Chakra Wizard
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Things are progressing quickly, it seems (and not just the pace of these new releases*_*). xd This one’s a tad shorter than most chapters, so let’s see where it goes. As always, enjoy
Here’s my previous chapters, for those who missed any:
Chapter 087: The Enemy
With ten days of hastened travels directly behind him, Sasuke heaved a great sigh of relief as the front gate of the Leaf Village came into his line of sight. Waiting just past it were Airon and Manako, along with their grandfather Naruto. The latter crossed his arms and leaned against one of the giant posts, expressing annoyance at his long absence as he approached.
Naruto: Long time no see.
Sasuke: You know, I’m only a phone call away, Naruto.
Naruto: And you charge your phone how often?
Sasuke: What are you, my wife? …Besides, now’s not really the best time.
Naruto: (He gazed off towards the still ruined Hokage Monument and heaved a sigh.) Yeah, I guess not.
As he turned back around, he found Sasuke shaking Airon’s hand before pulling away and embracing his grandson, a sight which brought a smile to his otherwise melancholic expression.
Sasuke: How’ve you been?
Manako: (He retained his smile as he looked away.) Been better.
Sasuke: (Most of the happiness vanished from his face before he began looking around.) So I’ve heard…where’s your grandmother?
Manako: Waiting with the Hokage. She wouldn’t stay put after she heard that’s where you were heading once you came home.
Sasuke: (He smiled in amusement as Sakura’s image entered his mind.) That sounds like her. …Let’s go.
Manako and Naruto nodded as they all formed a circle, placing their hands atop Airon’s before teleporting to Konohamaru’s location. Upon appearing in the cave, Sasuke was immediately approached Sakura, who blushed and smiled feebly up at him as the others walked past them.
Sakura: Welcome back.
Sasuke: (He returned her smile.) I wish it was at a better time. …Speaking of which, you haven’t left yet, Airon?
Airon: (He laid down on one of the futons, folding his arms back and smiling before closing his eyes.) I marked the bottom of my seat. I’ll be checking in on it every few hours to ensure nothing’s happened to the train.
Sasuke: (He turned to Konohamaru in mild confusion.) What happened to setting off yourself?
Konohamaru: Change of plans, courtesy of these two. Gaara has his sand, so he’s covered in the event that the assassin tries to attack him again…and since I don’t have that luxury, they thought it best for me to remain here until the train reached the Land of Iron.
Sasuke: (He cocked an eyebrow as another possibility entered his mind.) And if he finds this hiding place in that timeframe?
Konohamaru: (He smiled as he replied.) That’s why I asked for you to come here. Of course, if you don’t mind burning off chakra with your Susanoo when that time comes?
Sasuke shook his head in amusement, eyeing Naruto from the opposite side of the cave as if to question his own involvement in protecting Konohamaru. Regardless, moments after closing his eyes, he reopened them to reveal his Rinnegan and Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, smiling to affirm his compliance.
Sasuke: Not at all. …Any word on the new Kage yet?
Every expression in the cave went from pleasant to serious as Konohamaru took up the tablet laying next to him, scrolling through it before coming across a profile containing a familiar face, save for the absence of his usual red bandanna in favor of his new Kage robes.
Konohamaru: Only one thus far. You may recognize Ryoku as one of Kurotsuchi’s bodyguards during the Chūnin Exams four years prior. …He’s been unanimously elected as the Fifth Tsuchikage.
Sasuke: (He walked forward and peered over his shoulder, glaring down at Ryoku’s image.) I do recognize him…the strongest shinobi alive.
Naruto: Strongest. Not the most powerful.
Sasuke: (He exchanged smirks with him in light of this not-so-modest remark, returning to his serious demeanor as he turned back around.) I recall a respectable personality on his part, though. …Wasn’t it your theory that the assassinations were a means to allow certain shinobi to become Kage?
Naruto: That’s what the rest of us said. …He was a very kind and loyal person from what I remember. It’s hard to believe that he’s part of this whole scheme, whatever the hell it is.
Sasuke: Perhaps he’s not, though. Where was he at the time of Kurotsuchi’s death?
Naruto: He was in the room with her, but we went over that possibility, too.
Konohamaru: His body’s durability is by no means a myth…it’s even said to surpass that of the Third Raikage. …That said, though, it’s not as if he can’t feel when someone tries to stab him with a kunai. And he would’ve informed us if the assassin had tried to kill him, as well.
Sakura: (She frowned and nodded in additional confirmation, though hints of sadness could still be seen in her expression.) Hard as it is to believe, that man is part of a plot against the five hidden villages. …The question is what are his goals and why he would go so far to become Tsuchikage.
Konohamaru: (He slowly turned off the tablet and set it down, fighting the urge to sigh in disappointment.) Perhaps some knowledge regarding the other two Kage will give us more insight. …The train reaches the summit in two days once dawn hits, so we’ll have our answers by then.
As everyone else in the cave nodded in agreement, they were suddenly rejoined by Airon, who had teleported away just moments earlier.
Konohamaru: How’s the train?
Airon: (He shook his head as he walked over to lay back down.) Nothing. It’s still well within the borders of the Land of Fire. …I’m starting to doubt he’ll even bother trying to attack us again.
Manako: (He smiled in amusement as he walked back from the entrance of the cave, wiping the thin layer of dust from his hands.) Well, if he does, I’ve already got the entrance of the cave rigged to blow.
Almost every set of eyes in the cave expanded and redirected towards him, save for Airon’s, as he was on the verge of laughter after seeing this synchronized reaction.
Konohamaru: You did what!?
Raiden: Are you out of your goddamn mind, Manako!?
From the back of the cave, Raiden could be heard griping as his mother pulled his ear to reprimand him for his language, prompting his brother and Taigen to exchange amused expressions with Airon and Manako.
Manako: Relax, we’ve got a secondary escape route. …You must have the whole village marked by now, right, Airon?
Airon rocked his head back-and-forth and chuckled softly, vaguely hinting at whatever truth lied in this allegation as he stood up and summoned a clone to his side, which quickly disappeared before he sat back down.
Airon: I’ll stay here in the cave in case someone needs to head out to take a piss. …It’s gonna be a long two days.
Konohamaru: (He briefly gazed back and forth between the two before rubbing his eyes in exhaustion.) Huhhh, why do I have to put with…
The rest of the day passed by slowly with virtually no sense of excitement, arguably most so for Konohamaru, who was forced to remain in the cave for all but the briefest moments of relief. When night came, Suzaku and Airon escorted Ayumi and Moegi home before returning to the cave, those left choosing to see this operation through with the Hokage. With Airon on guard duty both in the cave and on the train, though, the others managed to sleep soundly through the night, more so among others being Minto, who was only forced awake late into the new day when another late sleeper found his way onto his futon.
Minto: Rrrgh, Taigen, get off my leg…
He gently slid his foot from underneath the gray-haired ninken’s long stomach before looking around, finding to his surprise that everyone had left save for his grandfather, who looked up from his tablet and smiled over at him upon finding him awake.
Minto: Where is everyone?
Konohamaru: Airon’s on the train with Manako and the others are getting some fresh air.
Minto: (He took up traces of confusion and distaste in his expression upon hearing this.) Raiden’s still staying here?
Konohamaru: Well, he wants to be involved as much as anyone, I suppose. You look at the quality of other shinobi taking part in this affair, it’s obvious how prolific a task it is.
Minto gazed down at the stone floor upon hearing this, shame building in his gut in reaction to his next thought.
Minto: I don’t want to take part in it…I just want it to end.
Konohamaru: Well, that’s cause you’re one of the smart ones, Minto. You see the big picture, not just the mission. …And yes, I think we all just want it to end.
He smiled over at him after saying this, looking away with a serious expression when he found no hint of a reply.
Konohamaru: Wanting to avoid dangerous affairs isn’t a cowardly thing, I assure you. If Raiden was any the wiser, he would know what kind of roads these recent events could ultimately lead us down. …He’ll know some day. And he’ll know when that day comes that the one he should’ve been looking up to as a model shinobi was you.
This time, it was Minto who was forced to look up when something was said, meeting his grandfather’s warm smile with a look of partial indifference. It is difficult to convey emotion at a remark that’s been repeated a thousand times, predicting a future that had still yet to come. As always, though, Minto acknowledged the good intent and returned Konohamaru’s gesture, believing on some deep level that he might actually be right.
Minto: Thank you, Grandfather.
Konohamaru had just enough time to wink before his phone began ringing. In light of recent events, he didn’t allow more than a second to pass before picking it up and flipping it open.
Konohamaru: Hello? …What? …Wait, don’t say anything yet.
In the short time since he answered the call, Airon had returned with Manako from the train’s current location, prompting him to hold it away from his ear and gaze up at the former with wide eyes.
Konohamaru: Bring the others back here right away.
Manako: (He watched as Airon vanished from thin air before turning to the Hokage in mild confusion.) What is it?
Konohamaru: It’s the Kazekage. …He has intel on the identity of the Seventh Mizukage.
Manako’s eyes quickly lit up, as well, as one by one, more and more people reemerged in the cave and proceeded to gather around Konohamaru as he explained the situation.
Naruto: So who is it?
Having postponed hearing the news himself, Konohamaru eagerly set the phone down at his feet and set it on speaker to allow the others to hear the news.
Gaara: The new Mizukage is Unagi Kaden.
Konohamaru: (He gritted his teeth as he slammed his fist against his futon.) Shit. Just what I was hoping to avoid.
Naruto: (He rubbed the top of his head, also disappointed by this turn of events.) What about Mei?
Gaara: Mei is in her seventies, Naruto. She has no intentions of resuming her role as Mizukage, even under these circumstances.
Sakura: He’s right. And besides, it’s the village and Daimyo councils that have the ultimate say on who replaces a fallen Kage. The Mist jōnin must’ve given their approval to Unagi.
Konohamaru: But why? Of all the people to-
Manako: Hold on, Lord Hokage. Who is Unagi Kaden?
Sasuke: I’d also like to know, Konohamaru. His name isn’t familiar to me either.
Konohamaru: (He seemed reluctant to share this information at first, eventually heaving a sigh and picking the phone back up.) …Thank you for the information, Lord Kazekage. I’ll be sure to inform you if we obtain word regarding the Sixth Raikage before you.
After hanging up, he picked up his tablet once again, scrolling through it until he came across a page containing numerous photographs of the man in question. The images showed at him at various ages ranging from early teens to late twenties, but what they had in common was jagged blue hair that stood roughly three feet above the man’s head, tilted slightly to the left as a result of its height, as well as white bandages around his neck and a sinister grin displaying sharpened teeth. Most showed him in attire likened to that worn by the village’s hunter-nin, while some more casual photos showed him in a black sleeveless top and matching pants. He had a rather slim build for a man that appeared at least six feet tall, but he undoubtedly possessed great strength, as suggested by the size of the sword he carried on his back. Konohamaru allowed these images to soak in for Manako and Sasuke, heaving a sigh before he began going into further detail on how this man was.
Konohamaru: Unagi Kaden is a very powerful shinobi in the Mist Village, famous for his swordsmanship and for his kekkei genkai Acid Release. …In all honesty, he’s one of the strongest shinobi they’ve ever had. And yes, that includes Mei.
Sakura: He’s particularly infamous for his love for battle-
Konohamaru: He’s a goddamn warmonger, even by the Mist Village’s old standards. He’s been the leader of their hunter-nin forces for fourteen years, ever since he was thirteen. …And he’s made it a habit of killing every rogue shinobi they capture himself.
Sakura: (Somewhat put off by the interruption, she nervously nodded her head in agreement.) He’s one of the worst possibilities for a new Mizukage we could ask for…and unlike Ryoku, we can be pretty certain he’s in on this plan of theirs.
Several thoughts floated through the minds of those around him as this new information sank in, most of them identical to the next. There were thoughts about the disturbing reality that such a man was now one of the five Kage, thoughts about how this might affect the relations between the Mist and the other hidden villages, particularly the Leaf, even thoughts about how much fun it would be to have the chance to fight such an esteemed shinobi. Perhaps the most unique opinion came from Airon, whose thoughts were not on the man himself, but Konohamaru’s way of describing him – one specific word, in fact.
Airon: A warmonger, though…you don’t suppose…
Konohamaru: (He shook his head in firm denial of this possibility, though he couldn’t help clenching his fist at the thought.) They’ll be fools to think a few shifts in power will be enough to start a war. Whether their Kage have ill intentions or not, the villages are still very much connected by the Shinobi Union. …There’s something else to gain here.
Naruto: …But what?
At the time, no one could give an answer, and the conversation came to a close soon after. The question would continue hanging over their heads for the rest of the day, though, leading many to pray that Konohamaru was right, and that they wouldn’t be forced to reconsider Airon’s suggestion any time soon.
With winter closing in on the Land of Fire and its hidden village, the three nights spent in the cave grew increasingly unbearable, to the point where Airon was forced to leave the cave and return with enough wood for a strong but non-suffocating fire. The five shinobi still accompanying the Hokage immediately hovered around it for warmth – Suzaku, his sons, and Taigen had all since retreated to their real beds with the guarding duties nearly complete – and waited for Airon to provide an update on the train’s location. Teleporting to a location far colder than their own, he wasted no time returning to the cave and grabbing a spot around the fire.
Airon: The train’s just passed into snowy terrain. …A few more hours and the Three Wolves mountains should be visible on the horizon.
Konohamaru: (He shivered beneath his blanket as he spoke.) Good…we’re already preparing for the cold over here.
Naruto: Hmhm, sorry about this, Konohamaru. It’s all to make sure you stay safe until the summit, though.
Konohamaru: …Yeah…I know.
He lowered his head as he spoke, ashamed that he had to rely on his subordinates for protection despite being the Hokage, a title normally reserved only for the village’s strongest. Insightful as ever, though, Naruto wrapped his hand around his shoulder with a gentle smile, assuring him beyond doubt that he had his position because he had earned it, not simply as part of a childish vow they made before he was even a genin. As Konohamaru returned his gesture in appreciation, Manako took the time to check the clock on his phone, reminiscing on the complete lack of activity the past several hours as he spoke up.
Manako: It’s approaching midnight…still nothing on the Raikage.
Naruto: We’ll find out at some point…what sort of candidates are we looking at?
Konohamaru: (He sat in silence for a moment.) …It’s hard to say. The only ones left from the older generations with exceptional prowess are B, C, and Omoi, who are either too old or unwilling to take up the mantle. …There’s Z from the Chūnin Exams four years back, but I doubt he would be a major consideration either. …I just don’t know enough about the standouts from their newer generations to judge.
Sasuke: (His eyebrows dropped slightly, having expected insight into the other villages from him.) Is there a reason for that?
Konohamaru: Not particularly. There just aren’t many that have gained a large amount of notoriety in recent years…wait.
Sakura: What? Did you think of one?
Konohamaru: (He shut his eyes as he tried to conjure up an answer.) …Yeah, a few…they’re older ones. They showed up around ten years ago if I recall correctly…I can’t remember their names, though.
Airon: …Do they have bad reputations…or it similar to Ryoku’s case?
Konohamaru: I’m not sure…I just remember hearing about them.
Naruto: (He smiled in reassurance, although somewhat disappointed himself.) You’ll remember soon enough. If not, we’ll find out by morning. …More importantly, you should probably figure out who your two bodyguards are going to be.
Nodding in agreement, Konohamaru closed his eyes to concentrate as the other awaited his answer. He reiterated all the events that occurred directly before and since the attack on the village, what knowledge they currently had of their unknown enemy, and managed his biggest priorities going into the summit before opening them again.
Konohamaru: If the pattern keeps going the same way it has been, you’re the only one who can detect any sinister thoughts, Naruto, so I’ll need you with me to assess our new colleagues. …And we need a telepath, as well, to allow us to converse without anyone else knowing.
Manako: (At this, he stood up from his futon, still wrapped in his blanket.) I’ll go. It’s pretty much common knowledge since the exams that Airon and Inase can read minds. …Not too many people outside the Leaf Village know that I can do it now, too.
Konohamaru: (He smiled up at him before turning to Airon.) Alright. I’ll keep my phone tucked away on speaker, so the rest of you can hear what’s going on. …At this point, I have no idea what will happen tomorrow, so I need you all to be ready in case things get out of hand.
Airon: (He nodded in assurance, as determined a look on his face as he’d ever worn.) …We will be.
With the fire warming their bodies as they slept around it, the night passed by surprisingly quickly for all but Airon, who was forced to remain awake by both his recurring dreams and his duty of keeping up to date on the location of the train. To this end, he stayed aboard it all night, warming himself with friction from his hands as he impatiently awaited the arrival of the train station on the horizon. After six hours, he got his wish, immediately teleporting back to the cave to wake Konohamaru.
Airon: The train’s stopped.
Already half-awake as he was, Konohamaru quickly took heed to his words as he went to wake Manako and their grandfathers, keeping Sakura asleep for the time being as they dressed themselves in their warmest attire and placed their hands atop Airon’s.
Konohamaru: Alright…Let’s go.
When four nods had been counted, Airon teleported aboard the train with the others alongside him, at which point Sasuke immediately activated his partial Susanoo, encasing the five of them in its torso before taking off through the snow. The station’s close proximity to the Three Wolves mountain still left them over three hours of travel on foot, but with the catalog of shinobi in their midst, little energy was spent navigating through it. They eventually arrived at the foot of the fort where the summit was taking place, at which point Sasuke cancelled his technique to ease the minds of the anxious samurai standing guard outside its entrance. Giving pleasant farewells and wishes to the two Hokage and his grandson, Airon took a far more somber approach in seeing them off, a feeling of dread having built up in his stomach throughout the night.
Airon: Please…be careful.
Naruto: (He displayed his trademark grin as a sign of reassurance.) Heh, what did you forget who we are, Airon?
Airon: …No…I didn’t.
He didn’t even wait long enough to watch Naruto’s smile completely vanish before grabbing Sasuke’s shoulder and returning to the cave, leaving him standing there alongside Manako and Konohamaru as an ominous feeling built up in each of their guts. It only grew as they spun around and stared up at the enormous doorway before them, slowly walking forward into the massive hallways once it had opened wide enough for all three of them.
A nameless samurai was there to greet them as they walked inside, expressing his thanks for their arrival before leading them to the meeting room, where they were pleased to find Gaara had already arrived safely – and disappointed to find that two of the new Kage had, as well. On the far right side of the arched table sat Unagi Kaden, cloaked in his Mizukage robes with his hands clasped in front of him, his cap and enormous sword set off to the side. The first question on their minds looking at him was whether or not he actually wore the cap, as his hair did indeed tower over his head, the second being why he was grinning so wickedly as they walked in. To one side of him stood a shinobi clad in all red with a mask stretched across his face, holes created for his eyes, mouth, and pointed ears. He was armed from head to toe with various scrolls and projectiles, the two katanas resting on his back and his position as a bodyguard leaving little doubt that he was a weapons enthusiast of the highest caliber. To the other side stood a man of similar age with light-red hair that fell past his shoulders, which appeared damp as if he had recently bathed. Like his superior, he wore black pants and a sleeveless top beneath his primary attire, which consisted of a blood-red trench coat with two long katanas also carried on his back. His red hair and strong build gave some discredit to their theories about his origins, but the sharpened teeth and similar facial makeup made it quite obvious that he derived from the Hōzuki clan. Like Unagi, both of these shinobi grinned as the Hokage and his escorts entered the room, immediately augmenting their anxiety to newfound levels. For Konohamaru, these were momentarily quelled as the samurai general Rounin approached him with a smile and an outstretched hand, his slightly grayed hair and beard fluttering slightly about his waist as he walked.
Rounin: It’s an honor for you to join us in the Land of Iron, Lord Hokage.
Konohamaru: (He managed a smile of his own.) The pleasure’s mine. Thank you for holding this summit on such short notice.
Rounin: Hmhmhm, please. With the steady fluctuation in technology, you practically informed us ahead of time.
Their back and forth carried on a moment later as Naruto and Manako snuck away to greet Gaara, the former briefly throwing his arms around him in relief before looking around.
Naruto: Nice to see you made it, Gaara. …No bodyguards?
Gaara: (He shook his head as he set his hand against his gourd, his frown not budging in the slightest.) …I’m already covered…and besides, I just couldn’t risk the life of anyone else.
Naruto: (He lowered his head as the news of his encounter with the assassin played over in his mind.) I see…I’m so sorry to hear about Shijima.
Gaara: (His frown deepened.) Don’t be. …She’ll be avenged soon enough.
He walked back to the seat to Unagi’s left without saying another word, leaving Naruto stunned by his change in attitude and worried about how his wife’s death might affect his old friend’s mindset in the long run. At this point, he turned to look upon Ryoku for the first time, finding him sitting just two seats away from Gaara in his news robes, an ominous look splayed across his face that almost matched the ones they wore just before they arrived. Naturally, he was unable to tell why, but he was much more entranced by the shinobi standing next to him to give it more thought. His large round nose and bristling beard and mustache were nothing outstanding, nor were his tinted spectacles and short brown hair, or the red forehead protector and basic attire worn by just about every other shinobi in the Rock Village. What stood out about him, though, was the fact that he towered over every single person in the room – or that Naruto could recall ever meeting in his lifetime – standing at just over nine feet by his count.
Naruto: Holy shit, he’s huge.
Manako: …Yeah…no kidding.
Manako managed a glance in his direction, but he was far too preoccupied staring in disbelief at Ryoku’s second bodyguard to say much else. He had certainly changed since he last saw him, being taller and more muscular than he recalled him being four years ago. His white hair was much longer and draped over parts of his face, wearing an open red overcoat that matched his bandanna, along with black gloves and jeans, but no shirt to allow him to display his new physique. Indeed, Asuka Nabi had obviously taken his loss to Airon four years back to heart, transforming his body to the point where even Manako couldn’t help but retain some of the fear he felt for him during that time.
Manako: You.
Asuka had clearly noticed him when he walked in, as well, not taking his cold eyes off of him for even a second. Manako’s Mangekyō Sharingan was active in case he attempted to use his own bizarre dōjutsu, a thought that had apparently run through his head as he stood there, as his new leader took notice.
Ryoku: Asuka…that’s enough.
Albeit reluctantly, Asuka finally looked away with a small hint of regret in his eyes, allowing Manako the chance to breath as he walked beside Konohamaru, who had since taken his seat on the end of the table opposite Unagi, casually setting his open phone and a marked kunai by his feet to allow Airon and Sasuke to hear what was happening in the room. A few minutes of silence passed before the final Kage to arrive walked in, prompting Gaara and Konohamaru to look up in surprise as the chance to finally meet him presented itself. Three men silently walked in escorted by another nameless samurai, staring intensively at Konohamaru and Gaara as the middle of the three took the final seat at the center of the table. His first bodyguard was a very dark-skinned man with short black hair hid by a forest-green bandanna and a thin beard that encircled his mouth, as well as a patch over right eye. Very well built, he wore a sleeveless black top and pants with a camouflage pattern, being the one of the few shinobi since their invention to take up closed-toed shoes – black boots, in his case. His hands were hidden by gray fingerless gloves, tucked away beneath his folded arms as he gazed over the room. His partner was a white man with an unshaven face and scraggly black hair with gray highlights, both products of poor hair care. Standing a head below Naruto and skinnier than most of the other shinobi in the room, he wore tinted spectacles and all black beneath his white flak jacket, also wearing close-toed boots. Between them sat a much older man clad in Kage robes with only black pants to accompany them. Despite the demeanor his pure white hair, which was combed back, and his thick beard would suggest, he had a highly impressive build seen in his abs and large hands, though his advanced age only brought confusion and disbelief to the Leaf and Sand shinobi.
Naruto: (An old man? Really?)
Manako: (You’re not exactly one to talk, Grandpa. …What sort of vibes are you picking up on?)
Naruto: (He shrugged off his subtle insult and looked around the table as Rounin sat down at the smaller desk directly across from the Raikage.) (It’s pretty much what we expected. Lots of negative emotion coming from the Mizukage and not much from Ryoku. …The old guy’s a complete blank, though. Kurama can’t read him at all.)
Manako: (Surprised by this, he also gazed around the room with his active Sharingan.) (Their thoughts are the same way. …All nine of them have the same barrier in their minds Airon and I saw in Baiko and Masurao.)
Konohamaru: (What about their chakra signatures?)
Manako: (All visible and very strong, except for those three. I can’t tell how powerful they are at all. …In fact, pretty much everything about them is a total void.)
Konohamaru: (He heaved a sigh of unease from behind his clasped hands, reopening his eyes once he regained his composure.) (Then I guess that settles it. …They’re the ones the assassin is in league with.)
Rounin: Thank you all for coming to this summit. …Now then, Lord Hokage, please enlighten us on your reason for assembling us here today.
Konohamaru immediately stood up from his seat, maintaining as firm an expression as he could manage as he gazed around the table at each of his colleagues, taking in their individual auras a final time before opening his mouth to begin speaking.
The Kage Summit has begun!!!
The End
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Chapter 087: The Enemy
With ten days of hastened travels directly behind him, Sasuke heaved a great sigh of relief as the front gate of the Leaf Village came into his line of sight. Waiting just past it were Airon and Manako, along with their grandfather Naruto. The latter crossed his arms and leaned against one of the giant posts, expressing annoyance at his long absence as he approached.
Naruto: Long time no see.
Sasuke: You know, I’m only a phone call away, Naruto.
Naruto: And you charge your phone how often?
Sasuke: What are you, my wife? …Besides, now’s not really the best time.
Naruto: (He gazed off towards the still ruined Hokage Monument and heaved a sigh.) Yeah, I guess not.
As he turned back around, he found Sasuke shaking Airon’s hand before pulling away and embracing his grandson, a sight which brought a smile to his otherwise melancholic expression.
Sasuke: How’ve you been?
Manako: (He retained his smile as he looked away.) Been better.
Sasuke: (Most of the happiness vanished from his face before he began looking around.) So I’ve heard…where’s your grandmother?
Manako: Waiting with the Hokage. She wouldn’t stay put after she heard that’s where you were heading once you came home.
Sasuke: (He smiled in amusement as Sakura’s image entered his mind.) That sounds like her. …Let’s go.
Manako and Naruto nodded as they all formed a circle, placing their hands atop Airon’s before teleporting to Konohamaru’s location. Upon appearing in the cave, Sasuke was immediately approached Sakura, who blushed and smiled feebly up at him as the others walked past them.
Sakura: Welcome back.
Sasuke: (He returned her smile.) I wish it was at a better time. …Speaking of which, you haven’t left yet, Airon?
Airon: (He laid down on one of the futons, folding his arms back and smiling before closing his eyes.) I marked the bottom of my seat. I’ll be checking in on it every few hours to ensure nothing’s happened to the train.
Sasuke: (He turned to Konohamaru in mild confusion.) What happened to setting off yourself?
Konohamaru: Change of plans, courtesy of these two. Gaara has his sand, so he’s covered in the event that the assassin tries to attack him again…and since I don’t have that luxury, they thought it best for me to remain here until the train reached the Land of Iron.
Sasuke: (He cocked an eyebrow as another possibility entered his mind.) And if he finds this hiding place in that timeframe?
Konohamaru: (He smiled as he replied.) That’s why I asked for you to come here. Of course, if you don’t mind burning off chakra with your Susanoo when that time comes?
Sasuke shook his head in amusement, eyeing Naruto from the opposite side of the cave as if to question his own involvement in protecting Konohamaru. Regardless, moments after closing his eyes, he reopened them to reveal his Rinnegan and Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, smiling to affirm his compliance.
Sasuke: Not at all. …Any word on the new Kage yet?
Every expression in the cave went from pleasant to serious as Konohamaru took up the tablet laying next to him, scrolling through it before coming across a profile containing a familiar face, save for the absence of his usual red bandanna in favor of his new Kage robes.
Konohamaru: Only one thus far. You may recognize Ryoku as one of Kurotsuchi’s bodyguards during the Chūnin Exams four years prior. …He’s been unanimously elected as the Fifth Tsuchikage.
Sasuke: (He walked forward and peered over his shoulder, glaring down at Ryoku’s image.) I do recognize him…the strongest shinobi alive.
Naruto: Strongest. Not the most powerful.
Sasuke: (He exchanged smirks with him in light of this not-so-modest remark, returning to his serious demeanor as he turned back around.) I recall a respectable personality on his part, though. …Wasn’t it your theory that the assassinations were a means to allow certain shinobi to become Kage?
Naruto: That’s what the rest of us said. …He was a very kind and loyal person from what I remember. It’s hard to believe that he’s part of this whole scheme, whatever the hell it is.
Sasuke: Perhaps he’s not, though. Where was he at the time of Kurotsuchi’s death?
Naruto: He was in the room with her, but we went over that possibility, too.
Konohamaru: His body’s durability is by no means a myth…it’s even said to surpass that of the Third Raikage. …That said, though, it’s not as if he can’t feel when someone tries to stab him with a kunai. And he would’ve informed us if the assassin had tried to kill him, as well.
Sakura: (She frowned and nodded in additional confirmation, though hints of sadness could still be seen in her expression.) Hard as it is to believe, that man is part of a plot against the five hidden villages. …The question is what are his goals and why he would go so far to become Tsuchikage.
Konohamaru: (He slowly turned off the tablet and set it down, fighting the urge to sigh in disappointment.) Perhaps some knowledge regarding the other two Kage will give us more insight. …The train reaches the summit in two days once dawn hits, so we’ll have our answers by then.
As everyone else in the cave nodded in agreement, they were suddenly rejoined by Airon, who had teleported away just moments earlier.
Konohamaru: How’s the train?
Airon: (He shook his head as he walked over to lay back down.) Nothing. It’s still well within the borders of the Land of Fire. …I’m starting to doubt he’ll even bother trying to attack us again.
Manako: (He smiled in amusement as he walked back from the entrance of the cave, wiping the thin layer of dust from his hands.) Well, if he does, I’ve already got the entrance of the cave rigged to blow.
Almost every set of eyes in the cave expanded and redirected towards him, save for Airon’s, as he was on the verge of laughter after seeing this synchronized reaction.
Konohamaru: You did what!?
Raiden: Are you out of your goddamn mind, Manako!?
From the back of the cave, Raiden could be heard griping as his mother pulled his ear to reprimand him for his language, prompting his brother and Taigen to exchange amused expressions with Airon and Manako.
Manako: Relax, we’ve got a secondary escape route. …You must have the whole village marked by now, right, Airon?
Airon rocked his head back-and-forth and chuckled softly, vaguely hinting at whatever truth lied in this allegation as he stood up and summoned a clone to his side, which quickly disappeared before he sat back down.
Airon: I’ll stay here in the cave in case someone needs to head out to take a piss. …It’s gonna be a long two days.
Konohamaru: (He briefly gazed back and forth between the two before rubbing his eyes in exhaustion.) Huhhh, why do I have to put with…
The rest of the day passed by slowly with virtually no sense of excitement, arguably most so for Konohamaru, who was forced to remain in the cave for all but the briefest moments of relief. When night came, Suzaku and Airon escorted Ayumi and Moegi home before returning to the cave, those left choosing to see this operation through with the Hokage. With Airon on guard duty both in the cave and on the train, though, the others managed to sleep soundly through the night, more so among others being Minto, who was only forced awake late into the new day when another late sleeper found his way onto his futon.
Minto: Rrrgh, Taigen, get off my leg…
He gently slid his foot from underneath the gray-haired ninken’s long stomach before looking around, finding to his surprise that everyone had left save for his grandfather, who looked up from his tablet and smiled over at him upon finding him awake.
Minto: Where is everyone?
Konohamaru: Airon’s on the train with Manako and the others are getting some fresh air.
Minto: (He took up traces of confusion and distaste in his expression upon hearing this.) Raiden’s still staying here?
Konohamaru: Well, he wants to be involved as much as anyone, I suppose. You look at the quality of other shinobi taking part in this affair, it’s obvious how prolific a task it is.
Minto gazed down at the stone floor upon hearing this, shame building in his gut in reaction to his next thought.
Minto: I don’t want to take part in it…I just want it to end.
Konohamaru: Well, that’s cause you’re one of the smart ones, Minto. You see the big picture, not just the mission. …And yes, I think we all just want it to end.
He smiled over at him after saying this, looking away with a serious expression when he found no hint of a reply.
Konohamaru: Wanting to avoid dangerous affairs isn’t a cowardly thing, I assure you. If Raiden was any the wiser, he would know what kind of roads these recent events could ultimately lead us down. …He’ll know some day. And he’ll know when that day comes that the one he should’ve been looking up to as a model shinobi was you.
This time, it was Minto who was forced to look up when something was said, meeting his grandfather’s warm smile with a look of partial indifference. It is difficult to convey emotion at a remark that’s been repeated a thousand times, predicting a future that had still yet to come. As always, though, Minto acknowledged the good intent and returned Konohamaru’s gesture, believing on some deep level that he might actually be right.
Minto: Thank you, Grandfather.
Konohamaru had just enough time to wink before his phone began ringing. In light of recent events, he didn’t allow more than a second to pass before picking it up and flipping it open.
Konohamaru: Hello? …What? …Wait, don’t say anything yet.
In the short time since he answered the call, Airon had returned with Manako from the train’s current location, prompting him to hold it away from his ear and gaze up at the former with wide eyes.
Konohamaru: Bring the others back here right away.
Manako: (He watched as Airon vanished from thin air before turning to the Hokage in mild confusion.) What is it?
Konohamaru: It’s the Kazekage. …He has intel on the identity of the Seventh Mizukage.
Manako’s eyes quickly lit up, as well, as one by one, more and more people reemerged in the cave and proceeded to gather around Konohamaru as he explained the situation.
Naruto: So who is it?
Having postponed hearing the news himself, Konohamaru eagerly set the phone down at his feet and set it on speaker to allow the others to hear the news.
Gaara: The new Mizukage is Unagi Kaden.
Konohamaru: (He gritted his teeth as he slammed his fist against his futon.) Shit. Just what I was hoping to avoid.
Naruto: (He rubbed the top of his head, also disappointed by this turn of events.) What about Mei?
Gaara: Mei is in her seventies, Naruto. She has no intentions of resuming her role as Mizukage, even under these circumstances.
Sakura: He’s right. And besides, it’s the village and Daimyo councils that have the ultimate say on who replaces a fallen Kage. The Mist jōnin must’ve given their approval to Unagi.
Konohamaru: But why? Of all the people to-
Manako: Hold on, Lord Hokage. Who is Unagi Kaden?
Sasuke: I’d also like to know, Konohamaru. His name isn’t familiar to me either.
Konohamaru: (He seemed reluctant to share this information at first, eventually heaving a sigh and picking the phone back up.) …Thank you for the information, Lord Kazekage. I’ll be sure to inform you if we obtain word regarding the Sixth Raikage before you.
After hanging up, he picked up his tablet once again, scrolling through it until he came across a page containing numerous photographs of the man in question. The images showed at him at various ages ranging from early teens to late twenties, but what they had in common was jagged blue hair that stood roughly three feet above the man’s head, tilted slightly to the left as a result of its height, as well as white bandages around his neck and a sinister grin displaying sharpened teeth. Most showed him in attire likened to that worn by the village’s hunter-nin, while some more casual photos showed him in a black sleeveless top and matching pants. He had a rather slim build for a man that appeared at least six feet tall, but he undoubtedly possessed great strength, as suggested by the size of the sword he carried on his back. Konohamaru allowed these images to soak in for Manako and Sasuke, heaving a sigh before he began going into further detail on how this man was.
Konohamaru: Unagi Kaden is a very powerful shinobi in the Mist Village, famous for his swordsmanship and for his kekkei genkai Acid Release. …In all honesty, he’s one of the strongest shinobi they’ve ever had. And yes, that includes Mei.
Sakura: He’s particularly infamous for his love for battle-
Konohamaru: He’s a goddamn warmonger, even by the Mist Village’s old standards. He’s been the leader of their hunter-nin forces for fourteen years, ever since he was thirteen. …And he’s made it a habit of killing every rogue shinobi they capture himself.
Sakura: (Somewhat put off by the interruption, she nervously nodded her head in agreement.) He’s one of the worst possibilities for a new Mizukage we could ask for…and unlike Ryoku, we can be pretty certain he’s in on this plan of theirs.
Several thoughts floated through the minds of those around him as this new information sank in, most of them identical to the next. There were thoughts about the disturbing reality that such a man was now one of the five Kage, thoughts about how this might affect the relations between the Mist and the other hidden villages, particularly the Leaf, even thoughts about how much fun it would be to have the chance to fight such an esteemed shinobi. Perhaps the most unique opinion came from Airon, whose thoughts were not on the man himself, but Konohamaru’s way of describing him – one specific word, in fact.
Airon: A warmonger, though…you don’t suppose…
Konohamaru: (He shook his head in firm denial of this possibility, though he couldn’t help clenching his fist at the thought.) They’ll be fools to think a few shifts in power will be enough to start a war. Whether their Kage have ill intentions or not, the villages are still very much connected by the Shinobi Union. …There’s something else to gain here.
Naruto: …But what?
At the time, no one could give an answer, and the conversation came to a close soon after. The question would continue hanging over their heads for the rest of the day, though, leading many to pray that Konohamaru was right, and that they wouldn’t be forced to reconsider Airon’s suggestion any time soon.
With winter closing in on the Land of Fire and its hidden village, the three nights spent in the cave grew increasingly unbearable, to the point where Airon was forced to leave the cave and return with enough wood for a strong but non-suffocating fire. The five shinobi still accompanying the Hokage immediately hovered around it for warmth – Suzaku, his sons, and Taigen had all since retreated to their real beds with the guarding duties nearly complete – and waited for Airon to provide an update on the train’s location. Teleporting to a location far colder than their own, he wasted no time returning to the cave and grabbing a spot around the fire.
Airon: The train’s just passed into snowy terrain. …A few more hours and the Three Wolves mountains should be visible on the horizon.
Konohamaru: (He shivered beneath his blanket as he spoke.) Good…we’re already preparing for the cold over here.
Naruto: Hmhm, sorry about this, Konohamaru. It’s all to make sure you stay safe until the summit, though.
Konohamaru: …Yeah…I know.
He lowered his head as he spoke, ashamed that he had to rely on his subordinates for protection despite being the Hokage, a title normally reserved only for the village’s strongest. Insightful as ever, though, Naruto wrapped his hand around his shoulder with a gentle smile, assuring him beyond doubt that he had his position because he had earned it, not simply as part of a childish vow they made before he was even a genin. As Konohamaru returned his gesture in appreciation, Manako took the time to check the clock on his phone, reminiscing on the complete lack of activity the past several hours as he spoke up.
Manako: It’s approaching midnight…still nothing on the Raikage.
Naruto: We’ll find out at some point…what sort of candidates are we looking at?
Konohamaru: (He sat in silence for a moment.) …It’s hard to say. The only ones left from the older generations with exceptional prowess are B, C, and Omoi, who are either too old or unwilling to take up the mantle. …There’s Z from the Chūnin Exams four years back, but I doubt he would be a major consideration either. …I just don’t know enough about the standouts from their newer generations to judge.
Sasuke: (His eyebrows dropped slightly, having expected insight into the other villages from him.) Is there a reason for that?
Konohamaru: Not particularly. There just aren’t many that have gained a large amount of notoriety in recent years…wait.
Sakura: What? Did you think of one?
Konohamaru: (He shut his eyes as he tried to conjure up an answer.) …Yeah, a few…they’re older ones. They showed up around ten years ago if I recall correctly…I can’t remember their names, though.
Airon: …Do they have bad reputations…or it similar to Ryoku’s case?
Konohamaru: I’m not sure…I just remember hearing about them.
Naruto: (He smiled in reassurance, although somewhat disappointed himself.) You’ll remember soon enough. If not, we’ll find out by morning. …More importantly, you should probably figure out who your two bodyguards are going to be.
Nodding in agreement, Konohamaru closed his eyes to concentrate as the other awaited his answer. He reiterated all the events that occurred directly before and since the attack on the village, what knowledge they currently had of their unknown enemy, and managed his biggest priorities going into the summit before opening them again.
Konohamaru: If the pattern keeps going the same way it has been, you’re the only one who can detect any sinister thoughts, Naruto, so I’ll need you with me to assess our new colleagues. …And we need a telepath, as well, to allow us to converse without anyone else knowing.
Manako: (At this, he stood up from his futon, still wrapped in his blanket.) I’ll go. It’s pretty much common knowledge since the exams that Airon and Inase can read minds. …Not too many people outside the Leaf Village know that I can do it now, too.
Konohamaru: (He smiled up at him before turning to Airon.) Alright. I’ll keep my phone tucked away on speaker, so the rest of you can hear what’s going on. …At this point, I have no idea what will happen tomorrow, so I need you all to be ready in case things get out of hand.
Airon: (He nodded in assurance, as determined a look on his face as he’d ever worn.) …We will be.
With the fire warming their bodies as they slept around it, the night passed by surprisingly quickly for all but Airon, who was forced to remain awake by both his recurring dreams and his duty of keeping up to date on the location of the train. To this end, he stayed aboard it all night, warming himself with friction from his hands as he impatiently awaited the arrival of the train station on the horizon. After six hours, he got his wish, immediately teleporting back to the cave to wake Konohamaru.
Airon: The train’s stopped.
Already half-awake as he was, Konohamaru quickly took heed to his words as he went to wake Manako and their grandfathers, keeping Sakura asleep for the time being as they dressed themselves in their warmest attire and placed their hands atop Airon’s.
Konohamaru: Alright…Let’s go.
When four nods had been counted, Airon teleported aboard the train with the others alongside him, at which point Sasuke immediately activated his partial Susanoo, encasing the five of them in its torso before taking off through the snow. The station’s close proximity to the Three Wolves mountain still left them over three hours of travel on foot, but with the catalog of shinobi in their midst, little energy was spent navigating through it. They eventually arrived at the foot of the fort where the summit was taking place, at which point Sasuke cancelled his technique to ease the minds of the anxious samurai standing guard outside its entrance. Giving pleasant farewells and wishes to the two Hokage and his grandson, Airon took a far more somber approach in seeing them off, a feeling of dread having built up in his stomach throughout the night.
Airon: Please…be careful.
Naruto: (He displayed his trademark grin as a sign of reassurance.) Heh, what did you forget who we are, Airon?
Airon: …No…I didn’t.
He didn’t even wait long enough to watch Naruto’s smile completely vanish before grabbing Sasuke’s shoulder and returning to the cave, leaving him standing there alongside Manako and Konohamaru as an ominous feeling built up in each of their guts. It only grew as they spun around and stared up at the enormous doorway before them, slowly walking forward into the massive hallways once it had opened wide enough for all three of them.
A nameless samurai was there to greet them as they walked inside, expressing his thanks for their arrival before leading them to the meeting room, where they were pleased to find Gaara had already arrived safely – and disappointed to find that two of the new Kage had, as well. On the far right side of the arched table sat Unagi Kaden, cloaked in his Mizukage robes with his hands clasped in front of him, his cap and enormous sword set off to the side. The first question on their minds looking at him was whether or not he actually wore the cap, as his hair did indeed tower over his head, the second being why he was grinning so wickedly as they walked in. To one side of him stood a shinobi clad in all red with a mask stretched across his face, holes created for his eyes, mouth, and pointed ears. He was armed from head to toe with various scrolls and projectiles, the two katanas resting on his back and his position as a bodyguard leaving little doubt that he was a weapons enthusiast of the highest caliber. To the other side stood a man of similar age with light-red hair that fell past his shoulders, which appeared damp as if he had recently bathed. Like his superior, he wore black pants and a sleeveless top beneath his primary attire, which consisted of a blood-red trench coat with two long katanas also carried on his back. His red hair and strong build gave some discredit to their theories about his origins, but the sharpened teeth and similar facial makeup made it quite obvious that he derived from the Hōzuki clan. Like Unagi, both of these shinobi grinned as the Hokage and his escorts entered the room, immediately augmenting their anxiety to newfound levels. For Konohamaru, these were momentarily quelled as the samurai general Rounin approached him with a smile and an outstretched hand, his slightly grayed hair and beard fluttering slightly about his waist as he walked.
Rounin: It’s an honor for you to join us in the Land of Iron, Lord Hokage.
Konohamaru: (He managed a smile of his own.) The pleasure’s mine. Thank you for holding this summit on such short notice.
Rounin: Hmhmhm, please. With the steady fluctuation in technology, you practically informed us ahead of time.
Their back and forth carried on a moment later as Naruto and Manako snuck away to greet Gaara, the former briefly throwing his arms around him in relief before looking around.
Naruto: Nice to see you made it, Gaara. …No bodyguards?
Gaara: (He shook his head as he set his hand against his gourd, his frown not budging in the slightest.) …I’m already covered…and besides, I just couldn’t risk the life of anyone else.
Naruto: (He lowered his head as the news of his encounter with the assassin played over in his mind.) I see…I’m so sorry to hear about Shijima.
Gaara: (His frown deepened.) Don’t be. …She’ll be avenged soon enough.
He walked back to the seat to Unagi’s left without saying another word, leaving Naruto stunned by his change in attitude and worried about how his wife’s death might affect his old friend’s mindset in the long run. At this point, he turned to look upon Ryoku for the first time, finding him sitting just two seats away from Gaara in his news robes, an ominous look splayed across his face that almost matched the ones they wore just before they arrived. Naturally, he was unable to tell why, but he was much more entranced by the shinobi standing next to him to give it more thought. His large round nose and bristling beard and mustache were nothing outstanding, nor were his tinted spectacles and short brown hair, or the red forehead protector and basic attire worn by just about every other shinobi in the Rock Village. What stood out about him, though, was the fact that he towered over every single person in the room – or that Naruto could recall ever meeting in his lifetime – standing at just over nine feet by his count.
Naruto: Holy shit, he’s huge.
Manako: …Yeah…no kidding.
Manako managed a glance in his direction, but he was far too preoccupied staring in disbelief at Ryoku’s second bodyguard to say much else. He had certainly changed since he last saw him, being taller and more muscular than he recalled him being four years ago. His white hair was much longer and draped over parts of his face, wearing an open red overcoat that matched his bandanna, along with black gloves and jeans, but no shirt to allow him to display his new physique. Indeed, Asuka Nabi had obviously taken his loss to Airon four years back to heart, transforming his body to the point where even Manako couldn’t help but retain some of the fear he felt for him during that time.
Manako: You.
Asuka had clearly noticed him when he walked in, as well, not taking his cold eyes off of him for even a second. Manako’s Mangekyō Sharingan was active in case he attempted to use his own bizarre dōjutsu, a thought that had apparently run through his head as he stood there, as his new leader took notice.
Ryoku: Asuka…that’s enough.
Albeit reluctantly, Asuka finally looked away with a small hint of regret in his eyes, allowing Manako the chance to breath as he walked beside Konohamaru, who had since taken his seat on the end of the table opposite Unagi, casually setting his open phone and a marked kunai by his feet to allow Airon and Sasuke to hear what was happening in the room. A few minutes of silence passed before the final Kage to arrive walked in, prompting Gaara and Konohamaru to look up in surprise as the chance to finally meet him presented itself. Three men silently walked in escorted by another nameless samurai, staring intensively at Konohamaru and Gaara as the middle of the three took the final seat at the center of the table. His first bodyguard was a very dark-skinned man with short black hair hid by a forest-green bandanna and a thin beard that encircled his mouth, as well as a patch over right eye. Very well built, he wore a sleeveless black top and pants with a camouflage pattern, being the one of the few shinobi since their invention to take up closed-toed shoes – black boots, in his case. His hands were hidden by gray fingerless gloves, tucked away beneath his folded arms as he gazed over the room. His partner was a white man with an unshaven face and scraggly black hair with gray highlights, both products of poor hair care. Standing a head below Naruto and skinnier than most of the other shinobi in the room, he wore tinted spectacles and all black beneath his white flak jacket, also wearing close-toed boots. Between them sat a much older man clad in Kage robes with only black pants to accompany them. Despite the demeanor his pure white hair, which was combed back, and his thick beard would suggest, he had a highly impressive build seen in his abs and large hands, though his advanced age only brought confusion and disbelief to the Leaf and Sand shinobi.
Naruto: (An old man? Really?)
Manako: (You’re not exactly one to talk, Grandpa. …What sort of vibes are you picking up on?)
Naruto: (He shrugged off his subtle insult and looked around the table as Rounin sat down at the smaller desk directly across from the Raikage.) (It’s pretty much what we expected. Lots of negative emotion coming from the Mizukage and not much from Ryoku. …The old guy’s a complete blank, though. Kurama can’t read him at all.)
Manako: (Surprised by this, he also gazed around the room with his active Sharingan.) (Their thoughts are the same way. …All nine of them have the same barrier in their minds Airon and I saw in Baiko and Masurao.)
Konohamaru: (What about their chakra signatures?)
Manako: (All visible and very strong, except for those three. I can’t tell how powerful they are at all. …In fact, pretty much everything about them is a total void.)
Konohamaru: (He heaved a sigh of unease from behind his clasped hands, reopening his eyes once he regained his composure.) (Then I guess that settles it. …They’re the ones the assassin is in league with.)
Rounin: Thank you all for coming to this summit. …Now then, Lord Hokage, please enlighten us on your reason for assembling us here today.
Konohamaru immediately stood up from his seat, maintaining as firm an expression as he could manage as he gazed around the table at each of his colleagues, taking in their individual auras a final time before opening his mouth to begin speaking.
The Kage Summit has begun!!!
The End
