Konohamaru sat near the fire, a frown on his face. He gazed into it, lost in his thoughts. Thoughts of his failure. It was an ugly sight. The sight of a man who was coming to realize just how painful his actions had been. The camp was quiet. Not like what it was when they had left Konohagakure. Sai and Shikamaru were dead. Sakura was gone. And he was to blame. So, he sat his mistakes burning in his soul at a much higher intensity than the fire. He was alone, or rather he would have been if not for the woman he sat next to him.
Tsume.
The Inuzuka Clan Head sat on the log next to his all night, unable to sleep. Ever since they had left the fort to march back to Konoha she had barely gotten any sleep. It wasn't hard to see why. Ninken were like siblings to Inuzuka. They grew up together, and most of them were similar in age. For them, losing a ninken was akin to losing your twin. It was no surprise to him that Tsume looked particularly angry. Particularly lost. She was. Kuromaru was dead.
Another loss that was his fault.
One that he had to address.
He looked upwards, trying to meet her eyes. She was staring into the flame just as he was. Lost in it. The fire was the only thing that could possibly distract them from the loss in their chests. The loss of a near victory being turned into a complete loss. The highest of highs immediately brought to the lowest of lows. Yes, more than anyone else here he knew what she was feeling.
"Tsume-san."
The woman looked stunned to be broken from her thoughts, looking up at Konohamaru. The Sarutobi Clan member frowned, looking at her. He bowed his head.
"I'm sorry."
Tsume stared at him, not giving any response. Konohamaru kept his head bowed the entire time, waiting for her to lay into him. He could give his reasoning. Give his excuses. But she knew them. And they were pointless. None of that changed the result. Kuromaru was dead because of his decision making. She had every right to be angry with him. However, no rage came. No caustic words that word burn him like the deaths of his shinobi had. Nothing. Just...silence. He glanced upwards to find her looking into the fire once more, as if he had never spoken to her.
"Um-"
"It's the job," Tsume muttered hollowly. The woman was hurt. In intense pain. It was clear from the tone in her voice. Something inside her was broken, something that Konohamaru was sure could never be healed. There was a distance in her voice. One that was despondent and vapid. A void. That was what death was. A void. An emptiness. Konohamaru knew all too well.
"We all know the risks," Tsume continued. "So don't apologize."
Konohamaru frowned. He couldn't accept that. That wasn't the way to look at things. Not the correct way. Life mattered. Everyone's. Civilian, shinobi, or ninken. It didn't matter. And he had squandered it for a chance at revenge. It wasn't something one could handwave away by claiming one knew the risks of the life that they chose. No, one had to grapple with the causes of another's death. If one was the cause one had to live with that grief, that torment, their entire lives. It had to weigh on you. Change you. If it didn't, if one ever got too wrapped up in the idea that it was the job, they would lose themselves. Become something else. Something subhuman. Fueled by fulfilling duty rather than protecting life.
But who was he to challenge the Inuzuka Clan Head? Who was he to challenge her grief, especially when he was the cause?
He was no one.
So, he sat, and the two waited out the night in silence.
It was only a few days later when they stood in the Hokage's office, Danzo staring at him and the remainder of his group. Two men stood next to him, one's Konohamaru didn't recognize. The Hokage had already received the Konoha ANBU he had sent back. From the look on his face he was not pleased, although perhaps that was because the outcome of the mission was glaringly obvious the second the report of only three Konoha shinobi returning had hit his ears.
"You failed."
Well, he was not one to mince words.
"Yes sir."
Danzo frowned. His face crinkled, making him look even older than he already was. Konohamaru withered under his eyes. The gaze of the eighty-year-old kage was not one that he wanted to meet. Still, he forced himself to. This mission was his responsibility. He would bear the brunt of the man's rage.
"Report."
Konohamaru decided to start from the point Danzo was aware of, right after he had sent the ANBU back to Konohagakure.
"We successfully infiltrated Amegakure. We managed to make contact with the target, Naruto Uzumaki. He was with the son of the Amekage. We lured him to the outskirts of the village and managed to subdue him using the child as bait. We left, taking both Naruto and the child with us. However, we were followed. The Amekage arrived. Freed Naruto. He defeated the force, killing Sai and Shikamaru Nara. He also killed the ninken Kuromaru. He then took Sakura Haruno hostage as a trade for letting us leave with our lives. Naruto Uzumaki was not successfully captured."
Danzo's eyes narrowed. That was a lot of information to process at once. The Amekage had a son? That was useful. A good idea to try to take him in, use him as leverage against the powerful man. But they had been caught. How exactly? What were Ame's sensory capabilities? What abilities had he displayed in the battle against the Konoha forces? What about Naruto Uzumaki? Had Ame been able to glean information from his mind about Konoha's security? Had they turned him to their side? Why let any Konoha shinobi live? That would pose its fair share of problems for Konoha. These questions and more raged in Danzo's mind and he voiced as much. When he finished speaking Sasuke spoke up.
"I am unaware of how they followed us, however they managed to. Konohamaru pursued the fleeing Naruto while everyone else engaged the Amekage. As you're aware..." Sasuke paused, frustration on his face. "It was a failure. He effortlessly defeated us. We never even managed to touch him. He has seamless control over water, more than any Suiton (Water Release) user I've ever seen. The rain itself is his weapon. But there's more. He can absorb ninjutsu and could manifest another arm and fire chakra blasts. His taijutsu skills were excellent, and even when we managed to break down his defenses, he had an impenetrable wave of force that could fire off whenever we got too close that forced us away. That was what made it so impossible for us to land a blow."
"He was toying with us," Tsume muttered. "I have no doubt we haven't seen the full extent of our capabilities. When he decided to kill someone, they died. We were helpless in front of him. We are only alive because of Sakura's sacrifice."
"His eyes," Sasuke interjected. "They were strange. A dojutsu I've never seen before."
Danzo frowned, rubbing his chin.
"I see."
'The eyes the Sage Priests respect. The Eyes of the Samsara.'
He looked up to Konohmaru.
"And you...you failed to secure or kill Naruto Uzumaki?"
"Yes sir."
"But you ordered the kidnap of the Amekage's child?"
"Yes sir."
"So why did he let you live?"
Konohamaru frowned. He was conflicted. He didn't know what to say here. Naruto pleaded for his life? That was...unconvincing even to him. But it was the truth. Besides, he was sure Danzo was going to question where Naruto's loyalties lie.
He had the opportunity to return the favor.
"Naruto himself," Konohamaru stated. "He...begged the Amekage not to kill me. I am surprised it worked."
Danzo frowned, his skin tight.
'The Amekage...he is either more emotional than I thought or cunning. Creating good will in the Jinchuriki perhaps? Or he truly is so emotionally weak that he would let the Sarutobi live due to sentimentality. He is either a dangerous opponent, or a fool.'
"I see. So, you believe the Jinchuriki has not revealed Konoha's secrets."
"He said he didn't. Considering how hard he fought to save my life, I am inclined to believe him."
'I cannot operate off of that. He would have returned to Konoha if he was loyal. No, the Kyuubi Jinchuriki is too much of a loose cannon. A thorn in my side. I can no longer risk trying to bring him back in, even with the threat of the Ichibi. He must be killed. But the Amekage...this man may pose a larger threat.'
"I see. And you sent your ANBU force back to us why?"
"We preferred secrecy Hokage-sama. I figured the ANBU themselves would have told you as much."
Danzo stood, causing the air to thin in the room. He walked from his desk, getting in front of Konohamaru. The Sarutobi met his gaze, frustration, and something else festering in him. He didn't like this man. He stood against everything his grandfather had fought for. He wasn't even sure how he had become Hokage in his old age. He was the antithesis of everything Konoha needed. He was not warm. He did not give the shinobi morale. But he was cunning. And intense. And Sarutobi felt the pressure of both in front of him at the moment.
"Is there anything else?"
"The Amekage," Konohamaru began. "He had...powerful shinobi with him. Ones from all over the country. Kisame Hoshigaki for one."
Danzo's eyebrow raised at this information. Kisame Hoshigaki? That was a dangerous name. To his knowledge the swordsman was still a rogue. It was good to know he was working under Ame. That information could be useful, a bargaining chip in his favor when talks with Kiri came. A way to distract them. They would do anything to get Samehada back. Of course, if he had it his way, he would be able to capture the sword and bring it into Konoha's military might. Still, good to know. Kisame Hoshigaki was a kage-class shinobi. Perhaps Ame's military might was not entirely propped up by one man after all.
Danzo peered into his chosen squad leader. The failure of a squad leader. He could see the emotion in the boy's eyes. He was weak. Just like his grandfather. Just like his uncle. They were too emotional. Too easy to read. The child didn't care for him. That was fine. He would serve all the same. That was the duty of shinobi. Konohamaru Sarutobi was a great many things, but a traitor was not one of them. He was not like his elder 'sibling'.
"Is there anything else," he asked again.
The thoughts of a clan residing within Amegakure flashed in Konohamaru's head. The Uzumaki. Konoha's old ally. Under better circumstances he would tell the Hokage about it. Try to rekindle an alliance. Tell them that the late, great Jiraiya had trained the Amekage. Perhaps an alliance could be brokered between the two nations from that mutual understanding. Through history. Through blood and camaraderie. Alas, these were not better circumstances. And one of the reasons for that stood before him.
"Yes sir."
Danzo's eyes narrowed but he nodded.
"I expect a full report within the hour. Dismissed."
The three shinobi nodded curtly, leaving the room immediately. Danzo turned, approaching his desk to think of the situation that he had been informed of. Ame would prove to be a bigger thorn in his side than he had previously anticipated. He needed more information. He needed to know exactly what the Amekage could do. What abilities did he have and how could he counter them? Of course, that couldn't hold all of his attention. He still needed people to continue tracking the Ichibi and guide it away from Konoha. The ROOT operative's he had sent to the desert to die on the path towards Iwa were serving their purpose well enough. Their deaths were luring it towards their enemies. They could manage, for now. A way to stall, but not a solution. Two thorns in his side.
Three if he counted the failures of the Uchiha and Sarutobi. They were useless. The Uchiha had failed to bring the Jinchuriki in, twice. The Sarutobi had failed at that and at defeating the Ichibi in Sand. Both of them were completely useless, over emotional failures. That wasn't something that could be tolerated. Konoha was weak. It needed strength, or at the very least to project it to the world. They were Jinchuriki-less, and the world knew it. It was only through their economic power that they had managed to remain unassailed by the other villages so far. That, combined with their military might being able to stalemate Jinchuriki had led them to a bloody, prolonged war. But they needed to tip the scales. This couldn't last forever. One singular Great Power to turn their full attention to Konoha is all it would take to disrupt them completely. One little push. He needed to tip the scales.
Perhaps it was best to start culling the shinobi that were getting in the way of that. Yes, failure was something that couldn't be tolerated. He looked to the two men that stood next to him.
"Send Sasuke Uchiha and Konohamaru Sarutobi to the Kumo front lines when they have fully healed. The front of the battles. They are to be disposed of."
"And of Tsume Inuzuka Danzo-sama?"
"Leave her for now. Without her ninken she is nothing special, however I cannot so easily depose a Clan Head. That will take time."
"Your will will be carried out sir."
The two disappeared.
Danzo sat on his chair.
Nagato watched as Naruto formed his wind armor once more, a frown forming on the man's face. The two had been training for a while now. It was an unordinary style of training. There wasn't much the redheaded Uzumaki could teach his blonde counterpart. The blonde had no interest in expanding his repertoire of ninjutsu, and the Konoha native was his superior in taijutsu. Therefore, they relied on the method of training Nagato could help him with.
His chakra.
The kage watched his cousin's wind armor flair to life, watching as his chakra roared in the process. What an interesting technique. The principal of it wasn't entirely dissimilar to how he utilized his water. If the blonde truly did want to be able to replicate the freedom over water, he possessed using his wind element he wasn't far off. This and the sensory jutsu of his were similar in principle. The difference was where the chakra was utilized. Naruto was drawing the chakra from inside of him and constraining it tightly, like a warm blanket. But that wasn't the way to control it.
Nagato raised a hand, water flowing down from the sky into his hand. This level of chakra control should be possible for the blonde. He said as much.
"Let the wind flow. Don't coil your chakra tightly to your body. Let it flow like when you use your sensory jutsu. Then manipulate that chakra rather than seeing through it."
Naruto grunted his acknowledgement of the advice, allowing the wind around him to lessen. It formed that faster version of his armor, before eventually it completely dissipated. However, Naruto's chakra wasn't inactive. No, Nagato could see his chakra reaching outwards, pulsing like a miniature sun. It was bright. Good.
"Let it flow. Guide the wind to do what you want."
Naruto grunted, sweat pouring down his face as he began to wave his arms. However, try as he might he could not conjure gusts of wind, nor could he replicate the precise formations Nagato was able to do so easily with his water. Nagato frowned at the sight.
"Try to create a weapon of wind. It may be easier mentally."
Naruto nodded, holding out his hand. The idea should be similar in principle to the Rasenshuriken. At least, that was what he thought. He worked off of that assumption but failed to replicate the deadly attack. He grunted, sweat pouring down his brow. Maybe he was aiming too big. That wasn't an easy technique to even pour wind into in the first place. Simpler. Smaller. Less complicated. A staff.
Make a staff!
The blonde cried out in exertion. This was fundamentally different than sending slashes of wind using his scythe. That was at its core a prolongation of the Hien (Flying Swallow). This wasn't that. This was pure chakra manipulation, not channeling his chakra to swirl over an object. If that was swimming this was deep sea diving.
Without a rebreather.
The blonde slowly tried to formulate the shape. A staff. It was a long rod at its core. A shaft of some metal or wood. That wasn't complicated. He could do this. He could do this! The wind was his.
Nagato frowned.
Naruto's eyes opened as he realized he would fail, grunting as slashes formed on his hand courtesy of his failed attempt. He frowned. His hand was covered in gashes, blood dripping onto the ground.
"Fucking hell. That's the fifth time."
"Well, if it was easy, it wouldn't be worth doing."
Naruto met the man's eyes with annoyance.
"How quickly did you get this?"
Nagato looked away. Naruto glared at him.
"How. Many."
"It took me two tries I believe to control water like this. Although my level of proficiency wasn't as great."
Naruto rolled his eyes.
"Fucking bullshit ass hack eyes I swear to Kami what did I do to deserve this hell."
Nagato chuckled, rubbing the back of his head.
"Perhaps a break is what you need. You can't keep beating your head against the wall and expect progress."
"I can and I will," Naruto muttered. "You have your eyes to help you. I have something to help me."
Silently, fifty clones of the blonde appeared behind him, each of them holding out their hands and beginning to concentrate. Naruto watched them with a smirk on his face. Most of them would fail, that was obvious. And if they failed, they would be dispelled from the resulting slashes of wind, but that was fine. Anything they were able to do would help him find a solution to replicating the elemental control Nagato could do. It couldn't be something unique to the Rinnegan. He had heard stories about the Nidaime Hokage being able to do something similar with his control over water. With elite mastery over any jutsu one could do it without handseals, as they were just focuses. This couldn't be so different. No, Naruto refused to believe that.
"I hope they are helpful."
Naruto nodded at his counterpart. He hoped so as well.
Sasuke silently closed the door as he entered his family home, not introducing himself. He wordlessly slipped out of his shoes, ignoring the talking he could hear in the kitchen not far away. He walked towards the stairs, not wishing to confront his family. Not now. Not when Sakura was so far away.
Unfortunately for him, his hopes were dashed when he saw his father slip out of the kitchen door and lean against the wall. Sasuke frowned as he met his father's eyes. The patriarch of the Uchiha Clan frowned at him.
"You didn't introduce yourself when you entered the house."
"Hn."
"I raised you better than that boy."
Sasuke grunted, looking away from his father. He gave a curt nod.
"Am I excused?"
"How did your mission go? I see you're injured."
Sasuke frowned, unwilling to comment. But he knew there was no getting out of this conversation. He couldn't exactly blow him off.
"We failed," Sasuke muttered, the words feeling like poison in his mouth. Shame welled up inside of him before it was overtaken by a burning rage. Not at his father. Rage at himself.
If Fugaku noticed the emotional duress his son was in, he did not voice it.
"I see," he stated in his normal monotone voice. "Unfortunate."
Sasuke nodded, moving to walk up the stairs to head to his room. He needed to be alone right now. However, Fugaku was not going to let him off that easily.
"You lost."
Sasuke froze.
"You have the look on your face you always do when you lose."
"Hn."
Fugaku's perpetual frown grew more pronounced as he looked at his son. He wasn't getting anything. No information. A storm of emotions filled the Uchiha Clan Head before he sighed.
"You're excused."
Sasuke nodded his thanks, walking up the stairs and into his room. He closed the door gently, not wishing to hear his mother yell at him for slamming doors in her house. Perhaps he should move out? It would free him from the encounter he had just had with his father and his mother's overbearing rules. He walked forwards, sitting on his bed, not bothering to turn on the light. He preferred the darkness anyways. The Uchiha could only replay the events of the battle. Nagato absorbing his lightning jutsu. Him not even managing to land a slash on the man's body, even with the training he had done with his mother. Being instantly pinned to the ground.
How he wouldn't even be in this room if Sakura hadn't intervened.
He was a disgrace. Completely unable to defend anyone. A failure. And it burned him to admit it. Itachi would have found a way to at least land a blow. His father would have found a way to win. He was sure of it. He truly was not their equal. They were entirely different than him. Those words, those blasted words his father had said to him long ago when he had just begun his training echoed back on his head.
"Why did I think you would be like Itachi?"
Sasuke bit his lip, frustration festering in him. How he hated the comparison. Itachi. The perfect son. The better older brother. The prodigy. The Clan Heir. What was he to that?
A footnote.
And for the first time in Sasuke's life, he realized perhaps that's all he ever would be.
A footnote.
Another bullseye. Good. That was good. She drew another arrow, nocking it before she drew it back. Her eyes looked at her target. A kilometer away. That was fine. Covered in shrubbery, with only one small path to hit it?
Easy.
She let her arrow loose, and it wasn't long until she saw the projectile embed itself in her target.
Bullseye.
Hanabi let her arms drop. They were heavy. She had been training all day. Sweat covered her form, but if she was tired, she did not show it. Her face was the definition of stoic. She slipped the longbow over her shoulder, turning away from the bullseye. She slipped into the forest before she sat on a nearby tree stump, allowing her body to relax. She hung her head, sweat dripping to the ground underneath her.
"Not good enough," Hanabi whispered. "Sensei would have deflected it."
The Hyuga looked up at the sky, a frown forming on her face as a gust of cool air began to cool her off. She was completely spent. This was the third time she had rehearsed her sharpshooting in between her taijutsu bouts against her clones. Her chakra reserves were completely spent. She had nothing left. She let her clan dojutsu deactivate, slipping to the ground in frustration. She still wasn't good enough. She had nothing that could pierce the tornado that raged in her mind. Her elemental nature was weak to it. Her taijutsu subpar. Her ninjutsu wasn't even comparable.
No, the tornado was still above her.
It shouldn't surprise her. The tornado was to be feared, not to be surpassed. It reached high into the sky, it's top completely covered by the clouds. She would never see its apex. It was simply different than she. She was a blade of grass, a commonality in the world. The tornado was a natural disaster. A force of nature. It destroyed towns. Grass lay underneath their feet. Where people ran from the tornado they trampled over grass. That was the difference between her and the tornado. It was insurmountable.
She was negligible.
But that didn't mean she couldn't try to tame it.
Hanabi stood, eyes blazing. Maybe she was out of chakra, but that didn't matter in the real world. Out there, in battle, one could not simply ask for a time out in combat when one was out of chakra. No, they had to fight regardless. So that was what she did. What she always did. Push herself further than anyone could. Push herself to levels of danger no one else was willing to go.
She would tame the tornado.
She knew she could.
That was what the tornado had taught her. Any blade of grass could be deadly. Any blade of grass could grow and become mighty. Become large. Dangerous. She didn't need to reach the apex of the tornado to surpass it. She didn't need to live in the calm of the storm.
She simply needed to blow it open.
She nocked another arrow, completely unable to see her target with her dojutsu active. That was fine. In a real battle a situation could occur where the Byakugan was not something she could rely on. Her eyes narrowed, focusing. Then...she let fly. She smirked as she heard the sound.
Bullseye.
The bearded Sarutobi looked over Sunagakure's movements once more. The village had grown extremely defensive after the death of their Kazekage. Of course, that was to be expected. The news of the Kazekage's death was beginning to spread like wildfire now that it was confirmed. A village without a kage and no Bijuu was a vulnerable one. Konoha would soon begin to press the advantage, of that, he was sure. Once he was healed Danzo would demand he march and conquer Iwa. That was something entirely possible now. Iwa could not press the assault due to their kage and one of their Jinchuriki being out of commission. Plus, they had the Ichibi roaming their satellite states to consider.
Of course, Konoha had to consider the threat the Bijuu posed as well, but they had far more abilities to counter the beast than Iwa did. Asuma wanted to snort. Given how precious few Konoha had it said a lot about Iwa's teneous position that Konoha had more counters to a Bijuu than they. Besides, it wasn't an easy as it sounded on paper. The Ichibi roaming in the north also functioned as a form of blockade. Iwa wouldn't dare invade without having their kage or Jinchuriki available, which meant that Wind wouldn't have to fear an attack from the northeast. They need only focus on the east, where Konoha resided. Ame wasn't a factor; they weren't an aggressive power. To the west of Wind was a massive desert that stretched out until it reached the sea. They had no enemies on that side, merely roaming factions that were no significant threat to them. Pushing Suna may be harder than ever, as long as they were willing to sacrifice their trade routes in the north of the country. Economic warfare may be the best method of hurting the village rather than trying to garner more territory. But it was useless to decide his course of action until he knew for sure who the next Kazekage would be. He needed to know what type of person they were.
Knowing this the Sarutobi looked back down at his report, considering the potential replacement. There were few candidates for the Kazekage's position. The position was hereditary. Rasa had inherited it from the Sandaime, Shinki. He had inherited it from their Nidaime, Shamon, who inherited it from their Shodai Reto. Thus, there were only two logical considerations for the Kazekage position, considering the third option was currently rampaging and had killed the Kazekage himself.
Temari was the first. The eldest. She was a notable kunoichi. She was a Jonin who specialized in long range combat, specifically in the use of Fūton (Wind Release). She utilized a massive war fan to bolster her jutsu, making her capable of creating massive desert storms. She was a formidable opponent, but she was vulnerable to taijutsu. She was no slouch, as would be expected of the former Kazekage's daughter, but it was still her glaring weakness. Her skill with genjutsu was unknown, having never demonstrated the ability to use the more elusive side of the shinobi arts. Still, she was certainly powerful. She was smart as well; one could not be a long range specialist and not be very aware of the nuances of battle. She had held against countless Iwa invasion forces so far in the war. He had the luxury of fighting against her once. Her utilization of their shared element made her frustrating to predict. She didn't utilize handseals thanks to that giant fan of hers, and her jutsu was incredibly powerful. Still, he had managed to defeat her. He would have killed her if not for the second candidate, and in his mind the most likely option.
Kankuro. The middle child, and undeniably the smartest. It was a requirement. He was a puppet master. None who utilized such an esoteric art could be considered dumb. But Kankuro stood above the rest in the field, outmatched only by Sasori of the Red Sand. He had surpassed the now dead leader of Sunagakure's Puppet Brigade, Chiyo. The man could control eleven puppets at once in battle, a feat that was only surpassed by the legendary Red Sand. He was a Jonin, but he was certainly a kage-level opponent. A dangerous one as well. His poisons were renown, being exceedingly lethal. They were not quite as good as the deceased Chiyo, but they were still toxic. The slightest wound could kill. He had different sources for his poison as well if Konoha's medical team were to guess. They had difficulty creating antidotes. So far only Sakura had been able to do so. He was a long-range specialist, like his sister, except his fatal flaw was worse than hers. Where she was competent in taijutsu, if outclassed against experts, he was pathetic in it. His taijutsu skills were abysmal. Of course, that didn't matter much considering few could ever reach him to engage in taijutsu against his storm of attacks, poison, and puppets. Besides, it wasn't like many even knew where he was during a battle. The man preferred to sit on the edges of battlefields, utilizing his puppets from a distance. His ability to effectively control them from so far away spoke to his abilities. He was a threat. A strategist to the core, and a lethal one at that. He was the perfect blade to be inaugurated as Kazekage after their father's death. There was no doubt in Asuma's mind he would be.
Technically Gaara was an option, he was the most powerful of the three siblings, but he was also a massive loose cannon. There was no doubt in his mind that he wouldn't be elected, and that was assuming Suna could get him under control which was very much so not a guarantee. He doubted even Kankuro could accomplish such a feat. That was another major problem for Sunagakure. The Kazekage always had to be capable of defeating the Ichibi, at least with help. The Sandaime was the first to ever defeat it in single combat. Kankuro would be incapable of that, even if he did have help if his father had failed before him.
Yes, Kankuro would be the Kazekage. Of course, Kankuro posed a unique set of challenges. The man was shrewd, playing his cards close to his chest. He wouldn't sit idly by and let Asuma bleed his village economically until they surrendered to Konoha's terms. He would make a move. It was likely he would swing up through the Moon Gulf to the south to put pressure on Fire from the south. If they reached the city of Hirashi they could put pressure on a major economic hub in the south side of Fire. But he could not be sure. The man was just as likely to break his offensive and force Konoha back behind its satellite states of River. Potentially push him back to Hirokoshi. He had to prepare for either option. Still, the intelligence of Kankuro while not to be underestimated was nothing compared to his father. Rasa had fought in war. He had experience. He had grown under the crucible that was the Third Shinobi World War, much like A and Minato. Kankuro was still growing and was thrust into this position. He could be outmaneuvered in that naiveite.
That was why who the newly elected Kazekage or the troubles Sunagakure was facing was was not the most pressing thought on his mind. No, the mysterious figure in Tenten's report was what concerned him. She said she saw two figures in the desert after the Kazekage's battle. She had included the piece of information but admitted that no one else had seen the duo and that she wasn't sure if what she was seeing was a mirage given how quickly they disappeared. Asuma doubted that. Tenten was a wise kunoichi, she would not get tricked by a mere mirage. No, she had seen something in that desert that day the Kazekage died.
That was worrisome.
Was there foul play involved in how the Kazekage died? It was a possibility. The man had been known to be capable of defeating the Ichibi in single combat but had died with a squad of shinobi there to back him up in combat with the creature this time? That didn't make sense. Sure, he was no Sandaime Kazekage, that man was the strongest Kazekage in history, but Rasa was no slouch as well. He had mimicked the Sandaime's abilities so as to be better capable of handling the Ichibi if he had ever engaged it in battle. Sure, a Bijuu was dangerous, and few shinobi in history could claim that they could defeat a Bijuu in single combat every time with no doubt, but Rasa had the advantage.
And yet he was dead, and the Ichibi was free. A possibility? Sure. But, not one Asuma considered the most likely.
No, something had intervened in the battle that day. Of that, he was sure. And Tenten had seen them. The only question was, what was it?
The crowd beneath the massive qasr extended throughout the entire city of Sunagakure. Shinobi and civilian alike looked up at the Daimyo of Wind who stood before them all. Donned in ornate black robes, he looked down on the city.
"Civilians and shinobi of Sunagakure," he boomed, his voice being projected thanks to a subtle ninjutsu utilized by one of the Suna shinobi standing next to him. "Visitors from across the Land of Wind! Thank you all for coming this day. As I'm sure you all are well aware, Rasa, the Yondaime Kazekage, died not long ago. His death was a harrowing loss in these times. He was a great leader. And a great administrator of the village. His war time efforts are the reason Sunagakure stands today. However, Suna must not grow stagnant. Rasa knew this, and so do the advisors. I have convened with them about the two candidates for the position of Kazekage and am pleased to announce to you all who has been selected to lead Sunagakure into its next chapter of greatness!"
A roar came from the crowd, people's fists flying in the air and and screaming to the heavens. There were wails of grief, saddened at the loss of their Kazekage whom they had not yet had time to grieve. There were cries of rage, fueled by anger against the other Great Powers. There were curses of their Jinchuriki, who was known to have been the reason for Rasa's death. And finally, there were cries of hope. Hope that the smallest of the original Great Powers would finally cement its dominance over the other threats in the world.
The Daimyo heard it all. The sand dunes heart it all. Both smiled.
As the cries from the populace died down the Daimyo began again.
"Therefore, by the power vested in me as the Wind Daimyo and on my name as Hayashi Tadataka I present to you all the Godaime Kazekage and eldest son of the Yondaime Kazekage Rasa, Kankuro Kotarou!"
The crowd erupted into cheers as Kankuro approached, donned in all the regalia of the Kazekage. The hat of the Kazekage rested on his head, the kanji for Godaime inscribed on it. Behind him was his elder sister Temari, flanked by a gray-haired mountain of a man. The two of them looked like they were on guard, wary of any potential attack. Considering the history of how the hat of the Kazekage was passed down, that was not a poor assumption.
Kankuro nodded at Hayashi, the Daimyo stepping back to allow him to give his speech. Kankuro approached the ledge, resting his hands on the railing as he looked down at his subjects.
"Thank you, Tadataka-sama. Your words of wisdom are rays of light, and your strength is a pillar of our country."
Hayashi smiled, nodding his head in appreciation. Kankuro then turned to address his people.
"People of the Land of Wind! It is with a heavy head I come before you today. My father, Rasa Kotarou was killed in battle by my brother Gaara as I'm sure all of you are aware. We are at war, with enemies in the Land of Earth preparing to bear down on us and enemies in the Land of Fire eager to capitalize on our vulnerability. Our own Jinchuriki rampages through our land. The other villages think we are weak."
The crowd grew silent, the reality of their situation settling in. They were quiet. Kankuro stared out at all of them, his eyes hard. He was pleased with the reaction. That was good. He didn't want them happy. He had no need of optimists. He wanted them to be realists. Realists could adapt to the world around them and fight back against their foes, hard. That was what he needed. He needed fighters. Soldiers. Bodies. He had to convert them.
"That cannot be tolerated."
His words hung in the air. He had their attention.
"Suna is not weak. Suna is not vulnerable. Suna is as everlasting as the desert itself. It grows, enroaching upon the land. None can stand against it. We are everlasting. The world has always thrown us misfortune, and yet we have conquered it. Last of the Great Powers to form, forced to the least desirable lands. Yet we thrive! Control over the weakest of the Bijuu. Yet we thrive! The least amount of Kekkei Genkai in the Elemental Nations. Yet. We. Thrive. Suna is not weak! Suna is powerful. Suna is to be feared. Suna is the rightful ruler of this continent. We will kill our enemies!"
The crowd roared, proud to hear their kage claim their superiority to the world. And slowly, they began to believe.
"The shinobi and samurai of Earth will be led into the fray. Slaughtered under the leadership of Shira Minamoto, our new leader in the front against Iwa."
Kankuro gestured to the gray-haired man. He threw his fist into the air, getting a roar of applause from the crowd, but particularly from shinobi. Kankuro smirked. Good. The stories of the man's greatness were helping.
"And the tree huggers! Led by the son of their Sandaime. We will uproot them! My sister Temari will turn their wind against them and use their fire to set forth a massive blaze that burns their forests to the ground!"
Another roar, this one more equal in balance. The stories of Suna's foremost master of Fūton were legendary across the nation. It was she who turned back the desert storms that threatened towns with her jutsu. It was her who conjured the winds to fight against their enemies. And it was she who would lead the defeat of the Konoha force, of that the populace was sure.
Kankuro's face darkened.
"As for my brother...the rogue Jinchuriki. Leave him to me. I will succeed where my father failed and defeat Gaara! I shall rip the Ichibi from his body and seal it into another more reliable Jinchuriki. The selection process has already begun. Trust in me Land of Wind. Give me your strength! In time this war will end, and Sunagakure will reign as the foremost power in the Elemental Nations!"
Kankuro waved his hands outwards, passion building in his voice.
"Give it to me! Everything you believe has meaning! Every hope, dream, or moment of happiness give it to me. Place your faith in me! I will wash away your doubts. I will wash away the dread. The fear. The hatred of being looked down on as the lesser of the Great Powers. As a Great Power that barely qualifies! I will not let your hopes or dreams be wasted. And I will not let the sacrifices of our ancestors be forgotten. I hear what the other shinobi say. What some of you say! That our ancestors' sacrifices, their lives were meaningless! Well let me tell you today..."
Kankuro's chakra burned in his body, his skin hot to the touch. His body was fire, and his words were wind, and when they collided it lit a roaring fire fueled by the gas of the hungry crowd below. The enraptured crowd. They were one. They were one.
"They were not! Their memory serves as an example to us all! The courageous fallen! The anguished fallen! Their lives have meaning because we the living refuse to forget them! And as we fight and die in this war for Suna's glory, we trust our successors to do the same for us! So, I call on you, civilian and shinobi alike to fight. Because my soldiers do not buckle or yield when faced with the cruelty of this world! My soldiers push forwards! My soldiers scream out! My soldiers rage!"
The crowd roared, their screams reaching pitch height that had not been heard in weeks. The drums of battle echoed throughout the air, and the screams for the blood of their enemies rained. The bloodlust would chill any shinobi to the core as they heard the rage in their voice. Kankuro raised his fist and the crowd responded, raising theirs. The cry for blood, the cry for war echoed even louder. Kankuro smirked. Their cries were deafening. One could not hear themselves think. Their voices elevated high into the sky, burning hotter than any sun.
"Yet we thrive!"
"Yet we thrive!"
"Yet we thrive!"
The heat of the desert had been stoked once more.
Sakura slowly walked into the room, her eyes scanning to see Kisame, Konan, Karin, and Nagato standing in the room. To her side was Naruto, the blonde having escorted her from her prison cell to the map of Rain. Nagato nodded as he saw her enter the room.
"We can begin."
The man looked down at the map below him, his eyes hard. It was a map of the continent. Everyone in the room looked down at it, particularly focusing on the border between Rain and Fire. Nagato frowned, knowing the weaknesses of Ame's border. He glanced upwards, looking at Naruto and Sakura.
"You are both confident that this Danzo Shimura will not invade Rain militarily?"
Both former and current Konoha shinobi nodded.
"You'll mostly deal with spies and assassins," Naruto muttered. "Knowing how ANBU traditionally operates he'll try to know the ins-and-outs of Ame and Rain before he makes a move. Economic weaknesses, political structure, things like that. I'm sure he already has some spies in place."
Naruto glanced upwards at the group.
"We can strengthen our border checks," Kisame pointed out.
"We don't have the manpower," Konan said, shooting down the idea. "We have roughly 5,000 active-duty shinobi with 1,000 in reserve. If we count those who are retired the number rises to a paltry 6,500 shinobi total. That's less than every other Great Power by a significant margin. Kiri has the next least due to their previous civil war and estimates for them are still higher than ours. Konoha has over double our number in estimated shinobi. 15,000 total. For every three shinobi they have we have one, and the general caliber of their shinobi is above ours. Strengthening the borders is impossible."
"You're thinking too militaristically," Karin stated. "I agree, strengthening the borders through might isn't possible. Kusa learned that the hard way. But you don't need to. Most of their military might is split because of Konoha's position. They're the center of the continent, surrounded on all sides by enemies. They're only alive right now because they have the most shinobi of any Great Power. But similarly, because of their lack of allies they can't afford to commit a large force to attacking us. Do I have that correct, Sakura?"
Sakura frowned. She couldn't exactly lie in this instance. They would know. But she could give the least amount of information possible.
"That is correct."
"How many shinobi would be your estimate Konoha can send for a military invasion of Rain?"
The frown grew more pronounced.
"Currently...maybe 2,000. 3,500 at most."
"I would expect slightly more than that," Naruto interjected. "Jiji and Ero-Sennin made it a point to talk to me about ROOT, Danzo's shadow organization. They're probably not listed in any official listing your spies could get their hands on, and I doubt they'd be counted in your rough estimates based off population growth either. They're smaller than ANBU though, so I'd expect a rough ballpark of 4,000 shinobi that are disposable to send your way."
"If we go with the high number that's a respectable army to send our way. We'd have to dedicate a large part of our force to stopping their offensive," Nagato muttered. "And that's assuming no other Great Power wants to join in in attacking us. Iwa and Suna most likely targets."
"I don't think we need to worry about that," Konan stated. "Iwa and Suna are preoccupied with the Ichibi. Even the Daimyos cannot assail us due to the economic struggles due to both countries geography."
"I can confirm that about Earth," Naruto interrupted. "When I was hiding in Earth the Daimyo was trying to recruit civilians to work the fields of Rikuto Tor. The Earth Daimyo at least cannot cause problems."
Konan nodded. "That's good. Suna's trade routes are already fragile, a Bijuu will make them untenable. No, we don't need to worry about them. Kumo and Kiri and their respective Daimyo cannot invade us either. They would have to cut through Fire to do it. Taki is a possibility, given their alliance with Konoha, but they've mostly put pressure on Iwa. They may be the strongest of the minor villages ever since Ame became a Great Power and Kusa was annexed, but they're not a major threat."
"So militarily sending our forces to the Konoha border would be effective," Kisame stated.
"Not quite," Karin interjected. "It's simply not practical. Numbers advantage or not, Konoha shinobi are better trained than our shinobi. Against ANBU-level opponents...we'd likely be sending our men to the slaughter."
"But going in with no numbers advantage is a guaranteed death," Kisame interjected.
"That's why I volunteer Konan to go in case of a military invasion," Karin stated. "She's S-class. And her jutsu would be too difficult for most shinobi to figure out a way around. She's a better deterrent than anyone outside of Nagato without revealing the fact that we have Kisame here."
"I agree with that," Konan stated.
"Yahiko will not be happy," Naruto muttered.
"He doesn't have much of a choice. Sure, he could hold the front, but we need to inspire fear. Fear to force Konoha back," Nagato stated. "We will lose a prolonged war. An enemy that cannot be injured is the best choice."
"What about the spies," Naruto questioned. "You haven't addressed that. Sure, Ame itself would be safe with you and Karin here, Nagato. But neither of you can look over the entire country."
"We have some ideas. We do have a sensory squad. Having them bolstered in our southeast would stem the direction Konoha can strike us from. We would sense anyone with high chakra levels. Sure, the more adept suppressors would sneak by, but if their target is Ame we should be able to sense them."
"I wouldn't assume they would head straight to Ame," Naruto muttered. "Rain is...underdeveloped outside of Ame. Stoking civil unrest isn't out of the question."
"What about you," Konan questioned Sakura. "What would you predict your kage to do in a situation like this?"
"Civil unrest is a good start. I'd expect something like that. But Ame has no allies out of the Great Powers thanks to its recent accension. You also have no minor powers that are allied with you. You're economically isolated, and you don't have the land or resources of a place like Lightning or Fire, or the trade routes of Water to do anything about it. You have to go through other countries territory to trade. He'll cut you down economically."
"That's how Kiri did it historically," Kisame stated. "Our trade routes are almost unassailable, and no one has successfully managed a blockade on us. That combined with the fact that the Land of Demons, Swamps, Sky, and Sun are to their east, and they have unassailable trade routes by anyone other than Lightning. They win wars through economics, not via violence. Prolonged war was to their advantage, and it will be for Konoha as well."
"Claw and Fang would be good to make allies with," Naruto stated. "They're traditionally aligned with either Stone or Wind, but with the Ichibi threatening their borders and Stone being unable to protect them there's an opportunity for you to create allies. Tear them from their traditional overlords."
"Neither of them have shinobi villages," Kisame countered. "They're purely ruled by Daimyo, and not particularly powerful ones at that. What's the point of allying with someone like them?"
"The economic benefit," Karin interjected. "Rain needs allies. They're the closest. It would also give us more stable trade routes."
"It's not just that," Konan stated, her eyes growing wide. "The Land of Mountains is on the opposite side of Fang. While one of the weakest minor villages they have a shinobi force to bolster with. And through them is the Land of Bears with Hoshigakure. They're not particularly powerful allies, but they do give us military allies."
"I see," Karin stated. "An interesting strategy cousin. But that would take time. Nagato can't go out to go fight the Ichibi, maintain watch over Ame, appease our railroad magnates, and go on diplomatic missions. That time is not something we have if we get stretched into defending Claw and Fang. Even if we did, we don't have the manpower. And they will ask us to defend them. We lack a Daimyo, and they lack a shinobi village. For their economic aid they will request we do missions for them."
"It also goes against Jiraiya-sensei's teachings," Nagato stated. "The Daimyo will lead us into war Naruto. Their benefits are a double-edged sword. They do not believe in peace, only in their own power."
Naruto frowned.
"Ero-Sennin wasn't against the Daimyo. He was even friends with the Fire Daimyo."
"Be that as it may, he advocated for peace. The Daimyo's aims are in direct contrast to that goal."
"Then ally with Rivers instead. How do you plan on turning Konoha's satellite state to your side?"
"I would be wary. Their Daimyo is conniving. He will do whatever suits his own interest the best, ignoring the will of his people. His tenuous relationship with Konoha and Suna are proof of that. He fears Konoha because of their might and dominant position. If Suna gains strength, he will just as quickly join them. He is not an ally."
"All the more reason to go to Claw and Fang then. You can secure their loyalty."
"They will make us like any other Great Power!"
The two men frowned at each other, clearly not reaching common ground on this issue.
"We'll save the discussion for a later date," Konan stated. "But it is an idea to take note of. We still haven't addressed how we plan on protecting our territory from spies entirely. Sensors are great, but they're not enough. We're vulnerable."
Naruto glanced at Konan, realizing her worry. The technology they were developing for civilians. If Konoha caught wind of that it would uproot the shinobi world. It could be catastrophic. She met his eyes, and his theory was confirmed. Concern was written on her face, etched like stone carvings. Naruto understood. How could he not? That type of technology would spur this war to heights that had never been before seen. Nagato seemed to pick up on their worry, his calming tone soothing their doubts.
"Do not worry about that. It is protected."
Sakura's interest was piqued. What exactly was protected? She had gained valuable information about Ame from this meeting. While she couldn't escape, she had tried several times and had been unsuccessful each time, if she was ever rescued, she was gaining valuable intel to give back to the Hokage. However, judging by the reserved looks on their faces it seemed the group knew that she would be interested. That was fine. She expected as much. But she knew they were hiding something. She would figure it out eventually.
She had the time.
The conversation continued, the strategic meeting not adjourning until late in the night.
Konohamaru awkwardly knocked on the door to the Nara Clan Head's house. His body burned with shame, completely unprepared to break the news to Shikaku and Yoshino. Part of him wanted to run from the interaction, but he knew it was required. He had to do this. He had no choice. It was his fault Shikamaru was dead. And therefore, it fell to him to tell the relatives of the deceased.
The door slowly opened, revealing Yoshino in an apron. Her eyes widened when she saw Konohamaru.
"Konohamaru, you're back from the mission!" she cried out, a smile on her face. It vanished not long after noticing the sad look on his face. Her mood visibly soured, going from the positivity she had seen to a dark and gloomy one. Konohamaru frowned.
"May I enter?"
Yoshino nodded, allowing him entrance into her home. She closed the door behind him.
"Yoshino who's that!"
Yoshino led Konohamaru to the direction of the voice, the disembodied sound echoing in Konohamaru's ears the entire way. The two walked in silence throughout the house, each wishing Konohamaru wasn't there. Slowly she slid open the door that revealed Shikaku looking at a shogi table. The Jonin looked up, his eyes narrowing when he saw Konohamaru standing there next to his wife.
Alone.
Yoshino approached her husband, standing behind him. Shikaku's eyes narrowed.
"Tell me he's in the hospital."
Konohamaru frowned, and a gut wrenching feeling Shikkau thought he would never experience again filled his soul. He heard Yoshino's stifled sobs beside him, hot tears flowing down the woman's face. Konohamaru opened his mouth to speak. To confirm what both of them already knew. What was common in their line of work. Something they thought they had prepared themselves for, but never thought they would have to go through. Their son was not a risk taker. He was risk averse. Him dying in a mission, especially a retrieval mission wasn't something they expected. Konohamaru held out a scroll, and Shikaku bit his lip. Blood trickled from his mouth onto the ground, the sound echoing throughout the otherwise silence house. The Nara Clan Head almost couldn't bear to hear the words.
"Shikamaru...he's dead."
That was the straw that broke the camel's back. Yoshino burst into tears, her sobs echoing through the house. She fell to the ground, inconsolable. She cried out for her son, desperate to hear his voice. To touch him one more time. The woman was a mess, all of her training to harden her heart as a shinobi useless in the face of the tragedy. She could only think of her dead son. How she had held him as a baby. How he had barely cried because it took too much energy from the lazy child. How he had slacked off in the Academy. His promotion to Genin, and then his subsequent promotions to Chunin and Jonin. How she yelled at him when he didn't do the chores around the house. The way he would fall asleep while she was talking to him, just like his father. How everything and anything that wasn't a nap, or a game of shogi was troublesome to him. Oh, how she wished to hold him once more. Just like when he was a babe. But it was pointless. Her son was not coming back. He had been sent to the eternal end.
Shikaku stood strong, but his emotions were not. He felt a rage and a deep sadness in him, but his face displayed no emotion. He wordlessly took the scroll, studying it with keen eyes. He looked back up to Konohamaru.
"Who killed him?"
His voice was strange. Konohamaru didn't recognize it. This was not the man he knew. Not the lazy genius. He was strong. He was calm. Yet he was enraged. He was hurt.
"The Amekage," Konohamaru stated. "At least, that is what I'd like to say. But it was my decision making that put us in that situation."
Shikaku looked at Konohamaru, his eyes hard. Konohamaru grit his teeth but met the man's eyes. He could see the emotion that flashed in them. It was the only way he could tell what the man was thinking.
Hurt. Rage. Disappointment. Hate. Sadness. They were all in those eyes. The only thing Konohamaru could not tell was if it was directed at him...or the Amekage? Perhaps...perhaps it was directed at both of them.
"I see."
Shikaku pocketed the scroll, still refusing to allow his emotions to show.
"Thank you for telling us. You are dismissed."
The frigidity in his tone was clear. Konohamaru understood the message. This wasn't just a dismissal from their property now. It was a dismissal from the Nara Clean Head. In a way he had received his answer. Konohamaru wanted to bow his head. He wanted to apologize. He wanted to beg for their forgiveness. To explain how he had grown and would never make the same mistake again. But it would be pointless. What words could he say to heal the grieving of a broken family? What could heal a permanent wound? What could fix the unfixable? What could bring solace to the hopeless?
Nothing.
Konohamaru nodded, turned, and left the Nara Clan Compound. And as he left the wails of two shinobi filled his ears.
Karin smiled as saw Ashino close his eyes, his fists tapped together in a focus. He was doing good. He was already able to pick up on distinct chakra signatures. Frankly speaking his rate of growth was astonishing. She didn't expect it to be anything like this. He was even better than she was when she started learning how to utilize her Kekkei Genkai. She knew he was smart; he was top of his class for a reason, but this was something different. No, Karin was sure of it.
Ashino was a genius.
The child opened his eyes, smiling.
"I found Kisame! He's so big! I've never seen a chakra pool that large. Even Tou-san's isn't that big!"
"Good," Karin stated, smiling. "Be careful with his chakra. It's deep. You could dive too deep, and not know how to get out. We'll save delving into emotions for a bit later, okay? You've already had your fair share of experience with that anyway."
Ashino frowned, tilting his head as he looked at his teacher.
"But auntie, your emotions are storming. You're so worried about everything falling apart."
Karin's eyes widened. When had Ashino reached out to her chakra? He hadn't mentioned that. The violation of her personal space was...unnerving. Was this how others felt when she utilized the ability on them? She didn't even feel it. How...violating.
"You think that things will end up like how they did in Kusa...that you'll be alone again. And-"
"Okay," Karin stated, interjecting. "That's enough of that. How about we practice our range okay?"
Ashino smiled, nodding. Karin sighed with relief, watching as he closed his eyes to begin focusing once more. This child's proficiency was scary. He had been overwhelmed by the emotions of everyone in the village before and now here he was delving in again with no worry. It was...amazing. The mind of a child, the ability to rebound from trauma. Karin wished she had that ability.
"OH MY GOD PEOPLE ARE HAVING SEX AUNTIE!"
Karin sighed.
She valued her ability to stay out of people's private lives a lot more.
Akatsuchi frowned as he got the report.
"So, it's cutting a line through Fang huh? It will be in our territory before long, yet neither Roshi nor I have recovered from our battle against the Uchiha. Have you found Han yet?"
"I'm afraid not sir," Suzumebachi stated, a frown on the woman's face. "He's still missing. There were signs of battle at his last known location, burns that only he could have produced, but he was not there. We're still looking for him."
Akatsuchi's frown grew more pronounced.
"I see. Pull back the forces that border Fang. We cannot afford their casualties and they stand no chance of defeating a Bijuu. Let it ransack the nearby towns and villages. Hopefully, that will buy us the time to confront the beast."
"It will be as you say sir!"
Kisame stood on the edge of Amegakure, prepared to leave the village and head to the western border. Before him stood the remnants of the Uzumaki Clan along with Yahiko and Konan.
"You know I might actually miss seeing you," Yahiko stated, snorting. "Gonna miss seeing the second ugliest man in Ame."
"I'm beautiful asshole."
The two men grinned, embracing briefly. When they pulled apart Konan approached.
"Be safe."
Straight and to the point. Kisame wanted to snort. He nodded his thanks to the woman. She would never change. She was a frigid personality. Karin and Kamino approached, both smiling at him. The trio said their goodbyes. Fuka then approached, little Ashino with her.
"Kick that Jinchuriki's ass if he even looks at Ame," Fuka stated, her eyes hard but amused. Kisame grinned, his sharp teeth matching his bloodlust. He hadn't had a good fight since Sasori and he was finally back at full power.
"I'll show that overgrown pile of sand why it should be afraid of water."
"Are you sure you'll be okay," Ashino questioned, looking up at the large, blue-skinned man. Kisame grinned, giving the child a thumbs up.
"Of course, I will. You know me right Ashino! When have you ever seen me lose?"
"To Tou-san."
Kisame blanched.
"Your dad's different."
"On a serious note," Nagato stated, getting the man's attention. "Be safe. You are strong, but the Ichibi is still a Bijuu. Your moniker means a lot, but they are walking natural disasters."
"I'll be fine. My fighting style works fine against a Bijuu."
"Kisame," Nagato stated. "Do not grow overconfident. A Bijuu is a threat."
"Yeah, I got it. Trust me."
Nagato sighed, nodding.
"Thank you, friend."
Kisame grinned. "Don't worry about it."
Naruto approached, a frown on his face.
"Be careful. A Bijuu...they are dangerous. The damage I caused in Wave..."
Kisame placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder, a grin on his face.
"This won't be like Wave."
Naruto nodded. Kisame smiled, getting the attention of everyone there.
"Now stop looking so down all of you. This ain't a damn funeral! I'll be back before you know it."
The group laughed at the large man's booming voice of confidence, watching as he turned to leave.
Danzo looked at the expressionless shinobi that kneeled before him.
"Infiltrate Rain. Leave no stone unturned."
"Sir!"
Danzo turned as they placed on blank masks before they left the room, headed towards the Land of Rain. Danzo entered his room, quickly summoning a small Baku. The creature looked up at him. Danzo sat down on a chair, sweat pouring down his brow.
"Inform my current agents in Rain. Get me all available information on the Amekage."
The creature gave a soft snort before it disappeared in a puff of smoke. As it did so Danzo sank into his chair, panting. The man's typically strong body looked sunken and frail. Skinny.
'Blank,' he thought. 'Hurry.'
How did you guys feel about this chapter? It's mostly a brief interlude but some important conversations did happen here. The final building blocks are coming into place. The stage is almost set. Just a few more pieces to put on the board. Let me know what you guys are thinking! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! The next few will probably be shorter than usual, just because while I like these longer chapters there's really no point to them when there are only a couple key events that need to be shown. I can include some character relationship builders, which is what I'll probably do, but I feel like when I do that without having any more depth to it, it tends to weigh down the quality of the chapter. Also, How do y'all feel about me using numbers instead of writing them out in the conversation about shinobi? I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it honestly. Let me know if it looks weird. I can edit that.
Anyways, hope y'all enjoyed and review, review, review!
P.S. I've been going back and reading chapters and noticing spelling errors. I don't have a beta reader and am a one man army, so I'm definitely going to miss things. If you notice a spelling mistake or something, please let me know! I would appreciate it!