human.
"You got the right person," he said calmly.
"I know you have gone to bounty houses to check if Ao's head has been exchanged. You've also visited some underground places to ask, but there is nothing."
"That is easy to figure out. You can't trust those places. Anyone who goes around asking questions leaves a trail behind," Kisame replied with a shrug, unimpressed. "I did that because I also want the person responsible to know I'm looking for them."
"I didn't tell you all that to be impressed, but to let you know I know what you want."
"And?"
"I know what happened to him. I witnessed it, after all, and recorded it. I can play it for you. I don't have to say anything. You just have to watch."
Kisame smiled and then walked over to a tree, placed Samehada on his side, and folded his hands across his chest. "Proceed. If I don't like it, I'm killing you afterward."
And that concludes the chapter.
The Omnipresent Sage