Naruto: Shoton of Konoha

by Arch-Daishou00

: For Stormy Rebel, miss you, Joachim, and thank you: "By the actions of the traitor Mizuki. Naruto awakens a rare Kekkei Genkai. And his path has now changed. And in the darkness awakens an ancient threat more terrifying than the Akatsuki, which only stirs thought of myths from a lost and forgotten age." : huge world expansion story, OC. Co-Author: Etheral-23

77. Determination

Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto.

Co-Author and Beta: Ethereal-23

Chapter 77: Determination

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX ~ xx ~ XxX ~ xx ~ XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Naruto sat quietly cross-legged on the roof of the Curry shop. The wind justled his clothes and hair while his blue eyes gazed at the surroundings, though he did not honestly look at anything. His hands in his lap clenched and unclenched with shaking anger. The pain and grief-filled tears of Lee came back to his mind, breaking several trees to the point that his hands began to bleed.

Tenten and Naruto finally stopped Lee and got him into the shop to treat his hands.

'Is it possible to hate someone even though you have never met them?'

Kurama stirred, "People's actions and choices can show their character. As you can see, Daken will do anything to achieve his ambition. No matter how brutal it is."

'I... I want to kill this man...' Naruto shuddered, realizing he meant those words.

"Keep that anger. But do not let it control you. Channel it, focus if, and use it when confronting this monster. Bring vengeance to those who have suffered at his hands. And show no mercy."

"There you are!" Naruto was brought out of his conversation with his Bijuu, turning his head to see Prince Ryoma climbing the ladder connected to the house.

"Hey." Naruto quipped in a soft tone before looking ahead again. He did not react as the prince of this land sat beside him.

His hair was so long that it spilled over the roof. "I just came back from talking to your friend. He's taking it pretty rough, but... he's a strong kid."

"The strongest," Naruto said with absolute certainty. "He'll be okay, but..." he paused, biting the corner of his lip. "The old lady and her son, they're dead, aren't they?"

Ryoma's eyes saddened ever so slightly. "Most likely."

The Jinchuuriki sighed. "It was nice of you to talk to Lee when it's your people who are dying."

"I care for my people deeply, but I can't say I have the privilege of knowing every one of them." The price of Waterfall genuinely sounded remorseful about that fact. Which already raised him several notches in Naruto's list of royals. Not many would take the time to get to know their people. "Lee, however, knew these two. The least I could give him was the assurance that we'd stop the people responsible."

"Hmph," Naruto muttered, resting his palms on his knees as he straightened his back slightly. "Must suck that your cousin is the one behind it."

"Oh, immensely." The prince certainly didn't seem bothered by Naruto not mincing his words. "Daken always was a stuck-up, but I honestly thought he had our country's best interests at heart." He waved his hand in a general direction. "Now he's out there leading a rebellion, turning our people into monsters."

"Gonna make family gatherings awkward."

Ryoma snorted, shaking his head. "Certainly not a topic to bring up."

The two fell silent for a moment.

"What are you going to do when you see him?"

The air around the prince seemed to grow heavy for the first time. Underneath his approachable and easygoing self, Naruto felt a fraction of the weight he had to carry on his shoulders. "I'm still thinking about it... He's still my cousin," He muttered. "Despite it all, he still is."

"Sorry, man."

"It's alright."

Naruto gave him a sincere smile. "Your country is lucky to have you, at least."

The prince sighed long as he reclined over the roof, resting his arms behind his head and staring at the clouds. "Well, it's the least we can do. Much as I want to, I'm not allowed to be selfish."

"How do you mean?"

"Everyone's got ambitions. Your princess wants to unify Gogyou-Koku. Iwa and Kumo want things to remain the way they are. Prince Takeru wants to put his country's bloody history behind them." He smiled, a gesture bereft of burdens or doubts. "Me? I want to lie down my head under a tree's shadow."

Naruto looked at the prince slowly before snorting with a chuckle, "You and Shikamaru would get along perfectly."

A chuckle came from the older man.

"You're not like most royals I've met."

"I will happily take that as a compliment. If I can get away with it, I have never been big on formality. There is a time and place for it, but not every day of your life." Ryoma grunted with a shudder.

And that earned another notch of respect from the blond Uzumaki. "I wish there were a lot more like you and Maiyuri-hime." Naruto crossed his arms. "Not sure about that Takeru guy."

"To be fair to my fellow prince, his nation's circumstances were dire and beyond his or his father's control before they could do anything to stop it. Now, they can make Kiri into something far better than it was. And he won't allow anyone to bind him or his people ever again." Ryoma glanced at the young boy. "You are friends with the Yuki girl. Did she tell you how bad it was?"

Naruto looked ahead, remembering what Haku had told him of how her father had murdered his wife and then went for his daughter. All because they had a Bloodline Limit. His blue eyes looked downwards at the brunette who stood watch in a tree. "Yeah." The blonde's voice was soft.

"Takeru wants to make it right for his people after all the horrors and trauma that were done to his nation. He comes off as abrasive from the experiences that he endured. And so he acts according to what he feels is right. Even if it means butting heads with allies."

"Could be nicer about it..." Naruto grumbled, recalling how he had called Maiyuri a warmonger to her face.

"Could be, but he's not." Ryoma merely shrugged. "Just how it is, kid, some people you won't get along with."

"I wanna say I'm not that naive," The blonde pondered. "But I made friends with a Jinchuuriki who wanted to kill everyone to feel something. Oh, and Haku's teacher, Zabuza! He's a big psycho, but he likes me."

As much as Zabuza could like someone. Maybe.

"Heh!" The Waterfall prince barked a laugh, smiling fondly. "Yeah, I guess I make unlikely friends, too. Gabimaru may be cold as ice on the battlefield, but he's a big softie underneath."

"I heard he once ripped out someone's throat with the back of his hand..."

"And he brings flowers to his wife."

"So people have layers, then." Naruto tilted his head.

"Much like our dear Water Prince. I'm sure things will get along by the time we finish this."

"You're a positive guy," The Uzumaki said approvingly. "I like it, and I feel I'm dealing with really dour people most of the time."

"Right?!" Ryoma chuckled. "Man, some folk can't even smile without breaking something."

Naruto merely laughed softly in reply. "We'll ensure the empire is good for your people," the Jinchuuriki promised. "We'll help whoever needs our help."

"I hope so; I'm putting a lot of trust into your Shogun's hands," Ryoma said without real apprehension or doubt. "But I like you guys and have a good feeling about you."

"Hmph!" Naruto said, amused. "Sometimes, we can just do what we feel is right and hope it works out." It was one of the lessons he had learned the hard way.

"Yup."

The two remained in comfortable silence for a moment. It was fun. Naruto didn't know the prince well, but his words sounded sincere. He couldn't feel any malice from him. He was earnest in his desire to help his people, of which he had no doubt.

"There is no evil coming from him," Kurama said, merely stating a fact.

Well, that was something... If Kurama were willing to play ball, his power to feel evil and negative emotions would be helpful.

"Hey, you know your wife is a dragon, right?"

"Yup."

"Okay, just checking."

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Gaku grunted after he finished putting the corpses of Danzo's ROOT into a sealing scroll. "Well, our work just got more interesting," The Inuzuka quipped, handing the scroll to Suburo. The group had moved out of the farmstead so as not to draw any unwanted attention.

The leader of the Guardian Twelve silently agreed before summoning a black feathered falcon with a pocket harness attached to its body. Placing the sealing scroll into the pocket with another scroll he had just finished writing, he let out a whistle that sent the bird into the air. "This is the second message I've sent to the capital," The masked man stated before looking at the others.

Asuma took a disgruntled drag on his cigarette while pacing with his arms crossed. "I do not like this one bit."

"I agree with Sarutobi-san," Takuma expressed, keeping vigil with his byakugan. Sasuke's Sharingan was also present to survey their surroundings. "We follow Kazuma's trail only for ROOT members to arrive soon after."

Choji looked to Shikamaru, who grunted with his arms crossed, leaning against a tree. "What do you think this all means?"

"Some guy found a mythical item; something happened to him. Now Kazuma and Danzo are sniffing around for it." His eyes stared directly at Suburo, who glanced back.

"A Cintāmaṇi stone," Karin whispered, rubbing her arms. "Orochimaru had several books and scrolls that suggested they could exist. But his other works kept him busy from pursuing it further."

"For once, I'm grateful that snake isn't poking around about this." Kuki barked in agreement with her partner. "But Kazuma and now Danzo bring this situation into uncharted territory."

"It would help if we knew what they want," Ino brought up, tired of being out of the loop on such a critical mission. "What is this Cintāmaṇi, and what does it have to do with this place we found?"

Surprisingly, it was Choji who answered. "The Cintāmaṇi is a treasure of the gods. A sacred jewel that embodies many blessings of the heavens. It's said that it can grant great fortunes to any mortal who possesses it. But the greatest power of these stones is said to lie in their abilities to grant wishes."

The chubby boy was at the end of many surprised stares.

"What? I know things!" He defended himself, crossing his arms. "My clan tends to Konoha's temple of Ebisu; I have uncles who are priests. There are depictions of Kisshōten holding one."

"Right..." Sakura muttered. "So we can assume Kazuma and Danzo are looking for a wish-granting stone of the gods. I am going to hazard a guess and say this is bad."

"Like you wouldn't believe," Asuma grimly replied. "The Cintāmaṇi is a sacred treasure, but it can cause untold chaos in the wrong hands. The last man who found one did terrible things."

"You mentioned him before," Sasuke said, his Sharingan eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Who are you talking about?"

"Asuma..." There was little warning in Suburo's tone; he sounded wary more than anything.

"I think we're done with secrets at this point." Sarutobi sighed tiredly, looking much older than his age. "The man I'm talking about... was Sosuke Aizen."

He said it in a way that indicated he expected them to know, but the young shinobi could only share various looks of confusion.

"Who?" Karin frowned.

"Can't say that name is familiar," Shikamaru said. "Was he struck from the records or something?"

Gaku snorted. "Oh, he was struck from memory. All right."

"Aizen was once an officer in the royal army. For years he manipulated and worked his way through the ranks, conducting illegal operations and experimentation, all in the hopes of finding the damn stone... And he did."

Even though he told them the truth, Asuma was still incredibly vague.

"Sooo, what happened then?" Sakura prompted.

"He used the stone to make himself powerful and turned on the capital. But he was defeated."

And that was the end of that.

"That's it?" Ino shook her head in disbelief. "We need more than that!"

"I'm afraid we can't tell you anymore."

"Oh, for the love of-" The Uchiha grunted impatiently. "Still with the secrets!"

"It's not a secret, I'm afraid," Takuma slowly said.

"The truth is... we don't remember much of the details if anything," the commander of the Twelve admitted.

"All memory of Sosuke Aizen vanished from the world upon his death," Nemu replied in her monotone voice. "The only ones who remember are those who confronted him directly. Even those involved have forgotten everything, with a few exceptions."

Silence reigned for a few seconds.

"Are you serious?" Choji blinked repeatedly, trying to process what she said.

"Yes. All we have are highly classified records. Vague memories from a few people. And only fully detailed accounts by other individuals sworn to absolute secrecy."

"How can everyone just... forget that a man turned on the entire capital with a jewel of the gods?!" Karin almost screeched.

Nemu's response was clinical, direct, and highly chilling. "Because the outcome of his actions resulted in a reality-altering phenomenon that nearly destroyed the Elemental Nations entirely. And his death returned everything to the point before he acquired the stone. Reverting all the damages and the death toll in a reality restructuring event."

The silence was deafening among the Genin, who stared with myriad expressions at Nemu and the adults. A shudder escaped the lips of several teens, with Karin speaking up, "Fuck..." She took off her glasses to run her hand down her face.

Shikamaru's eyes raced with a thousand thoughts before one came to him, "W-when was this?" His lazy tone is wholly gone.

A grunt came from Asuma. "Maybe four years ago. As I said, the details are difficult to recollect." He lit up a cigarette with a noticeable tremble in his hand. "Sometimes I dream about some things that happened, but it is like seeing an image from a static television."

"Does anyone remember what happened to the Cintāmaṇi stone?"

Sasuke's question was met with silence until Nemu answered, "Reports state the stone was shattered, blasted in every direction. But even broken, the pieces may hold immense power."

"...So Kazuma and Danzo are looking for those pieces? It would be super bad," Sakura concluded absently, holding onto Ino's hand. "What could they do with it?"

"It'd be a disaster for all of us." Takuma glanced at his leader, who nodded back, "We need to get moving; we are wasting time."

Keeping her snout on the ground, the dog/fox mix diligently sniffed with Gaku and the others following. While they could not track Kazuma's trail, with Danzo's ROOT, it was fresh enough to retrace the steps. Which still proved difficult because these people were highly trained ANBU-like forces.

"I'm not clear on our objective now," Shikamaru said. "The main objective was Kazuma, but now, with Danzo and ROOT, things got more complicated. Should we prioritize the latter now?"

It made sense to the younger shinobi. Despite his fugitive status and being cut off from Konoha, Danzo had made off with plenty of his ROOT agents and some resources that, while not on par with the rest of the village, were nothing to scoff at. The old warhawk's connections and assets allowed him to remain one step ahead of Konoha's efforts to capture him. Purging his old contacts and retrieving any information they could have had was a costly affair, and in the end, it did not bring them any closer to finding the man.

But now they had run into his ROOT and had an idea of his goals. If they followed this lead, it could be an opportunity to find the man. It was simply too good to pass up.

But there was still Kazuma to consider...

"Hmph," Suburo muttered in thought. "As the leader of this operation, I also believe following this lead on Danzo should be a priority. I already informed the capital with my message, and it's just... I'm still waiting for the reply."

"It's unusual for an answer to arrive this late," Asuma commented. "Important assignments like this get issued to the fastest birds available." They lacked the cumbersome equipment needed to radio back to the capital. Sure, they could store it in seals, but setting it up until they finally got a signal took time.

"Maybe they're too busy right now," Karin threw in her two cents. "Maiyuri-sama went with her forces to the Land of Steel, so..."

It was a reasonable explanation, but not one that eased their worries.

"So, what's the mission parameter, then?" Ino asked their commander. "Should we continue to look for ROOT or try to find Kazuma's trail?"

The leader of the Twelve bowed his head and crossed his arms, looking thoughtful under his shinobi cowl. He turned his gaze to the Sarutobi. "Your thoughts, Asuma?"

"Hmm, with Danzo and Kazuma both most likely looking for the same thing? I get the feeling they must be running into each other by now. It's not like there are many clues one could find to a fragment of the Cintāmaṇi." His fingers fidgeted, itching for a cigarette. "My gut tells me we'll eventually run into one if we keep following the other's trail."

"Agreed," Gaku said in agreement while Takuma nodded.

"Hmm, indeed," Suburo slowly nodded. "Ultimately, the main factor here has become the Cintāmaṇi fragment. I prefer to wait for further orders from the capital, but as leader of the Twelve, I'm using my authority to change the mission parameters. The objective is to follow our closest lead, Danzo's or Kazuma's."

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Sweat dripped from Mikoto's brow as she took deep, quick breaths. She kept her body in motion by doing sit-ups on the prison cell ceiling with chakra holding her up. She tossed her shirt on the bed and worked out in the pants and bra she was given. Gods, did her body feel like puddy, like she had not exercised in ages... This was true for several reasons... But she ignored that and focused on restoring herself to fighting shape again.

Haru stood at her feet, counting and giving support. At this point, Mikoto wasn't even trying to figure out if he was a hallucination or his actual spirit. But she welcomed the company whenever he showed up. It kept her from going into her own darker thoughts from creeping in to stop her.

However, the entity beside her wasn't the only means to keep her focused.

Mikoto smiled faintly, seeing a teenage Itachi training in the courtyard while little Sasuke mimicked his brother's movements.

Her sons were at the forefront of her thoughts, and how their lives had been ever since the horrific ordeal. Orochimaru's lackey, Kabuto, filled her in on what had happened with her boys since her death. Part of her did not want to believe anything told by that traitor's subordinate. The pit in her stomach knew it was all true.

Itachi, working with the Akatsuki group, was viewed as a traitor. Sasuke was training himself to avenge his clan and kill his brother.

Her youngest son had never been told the truth.

And just as horrific was learning her oldest son had slaughtered everyone in the Uchiha Clan over the coup attempt. Why?! The only ones guilty were the elders, Fugaku, and those who agreed with their plans! There was not a single reason to kill every man, woman, and child!

So many thoughts ran through the Uchiha matriarch's mind, and emotions ran rampant inside her. But unlike last time, she did not allow herself to wallow in self-pity. Doing that caused enough trouble the last time.

If there was one emotion surging through her more than any other... It was rage.

Her grief gave way to anger, and with that anger came clarity.

Haru's previous words had been a wake-up call. She had always surrendered to her fate as Orochimaru's prisoner. But the snake planned to use her as a bargaining chip to get to Sasuke. She couldn't lie down and accept the end—not again.

Her love for her sons motivated her, while anger kept her focused. She thought back on all the unfairness of her life, the choices robbed from her since the moment she was born, all the things she was denied in the name of the clan. As much as she loved her clan, Mikoto could honestly say she hated many of them.

The elders who couldn't see beyond their pride, the arrogant 'elites' who always looked down on those of lesser status, and 'mingled' blood like hers.

The good people in the clan, the friends and comrades who did not share their views, had always been a source of comfort.

And now they were dead, like so many of her friends.

A growl ripped out of her throat as a tear threatened to spill, and the movement of her upside-down sit-ups kept increasing by the second, uncaring how much her core was burning in protest. Pain was an old friend at this point.

"Okay, I think that's enough for now, Mi-chan."

She blamed Orochimaru, Danzo, the elders, Fugaku, and so many people for the terrible events that had transpired in her life. The expectations of a clan that cared more about their ego than even the lives of their fellow kinsmen. The damn fox who took Kushina from her.

"Um, Mi-chan?"

And most of all, anger at herself. For having been so weak, for never speaking out when Itachi was traumatized by witnessing the aftermath of a battlefield, even as Fugaku praised his son, awakening their accursed eyes for never having the guts to tell the elders where to stuff their damnable pride. For letting Naruto grow up alone, ignoring how he had her beloved's smile and the eyes of the man she chose to spend her life with. A man she approved of, even if it hurt her so much...

"Mi-chan!"

Mikoto gasped, feeling the sweet trail down to her forehead as the exhaustion finally set in. She looked at Haru, who stared back at her with a cringe and concern.

"You, uh, you are done with the set."

"...Right."

When the chakra no longer attached her to the ceiling, she fell and twirled mid-air to land on her feet. She huffed a few times, easing her breathing before stretching.

"You did fifty more than last time," the dark-skinned young man praised. "Hell, I'm seeing you get ripped in real time!"

A hand pressing against her stomach indicated the hardness underneath, even if the tone was yet to show. The same went for her arms and legs. "Channeling chakra when training helps stimulate the muscle fibers," she recalled Sakumo's basic teachings. "The more they strain themselves, the faster they break. The same application of chakra can also stimulate their recovery and make them stronger."

Her thoughts grew still as the door to her cell room opened, and a masked man pulled a cart inside. However, he walked in an almost trance-like state with his eyes glazed over. On the cart was a plate of cooked meats and vegetables. Stopping at the cell, the masked man, in a robotic movement, grabbed the plate and brought it to the opening at the cell door entrance.

Striding over, Mikoto took the plate as it was slid into her cell. "Good. Now, return to your duties." The man nodded like a robot before returning to the cart, leaving the room, and closing the door.

"Worth the headache to get you some proper food." Haru quipped, crossing his arms.

At those words, the Uchiha rubbed her temples. She wanted to see how far she could get using her Sharingan. Manipulating one guard into giving her better food to help rebuild her body was worth the headache she had later. Bringing the plate to her table, she took the utensils off the plate as she sat down to eat.

"So, how is it?"

Mikoto looked up at the ghost or illusion of her old teammate. "Say one thing for the snake. He has a decent chef if nothing else." She began eating.

"So!" Haru clapped as he jumped back on the bed, not even making any indentation on the mattress. "What's the plan to escape?"

Mikoto drank some water before replying. "Well, it'd be pretty foolhardy to command a guard to let me out. I'm not familiar with the layout of the base." She looked around at her cell. "I don't even know how deep we are, so blasting my way through might end up burying me."

"Right." Her teammate nodded. "Then there is that seal on you causing you pain every time you use a fair amount of chakra."

The Uchiha traced her fingers over her forehead where she knew the seal was. "And I fear it might be worse than that."

Haru tensed. "You don't think he put a slave control on it, do you?"

"I would not put anything past that snake," Mikoto bitterly remarked, remembering very vividly the aftermath of Orochimaru's experiments in Konoha…

But what made Mikoto sick was that he was not really after her. It was Sasuke he wanted. He even resurrected her to ensure he would comply. It was a calculated move, bringing back a son's dead mother to life to make him his pawn in whatever game he was playing. It would have been a perfect plan if the Uchiha had not felt this was a desperate maneuver.

It was as if Orochimaru felt this was the only surefire way to get her son to join him.

Look underneath the underneath. See the patterns hidden in plain view.

Mikoto did take Sakumo-sensei's teachings to heart. And Kushina always stated that the Uchiha were as bright as a Nara.

"He wants me healthy and whole. But also make sure I can't be a threat to him. I'll find out whenever he tries going after Sasuke." Mikoto determined while eating some meat. "Till then, all I can do is prepare."

Haru huffed. "I don't like these options."

"Neither do I. But my options are zero at this point." But hope gleamed in Mikoto's eyes. "But the moment that snake takes my son, I know Kushina will be coming."

"How do you think she will react seeing you alive again?"

"She would assume it's a trick. Given who has me here, I would not be surprised if she thought that."

"Good ol' Kushi. Punch, and then ask questions. If there is time"

At that, Mikoto laughed fondly.

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Akeno barely touched her tea, letting it cool on the table as she stared out of the office window in the direction where they had all seen that awful cloud of smoke rise. The smoke had long since cleared after the city guard responded to the explosion, but it felt like the fires were yet to be put out.

The capital was under lockdown; the guard heavily monitored all entrances while the shinobi corps investigated the city for any sign of suspicious activity.

For someone to bomb the military headquarters...

She looked at Ambassador Uyo, who folded his hands under his beak while resting his elbows on his desk. His wizened features frowned in deep thought as he pondered these terrible events. Already, their joining the empire had been a complicated affair. Nobody had any illusion regarding how complex things were between the yokai and humans, but they couldn't have foreseen such an event would occur as they tried to secure their place in the country.

She could only wonder what it would mean for their kind. As part of the empire now, this attack on their allies also merited their response.

Uyo-sama was undoubtedly thinking about the same thing: some statement or promise of aid. However, the military has made it clear they want no interference as they handle the investigation.

A knock on the door snapped Akeno out of her musings. "Apologies." A small gray-skinned oni with a crown of horns and a single giant eye stepped forth. "Uyo-sama, you have visitors."

"Hmm?" The tengu mused. "Who is it?"

"Dainin Kakashi Hatake, and company"

One of the Dainin? This was... a surprise, Akeno thought.

Uyo merely nodded. "Send them in."

The Tengu's avian eyes took the Shogun's Dainin Kakashi alongside a purple-haired human woman and a short brown-haired man in Konoha gear. Akeno recalled those two who had fought against the Blood Leash months ago.

Yugao adjusted her vest and stood beside Yamato, who stood at attention behind Kakashi. The silver-haired man gave a respectful bow, "Uyo-sama." He looked at the Succubus, "Akeno-san."

"I bid you welcome, Kakashi Hatake. But I do not know your companions."

"This is Yugao Uzuki and Yamato." The Dainin gave introductions while the two bowed their heads. "I apologize for the abruptness. But after the other day's events, we're a little short on decorum."

"And your emperor has you three on investigation duty." Uyo surmised, putting the pieces together. "The few times I met with Lord Ichiro were brief, but I know a man of honor when I see one. He will be missed."

"Indeed," Kakashi nodded. "My team and I are currently tasked with gathering evidence and searching for any leads on who could have caused this."

"Ah, yes, " the Tengu nodded. "The embassy will help you to our full extent."

"Good," the masked shinobi said with gratitude. "I'll need to ask about your whereabouts during the bombing."

Akeno's eyes widened. Were they suspicious of them?

Uyo-sama did not even look offended. He merely gave a summary of that day. "We've been dealing with humans who have made their displeasure with us being here for some time." He added. "Just a week ago, there was a full protest in front of our embassy. Thank the gods the guard handled it before it could get out of hand."

"Yokai have been having trouble finding work in the capital, I hear," The purple-haired kunoichi said. "Stores turning them away, harassment from civilians"

Some guards 'failing' to report those grievances...

"It has not been easy, even with the opportunity the shogun gave us."

"Hmm," Kakashi mused. "Can you think of anyone among your people who might want to hurt the empire in retaliation?"

"What?" Akeno couldn't believe her ears. "You think we'd be capable of something like this?! Just-" She bit her tongue; they knew what she wanted to say. 'Just because we are demons.'

"The conditions are fitting to create such resentment," Yamato said. "Your people have been adhering to the laws, but the reception shown by the citizenry can make more extreme individuals take action."

"'Extreme individuals, '" Akeno scoffed, offended. "We may have our natures, but we wouldn't compromise this chance we have."

Uyo raised a hand, trying to calm her down. "Akeno"

"Why are we the suspects?" She replied with mounting anger. "Aren't there entire nations that employ this kind of subterfuge? Longtime enemies of yours, I may add."

"Akeno, enough," The Tengu said firmly. "We are not being singled out."

"Aren't we?" She shook her head. "I'm already hearing some humans among the population blame us. That we've brought trouble to this country since we came here."

"I can understand your concerns," The Copy-Nin said placatingly. "This is standard procedure; we need to sort every potential lead before this gets any worse. The culprit could be anywhere." He sighed, scratching the back of his head. "Listen, I am aware of what your people are going through. You're putting all this effort into fitting in with the country, and the treatment you've received so far has been less than ideal. I was sent specifically to question the Lanka embassy because there are those even among the corps and the military who are just looking for an excuse to arrest you."

The human's words surprised Akeno but not Uyo, who sighed, "Eager to blame those whom they don't understand or hate because they are different from them."

"Yes."

"But to do such a thing would go against Queen Kuroreimei's wishes. And all of us would rather die than betray her," Akeno spoke with resolution.

"Could that be said about the oni, Gōyoku?" Yamato's question made the succubus stiffen.

Uyo grunted. "As much as I would want to put Gōyoku as a special case. That would be a lie. But I can count the few betrayals that struck Lanka with one hand. None were worse than Naraku and his attempt to usurp our queen's rule for his own with his followers."

"Naraku?" It was Akeno who asked with confusion.

"That was centuries before you were born, child. But we prefer not to speak of it. When the wounds cut deep, no one likes to tell of the scars after."

Kakashi nodded. "Much can be said with us humans."

The Tengu leaned back against his chair. "While I have faith in my people. Resentment can be harbored in the shadows and rarely shown in the light. You may speak to our people for any clues you can find."

"Uyo-sama!"

A placating hand came from the ancient avian yokai to Akeno, "We prove our innocence with our honesty."

"But will it be enough?" Akeno muttered. "Sometimes logic flies in the face of such heated emotions..."

"I promise you we're doing everything we can," Kakashi assured her. "The shogun and the emperor have welcomed you into the empire. That means far more than you realize, even if people have yet to understand."

It was dawning on Akeno that these people didn't want to accuse them of anything, but they had a duty to perform. And as much as she hated to admit it, she couldn't rule out a discontent demon driven to the extreme. Gōyoku's betrayal was still a raw wound.

So she should perform her duty and assist them where she can.

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

"Itachi and Kisame have disposed of the samples they found."

'But you have procured more, haven't you?'

"Of course," Came the droning reply at the apparition beside her. Its silhouette was human-shaped but looked like TV static. Long-range projection like this was tricky, so it spoke volumes that she could still hear him. Unfortunately.

'Hmph. Either way, it doesn't matter; we have a new way of acquiring what we want.'

"Can't your new bosses do it for you?" Izumi muttered with venom in her voice.

'Their resources are not exactly... compatible with what they intend for Nagato. Regardless, there's been a change in the objective.' Much to Izumi's ire, Tobi continued, 'The Akatsuki have allied themselves with Daken and his rebellion.'

Monsters always like to work together, the Uchiha woman mentally mused. "What are my orders?"

'Same as the ones Itachi and Kisame will be getting. But you will be in the shadow detail on other fronts.'

"You don't want me to keep tailing Itachi and Kisame?"

'They will be working directly with one of Daken's units. And I need you to work elsewhere.'

"Understood."

'Go to the southeast region. The unit leader will give you more orders to work with.' Within a moment, the human silhouette vanished, leaving Izumi to her thoughts. Images of her mind playing with slitting Tobi's throat and watching him die.

But that was a pipe dream. Izumi's duty was to be his tool, or her mother would pay for her defiance. There was no freedom; her eyes turned into her clan's doujutsu, glaring toward Itachi in the distance.

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Homura huffed as she dashed from the dam while her sensei fought against that Kumo woman. In her arms was the still-unconscious Kuno that her sensei ordered her to take and warn the village below. She thought of leaving the man in a safe place, allowing her to move faster without the extra baggage.

But she quickly shook that thought away. Kushina-sensei ordered her to protect Kuno and warn the village. She would not disappoint her sensei by being so cold to a civilian.

Her head snapped back, and she glanced behind her and saw the other Kumo woman, Soifon, catching up with her fast. The petite woman's grey eyes glared with fury. "You won't get away from me, Kōgetsu!"

"You are remarkably quick for someone so small!" A low but audible growl came from the short older woman. "Did I say that out loud?!"

"How did you ever get accepted into the corps?!" Homura had to hit her heel into the ground fast to avoid the dashing blur running across her, the edge of a kunai cutting several hairs from flailing bangs.

The man in her arms mumbled and groaned, still out cold and unable to wake up. The pragmatic ANBU training again reared its head, telling her he'd be an acceptable casualty if she left him. This close to the village, there wouldn't be any wild animals, and the shinobi was uninterested in her. She'd leave the man alone.

Only she wouldn't, after going out of her way to carry him to safety. Homura was certain the Kumo ANBU would use him as a hostage now. Then things would get even more complicated.

The most ruthless part of her training told her the man wouldn't be a hindrance if she took him out.

But then, she'd be no better than Kumo.

So she stood her ground, still holding on to the man, even if she shifted his weight on her grasp to let one arm free and conjure one of her swords.

The petite woman scoffed. "Foolish. Have it your way."

Once more, she moved with outstanding speed, leaving a cloud of dust in her wake.

Homura gritted her teeth and braced.

Soifon's kunai was poised to strike like the sting of a poisonous wasp.

Only for pain to erupt in her midsection, as a leg as thick as her torso hit her stomach, sending her flying away and skipping over the ground like a rock on water.

Homura gasped at the sight of the flaming orange hair belonging to a woman of imposing height and outstanding musculature. The broad back was turned to her as the woman gave her a wicked smirk over her shoulder.

"Oi, Red Death's brat" Fūma Kotarō called out. "Why are you letting this little bee give you trouble?"

Applying chakra to her hands and feet, Soifon stopped her violent roll and returned to standing. Hissing out the pain with gnashing teeth, she turned her attention to the towering woman standing before her quarry. Her body froze with shock, glowing in her eyes. "Fūma Kotarō. Head of the Fūma Clan."

The hulking woman clapped, "Well, you are well-read, I see."

"Why are you still here, you maniac? Yoruichi-Sama was certain you left."

...Yoruichi... Kotarō swore she had heard that name before... It soon clicked as her brow rose, "The Lightning goddess of Kumo? That Yoruichi Shihōin? Cousin to the Raikage?"

"Sensei is fighting her up at the dam." Homura declared as she caught her breath.

"Ooooooh" Kotarō licked her lips. "This is turning out to be a fun day." She purred and growled in lust, smiling down at Soifon. "That would make you Shāolíng Fēng, right?"

The petite woman glared. "I go by Soifon." How the hell did this savage know her real name? Barely anyone outside of Kumo knew that! "Why are you helping the Leaf, Fūma?"

Instead of answering, the large woman glanced back at Homura. "Did Red give you orders?"

"I am to go to the village and warn them of the danger of Kumo's presence."

"Then get going, kiddo. I'll handle shorty here."

Soifon narrowed her gaze. "She is not leav-" Those words faded before Kotarō's shadow engulfed her as the woman reared back and brought down her fist. The petite woman barely avoided it, only to see it hit the ground and shatter the earth by sheer force.

"You're going to be busy with me, honey." The muscular woman smirked with a deadly glare. "Get out of here, kid!" Without another word, Homura did as the older woman ordered, carrying her charge and running to the village. "To answer your question." Kotarō soon took a fighting stance. "I'm not fighting for the Leaf. This is just a favor for Red. She is quite hot, you noticed?"

Soifon soon took her fighting stance, "Then you are an enemy of Kumo for aiding Kushina Uzumaki."

"Oooh," Kotarō shuddered before smirking, "So stiff. When was the last time you got laid?"

The petite woman growled, killing intent emanating from her in waves as gusts of wind began swirling around her in a swirl of dense chakra, dense enough to become visible.

There was power in that tiny frame of hers, a ferocity tempered into a fine edge by years of training and shinobi indoctrination: a carefully guided blade poised to strike, the deadliest poison dripping from the edge.

Kotarō smiled savagely, feeling her blood boil. At first, she was only doing this for Red, to give the woman the room she needed to finally get her head on straight and bring out the strength she knew was dormant there. But now? She was very eager to test what this small kunoichi could do.

Kotarō was intrigued, very much so.

Her muscles flexed as chakra erupted out of her like a demon's aura. "Come on!" She spread her thick arms wide. "Show me what you're made of!"

Soifon moved with the speed of a hurricane, colliding with the iron wall that was the Fūma clan head in a clash that erupted into a localized storm that uprooted the earth and knocked down the surrounding trees.

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

"It's a prison?" Gai repeated his tone with seriousness as Neji reported back.

"The entire town has been turned into a camp," Neji stated gravely. "Hundreds of people work in the mine or other hard labor."

The Waterfall prince clenched his fist at knowing what his people were going through. "Damn it..."

"There are other installations on the other side of the prison camp," the Hyuuga continued. "I am... not entirely sure of their purpose. I detected various signatures there, but they were not moving, and the way their chakra flowed was very strange."

Naruto stared at one of those installations, a knot forming in his stomach. Inside him, Kurama growled with immense fury before slamming against the bars of his prison. His nine tails lashed out in all directions, and his fur bristled. The blond felt it all to the point he asked, 'What the hell are you feeling about that place?'

However, the fox was too enraged to answer. He only lashed against his prison hard enough that the blond winced, which everyone noticed. "Are you okay?" Sagiri inquired with concern.

"Naruto?" Haku was at her friend's side within a breath alongside Tenten.

The blond Uzumaki rubbed his temples. "Yeah. Just the fox is pissed at whatever is going on in those buildings."

Oryo's eyes never left those buildings with her irises fully slit with the faintest glow.

Kneeling beside the Hyuuga, Gabimaru surveyed everything he saw of the makeshift camp. "The guards have the place secure. But see, one way we can get in there."

Yuzuriha also scoped the area and saw what her comrade did. "In through one of those buildings."

A disgruntled grunt came from the Kiri prince, "Not exactly safe to try that either."

No one disagreed with Takeru; who knows what they might encounter if they entered one of those buildings? But they had no other means of getting inside. Lee, who stood a bit away from the others but still close, clenched his fists. "Could Granny Sanshō and Karashi be in there?"

Mournful glances were directed at the teen before Ryoma sighed, "Possibly. But we don't know."

The Taijutsu expert turned his attention to his sensei. "We can't act rashly, Lee, " Gai said sternly. "But act accordingly if guards discover us."

Kouhei popped his knuckles, and Chōjūrō adjusted his glasses with a determined gaze.

"If things go sideways, we fight smart," Takeru declared. "They have the numbers, we don't."

"Numbers mean nothing compared to dragon fire," Oryo spoke coldly, glaring ahead.

"The prisoners, Oryo-dono," Sagiri reminded her with an edge to her voice. "We cannot go all 'scorched earth.'"

The long, dark-haired woman let out a reluctant grunt.

"So we're just dropping pretense and acknowledging this woman is a dragon?" Kouhei muttered and kept going even as nobody replied. "Okay, cool, I guess."

"What are your orders?" Gai asked the Waterfall Price. As the one organizing who hired them, the jonin left the mission's leadership to him.

Ryoma pondered for a moment before turning to the kunoichi under his service. "Yuzuriha, I want you and the Konoha and Kiri teams to handle the prisons. We are going to liberate as many people as we can."

"It'll be difficult, handling that number of people," She pointed out.

"Good thing I'm with you," Naruto threw in. "I can pop a hundred shadow clones on an off day. That's not even a brag."

"It's true." Tenten nodded, an honest impression in her voice. "Seen him do it; he's a chakra monster. Even without pulling the Nine-Tails chakra"

"Perfect," The prince replied, satisfied. "That is exactly what we need to escort the people to safety."

Gabimaru cut in, a grim edge to his usual monotone. "Those buildings, the purpose of which the Hyuuga couldn't identify. "You know what they're most likely using it for."

"I am aware, Gabimaru," The prince replied with an uncharacteristic bite.

"You know what has to be done," His wife reminded him, firmly yet not unkindly.

"...Do what you can for them," He finally said with a burdened tone. "Just make it swift."

Yuzuriha's lips pressed into a thin line. "Understood."

Amidst the palpable tension, Takeru cut in with a cough. "So where does that leave the rest of us?"

"While Yuzuriha and the genin teams are liberating the prisoners, I want the rest of us to take down the guards. Dismantle any enemy presence in the area".

"Sounds good to me." Takeru nodded and crossed his arms. "We take all of them down, but Raiga comes with us. He faces justice in Kiri, and we reclaim the Kiba blades."

The Waterfall prince merely nodded. "No arguments from me."

Ryoma looked back at Yuzuriha, "Try not to cause a stir before we do. We need the guards to have their attention on us while you get everyone out to safety."

"It will depend on whether we find any guards in the building we sneak into, " the older kunoichi shrugged.

Fair enough, the prince turned to his wife. She rolled her eyes, seeing his expectant glance, "I'll behave."

"I trust you," Ryoma smiled. Oryo, turning her head and hiding a faint blush, grumbled.

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Moving through the shadows, Yuzuriha, the genin teams, and Sojirou followed, making their way to a single entrance where they could slip in unnoticed by the guards. Neji's doujutsu kept sight of the patrolling watch, which was blissfully nowhere near where they needed to go. Striding closer, they came to a rear entrance hatch.

"We will have to go through the basement. Hopefully, nobody with weapons will be around." The older kunoichi took a deep, calm breath.

Frustration came over Neji while staring at the building. "Too many signatures to see anything."

"Then we'll be extra cautious." Haku addressed while their promptu leader opened the hatch slowly. Revealing stone steps going down. Making their way in, they found themselves in a massive boiler room with machines working noisily.

The noise was so loud that it went undetected by people in protective gear who were busy working on the machines.

"By the gods," Neji muttered as his Byakugan stared in detail at the fluids dripping into several containers from the floor above. The chakra flowing through them was raw, almost like natural chakra. When it was gathered in enough qualities, it became visible. But there was more to it; pure life force flowed through that substance.

And it was dripping from many, many bodies above.

"This is unholy," The Hyuuga said gravely.

"Then we waste no time," Yuzuriha said. "Take down the workers. There are no casualties; we need to interrogate them after."

They barged into the room with the blurring speed that ninjas were known for. Switch jabs, senbon, and precision strikes took down worker after worker in swift succession by the well-sized team. One turned just in time to see Naruto's fist approaching him, striking him directly across the face and knocking him down for the count. Half the workforce lay on the ground unconscious by the time they realized what was going on. Shouts of alarm and cries for help rang out, but it was too late; the shinobi team had effectively taken them down.

Soujiro placed a paralysis seal on the last worker they took down before turning to Yuzuriha. "Our next move is the floor above, correct?"

The scantily clad kunoichi glared at the ceiling, her attitude completely different from her usual disposition. That was enough to send them on edge.

"I hope you kids have already grown tougher stomachs from this work," She muttered. "Because what comes next is not easy."

The greed of Gatō gave Naruto a glimpse into the darker side of humanity. The Sand and Sound invasion prepared the blonde Uzumaki for anything. The battle against the infamous Blood Leash showed the depravity of humankind, and Naruto thought he was ready. Seeing the unprosperous and despondent of Han'ei, Naruto believed he had seen the worst of the cruelty of the elite. With the unbridled massacre in the Land of Trees, Naruto thought he would be ready for any horror that would come next.

But as they made their way up to the central chamber of the building. What he saw would forever haunt his and his friend's memories for the rest of their lives.

At least several dozen bodies lie throughout the chamber, on the floor or strapped to beds or chairs, hooked up to numerous tubes and IVs in their arms, legs, and even necks.

Yet none resembled anything human, with plant-like growths sprouting from every portion of their torn skin. Some had their heads split open with flowers blossoming, with only their lower jaws visible.

And to the absolute horror of the young teens, most of them were still alive... Pleasured-filled moans escaping their lips...

"By the Gods," Sojirou shuddered, his usual reserved manner shattered by terror glowing in his eyes and face.

Tenten's hand went to her mouth as she whipped around and vomited violently. Beside her, Neji had deactivated his clan's dojutsu, staring in horror at the sight around them. Kouhei's whip fell out of his trembling hand and body. Chōjūrō's complexion went ghostly pale while his glasses slipped off his face.

Haku's body was rigid, her eyes wide, staring, and hearing the moaning bodies.

As for the blond Uzumaki, the blood had drained from his face, his eyes as wide as possible, and his body trembling. He thought he had seen everything... But nothing compared to this...

Lee's knees gave out, and he fell onto them with tears falling from his pain-filled eyes, staring at two figures strapped to a chair, holding hands."...Granny Sanshō..." His voice broken, "Karashi..."

Yuzuriha placed a hand on the young Genin's shoulder as she gazed at the figures in the chairs. The elderly woman's head was half gone, replaced by several flowers sprouting with plant growth all over her body. Next to the woman was a young man whose head was entirely replaced by a large flower with only his lower jaw remaining.

Naruto could only shake his head, recoiling in disgust at this nightmarish scene. How many of these people had been simple civilians? How many had been farmers, bakers, or regular folks going about their day? Innocents who had never harmed anyone in their lives, reduced to this horrifying state.

Cultivated and pruned. Mere test subjects. Their humanity stripped from them and reduced to... to... things.

"Don't look away," Kurama muttered gravely in his mind. "Etch this into your memory, like the Lands of Waves and Trees. This is the depth of evil. Human or demon. This is the foe you have sworn to fight, this is the life goal you've chosen."

...And he was right. Much as he wanted to be done here and forget this nightmare, Naruto knew he had to remember this. Remember the faces of those he swore to protect, and remember the consequences of bloodlust and greed. If he were to be a sage, he needed to understand the depths of malice which he swore to fight against.

But what could be done for these victims? They were horribly mutated, changed to their core.

"It's so... beautiful..." Karashi's voice said in an eerie, flanged tone. His mouth locked into a euphoric smile, as though the gods had embraced him.

Lee sobbed, his body shaking as he planted a firm fist on the ground, clenching his teeth tightly as he wrestled with the pain. "You're a ninja. Focus on the mission, the mission..." Even Konoha's training failed him.

Tenten could only put a gentle hand on her friend's shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Lee."

Yuzuriha stared at the victims, her eyes hardened, before she sighed in resignation. "There is nothing we can do for these people. I am sorry, kid. But the only thing we can offer them is an end."

Lee's head shot up to the older woman, horror deep in his tear-filled eyes. "There is no other way?"

The pleading despair in his voice made Yuzuriha's heart tighten, but she was resolute in her gaze. "We've tried. Believe me, I've lost friends too from this. I searched for everything I could do..." The older Kunoichi's eyes glowed with understanding: "Death is the only mercy we can give these people."

'Kurama?'

"You know how my power works, Naruto." The fox shook his head. "The woman is right. May these poor souls be reincarnated in a better age."

Those words surprised the blond for a moment before resignation crossed his face. Walking up to Lee's side, he knelt beside his friend. "I'll take care of Granny and her son." The Taijutsu shinobi turned his head to the blonde Uzumaki. "I'll bear that burden."

"N-Naruto..."

Glancing at Yuzuriha, who nodded approvingly, Naruto looked back at his friends and expressed, "Nobody here is going to ask you to kill people you dearly love and care about. I'll do it." A crystal kunai materialized in the blond's hand as he rose and approached Sanshō and Karashi. His blue eyes stared at the mother and son's hands clasped together tightly despite their transformations.

Lee's eyes stayed fixed on his friend's friend's crystal kunai as it slid across the throats of the mother and son. The blood poured from the slashes as their bodies grew still and silent in moments. The young Genin's body shook while he leaned forward, resting his head on the floor with his clenched fists shaking.

The crystal kunai crumbled in Naruto's hand, his eyes mourning the scene before him. He then walked to another victim of Daken, made another kunai, and began working. Haku joined him, and the others followed, except for Lee, who finally reached his feet. His eyes were hollow, staring at the lifeless bodies of Granny Sanshō and Karashi. Lee's body grew still, and the shaking faded with his head bowed. "You will be avenged."

Raising his head, his brow furrowed with rage surging in his eyes. "I swear it." His voice was a low growl.

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Raiga preferred his graves to be full, with the victim gasping and clawing to get out in a futile attempt. But unfortunately, his employer required all the bodies available.

Ahhh, well, it'd still be poor manners not to pay his respects. So he bowed to the grave twice and clapped his hands, offering praise to the gods and Buddha. May the souls find their way through Saṃsāra into a better life.

Of course, they weren't truly dead. Not yet.

Raiga decided that what these people were turned into was beautiful. They were released from the shackles of a painful existence, and the seeds of ecstasy were planted deep inside them, removing all pain, grief, longing, and anger and leaving only joy.

He had seen how the bodies bloomed and burst open into the loveliest flowers.

Ahhh, what a fate, what a delightful escape from the misery.

He'd give them the most beautiful funeral once they were all dried up and empty.

The bundle on his back, covered by his cloak, shuffled. "Raiga," his youthful voice said in alarm. "Several signatures approach the base camp."

"Oh?" He muttered with interest. "Have the loyalists found us?"

"Many of them are... very powerful." Fear rang in his voice. "You will not survive."

"Hmph, death is part of the job, Ranmar,u" He merely replied before quirking his lips into an eager grin. "But only a fool goes out expecting to die. We do have the 'aid' our employer left for us."

He chuckled darkly, brandishing his lightning blades and marching back to the prison camp gates.

Ryoma's eyes narrowed as he approached the camp gates, seeing the people of his land being beaten and malnourished from working in the mines. Floating beside her husband, Oryo barely contained her primal fury, seething with feelings of the evils within the buildings Yuzuriha and the others snuck into.

Gai steeled himself for the coming battle. Sagiri had her sword arm ready on the hilt of her katana in hand. Gabimaru's face was unreadable with a kunai in hand.

Prince Takeru's eyes hardened at the sight of the sinister figure leading some of Daken's forces to the camp entrance—the man with dark blue eyes and waist-length green hair, dressed in leather and armor. But in each hand were the legendary Kiba swords. The prince also noticed the renegade Nin seemed to be slugging something on his back.

The former Swordsmen of the Mist's eye gleamed, "Prince Takeru Fujimoto!" Raiga came to stop crossing his arms with a smirk on his lips before bowing mockingly, "Should I be honored the prince of our home came for my head?"

"Felt appropriate I came along for the Kiba Swords... And your head."

Raiga laughed, recrossing his arms as he stood back properly. "I'll happily send your corpse in a coffin back home to your spineless father."

Her nose twitched, Oryo glaring sharply at Raiga, "I smell a child with you."

A squeak came from behind the swordsman before they noticed the tiny figure of a fair-skinned boy with purple chin-length hair. His crimson eyes locked on Oryo before quickly hiding behind Raiga.

"A hostage, Raiga?" The Water Prince snorted in distaste. "Truly a product of a broken time from our country."

"Ohhhh, you do not get to lecture me, 'your highness'" The swordsman derided with a sneer. "The Hidden Mist was going to hell long before you were born. Your family was too happy to let things slide until it was too late. Where were you? Where was the army when the purges began?"

"A prisoner in my palace," Takeru coldly replied. "Held hostage by shinobi like you."

Raiga merely clicked his tongue. "Whatever you need to sleep at night. I'm done with Kiri, and I'm done with you lot."

"So long as those blades remain in your hands, Kiri will never be done with you," Takeru promised. "Now, surrender your forces, lay down your arms, and come quietly. We'll be lenient if you cooperate and give up any info you have on Daken."

"Hmm," Raiga pondered with an exaggerated face as he stroked his chin. "To that, I say... fuck off"

The men around him chuckled darkly.

"You can't think you and that bunch of thugs are enough to stop us," Gabimaru bluntly said in a monotone voice.

Out of all the people in the group, he was the one who made Raiga pause. "Oh, I'm well aware of all your reputations," He slowly smiled. "But my boss left behind some... insurance, you could say"

"If you mean the prisoners," Sagiri said. "They're being released as we speak."

Raiga fell silent, then looked over his shoulder.

"She's right," A young child's voice muttered.

He scoffed. "No matter, there'll always be more. No," he faced them one more time. "I meant he gave us the right tools to deal with you lot."

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX ~ xx ~ XxX ~ xx ~ XxX ~ xx ~ XxX