"Sorry I'm late, I'm afraid I got lost on the path of life."
Kakashi Hatake
It began as a light rumbling. It became deafening. The thunder rattled the land and broke through the sky. Rain fell, ripping leaves from branches and splashing into the ground. Winds raced and began to nip at trees, struggling to stay upright against it pressure.
"We need to find somewhere to rest." Sadao said.
"We keep moving through the rain." Nagakura said.
Sadao was exasperated. He could barely see three feet in front of him it was raining so hard and Nagakura was saying to keep moving. That was foolishness. He could already feel copious amounts of water running down his torso. His clothes were soaked through. He'd need a hot bath and cup of tea when he gets back to the compound.
Quite frankly they weren't going to get anywhere traveling in this sort of weather.
"I can't see three feet in front of me. We need to find someplace to rest until this rain goes over us."
"We need to get some miles away from here. The rain should slow down then." Syrus said.
Nagakura was livid. Syrus was incensed. The trip back to the compound was slow going. Truth be told he wasn't in a rush. He wanted to think. He wanted to ponder what that old toad had been really getting at. He wanted to dismiss it as nothing but bullshit, and he believed it was, but a small part of him was curious.
If the toad's words had any merit, that meant the founding of these villages wouldn't do anything. They'd continue to battle. It was almost a waste of time. How many wars were going to take place long after he is dead? As things stood, the whole world was at war—even with Kumogakure flourishing, and Konoha founded, it did nothing to stop the endless wars.
Well, peace was impossible. Gentatsu had said that, so bluntly. Looking back on it, his best friend had been sad. People would never drop their hatred, let grudges go, or fully trust one another. New generations will come, and they'll be the same. Clan vs clan. Village vs village. Clans vs villages.
Maybe the toad's words had merit. Things were about to get a lot worse before they got better. Syrus knew that Hashirama, and the other village leaders will come to agree on forbidding or ending small conflicts. This will eliminate the constant battles. Instead, wars will be every few years or decades.
It was the shinobi world. How could a shinobi, think of peace, when their penchant is war? When they make their money and livelihood off of war? It was crazy to consider. To even think about. He remembered Butsuma and Tajima, and their highhanded ways. Peace just wasn't possible.
But, that only meant he needed to make a point so that everyone in future generations is wary of stepping foot onto his land. They wouldn't be partaking in any of these wars every few decades. The villages were going to know that when it came to battle—even making a threat, means all out annihilation.
The best time to strike would be the Five Kage Summit Hashirama convenes...But, that'll be a good three decades from now, at least. He wasn't patient at all, and quite frankly the sooner Hashirama was taken out, the better. That man, or his village, had everything to do with what that Toad had been saying.
"You're thinking too much." Nagakura remarked.
Shaken from his train of thought, Syrus increased his strides. Letting the rain pelt him to clear his head. He couldn't stick to the shelter of trees like Nagakura and Sadao were doing—if he did, he got the feeling he would sink deeper into a train of thought…
One that may persist.
"The damn toad didn't know what he was saying. He is playing the part of a fool and is a fool himself. It is common sense the shinobi will always be at war. It doesn't matter whether it is clans or villages, they will fight, that is their penchant."
"What if there is some merit, though, Nagakura?"
"There isn't."
Syrus suppressed the growl he wanted to bite out at Nagakura. He didn't want to get lectured by the older man by any means. It was more forceful that a simple lecture. Nagakura seemed a little confrontational at times. Now, was one of those times. But, in all fairness recent events had them all angry.
Well, except for Sadao. He just had a smirk on his face. Syrus couldn't fathom why he was smirking like that. He was always trying to play the diplomat, and quite frankly Syrus was getting tired of it. How many times did he have to hold him back from lashing out?
Maybe he just found amusement in the whole thing. Maybe in a month or two, or more than that, he'd be able to look back on this moment and laugh at it. Right now, that wasn't the case. He wasn't in a laughing mood at all. The Hyuga were going to join up with Hashirama and his village and that was trouble. Hashirama had become a priority. It was only a matter of time before Konoha got so much clout...
"Everything is in good order."
"What are you talking about?" Syrus demanded.
Sadao noted the compound was coming into view—the gates were being opened.
"Those toads aren't going to interfere again."
"They better not." Nagakura said, tone poisonous. "I will go back there, and-"
"Just calm down." Sadao looked at the younger man sternly.
Nagakura turned away, looking off to the side.
Sadao sighed. He forgot what it was like to deal with bad tempered people. There were a few bad tempered people in his clan. Todou had to be the worst. He didn't know when to run away, or stop giving chase to foes. Nao, for all of her poise, was also bad tempered when she wanted to be.
Though, Nagakura could be more than forceful. Sadao wouldn't put it past the man to shove his way back to the Toads just to dish out more threats or draw his sword. Nagakura was a humble man. He enjoyed the simple things in life. But, when he was angered...
"Syrus!"
The three men stopped in their tracks as Daiyu approached them. She was moving with hast. Dressed in a blue kimono. Her feet moved faster than her attire would allow of her, making it look as if she was about to fall face first.
Sadao met her halfway. "What's going on, Daiyu?"
"Haji is convening a meeting. Every powerful and prominent person in our ranks is there."
"A meeting?" Nagakura questioned, brows drawn together. "I wasn't told there was going to be a meeting."
Daiyu took a deep breath, fixing her hair. "Haji called it about an hour ago. We were all waiting for until you guys came back to begin."
Syrus clicked his tongue. It's about to happen…
"I bet Serizawa and those old fools are all there as well." Nagakura didn't look happy.
"He is." Daiyu told him.
Nagakura marched past her, grumbling about Serizawa.
"Let them know we'll be there quickly." Syrus found his voice.
His eyes dimmed as Daiyu nodded and turned away.
He looked up, feeling his eyes burn.
He closed them, and took a deep breath.
"Everything should proceed smoothly."
Haji remained calm as he spoke to those gathered. Shuji was smirking, no doubt proud and anxious for what was about to come. Haji knew he'd have to confront Syrus eventually. Things would move forward, but what was about to happen between them had to be resolved before he set off.
Asuna and Asuko were flanking Usagi. Jime and the others—the old Council were also gathered. Only a few seats were open, and that was to those who were currently out. Syrus. Nagakura. Sadao. And, a few others.
Truth be told the meeting could have begun without the trio being present, but out of respect, Haji was waiting for them to arrive. It would be better that Syrus found out here and now, instead of later. In the end—Syrus would respect Usagi's decision. He'd be a minority, if he pursued a certain path. He never usually anticipated certain events.
But, looking at Shuji, Enishi, and other Hagoromo gathered, the o flanking them, he still didn't know what to make of it. They were allies, certainly. But, everything was about to change. He'd be seeing clans and people he never seen before.
After so long, they would finally be together again.
No more fighting.
"You know there will be those who don't agree." Serizawa said.
The statement was a reminder that Syrus wasn't for peace between the Subatsu and Domou. He and Mikito would always battle. There would be Subatsu and Domou who always battle. But, a new system was in place. There could be those who harbored those feelings, and they'd certainly leave with Syrus when the youngster took his leave.
Jime could already see it coming. Syrus was going to blow his stack, but nothing was going to come of it. A new system was in place, and he could admit it was more efficient. He didn't spend his time advising, as much as taking care of certain responsibilities. Old habits die hard, but he could adjust, a but, to the new system.
Before if Syrus blew his stack, his word would carry a lot of weight, and it still did. But, it wasn't as much as before. He'd whip the Subatsu into a frenzy. But, now there was more than one leader, and he, himself was a leader.
Syrus wouldn't be able to throw his clout around.
"Of course." Haji said, a little blandly.
"I don't think Syrus is going to agree." Sekizawa replied smoothly.
Things would be a little different if Usagi wasn't involved. However, Usagi was. Syrus would outright refuse, naturally, but now he was going to be irate. Sekizawa couldn't brace himself enough for the whirlwind of mayhem Syrus would become.
"He won't interfere with Usagi's happiness."
There were murmurs of agreement.
Haji stared at his hands, wondering what Tsugi intended to do. Glad he was able to end that topic. Tsugi was an old Subatsu, being a few years older than Hijikata. The man was like a father, but he'd have to respect his decision if he didn't want to stick around. He was from a different generation, and all of this, as tremendous and revolutionary as it was, just didn't do much for him.
Usagi was set in the marriage. Things would proceed. If all went well, there would be an idea for more marriages. Things like this tended to happen on its own, and it wasn't a good idea to force it. But, marriage was the only way. Once it is sealed, what is natural can occur.
He knew what Sekizawa was so wary of. It was no secret that Syrus treated Usagi differently. Whenever it came to their sister, Syrus would get very short and direct. He was more inclined to hurt someone that looked at his sister the wrong way than to just let it go. If Usagi told him herself, so his brother hears it from her mouth…
It'd make all the difference.
Still, there would be those that disagreed other than Syrus. Though it'd be a few that disagreed, it was still a few. He preferred when everyone was moving with the same thought and focus. That wasn't going to be the case this time.
They could only move forward at this point, regardless of how things turned out. Everything was set into motion.
It took another four minutes, but Syrus found his seat at the head, Nagakura flanking him, and Sadao taking his seat three seats away. Nagakura crossed his arms over his chest, almost on reflex alone. The man looked tense. Observant.
It wasn't the usual meeting chambers, and a lot of people were gathered. He could understand Nagakura's need for observation. The man was only guessing what was going on at this moment in time. This was also the first time so many Hagoromo and Mo were at such an important meeting.
"A meeting, Haji-san?" Sadao asked, brow arching.
It seemed a little highhanded on Haji's part. He could have been moved to act, it could have been Shuji, or it could have been someone else. Syrus would never call this meeting, so someone had to do it, and Haji being Haji, did just that.
The man was ruthlessly efficient.
"Yes." Haji met his eyes, unflinching.
Nagakura didn't look impressed.
He looked at everyone gathered, brows drawing together more and more.
"What's this all about?"
People traded looks. Sadao looked at Haji, Haji looked at Sekizawa, the elder looked at Nao, and so on it went. It was clear to everyone that Nagakura was in a bad mood. Either that or the man just seemed more hard laced than usual. His question was just a little too direct.
There was only silence. It wasn't quite tense, but it was still present. It hung. It lingered. Nobody felt the need to break it.
"I'm waiting for an answer." Nagakura said, tone dropping.
"Haji has confirmed it, as well as our spies..." Daisuke started. "The Domou and the clans with them, attacked the Tea country."
"It appears dominoes has begun." Serizawa said, tone grim.
Syrus looked at Daisuke carefully.
He hadn't heart about clans going to the Domou, civilians, yes, but not other clans.
"Who are they allies with?"
"As of recently, the Yuki and Kori."
Syrus took it all in stride. Mikito was busy, tying up loose ends. She was always more diligent in that regard than he was. He couldn't care less, as long as he got to battle, and battle her in particular. He wouldn't mind fighting Madara again either.
As Subatsu they would move. They had no choice. To not move would be to go against the code and ethics, their very creed. They would do everything possible to move with the Domou, and those clans with them, and that included unifying.
"They attacked ships transporting slaves." Jime added.
"I'm going to marry Shin to make this official." Usagi added.
Syrus stared at Usagi. There wasn't anger in his eyes. There wasn't fury. There wasn't even sadness or sorrow. They were unusually blank. He should have been shaking with fury. He wanted to be shaking with fury. But, he could hear the finality in his sister's voice. She wasn't arguing with him, she wasn't asking him, she was telling him what she was going to do and who she wanted it with.
She wasn't that little wolf anymore. He wished she had remained the sprinting and grinning girl who swung around her Bokken. There had been a time where Usagi was never interested in relationships, and it had been recent as well. He didn't know how or when it changed—it couldn't have been with Tobirama…
It was only natural she'd want to find love, eventually. It was the Subatsu men that abstained for everything, like himself, and focused on battle that existed. The Subatsu women would always seek out a lover in their lifetime.
So, there was no reason to be upset. They all had to walk different paths. He would fulfill his responsibilities as leader. But, once everything was complete and the union was in tact, he would be taking his leave to walk his own path. He'd assist however he could, but he wouldn't be around to see how things went. Quite frankly he didn't want to be around to see how things went.
"Have you decided on a date?"
Usagi shook her head. "We haven't gotten that far yet. But, I am not going to waste time."
Syrus nodded. "It should probably happen in less than a month."
Usagi tilted her head, left, then right, contemplating. "I was thinking so, however..."
"Your marriage will happen right away." Syrus said, tone breaking no argument.
Usagi shifted a bare inch, ducking her head slightly. "Are you sure, brother?"
She knew Syrus was emotional. She was emotional, too. That's why she always respected his wishes and knew that when he snapped at her at certain times, it was because he cared. He loved her. He just didn't always show it in the brightest of ways, especially when it came to her virginity. She never really took an interest in boys, but that didn't stop Syrus from getting that way.
More than anything she wanted him to live, so he could see his nephews and nieces.
And, frankly, he needed to get married and have kids.
Something needs to ground him.
Syrus looked at Haji, eyes narrowing slightly. His younger brother only met his gaze with an impassive one of his own. No emotion, just an eerie calm. That's how it was. Usagi's marriage sealed the union. Without the marriage, it wouldn't be possible. He could put up a fight about it, but, Syrus felt it'd only be a waste of energy. He wanted to snap and make an ass out of himself, in front of everyone gathered, but something held him back.
Haji had planned it accordingly.
I bet Izuna and Ahiko had something to do with it...
Syrus's eyes snapped wide.
It was during that time Haji and Usagi went to the Hagoromo compound!
Despite the overwhelming emotions wishing to erupt out of him, Syrus kept his composure. "Your marriage with Shin is what will create this union. It has to happen right away."
"True..."
"No need in delaying it then." Syrus said, crossing his arms. It's not like he was the one getting married for this union. "We need to move things along."
"R-right." Usagi nodded.
"Now...If what some of you say is true...That means it is time to go to the outside lands and nations—we are going to hit the slave trade at its source. It seems the Domou are making their move, and likewise, we will be making our move." Syrus's tone was severe.
Takeshi nodded. "It's why this meeting was called. There is the risk of going to war with foreign lands and nations."
"Who cares about them?" Ryoku questioned.
"Calculated risk." Nao said.
"We can reason some of them are affiliated with the slave trade. When we attack it at its source, people from those lands or nations will be there as well. They'll be coming at us from all sides."
"And..." Ryoku looked a little blank.
"We should kill all of them." Nagakura said bluntly.
"We don't want to go to war with them, Ryoku. Nagakura. Not too soon at least. We need to be patient in this regard." Osen clarified.
"I'd prefer if we battle now as well." Okita spoke up.
"And, let's not forget about the Water damiyo and those clans. Kumogakure and Konoha are also threats." Aya interjected.
"So..." Syrus looked a little bored. "We need to split into two or three groups."
"We need to attack!" Nagakura snapped, fist meeting table.
"How are we going to attack without a sound strategy?" Enishi asked.
"We can improvise." Okita ventured.
"No, that isn't an option." Serizawa said, tone strong. "The only clan that has information on the foreigners is the Shimura, and they are allied with the Domou."
Haji looked everyone over carefully, watching forany signs of agitation. Neither of the men or women were purposely impeding things like they would have before, given the situation. Even he knew the significance of this. The severity. The emotions and feelings it could bring out. There was nothing they could do that would stop this from happening. He couldn't stop it.
He didn't want to.
"Splitting into two groups is more reasonable." Syrus remarked.
"I think three is smarter." Takeshi spoke up.
"It is not efficient to do that." Kimie said.
BOOM!
The doors swung open.
"Hey!"
Everyone startled.
"Sorry it took us so long! Kiyoshi got in the way!" Yokuna called out loudly, raking one hand through her messy hair as Todou stepped in behind her shutting the door silently.
"Yokuna, please silence yourself and sit down..." Aya reprimanded.
"I made him draw his sword. I must say, his kenjutsu is extremely impressive." Yokuna continued, uncaring of the older woman. She smiled. "It is a sword that has cut."
"We are in the middle of a meeting, sit down." Serizawa said, tight lipped.
Yokuna took a seat, locking eyes with Serizawa for a moment before steering her focus forward. It still pissed her off. She could taste that trio's blood on her blade, and the Kiyoshi swooped in and fended off both herself and Todou, barely moving an inch. She hoped she got to meet him face to face again, and at that point in time, have it out without any worries.
"Hashirama was in the capital like the information our spies and scouts have gathered. We found him in a room at a gambling house with Tobirama, Mito Uzumaki, and Kiyoshi. We attacked him. Tobirama was taken out by me early on. Yokuna went after Hashirama and Mito. We caught them off guard, so dispatching them would have been easy, but Kiyoshi interfered at the last second. I was going to run that Uzumaki woman through..." Todou grunted, eyes turning hard.
There were a few nods.
"You'd just better let that go, Todou." Sadao said.
Todou offered no response.
"Moving forward. When will we send word to the Domou? I understand they are in the middle of integrating the Yuki and Kori." Jime asked.
"It's good to get things like this out of the way, early." Serizawa commentd.
Haji wanted to work out a plan for attack before he moved forward in that aspect. There wouldn't be too many tweaks to it. But, if too many heads got in on it, that was going to cause trouble. There were always preferences when it came to strategies.
Still, maybe it was better to be prudent, like Serizawa wa suggesting.
"Have someone send a message after this meeting."
Usagi looked at Syrus, eyes steady. "Are you sure?"
"The likely plan is that there will be three groups. I don't agree with there being three groups. I'm going to lay out my reasoning, and I'd like that to be included in the message to the Domou."
Syrus gestured to the front of the room, leaving his seat.
"A map."
A map was brought in.
"This is a map of the Elemental Nations, our territory, and the borders of some lands beyond us. We know that the Water damiyo and those clans are all going to attack, and are battling as we speak..."
He pointed at the grouping of islands, and trailed his finger across the ocean, until it was a throw away from the mainland.
"One group will have to deal with him."
Syrus pointed to the very ends of the map, where the walls were. "Another group will have to go outside of our territory.
He paused, suppressing some of his anger. He put his right index finger on the Fire country and his left on the Lightning country.
"Then, there's the shinobi villages—Kumogakure and Konohagakure."
Syrus was pacing back and forth, marking things down with ink, and gesturing at certain locations on the map. He was in his element, and he'd continue on. This is one of the things he enjoyed doing as a child. There was more to battle than just power, if one could change the geography and landscape to suit their needs, put certain traps in place, that could tip the scales ten times over.
It was already known that the Water damiyo and those clans were going to attack. Villages were preparing. Shinobi were repairing. Somewhere, bands of rogue and ronin were banding together to have strength in numbers.
He looked the map over, nodding. He could see two groups splitting, going in opposite directions. One was a straight shot to the east, into the Water country. The others was an unknown. Putting Konoha and Kumo along with the Water damiyo was safe to do. There didn't need be a separate group to deal with shinobi villages.
"I think we can just group Konoha and Kumo together with the Water damiyo and those clans."
"I disagree with that." Sekizawa said.
"We don't know what we are dealing with when it comes to Kumo or Konoha. Underestimating them is dangerous. Arata had been gloating." Enishi commented.
"It does seem dangerous to underestimate them." Itsume admitted.
"How? It's the same thing as the Water damiyo and those clans attacking. Only difference is the Water damiyo is battling and there's no unity between him and the clans." Todou remarked.
"We do not know the strength of these shinobi villages. We have nothing to gauge." Asuko replied.
Syrus nodded. He could understand their sentiments on the issue, but he still believed that splitting into two groups would be far more beneficial. Splitting into three groups would split their power too drastically. He didn't want to dedicate an entire group to battling Kumo and Konoha, it left a bad taste in his mouth.
Those two could be put together with the Water damiyo. To deal with one meant dealing with the others, right away, or in the future. So, two groups would suffice. It should be more than enough to handle those threats.
"They are one in the same." Syrus agreed with Todou, shrugging when Enishi and a few others scowled.
"Just how many clans have joined them Domou?" Nagakura asked, starting to rifle a gaze towards everyone.
"There's a sect of Uchiha. A sect of Senju. The Namikaze, Haruno, Yuhi, Kurama, Terumi, and Nohara clans. The Shimura clan. Recently the Chinoike, Yuki, and Kori clans."
"That means..."
"The Aburame, Yamanaka, Nara, Mitarashi, Hatake, Akimichi, Hyuga, Mitokado, Utatane, Kohaku, and any minor clans will be joining Hashirama's village."
Nagakura stared at Asuko, brows drawing together until it appeared he was glaring. That couldn't be. Not the Terumi, Yuki, and Kori. He could see the other clans mentioned, even the Chinoike joining them, but not clans of the Water country. It was something he hadn't accounted for.
"Are you sure?"
Jime nodded, going through some paperwork. "According to this report. It came in three days ago."
"Who could have convinced Gotou Yuki and Touma Kori..." Nao asked herself, more than anything.
Syrus had already found his seat and knew who did such a thing. Mikito of course. Madara had to have handled things with the Yuki. It seemed Mikito was gathering many allies. Was she rushing to battle him, or was it something else?
Either way, things were moving along in order. There had been a few differences, but things were happening as they should. Mikito was hastening certain things into action or to happen, in a way it was reckless on her part. She was normally methodical in her approach, but he could see the haste in her steps.
Maybe she was thinking more than she should be again. He could remember her talking about things in the far future when they'd be in their fifties. At times he thought it was the strangest thing when she'd talk like that, but he never took the time to consider she thought like that, even back then. Well, he only met Mikito through Genttatsu and vice versa. Syrus doubted he would have ever encountered Mikito save for the war zones.
"With all of those clans, splitting into three groups won't effect our strength, but just the same, we shouldn't split into three." Syrus said, steering his focus back on the present.
"It depends on who is in the groups." Shuji said, speaking for the first time since the meeting began.
"True." Ryoku nodded.
"But, maintaining two groups seems to be the more efficient way to attack. There could be too many variables by adding a third group." Kimie admitted.
"Splitting into three groups isn't necessary. We have Kumogakure. We have Konoha, which isn't even flourishing like Kumo. If we had more shinobi villages to deal with than I can understand splitting into three groups, but as it stands..." Todou trailed off.
It just didn't seem efficient to make three groups, and having one of those groups deal with something so insignificant as a shinobi village. There were only two, and that wasn't any cause for concern in his view. The only difference between a shinobi village and clan was the fact the village had more than one clan.
That could lead to a problem down the line. If Nara and Sarutobi teamed up, that would be problematic. The Nara's intellect combined with the Sarutobi's power and will, was one deadly combination to say the very least. Of course, there would be more than a few clans to certain hidden villages, but, they were already taking measures in order to deal with such a collaboration.
It could be due to his pride he wasn't going to even consider spitting into three groups. If the union with the Domou and Subatsu began, then that meant there would be more than seven clans between all of them. To split their power into three groups left a bad taste in his mouth. If there were more villages, he could consider to concede.
But, there weren't more than two shinobi villages, so they didn't need to play the caution game and be prudent. The shinobi villages weren't the real threat or the objective. They were just in the middle by happenstance and needed to be dealt with if the time came.
"I want to agree, but if more shinobi villages like Kumo and Konoha are formed..." Sekizawa paused.
"It is nothing to be concerned with." Todou almost snapped.
Sekizawa scowled. "Arata is the Raikage. Hashirama will certainly be the Hokage. To not see the threat these village pose is nothing but arrogance on your part."
Yokuna sighed. "We had Hashirama dead to rights. If Kiyoshi didn't interfere, I'd be cleaning my blade of that Senju's blood. The shinobi villages are nothing to be concerned about for the moment, so splitting into three groups will only split our battle strength in half, if not more."
"And, if more clans join these villages?" Serizawa posed the question.
"We are not doing this alone. We can safely assume that Kumogakure has all the clans that it needs and the Yotsuki will be prominent in the future. Konoha is a different story altogether." Haji said.
"So, you agree?" Yamaguchi prodded.
Haji was silent for a moment, contemplating his answer. "We have to consider all of the clans we're going to be with."
Kimie cleared her throat gently, bringing the focus onto her. "The Yuki alone can combat three clans, easily enough. It doesn't matter who or what clan joins these hidden villages. We are entering a union, and that union will bring about checkmate. Hashirama and the leaders can scramble all the want to, we've already won."
Syrus looked at everyone gathered, and noted there was a rift forming. Some wanted to split into three groups. Others didn't want to go that route. There was reasoning and everything else for each course of action, but there wasn't an agreement.
The real threat were the outside nations and lands. They had never deduced the strength of these lands of nations, or ever ventured that far. They had an idea of Hashirama's strength. Of the Yamanaka's expertise. Of the Nara's intellect, and so on and so forth. What they had no inkling of was the power of the foreigners.
Even if they didn't use chakra, that didn't make them less of a threat. They had other means of fighting. They had weapons. They had politics. They could use sophistry and be glib. More than anything, they just didn't know what they were getting into with these foreigners, and hitting the slave trade at its source was certain to catch the ire of many.
If splitting into three groups was the plan, they'd need to have two groups go to the outside land and nations and one to remain within the Elemental Nations to take on the Water damiyo and his madness. But, this would come with its own problems and disagreements from those gathered in this room. They needed a course of action, at the very least.
Two groups would set out. One hitting the slave trade and all of those involved, the other combating the Water damiyo. The shinobi villages could be grouped with the Water damiyo—so even if the notion of splitting into three groups was strong, that third group would be the second group.
Hashirama's village. Kumogakure. They were all works in the process. It would take years and decades for them to gain a stable foothold on the Elemental Nations. For anyone to take them seriously. For them to have power and influence that'd nearly rival the damiyo themselves. This wasn't that time. Those villages were but in their infancy, and to expend so much worry and energy on something still in the works wasn't smart.
Shinobi would take the chance to strike the villages. Because the villages were so weak. Because the villages posed a potential threat. Shinobi would expend energy towards something that had no bearing on them nor posed an immediate threat.
"That sounds like a lot of arrogance on your part, Kimie. If the Sarutobii, Akimichi, Nara, and Yamanaka all got on the same page under Hashirama's or Tobirama's leadership-"
"It wouldn't mean a damn thing, Serizawa." Okita cut him off, eyes hard.
"You can not just blow off the threat of these shinobi villages!"
Okita's eyes began to glint. "My sword is feared. Nobody, shinobi village or not, will impede me at all!"
Syrus smirked. Okita was getting pissed. Ryoku was getting pissed. A lot of people here were getting pissed off. The reason was simple. All of this fretting over shinobi villages, that had no pull or clout at this moment in time.
"We tore a rift in the desert region on our way back here. There was nothing anyone could do, clan or damiyo, that was going to stop us. That could stop us. Do you remember the Domou's and Uchiha's raid on that teahouse in the Sand country? They laid waste to their foes and nothing remained of that building afterwards. Don't think history won't repeat itself but all of us going to shinobi villages and laying waste to them."
"Those were just clans and villages run by the damiyo!" Aya snapped, tempted to pull her hair out.
These young ones…
"What is the reason for your concern, Aya-san?" Haji questioned.
"These shinobi villages are something new. They are anomalies. We do not know what strength they will possess, so we don't know what threat they will pose to us. Shinobi coming together to found a village, nothing of this sort has ever happened before!"
"What a lack of faith." Tsugi remarked.
"You should know better than I do, Tsugi." Aya bit out.
Tsugi only scoffed, shaking his head.
"The shinobi villages, even if more are founded, will only go after the Water damiyo and those clans. In short they will head straight into that country and will be embroiled in war. We are not focusing on them, and we are not attacking them, so we won't warrant their concern. That isn't to say that we won't be at war with them, we will be, in due time...But for now, we all have a mutual enemy." Haji reasoned.
There were a few nods and mutters of agreement.
"To keep track of the Water damiyo's movements and all of those clans coming over the ocean, is to keep track of the hidden villages' movements. Vice versa. One leads to another. Our primary focus should be on the outside lands and nations, as we have no idea what their strength can possibly be." Kata reasoned.
"I want to agree with you." Serizawa said, eyes narrowing. "But, these shinobi villages make me wary."
"Why?" Nagakura asked, tone starting to bite.
Serizawa drew his brows together. He'd never be able to get it through to Nagakura, or some others. They were brazen and didn't care about shinobi villages. But, he lived a long time, and he knew what a shinobi village posed. The idea. The danger. The advantage. The disadvantage. The revolutionary aspect it brought about.
Clans no longer battling and fighting and coming together towards a common goal. No longer would clans be out for blood. It was unprecedented. It took a special mind to shove such an idea in place, a strong will to keep the idea going, and influence to keep the village system in place.
There was no way the damiyo of any country would pass up the idea. They'd be wary, skeptical, and even hostile towards the idea, but that didn't mean they'd reject it. There were too many advantages that went with a shinobi village. Advantages that blocked out the disadvantages from those who were uncaring.
He didn't want villages throwing around their weight. It'd only be a matter of time before they turned their focus onto them. They'd demand land, resources, and other things. When they said no—the damiyo would take exception, and the shinobi of the country's hidden village would take action.
"They are tools of the damiyo." Serizawa said.
"How is that different than now?"
Serizawa glared at Nagakura. He was getting annoyed.
"Because the clans will have a mutual agreement with the damiyo and that means the clans that gather will enter a ceasefire. Because the damiyo is overseeing the entire thing, and it will be on paper, the clans have no choice but to go along with it. Think of the Kage as a retainer or vassal, and those under the Kage would be his vassals." Nao replied.
Nagakura arched a brow. "So, the shinobi will be mock samurai?"
That was almost laughable. Shinobi served only their clan. For shinobi to serve something other than the clan was madness. How long would it take for the shinobi of these villages to not think about their clan, but the village as a whole? How many would be wary and skeptical of joining? How many clans may never join?
He really didn't care one way or another. He knew the shinobi villages would be a threat, he just didn't want to commit so much focus onto something that wasn't even on solid ground yet. The damiyo could change their mind. Their inner circle could whisper certain things.
More importantly it pissed him off that Serizawa, and others were approaching this with so much caution.
"Discussing similarities and differences is just a waste of time. The point is shinobi will be serving the damiyo like samurai do. Under a pretense that the shinobi serve their village, they will ultimately be serving their country and the damiyo." Serizawa said.
It wasn't the shinobi clans that would gather that truly concerned him. That was at the back of his mind, of course, but it wasn't the pressing concern that nagged him. It was the mentality these clans would have once they're all gathered together, and depending on what shinobi village they join, the mentality they'd follow.
He wasn't going to speak on it right now. If Nagakura and others couldn't read between the lines that was on them. It was disappointing, but he wasn't going to press the point. For everyone that had their doubts, they'd learn when those shinobi villages began to throw their weight around.
"I agree with Serizawa. It may not be a threat now, but in time these villages will be a threat. More than the danger they pose, it is those who are a part of them, and their thought process, as well as mentality that pose the most danger. The shinobi of Kumo have a certain mentality. The shinobi of Konoha will have a certain mentality. So on and so forth." Syrus added.
Serizawa blinked, visibly shocked. He managed to school his expression, and nod.
"I don't know. I still think it is a waste." Yokuna commented.
Nao waved her hand around. "It would make more sense if we wait until the villages have influence and clout. By that time we won't need to split into three groups. We can just move forward as one group."
"That'll be decades, Nao." Aya said, clearly not pleased.
"Exactly."
Aya grunted, looking for support.
"Do you not find it to be a waste of time, Aya?" Nagakura questioned.
"I'll put an end to this. Are we are all in agreement that we should split into two groups? The shinobi villages don't pose a severe threat." Syrus ventured.
There were nods and confirmations, but it wasn't everyone. It was the majority, but it was enough. To dedicate focus to shinobi villages was foolish and a waste at this point in time. No need to expend more energy or focus than necessary. Aya and Serizawa weren't going to budge, but others would, and their stubbornness was useless.
Nobody was going to agree mutually that the shinobi villages were a threat. Everyone was aware of the threat they could pose in the future, the implications of the shinobi villages, the clans that could gather within these villages, and every other thing that could be scrutinized about it.
But, that didn't mean he, Daisuke, Haji, Okita, or anyone else were going to devote time and energy to shinobi villages that were still in the works.
Lunacy is what that would be.
"We're not going to devote time and resources to dealing with shinobi villages. We can all agree that they will pose a threat, but they are not a threat at this point in time. Attacking them will only add more enemies to our list. It's better to keep track of their movements at the moment. Besides..." Shuji smirked, tone hard as he trailed off.
"Besides..." Okita looked on with intent.
"The leaders of these villages will meet eventually. If we assume there is a leader for each village, that means there will be five in total. Five Kage. They'll convene a meeting, and that is when we can strike them down. Massacre the Kage by taking them by surprise. We'll ambush them and their advisers. And, then we'll move onto their villages, in short."
"And, what about the smaller shinobi villages? What makes you so sure that there will be Five Kage and not more?" Asuna questioned.
"We could try to forge alliances with the smaller shinobi villages, perhaps. To answer your second question, right now—there are five powerhouse countries in the Elemental Nations. Fire. Lightning. Water. Earth. Wind. There are smaller countries and villages, of course, and island countries like Hurricane and Monsoon, but none have more clout than the first five I mentioned."
"A matter of reading the times. It seems to me like this meeting is finished. Unless, anyone has something to add." Kata spoke up.
It would be better to end this now, so they didn't start talking in circles. Usagi would marry Shin, that would seal the union. Two groups would be dispersed, instead of three. The rest of the details would be worked out once things were moving into their final stage.
Seeing no one respond to his statement, or even move, Kata moved forward. "Haji, send a message to the Domou compound."
"I got it." Haji nodded affirmatively.
Kata continued. "Send it to Ahiko or Souji. I don't believe Mikito would do anything to put the mission in jeopardy, but one can never be too sure since those events happened."
Syrus shifted, eyes narrowing, and everyone took note of it. "A little too cautious, don't you think?"
Kata shook his head. "This meeting is over. Everyone should continue their duties as they have been. If there is any information that can be provided to the Domou about this, I want everyone to come into my office with that information."
Everyone filed out of the room. There were murmurs and mutters echoing off the walls, some voices hung thick, others fell away to the echo. It was slow going, but eventually, only Syrus remained in the massive room. Alone. Surrounded by silence and seats. He wondered if this is what his end would be like. Alone. The noises of battle going on around him, but he wouldn't be able to hear them.
To die alone, perhaps…
Death without victory, and victory in name only.
Syrus remembered the first part of the code. There was no victory in battle or in war. Only death and despair. There was no redemption, no revenge, no nothing in war. It was all bloodshed. Blood for blood. Kill or be killed. Kill for no reason at all.
Death without victory, and victory in name only.
Syrus felt himself jump. He almost flew out of his chair. He hadn't noticed the woman's presence before him, not until now.
"Everything okay, Syrus?"
"Everything is fine, Shizuku."
The woman eyed him for a moment, a quirk of her lips caught his eye. "How are things going with that Himeko woman?"
Syrus scoffed, standing up to his full height and headed for the door. "She's found love elsewhere, leaving me alone to do what I do best. I'd advise you to do the same thing, Shizuku."
Shizuku stared at him intensely. She didn't turn away from his back, nor from the flinty glare he shot at her when he decided to turn around. She took it all in stride. "It seems I will have no choice. You are going down a different path than we are to take right now."
"I have a score to settle. I will fulfill my duty as leader, but once the union is complete, I will be taking my leave."
"You're so stubborn. Can't you reconsider? I know we've always had a weird thing going on, so if you can't reconsider your choice for me, can't you do it for your little sister?"
Syrus looked at the floor, then looked at Shizuku. He mulled it over, but knew that he wasn't going to yield for anyone. Usagi made her choice. Likewise, he made his choice. He made his choice a long time ago. There was nothing more to do than to set out on their own paths.
Shizuku sighed, shaking her head. "You are too stubborn."
"Death without victory, and victory in name only."
Shizuku's eyes hardened, and she gritted her teeth to keep herself from shedding a lone tear. "I know. That is why I am coming with you."
Hashirama burned off small flecks of chakra, overlooking the forest below, matted with snow and ice. Mounds of snow and mountains of sleet rose as high as the trees. Void of any life were the trees, a stark contrast to the last time he had been here. Back then the trees had been so green, the sun was so bright, and the sounds of birds and animals had touched his ears.
Now it was only the fierce and bitter winds of winter. There were no sounds other than the irate howl of winter staking its claim on the world. He stood fast against it. Firm. His eyes were the only thing visible behind his head adornment. Even his mane of hair was totally covered, like the rest of his body, in layers of coats and cloths. Contrary to popular belief shinobi had to wear clothes, eat, drink, sleep, and stay warm.
It had been close to a decade now since he was last here. When he had been here, it had been with Madara. Where they shared their dreams. Things seemed so different back then. They were idealistic. They were going against their fathers and the very foundation that their respective clans stood upon and prided themselves on.
But, looking down at the forest below, Hashirama could feel those same emotions coming to the surface. Being with Madara had been one of the most fun and peaceful times of his life. They had competed over everything. Skipping rocks to full blown spars. They ran all the way up here as a race. The only thing they didn't do was compete over who could pee the longest, or furthest.
Stifling a laugh, Hashirama shook his head at the memory. Madara couldn't pee in front of others. He'd just stop, like he had done the first time he caught him doing it. After that he stepped in on Madara relieving himself more times than he could count, out of pure amusement sake and nothing more. For Madara to have so much pride, yet get bent out of shape because someone caught him peeing was nothing short of funny.
Unfortunately, that had to come to an end. Their clans. Their families. Their kin. All of it had been on their shoulders. It always had been on their shoulders. From their birth. To before they were born. War and battle had been decided for them. To grow up on war zones, to kill as children, to know nothing but brute force.
Maybe their friendship had been doomed from the beginning. It was beyond Uchiha and Senju. It was how the world was. How their world was. The fact they were born in this era was enough. The fact they weren't related was enough. If they had followed the status quo back then, they would have killed each other on the spot.
Revealing one's surname didn't make a difference. If one did so, they would be killed, if one didn't, they would be killed. That's just how it was. He wanted to break down these boundaries, get rid of these barbarous ideals, and tear down this old era. He wanted to usher in something new. Something better.
Tobirama was right. He couldn't keep on worrying about Madara and trying to reach out to him. He was set and resolved with what he was focused on. Hashirama couldn't guess what that was, but it wasn't the same thing he was focused on. Still, he'd always consider Madara a friend, and would wish to find peace with him in the back of his mind.
But, at the forefront was his dream. A dream that became a reality. A reality that would stretch to all of the Elemental Nations and everything in between. For the sake of future generations, he had to go through with this. There would be negatives and drawbacks, but this was the better alternative.
The Warring States has been going on for thousands of centuries, and it was time for this bloody era to come to an end. He would see to it that it ended. Konoha would be like no other, and Konoha would be the village that'd set the standard.
Even if Kumogakure was founded first.
"You know, just watching you makes me tired."
Hashirama chuckled lightly, turning to Kiyoshi. He was beside him, eyes focused on the sky, and then the forest below. He wasn't even focused on him in particular. He'd even go as far to say that Kiyoshi was doing everything in his power to avoid looking at him.
He was thinking pretty hard, after all. Kiyoshi really couldn't be bothered with anything. The sun getting in his eyes when he was trying to sleep was troublesome for the older man.
"Thinking is troublesome?"
Kiyoshi scratched at his head. "I improvise in battle. The only time I expend so much energy is during Council meetings. The elders are all old and stubborn. They're set in their ways and like to dispute things."
Hashirama tilted his head. "I would think they'd think it is too troublesome."
"It is troublesome whenever someone disagrees with them. They think just because they're old that they know better. Truth is they have lots of experience, but they are so set in their ways that experience doesn't matter. They also like to object most of the things I say, and my patience is not infinite."
Hashirama wondered how Kiyoshi managed to convince his Council to join Konoha. Their land being part of the territory must have smoothed things along. Yet, the elders were stubborn and would contest anything Kiyoshi had to say. He couldn't picture the Nara yelling or losing his temper. Perhaps he told them they had no choice but to go along with what he said.
Or, Kiyoshi just left the room after saying his piece. Hashirama thought this was more likely that Kiyoshi telling them they had no choice. They'd contest that, and Kiyoshi wasn't entertaining thoughts of going down that path. It would only lead to indecision and another meeting being called for the same thing to take place.
Hashirama rubbed at his forehead—he was getting a headache just thinking about it. Meetings with his Council were usually cut and quick. Senju elders tended to say what they had to say, got things done, and it was up to the leader to dispute it or accept it. Most of the leaders in the past would accept it, and things would progress.
Other leaders wouldn't accept it. Instead of things progressing, they were put into a rut and would remain stagnant. One way mattered the most. One opinion mattered the most. The leader's own selfish desire, or malicious intent in the form of war, became prevalent. It happened many times in the Senju's history.
His father had been one of those men that accepted nothing that didn't come from himself. Any idea he shot down. Any opinion he belittled. Anything that came from a Senju's mouth, his father had twisted it so many different ways, it was sickening. There wouldn't be another leader that could take such actions.
The Senju population had been massive before his father took the reins. Children. Boys and girls, were all sent out to battlefields in the name of revenge and preserving the Senju clan. So many children had been lost. So many future generations were lost. So many adults from back then had been lost, and it was all because of his father.
Those who didn't follow his father's lead were either executed on grounds of treason, or they were exiled from the clan. Others deserted. From nearly one hundred thousand in total, narrowed down to not even a tenth of that number, all because of war and enmity.
Hashirama was a leader that progressed things. He would be the last leader of the Senju. He would make sure it was that way. He was more than a leader to a single clan, now. He was Hokage. Leader of Konoha. His dream. His reality.
"It is a new idea and concept." Hashirama found his voice.
Kiyoshi nodded, having nothing to disagree about. "It is. With that new concept and idea comes fear and hostility. There is doubt. And, yes, there is even wiliness. You consider Konoha to be place where clan boundaries can eventually be dissipated and everyone can come together. Where children can learn and play, instead of battling. However, there will be those who don't see it this way."
Hashirama nodded. He could hear Tobirama saying something similar. His brother's baritone would strike his skull and force him to listen and sulk. There would be people who viewed his village as a threat. Others would view it as sanctuary. Others who founded shinobi villages would percieve his village as a threat, or an idea.
And, just the same, these founders wouldn't view their shinobi villages the same way he viewed Konoha. Their dreams wouldn't be the same as his. They weren't the same. And, the reality they created wouldn't be the same as his.
One village may try to attain more power. One village may want more resources. Other villages will take exception. Fights would break out over the most petty things, and nothing, all at the same time.
"My question for you Hashirama...What will you do when more shinobi villages like Konoha and Kumo are founded?"
Hashirama rubbed his chin. "I will have to convene a meeting between all of us leaders. It is true that small squabbles will happen, but once this meeting takes place those things will no longer happen. We will all agree on that much."
Kiyoshi took the response for what it was worth. Hashirama hadn't resigned himself to the reality of the situation. He was fighting that, willing to fight it, and Kiyoshi admired that. As much as it gave him a headache, he could admire it.
Hashirama knew the reality of shinobi villages. There would be war, like always. War would just not be so frequent as it is now. Instead of every waking second, of every single day, like now, there would only be war every few decades. Two generations or more would be born and die, before the threat of war ever began to linger.
Of course, Hashirama wanted conflict and war to stop completely. He wanted that more than anything. But, he wasn't so blind due to this thought and desire, that he was overlooking the very real threats to his ideal. And, yet, he wasn't speaking on the actions he would take, should his ideal come under any threat.
Still, there was something that concerned him.
Even if it was obvious.
"How can you be so sure that Konoha will be standing one hundred years from now?"
Hashirama smiled for a second. "Tobirama will make sure to put in systems that will ensure that Konoha will remain standing one hundred years from now. But, I know this won't suffice as an answer."
"It will not." Kiyoshi offered bluntly.
Hashirama nodded. "Damiyo and nobles hire shinobi now for our services in times of war, or to prepare for war. They have their own military forces and armies, of course, but some shinobi clans can lay waste to thousands of foes. They are aware of this, naturally. In short there is no military power in the country itself. Shinobi villages will be that military power in countries that have them."
Kiyoshi's eyes widened a fraction. "What if they come costly hindrances?"
Hashirama shook his head. "The threat of war will always linger. For a country to disband their shinobi village would be foolish. Even if demilitarization does happen, that doesn't mean the threat of war will subside. And, to downsize a village just because of that would show weakness. Shinobi who aren't experienced in battle would fall without reprieve."
Kiyoshi felt his gaze shift into the distance. It was clear that Hashirama wore many faces and said many things. He was using conflict and war as a means to stabilize a new system, even if deep down inside, he was against war and conflict and wanted it to end.
Well, they were shinobi after all.
"When will your brother and Mito be arriving with those from your clan?" Kiyoshi wisely changed the subject.
"They should be back in less than four nights. Our compound isn't too far from here."
Kiyoshi began to shift his gaze from tree to tree. "Troublesome."
"How so?"
Kiyoshi scratched at his head, starting to dig into his chakra. "Shisuke wants the boundaries of the village to be established, and at least the infrastructure finished. That means more than a few dozen buildings. It will be troublesome completing all of this between myself and you."
Hashirama could agree it'd be a little complicated. It would be a challenge to create houses, like the typical house. He would have to ensure there were stairs and everything else. Nothing could compare to good old people pounding and working away, but for the sake of the village itself, things needed to be hastened along.
He could easily make the boundaries and infrastructure. Laying out streets and things of that sort would come a little later. So long as the foundation was standing and complete, he could breath easily. Performing such a feat wouldn't be too difficult with Kiyoshi's assistance. Between Kiyoshi's Hiden jutsu and his own Mokuton, they could make the village all by themselves.
Still, that task would fall onto everyone that joined and came together for peace. But, that's not to say that if the village was well built from the beginning, that it couldn't turn into a city-like place. But, that would require a lot of work, funds, and the population had to be more than enough to support all of that.
For now, he'd just focus on the beginning. Making a foundation. The infrastructure.
"I think we can complete this with ease. My Moktuon and your Hiden jutsu." Hashirama commented, grinning a bit.
"Moving the roots of the trees would be quite a challenge." Kiyoshi remarked.
Hashirama slapped his hands together, keeping his fingers straight. Clones stretched from his body, arms extending, fingers clenching, legs striding. More than one hundred came into shape, and they dispersed to the snowy woodland below.
Kiyoshi picked up on what Hashirama was doing, and quickly created a few hundred clones from nearby shadows. They appeared just as solid as Hashirama's clones, despite not being stretched out of Kiyoshi's own body. They sprinted to the land below, all taking positions.
"Shisuke was more than generous." Hashirama noted, eyes scanning the land below.
"It's a little amusing we are calling this is a village, when it should be called a city. I suppose it shows that you are indeed a dreamer with rosy lenses, Hashirama."
"I suppose."
"But, you are wary just the same."
The tall Senju nodded, stopping himself from bellowing a laugh. He had always been a dreamer and he found nothing wrong with that. If he had been so pragmatic like his brother, the idea of a village, that would break down clan boundaries, and unite everyone, would have never came to him.
Of course, Tobirama agreed that a new system should be put in a place, and that shinobi villages should be founded, but he was basing things on order alone. He wanted laws and order. Something everyone had to follow, and he wanted to implement it. One could consider it high handed or forceful, but for his brother, such a thing was necessary to stop conflict.
That's what Tobirama believed. Being so forceful could make others wary and weary, however, and when such caution came into the picture...Things went into a downward spiral, quick. Before they knew it, every clan in Konoha would be warring with each other, and the village would be obliterated in the melee of it all.
They'd destroy their home. They would turn against each other because one clan would believe they're getting the short end, another would want more, for some clans it just would never enough, and there would always be clans that wanted nothing to do with it in the first place. The point being they'd disband, and go back to war.
They were shinobi, after all. They had all been raised a certain way. Kill or be killed. No concessions. In reality this made things more complicated because without concessions, from everyone involved, there could be no agreement. The only reason Konoha was founded, the only reason, was because himself, and the other clan leaders could concede.
Well, in the long run...Any clans that join shouldn't be hostile or have such intentions. Whether they liked it or not, Konoha would be their new home, and they wouldn't set fire to it so readily. They may have the thought of fighting to take over, but the chances of any single person or clan going through with such an audacious plan was slim.
Unless a certain person or clan was pushed, everything should shimmer down. It may not be his generation, the next, the next, the next, or four generations after him...But, one day everyone in Konoha would be friends and the weariness of killing each other's kin would be a long, painful memory of the past.
Hashirama put his hands together, gently kneading his chakra. He could feel his clones doing the same thing. It was a faint, pulling sensation. They had taken their stance long before he did, ready to get this underway. This was going to be a challenge, but once he completed the borders and infrastructure with Kiyoshi's assistance, the rest could be built by the hands of everyone who joins.
"What do you say we get this done, Kiyoshi-san? We can get some warm sake afterwards as celebration." Hashirama ventured.
The energy in Hashirama's question almost gave Kiyoshi a migraine, but getting this done, and getting a stiff drink afterwards didn't sound like a bad idea. Truthfully, he'd prefer to get the drinks and skip out on this, and let their clones handle it, but that wasn't an option.
"Fine by me."
Hashirama grinned, turning his focus onto the land below. "Shall we move the roots of the trees or build within and around them?"
Kiyoshi drew his hands into a strange seal, starting to knead his own chakra. "Moving roots will be troublesome. Let's build within and around the trees...After all, this village is Konoha—so the village should be within the leaves."
Hashirama gathered a look of determination, and he let his chakra flare. "Mokuton!"
Kiyoshi remained silent, executing his own jutsu.