Mito brewed tea with a measured elegance. Just a few feet from her, Hashirama, Tobirama, and Kiyoshi were seated. There was no discussion going on at the moment, but she knew better than to think that there wouldn't be one. They'd get thirsty. She made sure to brew the tea in advance.
She gathered four cups, and began to set them out. She gathered the tea next, and carefully poured it into the cups.
"This should be refreshing." Kiyoshi said, looking at the tea. "I hope it rejuvenates me, dealing with everything had been a drag."
Hashirama scratched the back of his head, unable to make a comment.
Mito smiled, setting the pot down. "It should restore your strength, certainly."
Tobirama took the cup, and gingerly blew on it. He was quite thirsty, and didn't want to wait for it to cool down. In the same respect, he didn't want to have this discussion for a certain length of time in order for the tea to cool down.
He would rather get right to the point, anyways.
"If the three of you don't mind, I'd let to be serious."
Kiyoshi looked at Tobirama, eyes narrowing. Hashirama was enough to deal with, quite frankly he didn't want to deal with Tobirama. Just hearing the tone he just took was enough for him to sigh, and knead some chakra so he wasn't overcome by a headache.
Still, he could understand Tobirama's straightforward approach with this. They couldn't afford to take half steps. Anything less than one hundred and fifty percent, and some more, wouldn't be nearly enough to complete their ongoing task.
"I'm kind of hungry." Hashirama admitted sheepishly.
"I don't have anything on hand to make a dinner, but I have some snacks." Mito replied.
Tobirama grunted, narrowing his eyes. He took a sip of his tea, in a bid to control his annoyance. Petty as it was.
"Your brother and Kiyoshi have been working extremely hard. It is only natural that Hashirama-san would be hungry." Mito said, unrolling a seal.
Kiyoshi looked at the dish that appeared from the smoke. He knew the dish. Sugar bread, or sugar biscuits. It wasn't something that was served on the mainland. That Uzumaki woman he had saved long ago made the very same thing when they were hiding out.
She had doused the bread in sugar, though. It had been so sweet he nearly coughed and gagged when he had tried it. Mito's variation was a little more reasonable. There wasn't a big pile of sugar covering it, for starters.
He smiled shortly, taking a piece of the sweet bread. He took a bite, sighing contently. It wasn't as warm as that Uzumaki's woman's, but it was still good.
"Shisuke wasn't expecting to get another report so soon." Kiyoshi started.
Hashirama stopped halfway from stuffing his face, but thought better, and did just that. He needed to talk, and he wouldn't be able to do that if he had his mouth crammed.
"When was he expecting another one?" Tobirama asked.
"He was going to call for us when he was ready for one, but I took initiative. If the clans at the meeting join us, he will want to know, so I made sure to let him know ahead of time. I also let him know that the walls are actually built now."
Tobirama nodded, looking at Kiyoshi. "It seems that Shisuke trusts you a great deal."
Kiyoshi shrugged. "I helped fend off a siege a few decades ago, ever since then the nobles within the Fire country care about what I say and trust my words. But, that isn't to say he has blind faith in me, anything but that."
Mito arched a brow, sipping her tea. "Would that mean Danzo still has his ear."
"Yes, that is exactly the case. I know Shisuke isn't impatient or rash in the choices he makes, but I get the feeling he would have wanted more done within the village than what we first accomplished. Perhaps Danzo spoke with him about expectations and how things need to go, rather than how he wants them to go." Hashirama replied.
Tobirama closed his eyes, sipping his tea. "I wonder why he trusts Danzo so much..."
"Only he and Danzo know that, but in any event things are moving along as smoothly as they can be at this moment in time." Kiyoshi supplied.
"Will it not be problematic if Danzo has his ear in the future?" Mito ventured, frowning a little.
"Doesn't really matter. We have our objective, deviating from that will only make Shisuke, and those who come after him doubt our intentions. Hashirama is the Hokage, in any case."
Hashirama downed his tea. "Speaking of which. There are many inns within the Capital, but there are few that can house our numbers. Even more so, the clans that will join us can't all be housed in them, there's not enough room."
"Meaning?" Kiyoshi asked, but felt himself sigh.
"We'll need to hasten the construction of houses and things of that nature in order to house all of our numbers." Tobirama supplied, nodding steadily.
The elder Nara sighed again. "What is the worst that can happen?"
Mito mulled it over. There wasn't anything they could do, even if they were mad. To attack would mean crossing the line of treason. The worst those clans and their leaders could do was gripe and complain, but no physical actions would be taken.
The last thing Kiyoshi, and Hashirama, even though the younger man wouldn't say it aloud, was to be forced to hasten things along. She could tell from the construction of the village that the two men had been working themselves to the bone, and more.
Now, it had to be their kin coming together to actually build the houses and other settlements, and finish the ones that needed to be finished. Hashirama and Kiyoshi very well couldn't do everything on their own, even if they have done so thus far.
"Well, they could only complain." Mito finally answered.
"Do you think that is all they will do?" Tobirama asked.
Everyone knew it was a loaded question that wasn't worthy of an answer. Kiyoshi nor Mito felt inclined to dignify it with a response. However, Hashirama felt the need to answer because he knew his brother covered every scenario that he could, even if it was far fetched.
But, that's why there was a ceasefire signed between them, before Shisuke, and Shisuke also signed his name on the document. Under any and all circumstances, nobody was supposed to go to war with each other, nor would they bring enmity within the Capital's walls, and beyond them. Aggressive action would be quelled with exact force.
"That is all they can do, brother." Hashirama said, tone dropping a little.
"Do you think they will hold fast to that ceasefire and document?"
Hashirama drew his brows together. "They have no choice in the matter. They will be a part of Konoha, and there will be no battle. They can complain, but that is it. This isn't a ceasefire between clans—this is more than that."
Tobirama frowned, biting his tongue. In no way, could he refute that statement. It would be simple folly on his part to even try. Konoha was in the balance. Konoha was the equalizer. Konoha was holding everyone to the same line. But, he would feel better if most of the homes were built, that way they didn't have to rest in the Capital
It was asking for a lot, and he could grasp that. His brother and Kiyoshi had been working hard, but now was the time when everyone else had to step up and do their part. Hashirama still felt fatigue and exhaustion, even if it took a lot. Kiyoshi could feel those things. Constructing houses was no small feat, and he wasn't going to downplay it.
The only problem was that, despite the ceasefire and document, some of those clan leaders would start acting aggressive. They would be rash. They would be impatient. They would want things a certain way, and if it doesn't fit that narrow image within their mind—they wouldn't want any part of it, or they'd kick up dust.
If they were to act in an aggressive manner—Shisuke would take action. That would mean the person who gave them his blessing would in turn, wipe out those clans. Clans that were a part of Konoha, though they weren't present. It'd be taking many steps back, after taking one huge step forward.
He just wanted it to be a success, more than anything.
"I'd still feel better if houses and homes were built. That way everyone can rest in Konoha and continue to build once they wake up. We're a good distance away from Konoha now, since we are in the Capital."
Hashirama stuffed a piece of sugar bread into his mouth, chewing with some vigor. It had been a while since he had to deal with Tobirama being pushy. Normally, his brother wasn't pushy and just gave a nudge or helping hand. He didn't try to prove his point obstinately, like he was now.
He had no shame in admitting that it was difficult. He was accustomed to using his Mokuton in battle. He didn't need to shift or change things all that much, nor did he have to worry levels being even, or in certain angles. He could just let loose, and the entire landscape would be changed.
Building homes was a meticulous process.
"I can sympathize with that. But, we've worked very hard, and I for one, am very exhausted. You may like to work yourself to death, Tobirama-san, but I am not that kind of person. I like to relax, after doing something so strenuous."
Hashirama looked at Kiyoshi carefully—he was conceding to some extent. But, the reason for that was simple. Tobirama was being very troublesome.
"We can start that tomorrow, if you would like. I want to rest for the rest of today." Hashirama nodded at Kiyoshi.
Tobirama thought about it, and had no objections. "Very well."
"We should probably finish building the homes and houses before we bring all of the Senju and Nara with us. That way, they have a place to stay. Building after this shouldn't be too much trouble, as long as everyone is on the same page." Mito offered.
"That's a good idea." Hashirama agreed.
Tobirama could concede with that. Everyone would have to get on the same page, in order to build the village. There could be no enmity, or battles. There would be small squabbles and disagreements, but none of it would escalate more than fiery words.
Unless people were drunk, of course. Then, there would be punches and kicks thrown. Somebody would get busted over the head with a bottle or two, or a table even. Someone may take a chair and whack someone with it. He had seen brawls happen with drunks, and it could get nasty.
Shinobi did drink, but they didn't overly indulge to the point where they made themselves open and vulnerable. They couldn't afford to lose themselves to that extent—being so drunk one was dizzy, couldn't see straight, or even move. Once they passed out.
It meant death.
He had some concerns and worries, but if everyone poured their efforts into Konoha, everything would proceed as it should.
Mito and Hashirama were right.
"Before I forget to ask, brother. How is that teleportation technique coming along?"
Tobirama furrowed his brows, looking at a spot on his trousers. It was going well, but very slow going. Mito's example and illustrations of 'pockets' did help him, and the seal's formula was something he was still studying. It wasn't what he wanted, at least at first, but after careful thought—this was more appropriate.
He wasn't confident to use it in combat yet. It wasn't even along far enough to be considered being in a testing stage.
"Teleportation, you say?" Kiyoshi's eyes widened a fraction. He was interested.
"In essence." Tobirama supplied.
"Does it cover long distances or short distances?"
Tobirama wasn't sure how to answer that without rambling, somewhat. He also wasn't sure if Kiyoshi meant teleporting to other countries, instantly, or just teleporting a few feet. He wanted to execute it from any distanc, and in theory, he could, as long as the seal was in place.
That was the one drawback, if he had to say. Rather than ripping a hole with pure force of chakra, he'd nudge open a pocket, and nudge open another pocket, to complete the loop. The seal is what kept him grounded and stable—it was his link from pocket to pocket.
Perhaps Usagi could rip a hole through sheer brute force, but he couldn't account for all of the lethal drawbacks if something went wrong. It irked him to some extent, but he was adaptable, and tried to keep an open mind.
"Both." Tobirama finally replied.
Kiyoshi flicked his eyes onto Mito, and then onto Hashirama.
"Uzumaki fuinjutsu is remarkable, isn't it?"
"How did you…"
"I am not a fool. Only the Uzumaki are capable of producing seals that would allow such a technique or jutsu to be created in the first place. There are other means, of course, but the Uzumaki's seals would be the safest bet."
The trio didn't show any outwards signs of shock, but Tobirama was more than shocked. While only Uzumaki seals were capable of this, as they invested their time and effort into it, that didn't mean that everyone knew that. Kiyoshi had rescued an Uzumaki in his youth, but that still didn't explain how he knew…
Tobirama shook the idle thoughts away. He was dealing with a Nara here, and it wasn't just any Nara for that matter. Kiyoshi was renowned and feared throughout the Elemental Nations. The man was known for being a boar, sleeping all of the time, but he was also known for more infamous things. It is said that he can cut down one thousand men with one swing of his sword, and had in the past. He could kill ten times more with his Hiden jutsu.
Nobody really bothered him or the Nara, until a few months back when Sasuke and Atsushi were provoking conflicts. No doubt Kiyoshi had been running down the numbers in their ranks with just a simple hand seal. It must have left the Akimichi and Sarutobi bitter, which only made both clans continue their assault.
That, however, stopped when the Nara entered an entente with the Subatsu.
Tobirama really shouldn't have been surprised that Kiyoshi already knew the foundation of the jutsu he was trying to create, but he was still surprised to some degree.
"You do have a point." Tobirama conceded.
Kiyoshi moved his head from side to side, cracking his neck. "If we theorize that one can tear a rift in space-time, they'd be able to teleport. The problem is, nothing is linking them with this reality, or through the pockets they are traveling through. That means they can be turned into less than dust, should something go wrong."
"Precisely. There's too many variables going through it with that means. There is also the fact one needs powerful and potent chakra, as well as immense volumes of it in order to use teleportation through that means."
It wasn't often Mito found herself excited, but speaking to Kiyoshi about seals and fuinjutsu was starting to pique her interest and more. Not many studied fuinjutsu, none were more apt in it that the Uzumaki, and few knew the secrets of it.
Kiyoshi was using some basic logic when it came to the art, but for many this would be an esoteric skill that had be handed from generation to generation. Shinobi did have sealing scrolls, but it was for weapons—they didn't use it to travel through space-time. The seal wasn't strong enough nor was the formula.
The elder Nara could have a means of teleportation or something close to it. The Nara were feared for the Hiden jutsu—using and blending with the shadows and darkness. In theory, if Kiyoshi were to use one of his Hiden jutsu to travel—he could go from the shade of a tree, to another tree some miles away, granted there was a shade or a shadow close by.
She smiled at the thought. It was more than intriguing. "Did the Uzumaki woman that you saved in your youth show you anything?"
Kiyoshi considered the question. "Nothing too complex, at least in her eyes. She was quite noisy and vibrant. She had a lot of vivacity, but she really couldn't focus on one conversation for too long. What she did show me, though, was a fuinjutsu that pertained to barriers."
"Do you remember what level?"
Kiyoshi grunted softly, eyes narrowing in thought. "She called it a level four barrier. It was a barrier used on a giant squid in her homeland—she said the giant squid couldn't break out of it or stray away from it. But..."
"But?" Mito pressed a little urgently.
Kiyoshi scratched his head. "She threw a canoe at me, and then a boat. I wanted her to explain the levels, but she was hungry and wanted to go home. I insisted, and that's how she responded."
Mito laughed while Hashirama chuckled.
Tobirama smiled shortly, amused at the image. He could see an Uzumaki woman hauling a canoe and boat around, trying to bash Kiyoshi with both.
"The Uzumaki can be a very rowdy bunch." Hashirama said.
"I know. She asked me to marry her after she was done doing that. I had to decline for the obvious reasons. Besides, at that time the Uzumaki only married and had children within the clan. Outside of their homeland, they were show pieces, especially the woman. Nobles and others found great prestige in having them."
Mito nodded—her clan was still the same to this day. There were misanthropes and were wary of anyone outside of their homeland. They had clans they had ententes with, and only those\\ clans were in the good graces of the Uzumaki and Hisao.
Ashina wanted things to be different, but her father wanted things to remain the same. If the Uzumaki were open, that would lead to their extinction. Ashina wanted fame and prestige, and was being blinded by those prospects.
That's what her father would say at least.
"I think you would have made her a happy woman, Kiyoshi-san. Uzumaki woman tend to swoon over gentlemen, especially those who save them from nefarious and evil people." Mito supplied.
"I am sure, but she would have threw another boat at me eventually. I wanted to relax, and she would always douse her biscuits in sugar and be a hyper mess after that."
"Before we too far off subject..." Tobirama mildly interjected. "What level is that barrier you were talking about, Mito?"
Her eyes shined with something, that he couldn't quite place.
"I am sort of curious since it covers underground and above, too. Most barriers go in four directions and that is it." Hashirama added.
"Remember, the actual barrier needs to be maintained by more than one person. However, the barrier I am going to use until we can have that perk, works on the same principle." Mito took out a scroll.
Tobirama watched keenly as she began to draw the formula. It wasn't regular ink—this was chakra ink. While seals could and were drawn with regular ink, chakra ink had unique properties and could do things like regular ink couldn't.
Like moving.
Mito looked the formula over, eyes narrowed.
Kiyoshi rubbed his chin. "I assume that since your original idea was to have multiple people executing this, the barrier will work, however..."
"We won't know exactly which location or where someone has intruded. We will only know someone has intruded."
"We could just use clones." Hashirama suggested.
"For now." Tobirama agreed, nodding slightly.
Kiyoshi scratched his head. "Hashirama, come with me."
The younger Senju blinked, confused. "Where?"
Kiyoshi dragged his hand across his face, sighing. "We're going to get our kin, and finish building the homes. We will also need a location for a group of people to maintain and monitor the barrier. I guess that means the Hokage building has to be built..."
"But, you said..." Hashirama was on his feet, excited, but still unsure.
"Troublesome. This will be troublesome, but it has to be done. Shisuke will want the barrier in place, now that the village is in the early stages of construction. Tobirama, I'm going to need you to create some clones."
"How many?"
Mito looked at him, tilting her head. 'What kind of answer is that?"
"I need to know how many clones I should create." Tobirama said simply.
"How many can you create?" Kiyoshi asked.
Tobirama's expression didn't change. "How many do you need?"
"Nine hundred trillion." Kiyoshi threw a number out.
Tobirama felt a little cocky, but he retained his stoic composure. "Is that all?"
Kiyoshi raised an eyebrow, a little intrigued, a little amused. "Tredecillion?"
"Is that how many you need?"
"Quidecillion?"
Tobirama shifted a centimeter. "That should more than suffice."
"That is quite impressive, Tobirama. There's room for improvement, though."
"Always." Tobirama agreed.
There was always room for improvement.
Hashirama rubbed his head, sighing. "You guys are giving me a headache. What are you talking about? Mixing Yoton and Doton? Or mixing the Yoton with Suiton? You could do it with Katon, but it could consume some chakra."
Kiyoshi rubbed his head, wishing he had took a nap. "This is going to be troublesome."
"I'll go to the capital after I create the needed clones. I need to speak with Disuke anyways." Tobirama offered.
"Hashirama."
The younger Senju nodded, meeting Kiyoshi's gaze.
"Create some clones as well. Using what you just said. If possible, Konoha should be flourishing by spring, wouldn't you agree?"
Hashirama smiled, wishing he was standing atop that mountain.
He loved it.
"Agreed."
It had been a battle. Every emotion possible had been running through her, but more than anything there had been fury and hatred. An inferno that consumed her. She could feel it in her chest, and she could feel it spread. She could feel it take her over, and she gladly gave herself over.
She didn't have any remorse nor mercy. Those people deserved to be cut down as brutally as they had been. Those people deserved to get her blade run through their cheeks and mouth by her. They deserved to be pinned down and stabbed over and over until they croaked like the filth they were.
Even now she didn't feel any remorse or mercy. She didn't feel bad or ashamed for what she had done. She was glad she had taken the action. She was glad she cut down so many that she had been smeared and covered in their blood. She enjoyed their pained screams. She crushed down on their convulsing bodies. She crushed their heads.
Truly, she hated people. She hated humans. She always knew the Domou had a hatred and distrust for humans. The way the filth would spread. The way they took everything. The way they spread wars and didn't think twice about it. How they could oppress and enslave their fellow humans for whatever stupid reasons they wanted to come up with.
They were an eyesore, more than anything. If the world didn't have humans, there would be peace and harmony. What did humans do other than pollute everything? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Even Hashirama, for his goal, was nothing more than a stain on the earth. He had to be purged, just like the rest of them.
He would bring war and spread war. There wasn't a single doubt in her mind about that. Hashirama loved conflict, and would use it to further his goals. There was just no way around that. It was the reality of the situation. But, Hashirama was a problem that would be handled later, along with his shit stain of a brother.
Right here. Right now. There was another problem. She hated people, but looking at this men brought that all consuming inferno back to life. She could feel it consume her totally. Her chest swelled, and her eyes were burning. She wanted to grab them by the skull and squeeze until their eyes popped from their sockets and blood oozed out from their ears.
Unfortunately, she couldn't subject them to that fate. They had information that needed to be extracted. Whether that was through brutal means or genjutsu, it didn't matter. She would press on their throats with all of her strength until they spilled the information. If they didn't want to spill, she would make them.
Certainly, if she grabbed one of these men by the balls, and yanked as hard as she could, that filthy cretin would talk. He would spill his entire life story and then some. While she had no desire to do such a thing, she would if it got information out.
She never got joy or a rush out of causing people pain. She never felt a thrill. But, cutting down those men, and inflicting pain on those that have survived would bring her satisfaction. It wouldn't be joy, but she would be content. She would content when she tore them open with her blade, or made them vomit from her punch.
There was a shred of respect for how stubborn they were. These men said they wouldn't talk, and despite pouring rain, thunder, and lightning—they were remaining steadfast in their silence. Her respect turned into annoyance, and annoyance turned into pure anger.
She wasn't patient to start with. Not anymore. Her patience had run thin and was reaching its limit. She had no tolerance. She had no tolerance for people like this. Snuffing them all out, and everyone who was related or affiliated with them was the best course of action.
"You little insect..." Yuko hissed. "What do you have to be so smug about?!"
Hiyori gripped her shoulder. "Easy."
Yuko glowered at the prisoners before her. How badly she wanted to kill them. She could feel her hand wrapping around their throats and squeezing. She could see how their faces turned red, blue, and then purple. She could hear them gasping and croaking, like the pathetic insects that they were. She should have squashed them under her foot.
Hiyori grabbing her barely kept her restrained. His hard tone barely kept her at bay. But, she respected this man. Hiyori was a man of few words, and looking into his eyes, she knew he shared the same exact thoughts as her. It was only austere that kept him from acting on his violent impulses and his inclination to kill.
"They're not talking." Yuko seethed, teeth grinding.
"I know." Katsumi said, tone blunt.
"Then let's kill them. They are useless."
Hiyori nodded. "I understand how you feel, believe me, Yuko. However, there are things worse than death."
"Like what?"
Hiyori looked at the prisoners before them with a flinty gaze. He could feel hatred burning deep in his chest, and anger churning deep within his gut. Death was too simple for people like this. Death was simply too quick and swift. They needed to suffer. They needed to scream.
They were above a huge mound of dirt. There were chunks of dry dirt mixed in with the wet, compact earth. For these prisoners, it was just a mound of dirt. But, he knew better. While Yuko didn't know any better, she would very soon. There were fates worse than death.
He drew his sword, slowly, smoothly, and pointed it at the man's face. "Talk."
"Fuck you!"
Hiyori didn't budge. "I am not asking you. I am telling you. Talk."
"And I am telling you to fuck off!"
Yuko was reaching her breaking point. She was tired of this back and forth. There were plenty more people to question. They could kill these fools and move onto the next group. Even if they walked, they wouldn't be surviving. They would still be killed. She would do the deed herself, if Hiyori didn't beat her to it.
Hiyori's eyes darkened.
Katsumi smiled coldly. "This is your last chance. Talk."
One of the men spat, eyes wild with hatred. "I'd rather die."
"There are fates worse than death. Death is instant, it takes you." Katsumi said.
Yuko looked at the foreigners, and her eyes flashed crimson. She watched their reactions. Fear. Shock. Trepidation. Disgust. They looked at her as if he weren't human and some spawn from a demon. She didn't care how they wanted to look at him. They were evil, lower than insects, as fat as she was concenred.
Using her Sharingan would be an easy fix to get the information, but she felt that'd be an insult to her and nothing less. To use the Sharingan as these grunts would be a gross misuse of it—she could get the information, however, she didn't want to go that far.
"What do you normally do, Katsumi?"
Katsumi laughed, a dark smirk crossing her face. "My husband and I differ in these sort of things. He likes to go slow and methodical. I will get right to the point. Say for example, I take a tanto and start skinning them..."
"And, if those things fail?" Hiyori asked, frowning.
Katsumi's smirk only grew. "We will use some of your tactics. I know the Domou have some severe methods."
Yuko didn't flinch. She knew the Domou's tactics well when it came to torture and interrogation. Whenever they began to torture someone, even for thirty seconds, they would be getting answers in short. She could remember Souji jabbing senbon through a man's feet, and putting candles on those senbon.
Needless to say the man had howled and screamed in agony. The candle wax held fast to his skin. It didn't take longer than ten minutes for that man to spill his entire life story under such pain.
Interrogation was something more complex, however. Timing was everything. If they went to brutal methods from the beginning, false information could be spewed out just to make it stop. These men would say anything to get the pain to stop—they wouldn't try to endure it like shinobi.
Even shinobi would break down.
With this thought in mind, Yuko made her way over to the foreigners. Rain smacked her over and over, but it didn't faze her. She could feel her hair soaking, starting to spread over her shoulders, and stick to her back, but that didn't faze her either.
Her patience…
Was running thin...
"Who did you work for?"
"Like I'd tell you, bitch. Go to hell." One of the foreigners spat.
Hiyori stepped forward into the downpour, and pressed it to the man's neck. His comrades flinched at the sight of glinting steel and held fast. As still as statues, they watched Hiyori, Yuko, and their comrade with a staunch silence.
"Perhaps you didn't understand the question. Your superior, who does he report to?" Hiyori repeated the question.
This time, the man that had snapped at them didn't respond. He didn't move. He kept his eyes trained on the blade that was resting on his throat. If he made one wrong move, his throat would be cut. He could flinch, move less than a centimeter, and he would be sliced open.
He was as good as dead anyways, but self preservation was kicking in. He simply didn't want to lose his life through frivolous means. Not to vermin like this. He was noble and pristine—he shouldn't be dirtied like he was.
Hiyori pressed a bit further. It wasn't enough to cut the man's throat or even break skin, but the intent was clear. The threat was clear.
"You better fucking talk…" Yuko hissed, punching him in the face.
The foreigner bit his lip.
"Kill him."
Hiyori moved his blade to the right, and a fountain of blood oozed out from the man's neck. His comrades screamed in terror as blood raced onto them and they caught the pitiful gasps of air. The man's head rolled back, peeling off the rest of his body.
"I will kill you, if you don't talk." Izuna bit out, teeth clenched.
"You're fucking insane!" One of the foreigners spat.
"You're nuts!" Another man screamed.
"I'm going to die if I tell you. I'm going to die if I don't."
"Yes." Hiyori retorted.
The men remained silent for longer than five minutes, and Hiyori dragged his blade across four necks. Blood gushed out, and the men still alive began to holler in anger and fear. They thrashed, they flailed their heads left and right, from side to side, eyes wild.
"Hiyori and Yuko, this is getting us nowhere." Katsumi said, tone as cold as her gaze.
"They're not talking, so they are of no use." Hiyori snapped at the older woman.
"We still have more here. They might be smart and spill." Yuko added.
Katsumi was compelled to jab Hiyori and Yuko in the face with an elbow, but held back the impulsive need to do so. These two weren't thinking like an interrogator. They were blowing off whatever anger they were wrestling, and these men were paying the price.
It was unacceptable
Instead of elbowing them, Katsumi grabbed them both by the shoulder and spun them around. She stared deep into Yuko's Sharingan without any reservations, and Hiyori's rage filled eyes without a hint of fear.
"You need to change your approach."
Hiyori scowled. "I'm getting the feeling you want to show mercy to them, Katsumi…"
"Not at all. I want answers. They can't answer if they are dead."
"They weren't going to answer, anyways." Yuko interjected, scowling.
Katsumi sighed not going offer a response. She wasn't going to entertain such an argument with an answer. These two were acting like brats. Were they going to kill all of their prisoners before them at this moment? She wouldn't allow that. It was better if he took this over, and let the other two make threats.
"Release me, now!"
"I demand you to release me!"
"Shut up."
"You're all insane!"
Katsumi held two foreigner by their jaws, squeezing with iron fingers. "You are going to answer my questions, do you understand? Or, you are going to be dealing with these two next to me, and they will not show you mercy."
The foreigners were wild eyed. Terror was in their eyes. Fear was in their bodies. If it was possible, they would have thrashed. They exhausted themselves from doing that the first time around. They hadn't eaten or drank anything for nearly a week, they had no strength.
"I am a little more patient than these two, but do not try my patience." Katsumi offered.
The foreigners and men stared, not buying into it at all. Between the three, Katsumi looked like she would kill them faster than Yuko or Hiyori would, and take joy in it. Still, they were going to meet their end by one of these people, or all three of them.
"You're going to kill us anyways, there's no point."
Katsumi stared at the man, eyes hard. She would hate to draw her tanto and start skinning these men until they spilled. It was messy, not to mention her ears would be assaulted by the screams. She wasn't going to be gentle about it—she would flay their arms, first, and move all the way to their ears.
But, if these fools didn't talk...Hiyori, Yuko, or both of them were going to go to work. She could already see Hiyori slicing them open one by one or stabbing them until they could no longer draw breath. Yuko may use the Sharingan to hemorrhage their brains, and that would be rather messy as well.
"One of you will talk." Hiyori said—any and all emotion gone from his expression and tone.
"Eat shit."
Hiyori stared at the man who was so bold to say that with conviction. How far would that conviction take the fool when he seen the swarm that was about to appear before his eyes? Not very far. He would lose it within an instant, and the rest tied up with him would follow suit.
He stepped towards the mound of dirt, and pointed his sword towards it. Rain smacked it, but it wasn't the least bit fazed. A few feet in height, and triple that in length, even a downpour wouldn't shake the mound. It was too sturdy. However, his sword could cut through it like butter, no problem at all.
"This is your last chance." Hiyori said, tone low.
Silence.
"Katsumi. Yuko. Stand back."
Katsumi hissed softly. "What are you about to do, Hiyori?"
Hiyori looked at her with cold eyes. "Stand back."
"Not until you answer my question."
"I don't want you or Yuko to become collateral damage, there is something in this mound of dirt."
Both women looked at each other, brows arched. Yuko moved back, without a second thought. Katsumi took a little longer to concede, but stepped back as well. Hiyori didn't talk much, and when he did, it was only if he had something important to say. If it was severe. He was telling them to get back for a reason.
A very good reason.
Once he was certain both women were far enough away, he turned his focus onto the men hanging above him. The Domou had methods—methods that instilled fear and terror. No pain had to be inflicted, a point only had to be made. Sometimes, it wasn't enough, though.
This was one of those times. Still, he would be sensible and not let his anger or disgust for these men get the better of him. As easy as they would be to do at this very moment, he wrestled with those primal impulses and kept them at bay.
Barely.
"You all have one more chance to talk. After this, you will not get another chance. And, don't scream or beg me to show mercy, or these women behind me—you will not get a shred of it. You have enslaved and oppressed others, you are all evil—and you will be killed."
"I am not telling you shit." One of the men spat.
Hiyori raised his sword, and swiped down. The shining blade tore through the mound of dirt, kicking up wet and dry. It was instant, not even a second after his blade pierced into the mound. Millions of ants—brown and red in color, the size of the handle of his sword easily, came pouring out. Their young scattered from the impact, and the adults moved with furious speed to gather them.
Within a few seconds, there was an entire swarm, and it began to spread around. It grew and grew, until there were so many ants swarming that it looked like the ground itself was starting move.
Katsumi watched the whole thing with wide eyes, feeling a sliver of fear. The ants were huge. Their size alone, one could rip apart a human if given the chance. Millions—they could rip apart an entire village and then some more. She could hear their erratic walking, furious that their nest had been breached.
Their prisoners showed fear and terror. Some began to thrash and squirm, but they couldn't move, and there was nowhere to go.
Hiyori maneuvered past the swarm, and made his way up to where the prisoners were hanging from.
"Answer my question. Where did you get those slaves?"
"Eat shit!"
Katsumi felt her body tensing with alarm. "Hiyori!"
"Are you going to ask me to show them mercy, Katsumi? Ar you going to tell me not to cut them loose and let them fall into this nest?"
"We need answers!" Katsumi pressed.
"And they are not talking. They are of no use if they don't talk." Hiyori replied.
Katsumi felt like she was grasping for straws. She looked at Yuko, but the younger woman was focused on the ants, and only the ants. She could spot the slivers of fear in the woman's body, and knew she wouldn't be of any assistance of cooling Hiyori down.
He was irritated, annoyed, and furious. He was tired of going in circles that amounted to nothing. He had been in the rain for so long his clothes would need to be discarded for a new uniform altogether. The hakama would never be right. The kimono and haori were too drenched to mend at this point. He was losing patience.
She had stayed under the cover of a nearby tree, but Hiyori had been out in the open staring down the prisoners and demanding answers. When they didn't speak, he just let them get smacked by the downpour, but he never came by her to not get wet.
"Did you know that this ant nest is so deep, that all of you could fall in, and there would be enough room for hundreds more of you?" Hiyori questioned.
One of the men glared at him, but fear was clearly painted all over him. "Fuck you! You're insane! You're insane!"
"Shut up, you fool! Don't make him angry! He may cut us all down!"
"I don't want to fall into that nest!"
Hiyori stared at them with cold eyes. "These ants bite and sting their prey to death. They move across the jungle floor, consuming everything that they can. Even snakes fall victim to them. The beasts and monsters that roam around fall victim to them. When one latches onto something, they release a chemical..."
He cut part of a vine—the foreigner who had told to eat shit hung from it. That very same foreigner began to scream at the top of his lungs. The vine held fast despite being being cut, but the fact it was cut meant that it wouldn't hold under stress.
"When that chemical is released, they all go into a frenzy." Hiyori finished, cutting another inch off of the vine.
"Stop!"
Hiyori gripped the vine tighter, eyes growing harder if possible. "If you don't want me to drop you in their nest, start talking."
"No!"
Hiyori cut the vine, and let go.
The man screamed as he plummeted, even as he fell into the massive hole that was like an abyss, he continued to scream. His scream eventually faded as he fell too deep for anyone to hear him. The ants showed signs of this. A tidal wave came gushing out, spreading out like lava. They showed no signs that his screaming bothered them.
"Now, you're next." Hiyori said, focusing on the next man, gripping the vine that held him fast. "Talk, or suffer the same fate."
"Hiyori, you have to stop!" Katsumi snapped.
"I see no reason to stop."
He let the man go, and he vanished into the nest.
"They are going to be so consumed with fear that they won't talk!" Katsumi snapped.
"Then...They are useless."
"Why don't we take a different approach, Hiyori?" Yuko ventured, finally finding her voice.
Hiyori narrowed his eyes, tilting his head a fraction. Out of the men they had tied up, one or two were bound to talk. It would take seeing their comrades killed before their eyes, or vanishing into the ant nest, but they would talk. He wasn't going to waste time inflicting severe pain on them in order to make them talk.
It would take seeing their comrades killed, and only one or two of them surviving to get them to spill and nothing less than that. Katsumi wanted information from all of them, and quite simply, that wasn't going to happen no matter how hard she tried or wanted it to happen. It was unfortunate, but that is how it was.
Yuko likely wanted to take a different approach so these fools weren't so consumed with terror that they couldn't speak. But, there was no alternative. Not at this point. In the same regard that these men wouldn't spill, he wasn't going to try and change his stratgy.
"There is no different approach to take. It will take killing most of them, to get one or two of them to talk. It is unfortunate, but that's how it is."
Katsumi glared at him. "You sound so sure."
Hiyori struggled not to scoff. "You want information from all of these men, and that isn't possible. They won't talk. Despite seeing one of their comrades falling into that nest, do you think they are going to spill?"
"I don't know until I can make them talk, and you are making that borderline impossible."
"How so?"
Katsumi gestured at the swarming ants. "Satisfied with my answer?"
Hiyori didn't miss annoyance in the woman's tone. Katsumi was methodical and grim in her approach. She would kill these men eventually, after she got information out of them—but that would be far too long. Some would die from starvation before that happened.
It would take a while for them to spill. They didn't have any intention of doing so.
Katsumi clearly had patience.
He wasn't anywhere neat as patient as the elder Shimura. She would peel off their finger nails, one at a time, and then cut off their eyelids, and then probably stab them in the eye. She would use brutal methods to get the results she wanted.
But, she wouldn't kill them right away.
"What's with that tone, Katsumi?"
Katsumi grunted, not offering a response right away. "Your lack of patience is what annoys me more than anything. I have nothing against your tactics, as barbaric as they may be."
Hiyori drew his brows together. "I don't think I am going over the line."
"Those other two could have divulged a little more information, if you hadn't killed them."
Hiyori waved her off. "Doubt it."
Before either man could continue, Mimori and Ai approached them. Mimori wore a passive expression like always, while Ai's was a good deal harder. They had umbrellas, so they didn't get soaked by the downpour.
"How are things on your end?" Mimori asked, focusing on the trio.
Katsumi frowned. "Not going so well."
Mimori looked at the hanging prisoners, then at the ant nest. "Are you dropping them in there?"
Hiyori grunted, folding his arms over his chest. "Only if they refuse to talk."
Ai didn't look pleased to hear that. Her eyes began to glint, and she stared at Hiyori with more than a little annoyance.
"Hiyori..."
"They refuse to talk. It is becoming more than a little annoying." Yuko interjected.
"I see a few dead bodies."
"They were killed because they refused to talk." Yuko supplied.
Ai pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to rein in her anger. She could understand why and how impatience was tarting to grate on them, but for it to get to this extent was more than a little shocking for her.
These prisoners were all going to be plummeting into that ant nest, even if they did talk.
"Why don't you take a different approach. It's clear this isn't working out like it should." Mimori asked, tone soft.
"There is no alternative. They don't feel compelled to spill. Killing the few that you see still didn't make them compelled to spill. I will have to kill more of them before information is given."
Mimori frowned at the blunt response, and turned to Katsumi for confirmation. If Hiyori was just letting his temper get the better of him, she would call him on it. This wasn't the time for self indulgence with negative emotions.
He wasn't like that, but...
"They are stubborn. I doubt they will talk without severe force being applied. This is the only way to make them talk, but at the same time, it is going to take dropping more than a few into this nest for them to talk."
Mimori nodded.
"Why don't you just use the Sharingan, Yuko?" Ai questioned.
"Considering these men were with the Akimichi, it is more than likely there is parameters set in place to defend against genjutsu. If I try to enter their minds or put them under hypnosis, their heads could explode, or something along those lines."
"Shinobi do have such measures." Mimori admitted.
Ai frowned, looking up at the dangling prisoners. "We are getting lots of information from the interrogations, but it seems this group and some more, are going to be problematic. Killing them all would be a waste, they have information."
"Which is why I am doing what I am now." Hiyori interjected.
Mimori looked the younger man over, and could clearly see the signs of rage and fury written all over him. It wasn't untamed or wild. It was pure and distilled. It ran through his veins like his blood and coursed through him like oxygen. Yes, one wouldn't be able to tell at first glance Hiyori was enraged at this very moment.
But, she could tell. She knew all of the signs to look for. She was also an attuned sensor, and could sense the undercurrents of emotions. On the surface, he looked cold and stoic. No emotion. But, beneath that steely exterior was a tsunami of emotions that would and could take him over like a raging tide.
She could see that these prisoners weren't going to be inclined to spill their secrets and everything that they knew. Fear and terror were painted all over them, but there was still that stubborn anger that refused to yield. They wouldn't be saying anything, not unless certain methods were used, and dropping them into this nest wasn't one of those methods.
The last thing she wanted was to tell Hiyori to back down and let them take care of this. He wouldn't lash out in fury. He would doggedly remain where he is. He may even cut them all loose from the vines and let them plummet into the ant nest.
She wasn't going to rush into the nest. The ants were swarming all around it and many were the size of her forearm, if not bigger.
"Hiyori, why don't you let us woman handle this?" Ai ventured, tone sultry.
Hiyori stared at Ai, eyes showing no emotion.
"There's four of them left. I am convincing enough, where I can get answers out of them. There's no need to put them in that nest."
"They have oppressed and enslaved others—they don't deserve to breathe air. They are parasites."
Ai nodded, wary of the tone Hiyori took. "They won't live beyond this interrogation. You have my word."
Hiyori moved his neck to the side until it cracked, and leapt off the branch with ease. He landed before the women, keeping his eyes locked with Katsumi's. She didn't budge an inch, even when he narrowed his eyes and felt his rage bristle, she remained in place.
He turned his focus onto Ai and Mimori, then to Yuko.
"We can handle it, Hiyori. While I am certain this method makes prisoners talk most of the time, this time around I am not so sure that it will work. We need information, and we can't get it if they are thousands of feet in that ant nest or sliced open." Mimori offered.
Hiyori looked up at the men, tempted to rip the whole tree out of the ground and shove it into the ant nest, but nothing good would come from that. He would only be venting his rage and fury, and that wouldn't produce anything worth merit.
"Fine. I will leave them to you. Make sure to kill them all when you are done." Hiyori said, walking away from them, and vanishing in the downpour.
Yuko took a deep breath, finally able to breathe again. She didn't realize it until now, but Hiyori's sheer presence was enough for her not to breathe.
"What do you suppose we do?" Ai ventured.
Katsumi moved a bang from in front of her eyes, drawing her brows together. "Genjutsu will work. It's the only thing we can use at this point."
"Are we looking for anything in specific? I know the Tea damiyo allowed them entrance to the port of his village, but that is deep in the mainland. That means there was another noble that allowed them entrance into the Elemental Nations." Yuko spoke up.
Mimori rubbed her chin. "We don't have all the information that we need at the moment. We haven't compiled it all together into one report, either But, what we do have is...There's one landmass the slaves come from. They are sold by their own kin to make a profit. The foreigners pay for the land they have built their settlements on. The landmass is located northwest from here."
Katsumi frowned. "So, that means the Earth damiyo or Stone damiyo allowed them entrance in the first place."
"We are leaning in that direction, but until we hear something and have proof, we can't say for certain. But, that is how it is looking at this moment in time." Ai supplied.
Yuko widened her eyes, activating her Sharingan. She would have refrained from doing this, but if they got this bit of information that they needed—it would help speed things up. They would still have to be methodical and careful, but they'd have a lead, at the very least.
"I'll get that information." Yuko said, eyes hard.
Mimori handed her a few senbon with bells on them. "Use these as well. They could be hiding something else. With their minds weak, they will be open books."
"Should I use my Futton?" Ai questioned, expression turning cold.
Mimori shook her head. "That won't be necessary unless they still refuse to talk after this."
"I'll still keep it ready, just in case."
Mimori nodded, remaining cautious. "Fair enough."
Yuko took the senbon, and turned her eyes on the prisoners. A scowl stretched across her face as she tightened her finger on one of the senbon. "I got it. Katsumi, I will need your assistance."
Katsumi drew her tanto, knowing it would be needed. "Should I start with a finger nail?"
"Start with an eyelid, then move onto the finger nails. But, first, we have to relocate. The ants are getting more and more voracious."