Well, people. I give you chapter 100! This is pretty fucking cool, since I didn't think I'd ever get to 100 chapters for this story, and just shy of 1,000,000 words. So, just want to say thanks to all those who read, review, favorite, follow, and just look at it. When I first started this story I wasn't too sure where it would go, or anything else for that matter. But, I'm here at chapter 100 now, and don't intend to stop just yet!
But, you've read and seen something like this before, so you can just ignore it and read on!
"We're both of the same breed, after all...Motives for war are of no concern. Religion, ideology, resources, land, grudges, love, or just because...No matter how pathetic the reason it is enough to start a war. War will never cease to exist...Reasons can be thought up after the fact. Human nature pursues strife."
Nagato
There is a reason Hashirama always found it fit to reproach him. Tobirama never faulted his brother for doing so-he was the leader of the Senju and held everyone to a standard. His brother wanted peace, and he'd see it through to the very end, so that Hashirama's dream of peace did come true. So the village is founded, and he'd make sure the village would remain long after he and Hashirama pass.
It had been through sheer cunning that the Shimura scouted the Senju, and ever since they have the Shimura have been picking off Senju one by one. It was methodical and slow, sometimes they'd take a few units, and sometimes they'd just leave them alone completely. Hashirama would try to speak to Daishiro, but Tobirama knew that wasn't going to be an option. The Shimura weren't known for their diplomacy, it was anything but that. Skill. Cunning. Strength. Power. Silence. Patience. Capacity. Talent. Affinity. Darkness.
Shadows.
They all described the Shimura perfectly, and Daishiro was an embodiment of all those things. He had managed to abduct Mito from the Uzumaki's island and took her all the way back to the Wind country. He had also dealt the Senju fatal blows, before, and during those battles in the next region-one too many times had Hashirama's insistence to be diplomatic back fire. However, he turned things back around, and the Shimura were dealt twice as much damage than what they had dealt the Senju.
Well, he wasn't going to take any more risks.
Hashirama was gone, and that left Tobirama in charge. He had a different way of doing things than Hashirama, and not everybody agreed with his methods, but they were not stupid enough to disobey them.
Even if that meant they were nearing the Domou's and Subatsu's homeland-the soggy and twisted jungle and rain forest was becoming more apparent. He knew this was something that Hashirama and the Council would object, but the Shimura have been known for a while now of provoking the Domou, and just because he was on their land going after the Shimura didn't make him their enemy. Either way, he was going to deal the Shimura a blow. They weren't going to skate by unhindered despite attacks units of Senju.
The Uchiha remained to be a problem-the units just consisting of three people, launching quick attacks, then vanishing.
He'd deal with the Shimura and those Uchiha, all at once.
With a single hand signal, Tobirama motioned for all those behind to hold. There were ten of them in total, he had chose them specifically for this task. More importantly they came with of their own free will.
Disuke was his second in command, leading them accordingly while he kept a constant sweep of their surroundings. They didn't enter the Domou's and Subatsu's domain yet, but they were going to be reaching the boundaries within at least the next mile.
"How should we go about this?" Disuke asked in a gruff whisper. "Shimura are beyond the threshold, near a river."
"We'll be in the Domou's and Subatsu's territories then." A dark haired kunoichi murmured.
"They're much deeper in, and are occupied with the Hyuga." A towheaded young man said.
"Don't forget about the rest of them." Satoshi said, tone tight.
He wouldn't make the mistake of being careless.
Tobirama kept his eyes focused forward, the early start of a downpour gracing his head. Even tucked underneath the thick undergrowth, they couldn't escape what would be torrential rainfall. The second they passed the boundary line-every single Domou and Subatsu were going to know that they were there, it was strange how it was, but he knew it'd be less than five minutes before he was swarmed along with the Shimura.
But, the Subatsu were preoccupied with the Hyuga-even from this far distance he could feel their flares of chakra, there were also many he faintly recognized, but couldn't remember its specific source-clan. The Hyuga were greater in number with this attack, but the dissipating flares made it very clear that the numbers game didn't make a difference.
Typical Hyuga arrogance.
Perhaps it would have been better to follow his brother's lead on this, but this wasn't a direct approach on the Domou or Subatsu, it was a direct attack on the Shimura.
"Wait for my signal. We need to move swiftly, all at once." Tobirama said.
"It's a different unit of Shimura. Ten short." Satoshi said, brows furrowing. "The unit we tailed had about one hundred and seven shinobi."
"Either way it deals them a blow." Disuke's response was short.
Satoshi scowled. "We need to prioritize. The second we step beyond that threshold the Domou and Subatsu are going to be all over us."
"They have ninety, so we'll need to move swiftly." Tobirama said.
"We can't kill that many so quickly." Satoshi refused to back down-they didn't have the Subatsu with them anymore, they just couldn't go blitzing ahead. More importantly this was the Shimura, and a head on charge against them was often an extremely fatal mistake. There was an old tale that the Shimura would lay miles on senbon traps and lead their pursuers into it.
In place of the senbon are the Domou and Subatsu, and quite frankly he didn't want to face off against them.
"Then we'll take out half." Disuke was almost in Satoshi's face, eyes emotionless.
"When the Domou and Subatsu come charging through here they're all going to be wiped out."
"Are you suggesting we withdraw?"
Tobirama held up his hand, ending the argument. "Withdraw isn't an option, if the Subatsu and Domou attack then so be it. We will have to cross that bridge."
"This goes against Hashirama-sama's and the Council's orders." Satoshi said gravely, looking at the younger man.
"Of that I am well aware."
"Tobirama-sama does things differently."
Satoshi took Disuke's statement with a grain of sand. He knew what the older man was getting at. Disuke had been around during Butsuma's reign, and before Butsuma became leader. Butsuma did things a lot differently than Hashirama, polar opposites to be exact. Tobirama while not doing the same things as his father had the same high handed streak, and Disuke agreeing with his methods, would back him up.
Quite frankly he was in agreement with Hashirama. It was better not to provoke either of the two clans, and two just leave them alone. If he were honst the alliance with a gap in the Senju's forces-while they were still proceeding just fine, he knew that when a large scale battle took place the loss of collaborations would be felt by all of the Senju. Despite their differences their clans worked seamlessly.
He was just pragmatic enough to see that it was a loss. The best and only way to avoid anything spiraling into a downward direction was leaving the two clans alone.
"I'm going to send out clones." Tobirama said at last, forming the hand seal to start the jutsu.
"That's not necessary."
All of them whirled towards the source of voice.
They were surprised and not so surprised to see Souji standing between two women. One of the woman had a very blunt, and straight face, while the other one looked to be between optimistic, annoyed, and curious.
"Tobirama." Souji's tone matched the murderous glint in his eyes, his arms that had been folded across his chest were now at his sides, knuckles clenched so hard they were starting to pale. "Have a whole unit with you, too."
The white haired Senju remained stoic despite the glint in Souji's eyes. He'd seen it before, the man had it on his face every time he ever encountered him. But, considering they were always on the battlefields, in the middle of the chaos, so it wasn't a surprise he was accustomed to it. Just as Souji was accustomed to his own fierce, narrowed eye glare.
"We're after the Shimura beyond the threshold."
"You know what it means to cross that threshold..." Katori said, tone harsh.
Tobirama didn't back down. He wasn't blind to the blood on them-though it wasn't a big splatter like on the battlefields, it was just a few streaks here and there. Whoever they cut down didn't really do much to even amuse them.
"I do." Tobirama bit out.
"We were going to deal with the Shimura." Itsuko commented, her eyes shifted in the direction of the battle between the Subatsu and Hyuga.
"This is going to end in only one way, Tobirama."
Tobirama bristled, but stood his ground.
Katori brandished her sword, seeing that he wasn't going to back down. It was a shot to his pride being told what to do by someone that wasn't his older brother. Typical Tobirama. "You've seen what we are capable of."
"None of you scare me." Disuke said icily.
Itsuko looked ready to argue, but Souji stopped her before she could get started.
"There's no sense reasoning with a Senju, their sense of entitlement goes to the sky." Souji remarked, taking two steps towards Tobirama with his own sword brandished. He didn't need Disuke to fear him, the Subatsu, or the Domou. He needed the man to understand that doing something like this only warranted a death wish from his clan or the Subatsu. He never showed remorse, everyone knew well enough not to come around here provoking conflicts, but they did anyways.
Truthfully he had been expecting another pack of Inuzuka to come around, but since it was winter they were housed up in their respective compounds hibernating. It just left the likes of the Senju, Hyuga, Sarutobi, and the other main clans of the Fire country trying to encroach and provoke.
He was tired of it.
"Leave." Souji bit out, rage seeping into his tone.
"I don't see why we should." A kunoichi spoke up.
Katori was a hair short from thrusting her blade at the Senju kunoichi's eyes like a spear. "You haughty woman."
Tobirama held his ground, eyes shooting to his unit and remaining steady. If these people were cut down due to his actions he got the feeling Hashirama would never forgive him, and the entire Council would burst several of their arteries. He wasn't really interested in revenge, though he wouldn't say that he didn't want it, he wanted to make the Shimura got the point not to keep picking off Senju units. If they continued it was only a matter of time before they attacked the Senju compound-as it happened in the past.
He wasn't here for vindication.
However, Disuke was pushing boundaries, because it was a challenge. A threat. Disuke had been there at every single battle in the last region, he fought against Mikito, Sasuke, Daishiro-he knew very well what the Domou and Subatsu were capable of. Most people go into battle with the intent to kill their opponent, but the Domou and Subatsu go into battle with the intent to utterly annihilate.
Satoshi drew his sword just as Disuke challenged the trio.
"Make your move, Domou."
"Why don't you Senju just back away before you get killed?"
Haji and Usagi both made their presences known, though the younger of the duo looked to be rather chipper.
Haji locked eyes with Souji-his sword was already out of its saya before he could suck in a breath. Though he did discuss and come to an agreement with Ahiko and Izuna, Souji hadn't been there, and while Souji would do what was right-at this moment he didn't know the agreement they came to. Nor did he know about the Hagoromo's involvement or their continued involvement.
However, Souji must have noticed something in the way he drew his sword because he didn't come right for his head this time around.
"I think I'll take my chances." Disuke said belligerently.
Usagi drew her sword, eyes locked on Disuke. She turned them to Tobirama a second later. "I didn't think the Senju were so bold."
Tobirama raised his arm, palm remaining open. Truth be told fighting these five, while they fight each other in the process wasn't something he very much welcomed. Everyone with him was ready to die, ready to stand alongside of him and fight to their brave deaths, and he knew this all too well, and it is for this reason that he wasn't going to push his attack.
"We're withdrawing. You won't pursue us will you?" Tobirama turned to the five of them, eyes cutting back and forth between each person. If there was one false move on anyone's part, no matter how small or insignificant, it would result in battle, and it'd be a battle few would walk away from and they'd all suffer fatal wounds in the long run.
His brother could be a fool, but he was very prudent and smart in some regards.
"No, you didn't encroach." Usagi shook her head.
Tobirama gave the signal and they shot away, vanishing within a few seconds.
Before any battle could commence between them Usagi and Haji both shot away from the trio.
"Weird..." Itsuko mused.
Souji felt his lips pulling up in a half smirk. Tobirama, as annoying and infuriating as he was, he was also a source of some amusement. He had been so focused getting the Shimura and strategizing that he failed to sense the faintest fluctuation. It took a few moments, but after he focused his senses enough he too could feel that faintest fluctuation-similar, in a way.
"Looks like he finally realized that those Shimura are all earth clones, but they're well crafted and have suppression seals on them to make the chakra uniform to an actual person." Katori said aloud.
Souji nodded, a low chuckle rumbling from his throat.
Itsuko sheathed her sword, cupping her hands behind her head. "So, are we going to have to battle the Shimura again?"
Souji pondered it for a second. "No, if that was Daishiro's goal this would have never happened...I have the feeling he is getting impatient."
"Impatient?" Itsuko tilted her head in question.
Souji nodded, remaining silent.
Daishiro being impatient meant one thing.
Daishiro was worried, which wasn't good.
Even worse, Haji was worried.
"Come on, we need to hurry back. We have no time to waste."
Mikito was content to sit next to her husband and watch everyone else interact. She was happy to see that everything was going smoothly, for the women that came to her, and for everyone as a whole. She had been concerned about the Uchiha women because if they weren't secure than they would group together and start to voice their complaints. It'd be ridiculous, and they'd be pointing their fingers at the Domou men.
She knew well enough that the Uchiha women weren't treated fairly or right in their old compound. Some had been slaves and servants, others while being of a higher class, were still treated just as bad. They were educated, but they weren't trained extensively, and it just led to the fact of them being collateral damage if an attack were to happen on the compound. People were sacrificed when such a thing happened, and gender nor age came into account. The only thing that mattered was the clan and its survival.
Mikito wondered if there wasn't something more to the Uchiha's women's concerns. First hand experience taught her that Uchiha men were solemn and rarely showed emotion, and this is before they were on a battlefield where the only option was to seal away all emotions less be cut down. Madara was passionate and loving, and he wasn't the only Uchiha to be so loving, but they were few and far between. Since the Uchiha men cut off all emotion, it transitioned into their ordinary lives, when they're around their wives.
How many Uchiha women stared at their husbands' back over night. How many dared to reach out to them, and brush their spines with their fingers, only for their husbands to inch away? She understood-the Uchiha men viewed their wives as Uchiha women, and their children as Uchiha soldiers, who would bring fame and prestige to their clan. They didn't care as much for their spouse as they did for the clan.
She tried to push the thought away, but it persisted.
"I hope Domou men can handle Uchiha women. Uchiha women are very loving." Izuna commented offhandedly, a half smile on his face as he watched Minoru and Subaki retire for the night.
Mikito welcomed the interruption, and she smirked a sly smirk, eyes flicking to Madara for a second. "You don't need to worry about that."
Madara considered it for a second before conceding that Mikito was right. She was very sensitive to his needs, and from his observations all of the Domou women were very sensitive to their husbands' needs, and the husbands loved them without reservation. Sexual or otherwise, the Domou and Uchiha fulfilled each other in more ways than one.
He was liked their coordination on the battlefields.
I don't have to worry. Mikito already handled it. He thought, gently sipping the last of his sake.
He was going to call it a night himself.
"You don't seem to be worried, brother."
"I don't have a reason to be worried, Mikito already took care of it."
Izuna smirked for a second. "You speak from experience."
Madara narrowed his eyes, bristling at the statement. Izuna, he never really had a filter for what came out of his big mouth, for as many times Izuna would say that he lacked tact, Izuna lacked any semblance of everything. When he was drunk it was ten times worse.
"Be quiet." Madara grumbled over his sigh.
He wasn't going to speak of what he did with Mikito in private. Perhaps his wife discussed such things with other women such a Chiasa, Masa, and the older Domou women, but he was certain she was scarce with detail and more or less amused herself. It wasn't gossip, just women sharing stories about the bedroom and their men.
It's not like Mikito was theorizing that he was cheating on her.
"I keep Madara happy." Mikito said, a mysterious smile crossing her face.
"Is that your way of saying that you're a lecher?" Izuna asked jokingly.
Madara looked ready to punch him, but Mikito spoke before he could.
"You said the same thing about Uchiha women, basically. Domou women are very loving and affectionate."
Izuna laughed, truly amused that Mikito was playing his game. She normally didn't entertain, at least not as much as she used to when they first met. Now, she was more inclined to tell him to be quiet than to indulge.
"Like you don't talk to Ahiko and your other girl friends about me." Izuna shot his eyes onto his wife, narrowing them just by a fraction.
Yuko frowned gently. "No I don't."
"Liar."
Yuko narrowed her eyes a bit more, watching her husband continue to give her a rather hard look, but it failed due in part because he was drunk. It also lost its effect because more than anything she was confused at this moment. "I never have, I don't feel right doing it."
"We are women after all. It's no crime if Yuko was to talk to us about you." Ahiko said, giving Izuna a small frown. After all, what did he think they talk about when they're alone? Did he think they talk about their nails and make up? What kind of ruby or sapphire they're going to be getting from some person that is in that business? Perhaps Izuna did think that's what they spent their time talking about other than about their husbands, but that'd be due to male ignorance more than anything else.
"If we don't talk about our husbands' prowess and endowment what else are we supposed to talk about?" Mikito asked, feigning innocence as Madara cut his eyes at her.
He considered her question briefly. True, he couldn't think of anything else Mikito or the rest of the Domou women would talk about in their spare time. Perhaps they could discuss techniques, certain jutsus and the formulas behind them, but it never had anything to do with jewelry, make up, gossip, or anything of that nature which other women were more inclined to exhibit.
"I guess nothing." Madara shrugged.
"There is-" Mikito started but was cut off by Hayami.
"The hell is going on?" Hiyori muttered, knowing that Hayami wasn't one to usually yell.
"I think Bunji put his arm around her." Yuko supplied, giving a small shake of her head.
"I'd rather be courted by a Tailed Beast and kiss a frog than waste my time with you!" Hayami snarled, stomping away from Bunji. The man's arm, which had been around her shoulders shot forward with her, and he was nursing the side of his face.
Bunji bristled. "What?! You just hit me!"
"Should we do something." Yuko said.
"Why?" Izuna asked, finding it to be entertaining more than anything.
Hayami had an empty bottle in her hand. Though she didn't raise it, the threat was clear. Don't fuck around. "I'm going to go upside that thick ass head of yours with this the next time."
"You were just fine-"
"That's before you had to go and be bigheaded like always."
Bunji had no retort, but he wasn't going to back down. "I'd love to see you try that!"
Yuko grimaced hearing that.
"Noboru." Akame said, poking his arm a few times. "Stop her before Bunji gets hurt."
"I'm good." He had no interest in getting involved. "Better him than me, Hayami has a hell of a temper."
"But, husband."
"Just let the fool get his head put through a tree." Hiyori said, sighing in mild annoyance.
Ahiko of course, gave him an elbow in the gut.
"Ahiko!" Hiyori wheezed, hand staying over the point of contact.
Madara shook his head at the scene, these two could never get along. He could recall many times when one of these two made the other irritated or annoyed, Hayami was so damn obstinate it wasn't even funny and Bunji was well...Bunji.
Hayami would deny she had any type of feelings for the man-she admitted he was strong, but he also had a big head.
"I bet a million ryo she really smashes that bottle over his head." Noboru idly remarked.
"I bet three." Izuna added.
Hayami swung her arm.
"Hayami, please stop!" Ahiko shot up, maintained her balance, and snatched the bottle away. She shot a glare at Noboru and Izuna, both of them just looked away while crossing their arms. Neither did look very sorry.
Yuko and Akame immediately glared at their respective husbands.
"It's not funny, Izuna-sama." Yuko said in a light reproach, watching him snicker.
"You never did have a sense of humor." Izuna remarked.
Yuko scowled. "That's not true."
"I am tired of his fooling around!" Hayami made her stand, as well as making herself the center of attention.
If only she could just hit Bunji!
"You're fond of him." Ahiko commented, a small smile on her face.
Hayami snorted, but nonetheless lowered her arm and clamed herself down. She glanced at Bunji, turning away soon after. She refused to give him any more attention or satisfaction than what she has already. "I'm going to sleep at your cottage tonight."
"That's fine, there's that spare room." Mikito nodded.
Having nothing more to say Hayami left with them-being one of the many to call it a night.
Madara found himself shaking his head. Honestly, Domou women were unbelievable. Some could be as ferocious and fierce as they were on the battlefield, with Hayami being a prime example other than her rather straight forward personality.
"She sure does have a temper." Izuna commented from his side.
"Yeah, should have seen her and Harada go at it." Noboru said.
Mikito would have responded, but she was content to sit next to Madara and keep his arm in her own and watch everyone else interact. She was feeling the effects of the sake, but she wasn't so far gone she was going to start stumbling. Hayami had a temper, true, but Bunji had a knack for ruffling Hayami's feathers. He was a bit arrogant, and Hayami would always turn the other way around him.
She found it amusing because her and Madara had been a bit similar. Uchiha as a whole cherished their clan and Sharingan above all else, but there were always more than a few that cherished their friends and family, and loved without reservation or fear. They never hid their emotions, becoming stoic and solemn. She knew this because she'd been around enough, and interacted with Uchiha of all ages and class.
"It'll be interesting to see how things turn out." Akame said softly.
Izuna merely shook his head at the idle comment. "She's going to put his head through a tree or vice versa."
Noboru snorted, amused with the image.
Akame jabbed him in the ribs. "That's not funny, husband."
Izuna noted that Mikito didn't look very amused either, and Madara well...
Yeah, Madara.
"She's only fond of him-"
Harada came over to their table, still going strong with the sake from the beginning, and smashed his empty bottle just inches away while laughing.
Everyone jumped.
"Idiot!" Madara erupted.
"Harada!" Ahiko exclaimed, finally finding her voice once again. Her eyes wide like dinner plates. "What are you doing?"
"I can break chopsticks with my ass!"
Daisuke having enough of the belligerent man smashed into him, knocking him over ten different ways.
"I'm calling it a night..." Daisuke said, his eyes trained dangerously on Harada-who was just a few inches away from his ear when he had yelled. The bottle was mere centimeters from him before exploding into shards. A few shards of glass had gotten on his hakama despite his speedy reflexes, and quite frankly it irked him. Some people just weren't suited for alcohol, and there were people who shouldn't ever be allowed near it, and Harada fell into the second category.
He punched Harada right on the skull, sending the man toppling down.
"If I don't I just might break Harada in half."
Harada snorted, nursing the bruise on his head.
"You're a fool, Harada." Shinpachi said critically, without bias, his steady eyes boring at the man with glaring disappointment. He could only shake his head in more disappointment as Harada, fueled by sake, and some Domou brew, looked at him the same way he had before Daisuke knocked him over.
"You want a piece of me too, Shinpanchi? Daisuke walked away from me because he knows I would have destroyed him."
Shinpachi grabbed Harada by the collar of his kimono, yanking him hard-after the man sent an empty bottle smashing off a tree. Anyone close by got out of the way as quickly as they could before shards showered everything. Harada in turn flipped twice, slipping half way through first and slamming head first onto the ground. However, it didn't faze Harada the slightest.
"Get a hold of yourself." Shinpachi's jaw was clenched so tight it was visible.
"You panzy, get off me me ya stupid-"
Shinpachi hauled Harada up, his hand gripping Harada's kimono ripped into it, and his right arm surged from his hip, pressing into the man's sternum and he heaved, muscles straining, the full weight of the man was completely over his head. With thunderous force he brought Harada down on one of the tables-breaking it in two, Harada's body bouncing into the grass and then back up.
The area was covered in a small cloud of dust and dirt.
"Fool." Shinpachi grunted, turning away from the unmoving Harada. "Sleep it off."
"That Harada, can't ever control himself." Akame shook her head.
"Oh well, at least none of us women got into a fight." Mikito shrugged while smiling softly.
Madara was indeed thankful none of the Domou women, or the women in general, and definitely Mikito didn't get into a fight. He had to haul her off of the floor that one time, and she had been twisting and turning that he was about to fall back with her while they both did some crazy flip. However, most of the women called it an early night except for a few-since it was winter it got darker much quicker. It was getting pretty close to midnight.
However, all of that aside now was as good a time as any to get a debriefing of what happened. He wasn't quite sure, but Izuna's behavior was more off than usual, and it wasn't just because of the alcohol he consumed. He was loud, but not obnoxiously so, and he had this look about him that screamed that he was satisfied, that whatever had been on his mind was now just an afterthought.
But, there was a tenseness to him that Madara noticed right away. Anyone else could have looked at Izuna and see a happy go lucky, and stupid drunk, but that's not what he was seeing. There were a few times Izuna ever had that nervous taut to his body, it was usually when he found himself stuck in a no win or no way out situation, being cornered, and his sharp mind began running through a million possibilities that could be a solution.
So, it was a double edge it seemed.
It was to be expected dealing with Hagoromo after all.
Madara cleared his throat, setting his cup down, feeling that now was as good a time as any to start the debriefing.
Akame and Mikito embraced each other for a second, murmuring in each other's ears.
"I'll be taking my leave." Akame smiled.
"Later." Noboru waved carelessly.
Akame jabbed him in the ribs.
"It was nice to meet you all." He said, nursing his ribs.
Yuko just watched the two of them walk away, Noboru complaining about how she was going to give him a bruise.
Madara felt relief, inwardly. If Akame were here when they began to tell Izuna about Dominoes, he knew it'd be just like the time they had been in the kitchen. It wouldn't be favorable or comfortable, never before had he ever felt so wary. But, he knew Mikito would and could make up for the loss, she could be ten times worse than she had been the first time around.
He would have to speak on dominoes last, if they started out with the subject from the start this was going to get nowhere fast.
"What happened?"
Izuna got serious, like always when the situation called for it. It was easy sobering up in order to deliver his report with clarity. Shuji made it clear that he wasn't afraid to go to war-using Takeshi and his aggression, as well as the Hagoromo under him as a catalyst for the whole thing to start in the first place. Takeshi was too influential, and Shuji was the inept leader unable to do a thing.
Then there was the problem with Arata, and what the man had been up to all this time. Who the man was associating himself with.
"Well, things are tense within the Hagoromo. Takeshi and Shuji are on opposing spectrums of a situation and their thoughts on it, Takeshi has managed to rally a considerable number of Hagoromo-mostly division leaders to his cause. As of now, things can go either way, but Shuji is looking for a permanent solution to the problem."
"Why are things so tense?" Madara asked, a bit too quickly.
Izuna took the interruption in stride, Madara did have a bad habit of cutting people off. "This is where it gets interesting...Arata has become the leader of the Uchiha that stayed behind, and has been in contact with Tunoichi and Hajime, as well as the leader of the Yotsuki clan and Lightning damiyo. He visited Shuji before this, however, and from what vague explanations I was given it came down to pride, and Shuji almost drew his sword on Arata. Arata also asked to burrow a large sum of money."
He paused, letting the statement linger.
Madara looked at Izuna, waiting for him to say the joke was over.
"He's serious." Ahiko spoke up, giving a nod in both Madara's and Mikito's direction.
"Why would Arata be in contact with Tunoichi and Hajime?" Madara questioned, eyes narrowed. Something just wasn't adding up. "He...relocated?"
"Yes, to the Lightning country." Izuna nodded.
"Perhaps it's happened, Madara..."
Madara looked at Mikito with a critical gaze, his neck going completely taut, but despite the fierceness of his gaze and body language, Mikito didn't waver the slightest. She seemed to be wrestling with the fact within her own mind, struggling to come to a conclusion, struggling to come to a conclusion that wasn't a village being formed. He could see the flaws of a village system now, his dream had been something different than Hashirama's who wanted cooperation and was focusing on just the Fire country.
But, being around Mikito for so long his perspective slowly changed. He wasn't like his father or a lot of Uchiha, that drowned themselves in their hate among other emotions, he kept an open mind, and compared things side by side remaining dispassionate about it as to not sway in one or the other direction. More than anything they'd have to focus on preservation.
Villages would be formed. Clans would be threatened. Clans would become extinct in a few generations because they'd be so few in number, their lineage would just simply die out.
He got the feeling this was Mikito's greatest fear. The village system would burn more than half of the world, more than half of the clans would be lost with time.
"No." Madara shook his head. He wasn't going to concede or admit it. "He's with those two for a different reason. It's not to form something as incongruous as a village.
"It was only a matter of time before this happened brother, Hashirama's always been a big mouth." Izuna commented.
"Ahiko. Yuko." Mikito looked them over, eyes observant.
"It's true. Shuji's eldest daughter Yatsuha was working undercover in the Lightning country for two years on something completely different than this, but because Shuji had suspicions he had her look into it. She found proof." Yuko elaborated.
"Of a village being formed by these four clans?" Mikito's gaze became something ferocious.
"Yes, the Lightning damiyo seems to have approved of this and even gave them a section of his land in order to build the village, and is funding them as well. They are quite serious."
Mikito let her gaze trail off. The timing of this...
She had accounted for a village to spring up, in all honesty she had been expecting it with Butsuma and Tajima before things became so heated between them. While they weren't like Hashirama and Madara, the two always weren't so vindictive towards the other, at first. But, a village being formed, not by Hashirama, it was a cause for some alarm because they wouldn't adhere to what Hashirama does.
If it is Lightning then it is Kumo.
The damiyo being so militaristic.
"And, what is the solution to all of this?"
Izuna stared his brother eye to eye. "We'll have to wait for Souji to get here, it is...Privy."
"Oh?" Mikito asked, eyes shading in observance once again.
"Yes, he'll want to hear it." Yuko replied.
"Since we have that out of the way, for now. We can focus on something more privy: dominoes."
Madara looked at Mikito, a silent conversation taking place between them. His eyes began to narrow, slightly, than more noticeably after a short second. He had already come to terms and conceded with the situation at hand, and the role he had to play in it. Slavery was wrong, the salve trade was an abomination, and everyone remotely involved needed to be killed.
That was it.
"Dominoes is the near simultaneous assassination of all the province lords, damiyos, kings, queens, princes, princesses, all those who have a hand in their dealings, and that have been a contribution to the slave trade."
Izuna looked at his brother with the most critical of gazes before he let his eyes dart to Mikito, and then to Ahiko and Hiyori. The four wore similar expressions-grim but resolved, and there was no way he'd be able to reason with them.
Mikito was unreadable, her face composed in a mask of reticence.
Hiyori and Madara could have been carved from stone.
Ahiko only looked pensive.
"Can you say that again?"
"Izuna..." Hiyori's tone was so severe.
"The nobles have all had a hand in the slave trade, we're putting an end to it. First with them, then with those bringing the slaves in, we will get to the root of the problem."
Izuna stood very still for a long moment, until he could be absolutely sure he had heard what he thought he just heard. Mikito, Madara, the Domou as a whole were about to kill the people that paid them-that made it possible for them to live in the first place. He didn't feel indebted to the nobles or anything along those lines, it was simply that shinobi and nobles always had a lucrative relationship, and shinobi overlooked the horrible shortcomings of the nobles contacting them.
"That is nonsense, have you gone mad!?"
"This is serious, Izuna. Look around you. Why do you think we're the only ones in this clearing? People called it a night, but there are also Domou that needed to move." Mikito's big irises bored into Izuna's, never faltering even for a second.
"By tomorrow they will all be dealt with. That only leaves the slave traders, which we will deal with in the Tea country."
"I understand."
"I'm not sure you do, Izuna." Madara was staring into Izuna's eyes with a narrow eyed glare.
"This is happening." Hiyori said.
"You don't need to involve yourself in it if you don't wish to, but like my brother said. This is happening." Mikito said, voice stern."
"What?" Izuna asked.
It was a small word, a simple word.
"You can't do this Mikito! You can't be seriously considering what she is saying, Madara! The nobles pay us-we have longevity because of them! If we do this, that'll mean we're declaring war on them!" He was off of the table and on his feet, frozen to the grass. He wasn't even truly aware he was speaking, all he could feel was the very real dread crawling its way down his spine.
"I'm going to kill the Fire damiyo, actually."
"This is madness!"
"Call it what you will, but people are being hauled onto boats and jammed together, they can't even use the bathroom without going on the person next to them! They're sleeping in their own shit!" Hiyori snapped, just a hair close from being hostile.
Izuna recoiled on instinct, putting his hands up in a placating gesture. "I'm not saying that I agree with it or am okay with it. I've never liked slavery, but the nobles pay us. They pay us billions and trillions of ryo, they have millions of soldiers. We can't declare war on them."
"That may be true for you, Izuna. But, things will never change here, and we've never had a damiyo." Hiyori remarked.
"You're out of your mind."
Hiyori clenched his hand, raising it up and bashing it through the table. "I don't care."
"Hiyori, calm down. Izuna, you need to decide who's side you're on...You're not going to turn a blind eye to what these snobby nobles do!" Mikito matched their stares.
"Izuna, please. You're the only one who's opposing it." Yuko said softly.
Something in Yuko's gentle voice sent his anger slinking off ashamed, and he found himself staring at a hole-Ahiko's hands were gripped tightly on Hiyori's one writ, and he was blinking at Mikito. Yuko's gentle voice wasn't the only thing that brought him back, it was her admittance that she didn't feel this was wrong and whatever consequences came she'd be dealing with them, but her view on the matter was clear.
He wasn't going to be getting any ground, and from the looks of things this was a long time in the works. He knew the Domou and Subatsu both went after anyone that harmed animals in any sort of way, there were no more kennels or even anything along those lines-there were no dogs, cats, or other animals around people. Both of them swept through the world, literally, and took all of them.
He didn't want to imagine what they seen-what forms of cruelty they had to see. He knew Ahiko would practically start crying on the spot, her heart was very big and in the same way she adored children she adored animals. His wife would either cry on the spot or fly into a rage-there's very few things a person would do when seeing such things happening.
He hated any form of violence and cruelty-the only reason he fought so hard was to protect his clan, and Yuko.
But, now...
"I see, so all of those kennels before, and the people who ran them-who they were all found mutilated beyond recognition and the animals were gone..."
"We tore through them." Mikito nodded stiffly.
Hiyori's nod and Mikito's lethal tone was all the confirmation Izuna needed to know that if he persisted he'd be the odd one out. He didn't want to think about what would have happened should he have opposed her on going after all the kennels and everything of the like, even remotely. He got the feeling it'd involve all of the Domou and just him trying to survive the beating that they'd give him.
"Listen, brother..." Madara found himself feeling older than his nineteen years, a steady hand grasping Izuna's shoulder before it tightened significantly. "What Arata did-"
"He's trying to get the Hagoromo to attack us."
"Yes, he did. Arata, Hajime, and Tunoichi have all bowed their heads to the Lightning damiyo. He's given them land, funds, and I'm sure a lot of his military and regular subjects to help them along. We shinobi have been bowing our heads enough, all of this time...The Lightning damiyo gave them land, but now he's in control of the village-the leader of the village is in name and rank only, the damiyo controls the reins. They will continue to take missions, and while the wars will stop, they will happen again and in the years between it will be filled with enmity and antagonism."
"The cycle will just continue." Yuko concluded with a grim, but heartbroken tone.
"Yuko-chan..." Ahiko reached out for her hand, concerned.
Izuna was saddened to see Yuko so pained. He knew she didn't enjoy conflict the slightest, but she was resolved to do her duty, and she did to perfection. But, it didn't mean that he didn't worry about her, that he wasn't worrying about her at this moment. The battlefields were hell, and nobody who walked away was a victor, they were all victims. Victims to a cycle.. Victims of the nobles and their petty whims and conflicts. Victims of themselves. She had killed so many, but unlike a lot of people she didn't shut it out.
She couldn't shut it out.
He knew Yuko wanted to help these slaves, but at the same time he knew that she wasn't sure if she was ready to see such a thing. Killing and seeing dead people was one thing, it was another thing to see people chained by the wrists, neck, and ankles, children chained up, people covered in filth and so thin that death was too merciful for the demons that did that to them. These people were no longer people, but just shells.
Cruelty of all forms was crushed-the Domou and Subatsu crushed it.
Madara also made valid points.
Izuna sighed, caught between a rock and a hard place.
If he argued against this...
"I concede." Izuna gave up the fight, more concerned about spending time with his wife.
He wasn't going to argue the point when that point was that because the nobles pay them that they should just ignore it. Not only would he make himself look like an ass, which he did frequently enough, but it would be a severe backfire as Mikito and Hiyori would throw him into a tree before trying to pulverize him. "When are you leaving?"
"About two hours after this meeting." Madara replied. He wanted to spend some more time with his wife, and to unwind a bit. The Fire damiyo had one of the tightest militaries in the entire world and they weren't to be underestimated. Guard shifts were changed from the minute to daily basis, and it all depended on the time of day and what day it happened to be.
He'd need to be more patient in this mission, and not so quick to bust heads. And, though he was resolved on the matter, it still felt strange...Wrong to do in a way.
His father had killed a few nobles, if he could remember correctly.
"I'll see you in the morning then. You don't mind if I stay at the cottage?" Izuna looked at Mikito, then turned his eyes on Ahiko.
"No, I was going to head that way anyways." Ahiko said, giving Hiyori's sleeve a playful tug.
"Ah, before you all turn in for the night." Mikito spoke up a bit awkwardly, waving her hand carelessly in order to get their attention. "Akame has made contact with the leader of the Terumi clan, she will be arriving here in three days. It should be at dawn, or a little later."
"By she you mean the whole clan?" Izuna raised an eyebrow. "How is that possible? They're all the way in the Water country. Even if they took a boat it'd take them a few months at the very least to get here."
Mikito looked at Izuna, her expression said nothing. "She's actually already left, and has been well in route. I have a few of my clones with her, actually. It'd be no problem for them to transport so many people, but given the circumstances patience is a must in this."
"You really are sneaky, did my brother know about this Terumi thing?"
"Yes, but not this latest development." Madara replied.
"I guess she wants to marry someone, or have one of her sisters, or kinsmen marry someone." Mikito added as an afterthought.
"It never fucking fails." Madara grunted, annoyed.
Marriage was the first thing anyone and everyone said in order to forge an alliance. Normally it'd make sense, as it'd keep both sides in check, but more often then not marriage was just used as a means of getting what the person wanted. If a woman from the Yamuchi family was to marry someone from the Huiseu family, with the Heiseu's family intention to start a war regardless-that woman was nothing but a casualty. She'd be killed through some means before the year's end, and war would erupt, and like clockwork shinobi and mercenary clans would be contacted.
He tried to remember when Mikito and Akame even discussed such a thing during breakfast, but couldn't recall 'Terumi' ever leaving one of their mouths. Could it have been with Akame first came in and handed the stuff out? It would have to be when that occurred, because nothing else was ringing a bell for him or held any significance other than when they made that one dish at the table, and he knew nothing was passed between them.
While kunoichi weren't always on the frontlines they were extremely skilled in other arts. Like, note passing.
He appraised his wife carefully, a small smirk pulling on his face.
Mikito truly was a kunoichi.
"I just wonder what her intentions are..." Mikito mused softly.
"Escape the Water country." Izuna stated bluntly.
"Yes, naturally...But, if this were her only intention than the Terumi would have been in this compound ages ago, but as you see they're not."
In the shinobi world is was all give and take, more taking than giving what it really comes down to it. The Terumi wanted to escape, yes, but there was also another motive that was pushing the leader of the Terumi to this extreme. It could be any number of things, any very few things, but the fact still remained that it all led back to something inconclusive.
"Maybe it's the Domou's relationship with the Uzumaki." Izuna scratched at his chin, mulling it over. "Clans in the Water country aren't fond of people in general, but they have a hate towards the Uzumaki."
"She'd really forge an alliance with us just to attack the Uzumaki?" Yuko questioned, brows furrowing deeply.
"Alliances have been forged and broken for much, much, much less." Madara emphasized every word. "That's the only thing that makes sense, what should we do about them?"
"I've already made my decision, concerning that." Mikito said softly.
"It'd be good to have the Terumi here, adds to our strength." Izuna said without much shame. It'd also be good because a clan from the Water country would be in the West.
It'd be mind boggling.
"We'll need to watch them though, and their leader must be thoroughly interrogated." Izuna continued, feeling wary.
"Yes, I agree." Mikito returned his wary gaze with one of her own, gently crossing her arms. "Is this all? Other than the privy information that we need Souji present for?"
"The clans in the Water country and the Water damiyo will be declaring war on all of the mainland, soon." Ahiko said, her voice soft, but holding a grim undertone.
Madara leaned forward, eyes narrowed in a measuring squint. "You're not lying?"
She shook her head, eyes never leaving Madara's. "No, I wish I was...But, this is true. Scouts have confirmed it."
Madara straightened his back. "When?"
Ahiko raked a hand through her thick mane, hand getting caught in knots. "I'm not sure."
Rather than scowl, Madara nodded his head slowly. "We'll just have to deal with it when the time comes."
"That's all we can do." Izuna surmised, scratching at the back of his head.
Izuna slid open the door to his shared room with Yuko, well her room that she'd been staying within the cottage for well over a year. He told himself he wasn't irate, upset, frazzled, distraught, and everything other emotion in the dictionary. He told himself that Madara wasn't losing his mind, that Mikito had already lost her mind, and that because of them he was about to lose his mind. He told himself that Hiyori, for the first time actually talking, was a bad tempered and brusque as Souji, if not worse.
However, he was really upset, and every other negative emotion, and he could barely keep it under his mental restraints. Where had Mikito's and Madara's thought processes gone.
Well, he also knew Mikito and Madara weren't happy themselves. They wouldn't be, not when he told them about the marriage.
The debriefing had been somewhat tense. He chose to give the full report, allowing Yuko and Ahiko to fill in a few gaps. Of course, before the debriefing there had been the party, for lack of a better term, and while everyone mostly called it a night eventually, Harada had been going strong and got put through a table. And, for the oddest of reasons Bunji and Hayami had gotten into an altercation.
He sighed softly.
"What's wrong, Izuna-sama?"
He turned to his lovely wife. "Hm?"
Yuko wasn't fooled.
"This doesn't worry you, Yuko?" Izuna asked at last.
He didn't fear the nobles, but with all of their wealth, resources, and military might it was very possible for them to wipe out not just one clan, but multiple, all at once. The only reason they didn't is because the shinobi would offer their skills for a payment, and what good were tools if they were dealt away with? Some shinobi clans, like the Domou, Shimura, Uzumaki, Yamanaka, Nara and Subatsu can number easily into the hundreds of thousands due to their reclusive natures.
Due to constant fighting the Uchiha, Hyuga, Yuki, Hozuki, Hoshigaki Senju, and more clans numbered themselves down into the high thousands, but no greater than ten thousand at anytime. At least for the last four hundred years or so, it was especially the case with his own clan and the Senju. The battles were always bad, but they took a turn for the worse four centuries ago.
"Slavery is wrong." Yuko's voice while completely firm, remained soft. She looked Izuna in his eyes, never allowing herself to waver, as she had in the past under his intense gaze, and she could feel her face pulling into a gentle frown. Izuna was right to have reservations, and she understood his reservation, she too would be concerned about the nobles and their military forces, and she was, but she was also more concerned with the people being hoarded onto ships.
"It has to stop."
Izuna nodded, throwing himself onto the bed. "You're right. Besides, my brother is going to kill the Fire damiyo and all those who have a hand in his dealings. The Domou probably swept through twelve countries by now. The only thing I can do now is support him and everyone else."
Yuko held her piece, nodding the slightest.
Madara shot up like an arrow. His powerful legs propelled his muscular body at tremendous speed, and without stopping he snapped one hand up, easily flipping through one of the large windows on the Fire damiyo's estate, his landing all but a silent roll. With a quick glance around to ensure nobody was around, he blended into the shadows, shifting out of the room and into the many hallways.
Madara deduced he was on the eighth floor, given how the rooms were situated. The damiyo was just several more stories higher, where he needed to be in order to kill him.
His followers and all those who supported him would also meet their end. For they had their hand in this horrible atrocity, and so they too should suffer the consequences. It's not like the nobles truly cared about said consequences because they had wealth, a title, and power, and so they'd get to skate by free without anything happening to them.
His targets were simple. The damiyo first and foremost. His inner circle. Their advisers. Their families. And lastly three of three of the damiyo's sons, and their wives.
Bypassing the security was simplistic enough-they were trained to deal with assassins and things of that nature, but they weren't trained to deal with shinobi or kunoichi. While they did assassinate people they weren't assassins in specific. Though, he did need to use a genjutsu to cover up his presence, and even then a few of the guards were wandering too much and he had to use a genjutsu on them.
He emerged from the darkness on the fortieth floor. A quick check of his surroundings and he concluded that everyone else was asleep, and if any guards were to be patrolling through here, he'd definitely hear them.
Thirty rooms and fifty nine people later Madara eliminated the entire inner circle and their advisers. He slew through their families, and took out any guards that were getting too curious. He didn't give them the chance to scream, nor did he give them the chance to awaken in order to see their end. But, the shrieks of pain were all too familiar. It didn't take long for one or two of them to try and plead for their lives offering wealth and control beyond comprehension.
But, he desired no such things, and so he cut them down. However, he didn't kill them all through brute force, some he merely poisoned by pouring a fine mist into their face or dumping a toxic snake venom down their throats. Others he simply subjected to his genjutsu and made them kill themselves. It'd be one thing if people tried to say that someone ruthlessly mowed through all of these people and guards, but when they seen that some died because of their own doing with a sword or dagger protruding through them they wouldn't know what to think.
A door separated him from the sons and their wives, and it was a mere step that brought him right to them. Two arcs and their heads were sent thudding to the floor. One wife was about to shriek in fear, but he silenced her with a punch to the throat, ending her life with another chopping strike. There were some guards that failed to notice him, but the several that had been in the room got their necks snapped to pieces before they even knew what was happening.
The few that did mount an offense he quickly and brutally ended them.
The damiyo was sound asleep as he hovered over his bed. It'd be good to just stab him through now, run his blade right through the man's spine, but he knew what he wanted would only come through not ending the man's life swiftly.
"M-Madara, what are you doing here-!?" The damiyo's voice was shaky and hoarse, trembling like the branches outside in the fierce winter winds.
Madara's eyes glowed a ghastly crimson, his tomoe whirling like hurricanes.
"You red eyed demon! Guards!"
"It doesn't matter how loud you scream, no one can hear you."
"How-"
"Genjutsu." Madara bit out fiercely, drawing his sword violently.
"Die, you lofty fool."
He punched the noble in this throat, not waiting another second before slashing him across the same spot with his sword, and with a quick burst of chakra his fist smashed clean through the noble's skull, and squished his torso into the bed, before it finally caved in on itself.
He slowly stood to his feet, dusting off his shoulder while avoiding the rapid spread of blood that oozed out onto the floor and traveled all the way to the window's edge.
He turned to the gray covering that shadowed the dark velvet and its gems.
Madara narrowed his eyes.
His mission was complete, and he completed it to perfection, like always.
Now, he just had to wait to see how things fall into place.
With a small lunge he was gone, first blending back into darkness, then appearing hundreds of meters away from the Fire village itself.
He was out of the country a second later, gone.