Chakra Wizard
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Alright, the dawn of war is approaching! Let’s fill this chapter with a couple more surprising (and pleasing, I’m sure) developments before things really take off*_* lol This one turned out pretty big, but I got a pace I wanna keep and I’d like all these different perspectives in here for when future developments arise. Anyways, as always, enjoy
Here’s my previous chapters, for those who missed any:
Chapter 092: Severed Ties
Deep within the Village Hidden in the Clouds, in a small residence located near the base of one of its many mountains, a ripened Sakebi paced through his rather lavish home, decorated with an assortment of fancy and clearly foreign ornaments, made purchasable by his success as an unclean vocalist for his band. He reached out to touch everything that was within grasp, avoiding anything that was neither soft nor sturdy, intending to take in the rooms’ entire essence – as it would be the last time in some time, possibly ever, that he would be able to do so. When done, he returned to his bedroom and stopped in front of his dresser, leaning over it and staring dismally at his reflection in the large mirror. His blonde hair continued to grow out as he reached the end of his teenage years, his thin build having mostly been replaced by muscle, his only changes in attire being the gray hoodie tied around his waist, his new closed-toed shoes, and the abundance of jewelry on his fingers and around his neck, which he slowly began taking off piece by piece after some hesitation. It was a decision he’d thought about multiple times over the past few days, but with the start of the fighting just beyond the horizon, he knew he could no longer afford to be weighed down by such miniscule things. When nearly all of it was laid out across the dresser, he untied his hoodie and slipped it over his mesh armour, preparing himself both for the cold that awaited him in the Land of Iron and the possibility that wearing it improperly would prove a mistake in the future. He reached for a small hair band next, placing his hair in a ponytail before sliding his new forehead protector overtop of it, still white but now embedded with the symbol for “shinobi”, rather than his own village’s symbol. As he reached for his flak jacket, though, he suddenly noticed that he had forgotten to remove a ring from his right ring finger, prompting him to drop the jacket and take a moment to inspect it. It was larger than the others on the dresser, decorated with numerous small diamonds and emeralds aligned in a pattern that formed the letter “A”, and he continued to gaze down at it even after the sound of the front door opening and closing echoed from down the hall, Z appearing in his doorway moments later.
Z: ‘Ey, Sakebi, we’re clearin’ out. Get steppin’.
Like Sakebi, Z had also grown taller and more muscular in the past four years, his once chin-length hair reaching down to the center of his back, its scruffiness and puffiness giving it the look of a sideways storm cloud. He knocked against the wall twice to get his teammate’s attention when he didn’t look up, eventually stepping forward when he noticed what he was doing.
Z: You good, man?
Sakebi: (He turned around slightly startled, staring at Z briefly before turning back around.) …Yeah. Just sayin’ my goodbyes ‘n shit.
Z: (He walked up behind him and scanned the jewelry sitting on the dresser.) You can take that all with ya, y’know. You don’t gotta leave it here.
Sakebi: (He turned to him and shook his head.) It’s a war, Z. Battlefield’s no place to be showing off your jewels, ain’t it? …Naw, it’s better I leave it all right here on my dresser…so I can throw it all back on when I get back.
Z: (He watched attentively as he set the last ring down amongst the rest of his jewelry, noting his hesitation as he did so.) That one, too?
Sakebi: (He nodded after a moment.) …I can’t let anything hold me down.
He turned to leave in a hurry, evidently determined to leave the house before he began having second thoughts again. Z stayed behind, though, looking down at the ring and back at the now empty doorway multiple times before finally rolling his eyes in amusement, snatching off the dresser and taking off after him. Finding him already at the front door, he let out a loud whistle before chucking it to him as he turned around.
Sakebi: Z, I said-
Z: One lil’ ring ain’t gonna hold you down, fool. Now put it back on ‘fore I chuck it out the goddamn window.
Harsh as it sounded coming out, there was little to no aggression on Z’s face, only anticipation as he awaited Sakebi’s reply. Nearly a minute passed before he finally slipped it back on his finger, the corner of Z’s mouth eventually curling upwards as he watched him.
Sakebi: Thanks.
Z: (He replied with his trademark grin before grabbing his shoulder and hurrying him out the door.) Now let’s move. We gotta bounce.
Within the next hour, the two were joined by hundreds of their fellow Cloud ninja, all of them heading towards the border of the village with one goal in common – leaving to join the forces fighting to defend the Tailed Beasts. They stood near the head of the pack on either side of Tomoi, who now wore short hair and a sleeveless low-cut dress, black pants and a matching piece of cloth wrapped around her waist, above which sat her now considerable bust, which both Z and Sakebi couldn’t help but look down at in between exchanging conniving grins. In front of them stood B and C at the head of the pack, along with Tomoi’s grandfather Omoi, and Sakebi’s father Yurui, chewing his gum as he usually did. The border of the village was in sight – along with its official main gate – when they were forced to slow down, spotting what was undoubtedly a guard positioned there by the Raikage in preparation for their departure.
Yurui: Shit.
B: Just keep it cool. We’ll slip past this fool.
The “fool” in question was a very tall, muscular man, with thick and shaggy, light-gray hair which draped over his shoulders. His skin was incredibly dark, just a few tones lighter than the black form-fitting suit that covered every corner of his body, save for his hands and feet, the latter of which were instead contained within black closed-toed boots. He simply stood there with his arms, his eyes neither blinking nor moving until B was nearly in arm’s reach, at which point he looked down at him with a menacing gaze that practically dared him to go around him. Being the overall polite person he was, B waited a short while for him to move and let them by before becoming frustrated.
B: Hey, come on now, fool. We got some training to do outside the village, and we can’t do that with you blocking the way and all.
The man made no attempt to respond to the lie either through body language or words, the latter made impossible by his inability to speak – a fact made evident if one were to look closer and see the extremely faint scar around his neck. Regardless, it was clear that his stance wasn’t going to change and C, being less passive than his old friend, was quick to step forward and make his own stand.
C: Son, we’re leaving this village, whether you like it or not. You wanna try and stop us, that’s fine…but we’re not fighting for a cause that isn’t just.
Once again, his expression remained the same, but he clearly didn’t approve of C’s declaration – evidenced by his hand being wrapped around his neck in the second immediately after. When B attempted to intervene, he casually clutched his hand over his face and pushed him into the ground as the hundreds of shinobi behind him watched in horror, the only one brave enough to step forward and retaliate being held back by Sakebi. C could only claw helplessly at his assailant’s hand, his advanced age coupled with the man’s advanced strength leaving him with the sole option to wait and suffocate – at least until being interrupted by someone he would listen to.
???? That’s enough, Denkou.
Recognizing the voice, the man’s eyes widened in surprise and he immediately released C, causing him to plummet to the ground and clutch his throat as he gasped for breath, standing back up moments later with help from B and Omoi. The sea of shinobi parted as the imposer made his way to the front of the crowd, revealing himself to be none other than Masuku, Otori’s second subordinate at the summit alongside Dageki. As per usual, his attire of choice was completely black, from his closed-toed boots to his winter coat, the only sense of variation in color coming from his own white skin and scraggly gray highlights. Denkou, as he had called him, immediately stepped to the side and assumed far more subservient mannerisms than before, only hinting at the level of loyalty, fear, or admiration he had for the Raikage’s right-hand, who turned to address the crowd after moving past them all.
Masuku: The Raikage has granted them permission to leave. …Just watch to ensure they mark out their headbands as they pass through.
Members of the masses began whispering amongst themselves upon hearing this announcement, some even turning to leave, the prospect of never being allowed to return to the village proving too great a risk for them to take. Still firm in his commitment to the Shinobi Union, though, C pulled a kunai from his bag and dragged it across his headband without hesitation, an action all those who remained mimicked as they followed him past the village borders. Denkou and Masuku only watched silently as they did so, showing mild surprise that they were never once forced to stop someone who tried to pass through without following the demand. When they were finally gone, Masuku turned to appease Denkou’s curiosity, having noticed the faintest semblance of concern in his black eyes.
Masuku: Don’t worry yourself, Denkou. In the end, it won’t matter how many defectors we have. …Now come on. We have somewhere to be.
He started walking away in the next second without bothering to ensure he was following him, already knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that Denkou was right behind him.
To the far west, in the cone-shaped tower overlooking the rest of its stone-founded village, the Fifth Tsuchikage stood silent in his empty office, peering out the window towards the farthest edge of the village. He said no words and made no sound save for the occasional sigh, until finally, he was intruded upon by none other than the leader of the village council, who appeared exasperated.
Ittan: Tsuchikage…
Ryoku turned to face him, but the look on his face left Ittan with nothing to say – or rather, no need to say it.
Ittan: You already know.
Ryoku: (He sat back down behind his desk without any affirming gesture on his part.) I have sharp eyes, councilman, and I can see the village borders from here. …I saw Akatsuchi leading the pack.
Ittan: (The concern in his expression was quickly replaced by indifference.) …Naturally.
Ryoku: (He nodded and looked off to the side.) And who was with him? Kaji?
Ittan: Not that I know of, sir.
Ryoku: Rukara?
Ittan: No.
Ryoku: Fūkyu?
Ittan: No.
Ryoku: …Asuka?
Ittan: …No, sir.
Ryoku: (He leaned back in his chair and intersected his fingers.) Then we still have our strongest shinobi. This does nothing to our chances of victory.
Ittan nodded in mild agreement, but his wandering eyes made it evident that he had more to say about this predicament, something Ryoku was curious enough to hear out.
Ryoku: And you?
Ittan seemed hesitant to voice his stance, further hinting at what was most certainly an incriminating answer, one Ryoku was fully prepared for. He’d be thoroughly surprised, therefore, that his hesitation stemmed not from doubt, but an attempt to purge his mind of it.
Ittan: I put all my faith into the Union’s longevity…but my heart has always remained with my village first and foremost.
More than surprised by his resolve, Ryoku stared at him in silence for some time, believing for sure that he only stayed in the village because he now lacked the prowess to fight alongside the other defectors. His respect for the councilman quickly grew in light of it of this announcement as did his concern for the seasoned ninja when his face became wrought with regret – not for his choice, but the choices of those who didn’t share his resolve.
Ryoku: The war will end soon, Ittan. Those who survive the fighting will be welcomed back with open arms, I assure you. …Regardless of what you think of me, I would also prefer if this conflict never came to pass.
He stood back up at he spoke, turning to face the window as the latter statement left his lips. Ittan left immediately after with only a nod as a response, rendering his actions pointless, but he couldn’t bear for the older shinobi to see his face in that moment of weakness.
Now over five miles away from their home, Akatsuchi’s forces trekked tiredly across the rocky terrain after exhausting their initial burst of energy, one half as furious with their new Tsuchikage’s stance in the coming war as the other was torn about turning against him when it started. Their numbers were small and less than formidable, the majority of their comrades, as well as the strongest of them, having chosen to stand by Ryoku – testament, it seemed, to the stubbornness their village’s shinobi were known for. Alone noteworthy among them was their leader, even in spite of his age, and perhaps also Amiko and Takeshi, who might have been the most miserable of them all. The latter had lost much of the length in his dark-blue hair, though it retained its spiked appearance, and now wore only a long-sleeved gray shirt and brown pants that matched his flak jacket. There was clearly dejection in his expression, but the music blasting in the headphones tucked in his ears seemed to marginally drown this out. No such fortune came to Amiko, whose braided hair had grown longer in the years since the Chūnin Exams, her decorative beads having since been discarded. Her red shirt possessed long, loose sleeves, the color matching that of her pants and the forehead protector on her head, the look topped off by high-heeled sandals and fingerless black gloves. She clenched her fists as she walked on, occasionally looking back in despair at the rocky mountains now far off in the distance, her mind plagued with thoughts of the teammate who didn’t come along.
Amiko: This doesn’t feel right.
She waited a few seconds for some semblance of a response before looking up at Takeshi, growing frustrated when she saw how absorbed he was in his music.
Amiko: Takeshi!
Takeshi: (He jumped slightly and paused his cassette player before looking down at her, startled and red with embarrassment.) Uh, sorry! I didn’t hear you. (Shit! She just talked to me!)
Amiko: (She rolled her eyes in mild amusement before looking down at his cassette player, growing more curious by the second.) …What’re you listening to?
Takeshi: (He disconnected it from the strap around his waist and held it up, trying his best not to appear thrilled by her inquiry.) Oh, uh…just a band Sakebi recommended. They’re pretty good, actually.
Amiko: (Confusion washed over her face as she struggled to remember the name.) …Sakebi from the Cloud Village? You talk to him? Often?
Takeshi: (He smiled and looked up ahead as he replied.) Yeah, we exchanged numbers about a year back while we were on a mission together. He’s a pretty cool dude, actually. You never noticed this chain I bought off him?
He reached around his neck and revealed a small gold necklace pinched between his fingers – by no means as large or as flashy as those Sakebi frequently wore, but one he felt proud of nonetheless. By this point, though, he had lost Amiko’s attention, her gaze now directed forward once again, her thoughts being fairly easy for him to predict after some brief deliberation.
Takeshi: Is it Asuka?
Amiko: (She hesitantly nodded as her sadness became more noticeable.) I just don’t like it. I admire Akatsuchi and I think fighting to defend the Tailed Beasts like he said is the right thing to do, but…now I realize exactly who we’re fighting.
Takeshi stared ahead, as well, having given the notion some thought of his own since their departure. He was always afraid of Asuka, something that hadn’t changed in the entire time they were teammates, and he was a long ways off from describing him as a friend, let alone someone he actually knew well. He did know Amiko, though, enough to know that the worry in her eyes whenever he was around or his name was brought up stemmed not from fear, but genuine care. It took him some time to accept this, or even understand it for that matter, but his attempts to gain her notice were always doomed to fail, a realization that made it all the easier for him to smile as he managed a few comforting words.
Takeshi: He’s a strong guy, you know. …He’ll probably live through this and then…I dunno, I guess we’ll all go back to normal.
She looked up at him, finding his smile more comforting than even he’d intended for and, before long, she managed to return it without any lingering traces of sadness in her eyes.
Amiko: Yeah…I think so, too.
Deeming this a job well done on his part, Takeshi turned forward and went back to listening to his music, only getting the one headphone in before she interrupted him once again.
Amiko: So who is it you’re listening to?
Takeshi: (He stopped short of putting the other headphone in his ear and reached into his bag for one of the band’s cassette cases.) Oh yeah, so they’re this metal band with a bit of a hip-hop sound going for them. Not as heavy as some of the others Sakebi’s thrown my way, but I do really dig their sound and they’ve got some catchy songs. Here, check ‘em out.
He held out the other headphone as she continued to inspect the case, the invitation slightly startling her. After a moment of silent consideration, though, she smiled and took the headphone as he began playing the tape again, finding herself liking it more and more as they trekked along.
As night fell over the entire continent, the Land of Water was the last to receive it, and with it came the fruition of many plans laid out by inhabitants of its hidden village. As civilians laid down their heads to rest, numerous shinobi evacuated their homes one by one, each one heading for a large building located near the outskirts of the village. Inside awaited Mei Terumī and Misuno, along with many other prominent ninja who chose to side with them – and against Unagi. Their movements, though, however secretive, were casual in pace, hinting at ignorance on their part that they were being watched the entire time from a nearby rooftop. Unagi and Daragetsu patiently awaited word from Deba, the former’s suspicions having come forth at long last, and it wasn’t long before their red-clad ally approached them to confirm it.
Deba: Hehehehe, oh, they’re inside all right. Packed in there like sardines.
Daragetsu: Hnhnhn, and they thought we wouldn’t pick up on this beforehand.
This humor wasn’t seen in Unagi, but was replaced entirely by rage as he stood up and gazed down at the building housing every plausible defector he had, his subordinated watching him gleefully in anticipation.
Unagi: A Kage abandoning their village eight days before a war breaks out and expecting not to pay for it. …You’re more naïve than your years would have you think, Mei.
He clasped his hands together and Deba and Daragetsu’s eyes lit up, their sharp-toothed smiles growing as Unagi’s cheeks and stomach did the same. When they reached their peak, they deflated, sending with them a fountain of greenish-yellow fluid that erupted from his mouth. When it was completely exhausted, Unagi heaved a deep breath and watched as the enormous stream began its descent – directly over the building.
Unagi: Now smolder beneath the acid rain!!
The deadly toxins for which the Mizukage was most known fell on the roof in one giant torrent, melting through it almost instantaneously as the three onlooking shinobi grinned in menacing amusement. What didn’t soak into the floors below splashed against the walls and windows, dissolving both as if they were nothing, a sight which gave little hope to the hundreds of people crowded inside of it. To their surprise, though, no screams were heard coming within, and when the acid finally melted through the walls to reveal its interior, they understood why.
Unagi: What!?
While his subordinates stood by and waited for the acid to neutralize, Unagi wasted no time leaping down to the street below and charging into the ruined buildings, steam still emanating from its remains. By the time they came down to join him, he was already there waiting, infuriated by his inability to find a single trace of human remains.
Unagi: No bodies…Deba, why the hell are there NO BODIES!!?
Deba: (Knowledgeable of his notorious temper and clueless as to what happened, he struggled to find an answer viable enough for him to keep his head.) I-I don’t know! They were in here just a minute ago, I swear!! All of them, I saw it!!
Unagi remained silent for a moment, turning around and taking just a few steps before spinning around, his giant sword held out with a single hand, ready to slice through Deba’s neck.
Over three miles away from the Mist Village, the Fifth Mizukage trekked onward towards the nearest harbor, Deba still carrying out his surveillance mission from a safe distance. Mei made no attempt to indicate her knowledge of his presence, keeping up the façade that she was on her way to a very brief meeting with “an old friend”. Surely enough, there was a rather large yacht awaiting her at the first pier when she arrived, giving Deba the impression that her “friend” was quite well off. As per his leader’s instructions, though, he couldn’t ignore the possibility that it was merely a front to escape or pass along information, and proceeded in further. He followed her onto the boat and watched from above as she knocked on the door leading to the lower levels. After a few seconds of awaiting, a woman of similar age dressed in traditional attire emerged from below, though it quickly became obvious to anyone who recognized the voice that this was someone else entirely.
Hinata: Ahhh, Mei! So good to see you again!
Mei: And the same to you, old friend!
Embarrassed by the former’s inability to create a fake voice and the latter’s inability to think of a fake name, the two awkwardly made their way to the lower decks, where awaited Airon, ready to connect their thoughts.
Hinata: (Sorry, I’m not so good with voices.)
Airon: (He returned a smile of amusement and reassurance before turning to Mei with a more serious expression.) (Looks like you WERE followed.)
Mei: (So I noticed.)
Looking up at the doorway one last time, Airon held out his hands for the two women to take before reappearing in the middle of the Hokage’s office, finding Konohamaru, Naruto, Sasuke, and Suzaku there waiting for them.
Konohamaru: Nice to see you again, Mei.
Mei: (She returned his smile, though it quickly disappeared again.) Under these circumstances, I can’t really say the same.
Hinata: (She broke her brief embrace with Naruto to add to the exchange.) The Seventh Mizukage is smart. He had a very skilled stealth ninja trailing her to the harbor.
Konohamaru: Does he know she’s no longer on the boat?
Airon: (He shook his head.) Probably not. He followed her onto the boat, but there’s no way he’ll risk opening the door and blowing his cover.
Konohamaru: (He nodded and walked back behind his desk to sit down.) Good. It’s pretty clear that he’s already suspects you or someone else to plan a desertion…which I can’t thank you enough for.
Mei: (She stuck out her hand in reassurance.) If it means the Union has a chance to rebuild after this, I’ll proudly sever my ties to my village for its sake. …There are still some commitments I’m not too old to make.
Displaying his amusement at the latter remark, Konohamaru looked over at Airon, who proceeded to pull out a phone and place it in Mei’s open hand.
Airon: We’ll give you two more nights to gather as many shinobi that will join you as you can find. After that, you take this and dial the one number that’s on there. I’ll end the call right away and then…
He picked up the kunai he used to teleport into the room, holding it out for her to take as a conniving grin etched itself across his face.
Airon: …we start the evacuation.
In the dead of night, in front of the Leaf Village’s Academy building, crowds of shinobi wearing Mist Village headbands rapidly began appearing out of thin air, just moments prior to Unagi’s invasion of their meeting place. They were greeted by the former and incumbent Hokage, as well as Sasuke, Suzaku, and Manako, who proceeded to greet and express their gratitude to the refugees individually – except for Naruto, who decided the first one who required thanks was the young jōnin at the heart of the operation.
Naruto: Plan went flawlessly.
Airon: (He smiled and clutched his chest, exhausted from using the Flying Raijin in such rapid succession.) Huhhh…huhhh…well, what’d you expect? …Huhh, it was mine to begin with.
Naruto smiled and patted him on the back before being approached by a grateful Misuno, while Sasuke took the opportunity to greet an old comrade of his own.
Sasuke: You’ve brought so many with you.
Suigetsu: (He looked around casually.) Yeah, it’s a shame we couldn’t find more, though.
Sasuke: (He nodded in agreement as he inspected the crowd himself.) …We’ll need as much reinforcement as we can get.
Near the center of the masses, Konohamaru and Mei grouped to exchange news, both from one another’s villages and those abroad.
Konohamaru: I got word from Akatsuchi and B. They’ve left their villages and are heading for the Land of Iron in great numbers.
Mei: (She smiled enthusiastically.) Without much trouble, I hope.
Konohamaru: None from what I heard…but then again, their villages don’t have the same troubled history with missing-nin as yours.
As Mei expressed her morbid amusement at this truth, Konohamaru walked onto the steps of the Academy to address the crowd, Naruto joining him shortly.
Konohamaru: This is good! Not only for our forces, but for the entire Shinobi Union! With you and other refugees from the Cloud and Rock Villages fighting beside us, providing not only your courage and strength but your extensive knowledge of your homelands, this war might not just prove a decisive victory, but a swift one at that!
His words were met with thunderous cheers, the thought of a brief conflict warming the hearts and relieving the minds of everyone present, including his proud predecessor.
Naruto: The Academy has been completely cleared out and prepped for your stay here! Train and make yourselves comfortable here for the next five days! After that, we head to the Land of Iron to join the rest of our forces!
A round of applause later, the masses dispersed and made their way into the building, meanwhile Naruto and Sasuke took off through the streets towards the center of the village, much to the confusion of their grandsons.
Airon: And where are you going?
Naruto: (He turned around to answer, continuing to walk backwards.) We’ve got some of our own preparations to deal with.
Airon: (He contemplated this for a moment, growing irritated when another thought crossed his mind.) Preparations…wait, hold up! Didn’t you say we were gonna-
Naruto: We are! At the village gate tomorrow at midday! I promise!
Airon: Alright! You better not go back on your word!
Naruto: I try to make a habit not to, don’t I!?
Leaving Airon to sulk in his own frustration, Naruto and Sasuke leapt to the nearest rooftop on their way through the streets, preferring a shortcut to a long walk. It was nearly midnight, but out of generosity to the group of shinobi requesting it, one restaurant owner kept his doors open well into the night, something the two thanked him for as they walked in. They were led to a large table in the very back, around which sat all their peers, some more irritated by their tardiness than others.
Shikamaru: Well, I guess we already expected one of you to be late.
Naruto: You hear that, Sasuke? He said he figured you’d be late.
Sasuke: (He scoffed in his direction before sitting down beside Sakura.) Yeah, sure he did. …Sorry about that.
Shikamaru: (He shrugged his shoulders.) No worries. We knew what you were up to, anyways.
Sakura: Did it work?
Naruto: (He grinned and held up his thumb.) Like a charm.
Hinata: (She smiled in relief, blushing as he wrapped his arm around her.) That’s good.
Ino: No kidding. Who knows what might’ve happened to those guys if you hadn’t gotten them out.
Naruto: Heh, wasn’t us. Airon gets all the credit there. His plan and everything.
Sai: He is a truly exceptional ninja, Naruto.
Naruto: (He smirked in his direction.) Hmhm, you surprised? It’s his heritage, after all.
A moment of silent contemplation followed this remark, succeeded soon after by a complete shift in tone.
Sasuke: We don’t have much longer. …Five more days and then there’s no more turning back.
Naruto: (He nodded before looking around the table.) …Does anyone here plan to stay behind?
Silence pursued. All fourteen of them had clearly given the notion some thought since the declaration of war was announced, none appearing enthusiastic about returning to the battlefield at their respective ages, though some seemed more at ease with doing so than others.
Shikamaru: I couldn’t possibly. It’s a drag, but I still need to look out for you whenever you’re in deep shit.
Ino: (She smiled and nodded in agreement.) Same here.
Sai: I think the Union forces could still use my talents.
Chōji: (He smiled as he threw yet another potato chip into his open mouth.) They sure could. Us old timers can’t just sit back and let these youngsters fight all the big fights.
Karui: (She heaved a sigh, part annoyed by her husband’s eating habits and part disappointed by the end to the peace times.) Yeah. I guess that’s true.
Shino: (He nodded from the corner of the table.) That’s right. We cannot neglect our duties simply because of old age, because it is just as much our job to keep the peace as it is the new generations.
Sitting right next to him, Kiba and Chōji leaned in the opposite direction, questioning his wordiness as nearly everyone else at the table gave similar answers, a sight which pleased Naruto and his teammates greatly.
Naruto: So…just about everyone here plans to rush back into the fighting.
Neji: (He formed a small smile, knowing instinctively that every pair of eyes was now on him.) …I’ve already given my life for this village once, and I would gladly do it again…if only I still had my eyes or even my youth.
Lee: Ha ha! But you do still have one of those things, Neji! Embrace the-
Tenten: Lee, don’t! Please, just…don’t.
Hinata: (Looking briefly over at Lee in amusement, she rested her hand atop her cousin’s in reassurance.) I think once is more than enough, Brother. …You’ve given more than your fair share.
Kiba: I’ll second that.
Naruto: (He chuckled and nodded in joint agreement.) Hehe, I guess we all do. You just leave the fighting to us, Neji.
Kiba: (His smile vanished as he looked towards Naruto.) …I meant not joining the war.
Every pair of eyes instantly made him the object of their attention, some of the people sitting around the table clearly more shocked by this news than others. Others like Hinata, though, completely understood, as she stared down her old teammates with sadness in her eyes.
Hinata: Kiba…
Kiba: (He gazed down at the table in remorse, tapping it softly with his fingers as he shook his head.) …It just ain’t in me anymore, Hinata. I’m too out of it, I’m not as strong or as young as I used to be and…I’ve never completed a mission without my partner.
It had been over forty years since the Fourth Shinobi World War, and roughly twenty since his ninken Akamaru finally passed on. Kiba did his best to fight through the grief and continue with his duties, but he could never make do with another partner – even one of Akamaru’s own pups – and by the time a full year had passed, he had all but retired from being a shinobi. Some assumed it was a lack of necessity for his skills during such peaceful years, but his announcement now made it clear that he never had any intention of ever donning another flak jacket. This disappointed many sitting around table, but there were others who showed no issue with his decision, chief among them his old rival.
Naruto: You don’t need any excuses with us, Kiba. …You just enjoy your retirement.
Kiba: (A bit surprised by the gesture, he looked around at the smiling faces of his other peers before finally forming his own.) …Yeah. I’ll do that.
Naruto: (He shot him a grin before leaning into Sasuke’s ear.) Heh, all this talk about being Hokage and he’s the first one to leave the job.
Kiba: Excuse me!?
Laughter ensued around the table, Kiba eventually joining in spite of himself. Not surprisingly, Sasuke was the first to stop, but as equally surprising was Naruto being a close second, both of them having just gotten the ominous feeling as they looked around the table, assessing who and who wouldn’t be joining them the next time they gathered in this way.
With these recent successes prior to the beginning of the war, the village slept more soundly than they had in recent memory, as did Airon – having been directly responsible for one of them. Of course, that meant very little in his case, having once again been plagued by dreams of the mysterious dark-haired woman that kept him up most of the night, bringing him immense relief when the sun finally crept over the distant mountaintops. He returned home before his parents could wake to get ready for breakfast, but was quickly out and about once again, eagerly anticipating what awaited him at midday. Shortly before that time came, though, he found himself inside Tenten’s pawnshop, sneaking up behind the unnoticing kunoichi gazing over the counter.
Airon: What’re you doing?
He put his mouth right beside her ear as he said it, the added shock from his close proximity sending Nakama roughly two feet into the air. She immediately spun around to hit him, but he had already fallen to the ground laughing by that point, so she resorted to kicking him in the leg.
Nakama: Ass!! Don’t do that!!
Airon: (He pointed accusingly at her as he struggled to regain his composure.) Hey hey hey, language, little missy!
Nakama: (Her anger having passed, she quickly noticed how red she was and turned away in embarrassment.) …Like you can talk.
Airon: Hehehe, yeah, I know. Sorry.
He returned to his feet with a quick upsweep of his legs, around that time noticing that her hair was no longer dragging across the floor, nor was she carrying it in her arms.
Airon: You finally cut your hair.
Nakama: (She feigned sadness at the change, though it wasn’t entirely an act.) Just to the ankles. I can’t have it dragging across the ground, God forbid the battlefield.
Airon: (He smiled briefly in amusement before directing his attention to the latter remark.) Hmhm, it’ll grow back. …So you’re actually gonna fight?
Nakama: Well yeah…aren’t you?
He tilted his head to the side in subtle affirmation, but said nothing more. He’d fought hard and argued harder over the past couple days to gain permission to join the war party, and though he knew their fellow involvement was inevitable, he was still torn about seeing his peers and, more importantly, his friends doing the same – particular his siblings, Manako, and Nakama. To avoid possible teasing by revealing this, though, he cast the thought aside and stepped forward to eye the numerous weapons and accessories displayed both inside and behind glass countertop.
Airon: So what’re you lookin’ for?
Nakama: (She stood beside him and continued looking around herself.) Ummm…not sure yet.
Airon: (He smirked and cocked an eyebrow as he turned to face her.) WHO are you looking for?
Nakama: Me! I just finished a tough mission, so I thought I’d treat myself! Why do you have to make it all about you!?
Airon: …I never said I thought you were finding something for me.
Nakama’s mouth remained momentarily open as her face turned red once again, forcing her to turn away in embarrassment when Airon refused to stop grinning. He eventually stopped when her discomfort grew too affecting to watch, prompting to look back up at him, as well.
Nakama: So why are you here?
Almost in unison with this inquiry, the shopkeeper taking over for Tenten walked out from the back room, carrying with him a sword tucked in its sheath which he proceeded to throw to Airon, who caught it midair before tying it back around his waist.
Airon: Just the usual. I’m gonna be gone for the next four days, so I figured I’d get it sharpened while I was still here.
Nakama: (Her eyes narrowed, having just heard this news for the first time.) …You’re leaving? Where to?
Airon: (He grinned in amusement, deciding to be secretive with his answer.) Ehhh, someplace quiet. Somewhere the sibs and I can get a lot of heavy training in before the day we take off.
Nakama nodded in understanding, but the look in her eyes made it clear that something about this news disappointed her. On some deep level, though, even without reading her mind, he knew what it was that troubled her. His face grew red just thinking about it.
Airon: If you want, we can try and get something done on the last day.
Nakama: (Her eyes lit up briefly, but she quickly grew flustered and shook her head.) Oh no, that’s…that’s alright. Was just curious.
Airon: No no, I’m serious. Us, Kei, Inase, Manako, Minto, we should all do something one last time before we head out.
Nakama: (Expecting a different answer, she hung her head in mild disappointment while managing a small smile.) Oh…okay. Yeah, that sounds good.
The silence and awkwardness were allowed to build for another ten seconds before Airon suddenly began to feel ill and started walking backwards out of the shop.
Airon: Alright. I’ll see you when I get back.
He turned around and took off in the next second, leaving Nakama standing there waving in front of the counter. When he was gone, she turned back around to look at what was in stock one more time, briefly clutching at her neckline and walking out when she found nothing she deemed to her liking.
With the sun now at its highest point in the sky, it was time for Naruto to fulfill his prior agreement, and at this point was standing in front of the village gate ready to do just that. With him was his younger two grandchildren and their father, all of them waiting with varying levels of patience for the arrival of their final travelling companion. Nearly on the verge of screaming out for him to quicken his pace, it was ultimately Kei who heaved the sigh of relief when Airon finally appeared before him, bag in hand, their sister gazing at him in playful annoyance.
Inase: It took you long enough.
Airon: (He rolled his eyes and feigned an impertinent tone.) Well, excuuuuse me. Just be grateful it was me keeping you waiting this time.
Kei: And what the hell’s THAT supposed to mean!?
Inase: He means we’d still be waiting right now if it was y-
Kei: Sarcasm, sis!!
In spite of himself, Kei quickly joined in the ensuing laughter as their father and grandfather looked on in amusement. When their composures were all eventually regained, Airon looked off to the side to find yet another member of their party standing there, having evidently been waiting for his cousin to take notice.
Airon: And what’s this one doing here?
Manako: (He sarcastically held out his arms in a questioning manner.) What? Am I not part of this bloodline, too?
Airon: No. Now beat it. Namikaze clan members only.
Boruto: (He smiled in amusement as he walked over and placed his hand on his son’s shoulder.) Airon, relax. Like you really don’t want Manako tagging along.
Airon acknowledged the truth in his words with a mere shrug and a smirk as Naruto stepped before them, prompting all five of them to line up as directly beside him, a small anthropomorphic toad with a familiar brown robe emerged from a cloud of smoke.
Naruto: You guys ready?
Boruto: (He waited to see nods from his children and nephew before nodding himself.) Let’s do this.
Naruto: (He smiled and turned to look at the toad.) …You take good care of ‘em, Fukasaku.
Fukasaku: (He nodded in reassurance.) I will, Naruto-boy. You can be sure of that.
Naruto: (He returned the gesture before turning to his descendants, holding back laughter as he offered one last piece of advice.) And the rest of you be sure to gorge on Ma’s food while you’re there. You won’t forget it.
Each of them responded with a nod, though something in Airon’s expression made it obvious he had read his grandfather’s mind prior to disappearing with Fukasaku, hinting at least one person would not dare heed his words. His amused reaction to this ended soon after, though, as his own travelling companion arrived at the gate, casually testing the reflexes of his newly formed left arm.
Naruto: How’s it doing?
Sasuke: (He looked down at the bandaged limb as he flexed his fingers.) It’s adjusted pretty well. It’s been a long time since I’ve had two hands to work with, though.
Naruto: Yeah, no kidding. …What’s the word?
Sasuke: According to our reports, they were spotted just outside the border of the Land of Earth.
Naruto: (He stared off towards the horizon, wondering quietly to himself how the other Tailed Beasts would take the news.) …Then we can’t waste any time. Let’s go.
Sasuke: Right.
With that, both shinobi embarked from the village at their respective top speeds, determined to return and complete preparations as soon as possible.
As an orange hue spread out across the late afternoon sky, any shinobi that weren’t gathering necessities for their time away from the village were training in one of the many designated training grounds scattered throughout it. The only exceptions to this were the small group of elites standing in Konohamaru’s office, among whom were the Hokage himself, his son, the Jōnin Commander, his own wife and son, Mei, and Sarada. Also positioned in the center of the room was two small television sets, one displaying the Kazekage’s office while the other displayed an otherwise empty room inside the samurai stronghold where B and Akatsuchi sat together in front of a large table. They had been sharing their schedules over the next five days for almost a full hour, the status of their respective regiments being the current point of discussion.
Konohamaru: Our forces are in heavy training as we speak. At the rate they’re improving, I have little doubt this war will pass by quickly.
Gaara: We can only hope. …What’s the status of the fortress?
Konohamaru: Already completed. I’ve already deployed my own share of handpicked shinobi to fortify it. Now we need only Naruto and Sasuke to make contact with the Tailed Beasts and convince them to go into hiding.
Mei: With Naruto there, I doubt they’ll refuse.
B: Same opinion there. Can’t nobody say no to that old fool.
Konohamaru: (He nodded in agreement, clenching his fist as he turned to Shikamaru.) …Our army is ready.
Shikamaru: (There was miniscule doubt in his face, as well as concern for a more pressing issue at hand.) They probably are. We still need to choose our leaders, though, Lord Hokage. Not to mention who will lead the entire Union forces.
Konohamaru: (He looked around the room, exchanging smirks with Gaara, Mei, B, and Akatsuchi before looking back over at Shikamaru.) We’ve had that discussion already, Shikamaru.
Gaara: There are four main divisions in total, each one focused on a separate area of the enemy’s forces. We also have our Surprise Attack Teams, Logistical Support and Medical Units, and the Intelligence and Sensor Divisions, as well as the forces in charge of containing the Tailed Beasts.
Mei: Naturally, we’ve chosen Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka to head the Medical and Intelligence Divisions.
Akatsuchi: Then we’ve got Hanabi Hyūga in charge of the sensors and Sai in charge of the Surprise Attack Division.
B: And the Hokage hooked us up with a dude named Gosai to hold down the fort with the Tailed Beasts, since I’m way too old for that shit.
Shikamaru: (He listened attentively as these names hit his ears, showing some concern when a particular pattern started to emerge.) …All I hear are a bunch of names from the Leaf Village.
Mei: (She exchanged serious expressions with Konohamaru and the three being displayed on the monitors.) …This isn’t the old days anymore. It’s not about securing power for each village so much as it is picking the right person for each job.
Shikamaru: (He couldn’t help smiling in response to this answer.) I do like the sound of that. …Who will command each main division?
Gaara: The first division will be focused primarily on the Rock forces so, as their closest neighbor, I’ll take command of that side of the fighting.
Konohamaru: For that same reason, I’ve taken it upon myself to lead the second division, which will provide support for the first while also fending off the Cloud Village’s army.
Mei: The fourth division has the heaviest concentration of Mist shinobi so, naturally, their focus will be reclaiming our village. I’m far too old to lead an entire regiment, though, so General Rounin will act in my stead there.
Sarada: (Chill ran down her spine as she made her own declaration, having never been given such a huge responsibility before in her career.) …And I’ll be leading the third division, which will provide support for both the fourth and the second as requested.
Shikamaru: (Confusion washed over his face as he realized one vital position was still vacant.) I agree with each of these choices, but…who will be our Supreme Commander if the Hokage, Kazekage, and samurai general all intend to join the fighting?
Those around the room who knew took the opportunity to exchange looks of amusement and anticipation with one another, some of them too eager to share to contain their excitement.
B: Well, Naruto and Sasuke said they plan on fightin’, too.
Akatsuchi: As the joint commanders of the entire army.
Mei: And since we have no other shinobi of status to take the position…
Konohamaru: (He leaned back in his chair as he spoke, smiling away at the answer to the lingering question.) …I nominated you, Shikamaru.
Their obvious secrecy tipped him off moments in advance, but that did little to decrease how time it took for Shikamaru to find a response.
Shikamaru: Me…our entire forces…but I can’t, I mean…I’m not a leader. They need me as the chief strategist.
Temari: (She smirked and clenched his hand to get his attention.) And who said you can’t lead and strategize at the same time?
Suzaku: It’s not as if they both don’t reside inside our main headquarters, anyways.
Shikamaru: (He looked at both of them for a moment before shaking his head and turning away.) But, that’s not…there’s a difference. The strategist and commander are different positions for a reason.
Shikadai: Then let me take the first one off your hands.
For the entire hour this group of shinobi had been bunched up inside the Hokage’s office, it was Shikadai who said the fewest words, if any at all. He was the only one who appeared annoyed to be there and those who knew him would certainly vouch for this being the truth. So to hear him speak up now, in a way that not only didn’t evoke laziness, but expressed a desire for the opposite, was a surprise in it of itself, especially to his father.
Shikamaru: Shikadai…
Shikadai: (He shrugged his shoulders and rubbed the back of his head.) It’s a pain in the ass, I know. You don’t have to tell me that, but…I’ll take it on if that means we get the right man to fill the big chair. …That’s what you’ve been doing for forty years, isn’t it?
He smiled as he said this, prompting his father to look around, finding similar expressions on every other face in the room. Naruto was several miles from the village by this point, possibly even outside of the Land of Fire, but as one of the people who knew him best, Konohamaru took it upon himself to nod in agreement in his stead, knowing full well that he would’ve done the same.
Konohamaru: All of us came to this decision together, Shikamaru.
B: Damn right.
Gaara: …Now you just have to accept it…Brother.
Still at a loss for words, Shikamaru continued gazing over their smiling faces in hopes of finding the right ones to express his feelings on the matter. It wasn’t until he turned to his wife once again, finding the faintest bit of annoyance in her expression, that he finally rubbed his eyes in irritation.
Shikamaru: Huhhh, what a drag. …No matter how much I try to stay in one place, these titles just keep getting longer for me.
Temari: (Her smile grew before turning to Konohamaru.) That’s his way of saying yes.
Shikamaru confirmed with a smile, a gesture those around the room returned with a sense of relief. Just moments later, thought, a loud buzzing noise filled the room for several seconds until Sarada recognized it as her phone, prompting her to take it out and motion over to Konohamaru when she noticed the number.
Sarada: Hey, Karin. Perfect timing. Have you reached the hideout yet?
Karin: …Yeah. Just a moment ago.
Sarada: (Her face quickly became filled with concern upon noticing her despondent tone.) …And?
Sarada set the phone on speaker and held it out in front of her to allow everyone present to hear. All of them immediately moved in closer to ensure they heard everything, a motion mimicked even by those watching on the monitors, worry quickly filling the room when no answer was given.
Konohamaru: Karin?
Karin: …The hideout is in ruins. Jūgo and the others are dead and…Orochimaru’s nowhere to be found.
As the village forces prepare for war, their leaders receive shocking news regarding an old foe!!!
The End
Here’s my previous chapters, for those who missed any:
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Chapter 092: Severed Ties
Deep within the Village Hidden in the Clouds, in a small residence located near the base of one of its many mountains, a ripened Sakebi paced through his rather lavish home, decorated with an assortment of fancy and clearly foreign ornaments, made purchasable by his success as an unclean vocalist for his band. He reached out to touch everything that was within grasp, avoiding anything that was neither soft nor sturdy, intending to take in the rooms’ entire essence – as it would be the last time in some time, possibly ever, that he would be able to do so. When done, he returned to his bedroom and stopped in front of his dresser, leaning over it and staring dismally at his reflection in the large mirror. His blonde hair continued to grow out as he reached the end of his teenage years, his thin build having mostly been replaced by muscle, his only changes in attire being the gray hoodie tied around his waist, his new closed-toed shoes, and the abundance of jewelry on his fingers and around his neck, which he slowly began taking off piece by piece after some hesitation. It was a decision he’d thought about multiple times over the past few days, but with the start of the fighting just beyond the horizon, he knew he could no longer afford to be weighed down by such miniscule things. When nearly all of it was laid out across the dresser, he untied his hoodie and slipped it over his mesh armour, preparing himself both for the cold that awaited him in the Land of Iron and the possibility that wearing it improperly would prove a mistake in the future. He reached for a small hair band next, placing his hair in a ponytail before sliding his new forehead protector overtop of it, still white but now embedded with the symbol for “shinobi”, rather than his own village’s symbol. As he reached for his flak jacket, though, he suddenly noticed that he had forgotten to remove a ring from his right ring finger, prompting him to drop the jacket and take a moment to inspect it. It was larger than the others on the dresser, decorated with numerous small diamonds and emeralds aligned in a pattern that formed the letter “A”, and he continued to gaze down at it even after the sound of the front door opening and closing echoed from down the hall, Z appearing in his doorway moments later.
Z: ‘Ey, Sakebi, we’re clearin’ out. Get steppin’.
Like Sakebi, Z had also grown taller and more muscular in the past four years, his once chin-length hair reaching down to the center of his back, its scruffiness and puffiness giving it the look of a sideways storm cloud. He knocked against the wall twice to get his teammate’s attention when he didn’t look up, eventually stepping forward when he noticed what he was doing.
Z: You good, man?
Sakebi: (He turned around slightly startled, staring at Z briefly before turning back around.) …Yeah. Just sayin’ my goodbyes ‘n shit.
Z: (He walked up behind him and scanned the jewelry sitting on the dresser.) You can take that all with ya, y’know. You don’t gotta leave it here.
Sakebi: (He turned to him and shook his head.) It’s a war, Z. Battlefield’s no place to be showing off your jewels, ain’t it? …Naw, it’s better I leave it all right here on my dresser…so I can throw it all back on when I get back.
Z: (He watched attentively as he set the last ring down amongst the rest of his jewelry, noting his hesitation as he did so.) That one, too?
Sakebi: (He nodded after a moment.) …I can’t let anything hold me down.
He turned to leave in a hurry, evidently determined to leave the house before he began having second thoughts again. Z stayed behind, though, looking down at the ring and back at the now empty doorway multiple times before finally rolling his eyes in amusement, snatching off the dresser and taking off after him. Finding him already at the front door, he let out a loud whistle before chucking it to him as he turned around.
Sakebi: Z, I said-
Z: One lil’ ring ain’t gonna hold you down, fool. Now put it back on ‘fore I chuck it out the goddamn window.
Harsh as it sounded coming out, there was little to no aggression on Z’s face, only anticipation as he awaited Sakebi’s reply. Nearly a minute passed before he finally slipped it back on his finger, the corner of Z’s mouth eventually curling upwards as he watched him.
Sakebi: Thanks.
Z: (He replied with his trademark grin before grabbing his shoulder and hurrying him out the door.) Now let’s move. We gotta bounce.
Within the next hour, the two were joined by hundreds of their fellow Cloud ninja, all of them heading towards the border of the village with one goal in common – leaving to join the forces fighting to defend the Tailed Beasts. They stood near the head of the pack on either side of Tomoi, who now wore short hair and a sleeveless low-cut dress, black pants and a matching piece of cloth wrapped around her waist, above which sat her now considerable bust, which both Z and Sakebi couldn’t help but look down at in between exchanging conniving grins. In front of them stood B and C at the head of the pack, along with Tomoi’s grandfather Omoi, and Sakebi’s father Yurui, chewing his gum as he usually did. The border of the village was in sight – along with its official main gate – when they were forced to slow down, spotting what was undoubtedly a guard positioned there by the Raikage in preparation for their departure.
Yurui: Shit.
B: Just keep it cool. We’ll slip past this fool.
The “fool” in question was a very tall, muscular man, with thick and shaggy, light-gray hair which draped over his shoulders. His skin was incredibly dark, just a few tones lighter than the black form-fitting suit that covered every corner of his body, save for his hands and feet, the latter of which were instead contained within black closed-toed boots. He simply stood there with his arms, his eyes neither blinking nor moving until B was nearly in arm’s reach, at which point he looked down at him with a menacing gaze that practically dared him to go around him. Being the overall polite person he was, B waited a short while for him to move and let them by before becoming frustrated.
B: Hey, come on now, fool. We got some training to do outside the village, and we can’t do that with you blocking the way and all.
The man made no attempt to respond to the lie either through body language or words, the latter made impossible by his inability to speak – a fact made evident if one were to look closer and see the extremely faint scar around his neck. Regardless, it was clear that his stance wasn’t going to change and C, being less passive than his old friend, was quick to step forward and make his own stand.
C: Son, we’re leaving this village, whether you like it or not. You wanna try and stop us, that’s fine…but we’re not fighting for a cause that isn’t just.
Once again, his expression remained the same, but he clearly didn’t approve of C’s declaration – evidenced by his hand being wrapped around his neck in the second immediately after. When B attempted to intervene, he casually clutched his hand over his face and pushed him into the ground as the hundreds of shinobi behind him watched in horror, the only one brave enough to step forward and retaliate being held back by Sakebi. C could only claw helplessly at his assailant’s hand, his advanced age coupled with the man’s advanced strength leaving him with the sole option to wait and suffocate – at least until being interrupted by someone he would listen to.
???? That’s enough, Denkou.
Recognizing the voice, the man’s eyes widened in surprise and he immediately released C, causing him to plummet to the ground and clutch his throat as he gasped for breath, standing back up moments later with help from B and Omoi. The sea of shinobi parted as the imposer made his way to the front of the crowd, revealing himself to be none other than Masuku, Otori’s second subordinate at the summit alongside Dageki. As per usual, his attire of choice was completely black, from his closed-toed boots to his winter coat, the only sense of variation in color coming from his own white skin and scraggly gray highlights. Denkou, as he had called him, immediately stepped to the side and assumed far more subservient mannerisms than before, only hinting at the level of loyalty, fear, or admiration he had for the Raikage’s right-hand, who turned to address the crowd after moving past them all.
Masuku: The Raikage has granted them permission to leave. …Just watch to ensure they mark out their headbands as they pass through.
Members of the masses began whispering amongst themselves upon hearing this announcement, some even turning to leave, the prospect of never being allowed to return to the village proving too great a risk for them to take. Still firm in his commitment to the Shinobi Union, though, C pulled a kunai from his bag and dragged it across his headband without hesitation, an action all those who remained mimicked as they followed him past the village borders. Denkou and Masuku only watched silently as they did so, showing mild surprise that they were never once forced to stop someone who tried to pass through without following the demand. When they were finally gone, Masuku turned to appease Denkou’s curiosity, having noticed the faintest semblance of concern in his black eyes.
Masuku: Don’t worry yourself, Denkou. In the end, it won’t matter how many defectors we have. …Now come on. We have somewhere to be.
He started walking away in the next second without bothering to ensure he was following him, already knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that Denkou was right behind him.
To the far west, in the cone-shaped tower overlooking the rest of its stone-founded village, the Fifth Tsuchikage stood silent in his empty office, peering out the window towards the farthest edge of the village. He said no words and made no sound save for the occasional sigh, until finally, he was intruded upon by none other than the leader of the village council, who appeared exasperated.
Ittan: Tsuchikage…
Ryoku turned to face him, but the look on his face left Ittan with nothing to say – or rather, no need to say it.
Ittan: You already know.
Ryoku: (He sat back down behind his desk without any affirming gesture on his part.) I have sharp eyes, councilman, and I can see the village borders from here. …I saw Akatsuchi leading the pack.
Ittan: (The concern in his expression was quickly replaced by indifference.) …Naturally.
Ryoku: (He nodded and looked off to the side.) And who was with him? Kaji?
Ittan: Not that I know of, sir.
Ryoku: Rukara?
Ittan: No.
Ryoku: Fūkyu?
Ittan: No.
Ryoku: …Asuka?
Ittan: …No, sir.
Ryoku: (He leaned back in his chair and intersected his fingers.) Then we still have our strongest shinobi. This does nothing to our chances of victory.
Ittan nodded in mild agreement, but his wandering eyes made it evident that he had more to say about this predicament, something Ryoku was curious enough to hear out.
Ryoku: And you?
Ittan seemed hesitant to voice his stance, further hinting at what was most certainly an incriminating answer, one Ryoku was fully prepared for. He’d be thoroughly surprised, therefore, that his hesitation stemmed not from doubt, but an attempt to purge his mind of it.
Ittan: I put all my faith into the Union’s longevity…but my heart has always remained with my village first and foremost.
More than surprised by his resolve, Ryoku stared at him in silence for some time, believing for sure that he only stayed in the village because he now lacked the prowess to fight alongside the other defectors. His respect for the councilman quickly grew in light of it of this announcement as did his concern for the seasoned ninja when his face became wrought with regret – not for his choice, but the choices of those who didn’t share his resolve.
Ryoku: The war will end soon, Ittan. Those who survive the fighting will be welcomed back with open arms, I assure you. …Regardless of what you think of me, I would also prefer if this conflict never came to pass.
He stood back up at he spoke, turning to face the window as the latter statement left his lips. Ittan left immediately after with only a nod as a response, rendering his actions pointless, but he couldn’t bear for the older shinobi to see his face in that moment of weakness.
Now over five miles away from their home, Akatsuchi’s forces trekked tiredly across the rocky terrain after exhausting their initial burst of energy, one half as furious with their new Tsuchikage’s stance in the coming war as the other was torn about turning against him when it started. Their numbers were small and less than formidable, the majority of their comrades, as well as the strongest of them, having chosen to stand by Ryoku – testament, it seemed, to the stubbornness their village’s shinobi were known for. Alone noteworthy among them was their leader, even in spite of his age, and perhaps also Amiko and Takeshi, who might have been the most miserable of them all. The latter had lost much of the length in his dark-blue hair, though it retained its spiked appearance, and now wore only a long-sleeved gray shirt and brown pants that matched his flak jacket. There was clearly dejection in his expression, but the music blasting in the headphones tucked in his ears seemed to marginally drown this out. No such fortune came to Amiko, whose braided hair had grown longer in the years since the Chūnin Exams, her decorative beads having since been discarded. Her red shirt possessed long, loose sleeves, the color matching that of her pants and the forehead protector on her head, the look topped off by high-heeled sandals and fingerless black gloves. She clenched her fists as she walked on, occasionally looking back in despair at the rocky mountains now far off in the distance, her mind plagued with thoughts of the teammate who didn’t come along.
Amiko: This doesn’t feel right.
She waited a few seconds for some semblance of a response before looking up at Takeshi, growing frustrated when she saw how absorbed he was in his music.
Amiko: Takeshi!
Takeshi: (He jumped slightly and paused his cassette player before looking down at her, startled and red with embarrassment.) Uh, sorry! I didn’t hear you. (Shit! She just talked to me!)
Amiko: (She rolled her eyes in mild amusement before looking down at his cassette player, growing more curious by the second.) …What’re you listening to?
Takeshi: (He disconnected it from the strap around his waist and held it up, trying his best not to appear thrilled by her inquiry.) Oh, uh…just a band Sakebi recommended. They’re pretty good, actually.
Amiko: (Confusion washed over her face as she struggled to remember the name.) …Sakebi from the Cloud Village? You talk to him? Often?
Takeshi: (He smiled and looked up ahead as he replied.) Yeah, we exchanged numbers about a year back while we were on a mission together. He’s a pretty cool dude, actually. You never noticed this chain I bought off him?
He reached around his neck and revealed a small gold necklace pinched between his fingers – by no means as large or as flashy as those Sakebi frequently wore, but one he felt proud of nonetheless. By this point, though, he had lost Amiko’s attention, her gaze now directed forward once again, her thoughts being fairly easy for him to predict after some brief deliberation.
Takeshi: Is it Asuka?
Amiko: (She hesitantly nodded as her sadness became more noticeable.) I just don’t like it. I admire Akatsuchi and I think fighting to defend the Tailed Beasts like he said is the right thing to do, but…now I realize exactly who we’re fighting.
Takeshi stared ahead, as well, having given the notion some thought of his own since their departure. He was always afraid of Asuka, something that hadn’t changed in the entire time they were teammates, and he was a long ways off from describing him as a friend, let alone someone he actually knew well. He did know Amiko, though, enough to know that the worry in her eyes whenever he was around or his name was brought up stemmed not from fear, but genuine care. It took him some time to accept this, or even understand it for that matter, but his attempts to gain her notice were always doomed to fail, a realization that made it all the easier for him to smile as he managed a few comforting words.
Takeshi: He’s a strong guy, you know. …He’ll probably live through this and then…I dunno, I guess we’ll all go back to normal.
She looked up at him, finding his smile more comforting than even he’d intended for and, before long, she managed to return it without any lingering traces of sadness in her eyes.
Amiko: Yeah…I think so, too.
Deeming this a job well done on his part, Takeshi turned forward and went back to listening to his music, only getting the one headphone in before she interrupted him once again.
Amiko: So who is it you’re listening to?
Takeshi: (He stopped short of putting the other headphone in his ear and reached into his bag for one of the band’s cassette cases.) Oh yeah, so they’re this metal band with a bit of a hip-hop sound going for them. Not as heavy as some of the others Sakebi’s thrown my way, but I do really dig their sound and they’ve got some catchy songs. Here, check ‘em out.
He held out the other headphone as she continued to inspect the case, the invitation slightly startling her. After a moment of silent consideration, though, she smiled and took the headphone as he began playing the tape again, finding herself liking it more and more as they trekked along.
As night fell over the entire continent, the Land of Water was the last to receive it, and with it came the fruition of many plans laid out by inhabitants of its hidden village. As civilians laid down their heads to rest, numerous shinobi evacuated their homes one by one, each one heading for a large building located near the outskirts of the village. Inside awaited Mei Terumī and Misuno, along with many other prominent ninja who chose to side with them – and against Unagi. Their movements, though, however secretive, were casual in pace, hinting at ignorance on their part that they were being watched the entire time from a nearby rooftop. Unagi and Daragetsu patiently awaited word from Deba, the former’s suspicions having come forth at long last, and it wasn’t long before their red-clad ally approached them to confirm it.
Deba: Hehehehe, oh, they’re inside all right. Packed in there like sardines.
Daragetsu: Hnhnhn, and they thought we wouldn’t pick up on this beforehand.
This humor wasn’t seen in Unagi, but was replaced entirely by rage as he stood up and gazed down at the building housing every plausible defector he had, his subordinated watching him gleefully in anticipation.
Unagi: A Kage abandoning their village eight days before a war breaks out and expecting not to pay for it. …You’re more naïve than your years would have you think, Mei.
He clasped his hands together and Deba and Daragetsu’s eyes lit up, their sharp-toothed smiles growing as Unagi’s cheeks and stomach did the same. When they reached their peak, they deflated, sending with them a fountain of greenish-yellow fluid that erupted from his mouth. When it was completely exhausted, Unagi heaved a deep breath and watched as the enormous stream began its descent – directly over the building.
Unagi: Now smolder beneath the acid rain!!
The deadly toxins for which the Mizukage was most known fell on the roof in one giant torrent, melting through it almost instantaneously as the three onlooking shinobi grinned in menacing amusement. What didn’t soak into the floors below splashed against the walls and windows, dissolving both as if they were nothing, a sight which gave little hope to the hundreds of people crowded inside of it. To their surprise, though, no screams were heard coming within, and when the acid finally melted through the walls to reveal its interior, they understood why.
Unagi: What!?
While his subordinates stood by and waited for the acid to neutralize, Unagi wasted no time leaping down to the street below and charging into the ruined buildings, steam still emanating from its remains. By the time they came down to join him, he was already there waiting, infuriated by his inability to find a single trace of human remains.
Unagi: No bodies…Deba, why the hell are there NO BODIES!!?
Deba: (Knowledgeable of his notorious temper and clueless as to what happened, he struggled to find an answer viable enough for him to keep his head.) I-I don’t know! They were in here just a minute ago, I swear!! All of them, I saw it!!
Unagi remained silent for a moment, turning around and taking just a few steps before spinning around, his giant sword held out with a single hand, ready to slice through Deba’s neck.
– Two Days Prior –
Over three miles away from the Mist Village, the Fifth Mizukage trekked onward towards the nearest harbor, Deba still carrying out his surveillance mission from a safe distance. Mei made no attempt to indicate her knowledge of his presence, keeping up the façade that she was on her way to a very brief meeting with “an old friend”. Surely enough, there was a rather large yacht awaiting her at the first pier when she arrived, giving Deba the impression that her “friend” was quite well off. As per his leader’s instructions, though, he couldn’t ignore the possibility that it was merely a front to escape or pass along information, and proceeded in further. He followed her onto the boat and watched from above as she knocked on the door leading to the lower levels. After a few seconds of awaiting, a woman of similar age dressed in traditional attire emerged from below, though it quickly became obvious to anyone who recognized the voice that this was someone else entirely.
Hinata: Ahhh, Mei! So good to see you again!
Mei: And the same to you, old friend!
Embarrassed by the former’s inability to create a fake voice and the latter’s inability to think of a fake name, the two awkwardly made their way to the lower decks, where awaited Airon, ready to connect their thoughts.
Hinata: (Sorry, I’m not so good with voices.)
Airon: (He returned a smile of amusement and reassurance before turning to Mei with a more serious expression.) (Looks like you WERE followed.)
Mei: (So I noticed.)
Looking up at the doorway one last time, Airon held out his hands for the two women to take before reappearing in the middle of the Hokage’s office, finding Konohamaru, Naruto, Sasuke, and Suzaku there waiting for them.
Konohamaru: Nice to see you again, Mei.
Mei: (She returned his smile, though it quickly disappeared again.) Under these circumstances, I can’t really say the same.
Hinata: (She broke her brief embrace with Naruto to add to the exchange.) The Seventh Mizukage is smart. He had a very skilled stealth ninja trailing her to the harbor.
Konohamaru: Does he know she’s no longer on the boat?
Airon: (He shook his head.) Probably not. He followed her onto the boat, but there’s no way he’ll risk opening the door and blowing his cover.
Konohamaru: (He nodded and walked back behind his desk to sit down.) Good. It’s pretty clear that he’s already suspects you or someone else to plan a desertion…which I can’t thank you enough for.
Mei: (She stuck out her hand in reassurance.) If it means the Union has a chance to rebuild after this, I’ll proudly sever my ties to my village for its sake. …There are still some commitments I’m not too old to make.
Displaying his amusement at the latter remark, Konohamaru looked over at Airon, who proceeded to pull out a phone and place it in Mei’s open hand.
Airon: We’ll give you two more nights to gather as many shinobi that will join you as you can find. After that, you take this and dial the one number that’s on there. I’ll end the call right away and then…
He picked up the kunai he used to teleport into the room, holding it out for her to take as a conniving grin etched itself across his face.
Airon: …we start the evacuation.
– Present-Day –
In the dead of night, in front of the Leaf Village’s Academy building, crowds of shinobi wearing Mist Village headbands rapidly began appearing out of thin air, just moments prior to Unagi’s invasion of their meeting place. They were greeted by the former and incumbent Hokage, as well as Sasuke, Suzaku, and Manako, who proceeded to greet and express their gratitude to the refugees individually – except for Naruto, who decided the first one who required thanks was the young jōnin at the heart of the operation.
Naruto: Plan went flawlessly.
Airon: (He smiled and clutched his chest, exhausted from using the Flying Raijin in such rapid succession.) Huhhh…huhhh…well, what’d you expect? …Huhh, it was mine to begin with.
Naruto smiled and patted him on the back before being approached by a grateful Misuno, while Sasuke took the opportunity to greet an old comrade of his own.
Sasuke: You’ve brought so many with you.
Suigetsu: (He looked around casually.) Yeah, it’s a shame we couldn’t find more, though.
Sasuke: (He nodded in agreement as he inspected the crowd himself.) …We’ll need as much reinforcement as we can get.
Near the center of the masses, Konohamaru and Mei grouped to exchange news, both from one another’s villages and those abroad.
Konohamaru: I got word from Akatsuchi and B. They’ve left their villages and are heading for the Land of Iron in great numbers.
Mei: (She smiled enthusiastically.) Without much trouble, I hope.
Konohamaru: None from what I heard…but then again, their villages don’t have the same troubled history with missing-nin as yours.
As Mei expressed her morbid amusement at this truth, Konohamaru walked onto the steps of the Academy to address the crowd, Naruto joining him shortly.
Konohamaru: This is good! Not only for our forces, but for the entire Shinobi Union! With you and other refugees from the Cloud and Rock Villages fighting beside us, providing not only your courage and strength but your extensive knowledge of your homelands, this war might not just prove a decisive victory, but a swift one at that!
His words were met with thunderous cheers, the thought of a brief conflict warming the hearts and relieving the minds of everyone present, including his proud predecessor.
Naruto: The Academy has been completely cleared out and prepped for your stay here! Train and make yourselves comfortable here for the next five days! After that, we head to the Land of Iron to join the rest of our forces!
A round of applause later, the masses dispersed and made their way into the building, meanwhile Naruto and Sasuke took off through the streets towards the center of the village, much to the confusion of their grandsons.
Airon: And where are you going?
Naruto: (He turned around to answer, continuing to walk backwards.) We’ve got some of our own preparations to deal with.
Airon: (He contemplated this for a moment, growing irritated when another thought crossed his mind.) Preparations…wait, hold up! Didn’t you say we were gonna-
Naruto: We are! At the village gate tomorrow at midday! I promise!
Airon: Alright! You better not go back on your word!
Naruto: I try to make a habit not to, don’t I!?
Leaving Airon to sulk in his own frustration, Naruto and Sasuke leapt to the nearest rooftop on their way through the streets, preferring a shortcut to a long walk. It was nearly midnight, but out of generosity to the group of shinobi requesting it, one restaurant owner kept his doors open well into the night, something the two thanked him for as they walked in. They were led to a large table in the very back, around which sat all their peers, some more irritated by their tardiness than others.
Shikamaru: Well, I guess we already expected one of you to be late.
Naruto: You hear that, Sasuke? He said he figured you’d be late.
Sasuke: (He scoffed in his direction before sitting down beside Sakura.) Yeah, sure he did. …Sorry about that.
Shikamaru: (He shrugged his shoulders.) No worries. We knew what you were up to, anyways.
Sakura: Did it work?
Naruto: (He grinned and held up his thumb.) Like a charm.
Hinata: (She smiled in relief, blushing as he wrapped his arm around her.) That’s good.
Ino: No kidding. Who knows what might’ve happened to those guys if you hadn’t gotten them out.
Naruto: Heh, wasn’t us. Airon gets all the credit there. His plan and everything.
Sai: He is a truly exceptional ninja, Naruto.
Naruto: (He smirked in his direction.) Hmhm, you surprised? It’s his heritage, after all.
A moment of silent contemplation followed this remark, succeeded soon after by a complete shift in tone.
Sasuke: We don’t have much longer. …Five more days and then there’s no more turning back.
Naruto: (He nodded before looking around the table.) …Does anyone here plan to stay behind?
Silence pursued. All fourteen of them had clearly given the notion some thought since the declaration of war was announced, none appearing enthusiastic about returning to the battlefield at their respective ages, though some seemed more at ease with doing so than others.
Shikamaru: I couldn’t possibly. It’s a drag, but I still need to look out for you whenever you’re in deep shit.
Ino: (She smiled and nodded in agreement.) Same here.
Sai: I think the Union forces could still use my talents.
Chōji: (He smiled as he threw yet another potato chip into his open mouth.) They sure could. Us old timers can’t just sit back and let these youngsters fight all the big fights.
Karui: (She heaved a sigh, part annoyed by her husband’s eating habits and part disappointed by the end to the peace times.) Yeah. I guess that’s true.
Shino: (He nodded from the corner of the table.) That’s right. We cannot neglect our duties simply because of old age, because it is just as much our job to keep the peace as it is the new generations.
Sitting right next to him, Kiba and Chōji leaned in the opposite direction, questioning his wordiness as nearly everyone else at the table gave similar answers, a sight which pleased Naruto and his teammates greatly.
Naruto: So…just about everyone here plans to rush back into the fighting.
Neji: (He formed a small smile, knowing instinctively that every pair of eyes was now on him.) …I’ve already given my life for this village once, and I would gladly do it again…if only I still had my eyes or even my youth.
Lee: Ha ha! But you do still have one of those things, Neji! Embrace the-
Tenten: Lee, don’t! Please, just…don’t.
Hinata: (Looking briefly over at Lee in amusement, she rested her hand atop her cousin’s in reassurance.) I think once is more than enough, Brother. …You’ve given more than your fair share.
Kiba: I’ll second that.
Naruto: (He chuckled and nodded in joint agreement.) Hehe, I guess we all do. You just leave the fighting to us, Neji.
Kiba: (His smile vanished as he looked towards Naruto.) …I meant not joining the war.
Every pair of eyes instantly made him the object of their attention, some of the people sitting around the table clearly more shocked by this news than others. Others like Hinata, though, completely understood, as she stared down her old teammates with sadness in her eyes.
Hinata: Kiba…
Kiba: (He gazed down at the table in remorse, tapping it softly with his fingers as he shook his head.) …It just ain’t in me anymore, Hinata. I’m too out of it, I’m not as strong or as young as I used to be and…I’ve never completed a mission without my partner.
It had been over forty years since the Fourth Shinobi World War, and roughly twenty since his ninken Akamaru finally passed on. Kiba did his best to fight through the grief and continue with his duties, but he could never make do with another partner – even one of Akamaru’s own pups – and by the time a full year had passed, he had all but retired from being a shinobi. Some assumed it was a lack of necessity for his skills during such peaceful years, but his announcement now made it clear that he never had any intention of ever donning another flak jacket. This disappointed many sitting around table, but there were others who showed no issue with his decision, chief among them his old rival.
Naruto: You don’t need any excuses with us, Kiba. …You just enjoy your retirement.
Kiba: (A bit surprised by the gesture, he looked around at the smiling faces of his other peers before finally forming his own.) …Yeah. I’ll do that.
Naruto: (He shot him a grin before leaning into Sasuke’s ear.) Heh, all this talk about being Hokage and he’s the first one to leave the job.
Kiba: Excuse me!?
Laughter ensued around the table, Kiba eventually joining in spite of himself. Not surprisingly, Sasuke was the first to stop, but as equally surprising was Naruto being a close second, both of them having just gotten the ominous feeling as they looked around the table, assessing who and who wouldn’t be joining them the next time they gathered in this way.
With these recent successes prior to the beginning of the war, the village slept more soundly than they had in recent memory, as did Airon – having been directly responsible for one of them. Of course, that meant very little in his case, having once again been plagued by dreams of the mysterious dark-haired woman that kept him up most of the night, bringing him immense relief when the sun finally crept over the distant mountaintops. He returned home before his parents could wake to get ready for breakfast, but was quickly out and about once again, eagerly anticipating what awaited him at midday. Shortly before that time came, though, he found himself inside Tenten’s pawnshop, sneaking up behind the unnoticing kunoichi gazing over the counter.
Airon: What’re you doing?
He put his mouth right beside her ear as he said it, the added shock from his close proximity sending Nakama roughly two feet into the air. She immediately spun around to hit him, but he had already fallen to the ground laughing by that point, so she resorted to kicking him in the leg.
Nakama: Ass!! Don’t do that!!
Airon: (He pointed accusingly at her as he struggled to regain his composure.) Hey hey hey, language, little missy!
Nakama: (Her anger having passed, she quickly noticed how red she was and turned away in embarrassment.) …Like you can talk.
Airon: Hehehe, yeah, I know. Sorry.
He returned to his feet with a quick upsweep of his legs, around that time noticing that her hair was no longer dragging across the floor, nor was she carrying it in her arms.
Airon: You finally cut your hair.
Nakama: (She feigned sadness at the change, though it wasn’t entirely an act.) Just to the ankles. I can’t have it dragging across the ground, God forbid the battlefield.
Airon: (He smiled briefly in amusement before directing his attention to the latter remark.) Hmhm, it’ll grow back. …So you’re actually gonna fight?
Nakama: Well yeah…aren’t you?
He tilted his head to the side in subtle affirmation, but said nothing more. He’d fought hard and argued harder over the past couple days to gain permission to join the war party, and though he knew their fellow involvement was inevitable, he was still torn about seeing his peers and, more importantly, his friends doing the same – particular his siblings, Manako, and Nakama. To avoid possible teasing by revealing this, though, he cast the thought aside and stepped forward to eye the numerous weapons and accessories displayed both inside and behind glass countertop.
Airon: So what’re you lookin’ for?
Nakama: (She stood beside him and continued looking around herself.) Ummm…not sure yet.
Airon: (He smirked and cocked an eyebrow as he turned to face her.) WHO are you looking for?
Nakama: Me! I just finished a tough mission, so I thought I’d treat myself! Why do you have to make it all about you!?
Airon: …I never said I thought you were finding something for me.
Nakama’s mouth remained momentarily open as her face turned red once again, forcing her to turn away in embarrassment when Airon refused to stop grinning. He eventually stopped when her discomfort grew too affecting to watch, prompting to look back up at him, as well.
Nakama: So why are you here?
Almost in unison with this inquiry, the shopkeeper taking over for Tenten walked out from the back room, carrying with him a sword tucked in its sheath which he proceeded to throw to Airon, who caught it midair before tying it back around his waist.
Airon: Just the usual. I’m gonna be gone for the next four days, so I figured I’d get it sharpened while I was still here.
Nakama: (Her eyes narrowed, having just heard this news for the first time.) …You’re leaving? Where to?
Airon: (He grinned in amusement, deciding to be secretive with his answer.) Ehhh, someplace quiet. Somewhere the sibs and I can get a lot of heavy training in before the day we take off.
Nakama nodded in understanding, but the look in her eyes made it clear that something about this news disappointed her. On some deep level, though, even without reading her mind, he knew what it was that troubled her. His face grew red just thinking about it.
Airon: If you want, we can try and get something done on the last day.
Nakama: (Her eyes lit up briefly, but she quickly grew flustered and shook her head.) Oh no, that’s…that’s alright. Was just curious.
Airon: No no, I’m serious. Us, Kei, Inase, Manako, Minto, we should all do something one last time before we head out.
Nakama: (Expecting a different answer, she hung her head in mild disappointment while managing a small smile.) Oh…okay. Yeah, that sounds good.
The silence and awkwardness were allowed to build for another ten seconds before Airon suddenly began to feel ill and started walking backwards out of the shop.
Airon: Alright. I’ll see you when I get back.
He turned around and took off in the next second, leaving Nakama standing there waving in front of the counter. When he was gone, she turned back around to look at what was in stock one more time, briefly clutching at her neckline and walking out when she found nothing she deemed to her liking.
With the sun now at its highest point in the sky, it was time for Naruto to fulfill his prior agreement, and at this point was standing in front of the village gate ready to do just that. With him was his younger two grandchildren and their father, all of them waiting with varying levels of patience for the arrival of their final travelling companion. Nearly on the verge of screaming out for him to quicken his pace, it was ultimately Kei who heaved the sigh of relief when Airon finally appeared before him, bag in hand, their sister gazing at him in playful annoyance.
Inase: It took you long enough.
Airon: (He rolled his eyes and feigned an impertinent tone.) Well, excuuuuse me. Just be grateful it was me keeping you waiting this time.
Kei: And what the hell’s THAT supposed to mean!?
Inase: He means we’d still be waiting right now if it was y-
Kei: Sarcasm, sis!!
In spite of himself, Kei quickly joined in the ensuing laughter as their father and grandfather looked on in amusement. When their composures were all eventually regained, Airon looked off to the side to find yet another member of their party standing there, having evidently been waiting for his cousin to take notice.
Airon: And what’s this one doing here?
Manako: (He sarcastically held out his arms in a questioning manner.) What? Am I not part of this bloodline, too?
Airon: No. Now beat it. Namikaze clan members only.
Boruto: (He smiled in amusement as he walked over and placed his hand on his son’s shoulder.) Airon, relax. Like you really don’t want Manako tagging along.
Airon acknowledged the truth in his words with a mere shrug and a smirk as Naruto stepped before them, prompting all five of them to line up as directly beside him, a small anthropomorphic toad with a familiar brown robe emerged from a cloud of smoke.
Naruto: You guys ready?
Boruto: (He waited to see nods from his children and nephew before nodding himself.) Let’s do this.
Naruto: (He smiled and turned to look at the toad.) …You take good care of ‘em, Fukasaku.
Fukasaku: (He nodded in reassurance.) I will, Naruto-boy. You can be sure of that.
Naruto: (He returned the gesture before turning to his descendants, holding back laughter as he offered one last piece of advice.) And the rest of you be sure to gorge on Ma’s food while you’re there. You won’t forget it.
Each of them responded with a nod, though something in Airon’s expression made it obvious he had read his grandfather’s mind prior to disappearing with Fukasaku, hinting at least one person would not dare heed his words. His amused reaction to this ended soon after, though, as his own travelling companion arrived at the gate, casually testing the reflexes of his newly formed left arm.
Naruto: How’s it doing?
Sasuke: (He looked down at the bandaged limb as he flexed his fingers.) It’s adjusted pretty well. It’s been a long time since I’ve had two hands to work with, though.
Naruto: Yeah, no kidding. …What’s the word?
Sasuke: According to our reports, they were spotted just outside the border of the Land of Earth.
Naruto: (He stared off towards the horizon, wondering quietly to himself how the other Tailed Beasts would take the news.) …Then we can’t waste any time. Let’s go.
Sasuke: Right.
With that, both shinobi embarked from the village at their respective top speeds, determined to return and complete preparations as soon as possible.
As an orange hue spread out across the late afternoon sky, any shinobi that weren’t gathering necessities for their time away from the village were training in one of the many designated training grounds scattered throughout it. The only exceptions to this were the small group of elites standing in Konohamaru’s office, among whom were the Hokage himself, his son, the Jōnin Commander, his own wife and son, Mei, and Sarada. Also positioned in the center of the room was two small television sets, one displaying the Kazekage’s office while the other displayed an otherwise empty room inside the samurai stronghold where B and Akatsuchi sat together in front of a large table. They had been sharing their schedules over the next five days for almost a full hour, the status of their respective regiments being the current point of discussion.
Konohamaru: Our forces are in heavy training as we speak. At the rate they’re improving, I have little doubt this war will pass by quickly.
Gaara: We can only hope. …What’s the status of the fortress?
Konohamaru: Already completed. I’ve already deployed my own share of handpicked shinobi to fortify it. Now we need only Naruto and Sasuke to make contact with the Tailed Beasts and convince them to go into hiding.
Mei: With Naruto there, I doubt they’ll refuse.
B: Same opinion there. Can’t nobody say no to that old fool.
Konohamaru: (He nodded in agreement, clenching his fist as he turned to Shikamaru.) …Our army is ready.
Shikamaru: (There was miniscule doubt in his face, as well as concern for a more pressing issue at hand.) They probably are. We still need to choose our leaders, though, Lord Hokage. Not to mention who will lead the entire Union forces.
Konohamaru: (He looked around the room, exchanging smirks with Gaara, Mei, B, and Akatsuchi before looking back over at Shikamaru.) We’ve had that discussion already, Shikamaru.
Gaara: There are four main divisions in total, each one focused on a separate area of the enemy’s forces. We also have our Surprise Attack Teams, Logistical Support and Medical Units, and the Intelligence and Sensor Divisions, as well as the forces in charge of containing the Tailed Beasts.
Mei: Naturally, we’ve chosen Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka to head the Medical and Intelligence Divisions.
Akatsuchi: Then we’ve got Hanabi Hyūga in charge of the sensors and Sai in charge of the Surprise Attack Division.
B: And the Hokage hooked us up with a dude named Gosai to hold down the fort with the Tailed Beasts, since I’m way too old for that shit.
Shikamaru: (He listened attentively as these names hit his ears, showing some concern when a particular pattern started to emerge.) …All I hear are a bunch of names from the Leaf Village.
Mei: (She exchanged serious expressions with Konohamaru and the three being displayed on the monitors.) …This isn’t the old days anymore. It’s not about securing power for each village so much as it is picking the right person for each job.
Shikamaru: (He couldn’t help smiling in response to this answer.) I do like the sound of that. …Who will command each main division?
Gaara: The first division will be focused primarily on the Rock forces so, as their closest neighbor, I’ll take command of that side of the fighting.
Konohamaru: For that same reason, I’ve taken it upon myself to lead the second division, which will provide support for the first while also fending off the Cloud Village’s army.
Mei: The fourth division has the heaviest concentration of Mist shinobi so, naturally, their focus will be reclaiming our village. I’m far too old to lead an entire regiment, though, so General Rounin will act in my stead there.
Sarada: (Chill ran down her spine as she made her own declaration, having never been given such a huge responsibility before in her career.) …And I’ll be leading the third division, which will provide support for both the fourth and the second as requested.
Shikamaru: (Confusion washed over his face as he realized one vital position was still vacant.) I agree with each of these choices, but…who will be our Supreme Commander if the Hokage, Kazekage, and samurai general all intend to join the fighting?
Those around the room who knew took the opportunity to exchange looks of amusement and anticipation with one another, some of them too eager to share to contain their excitement.
B: Well, Naruto and Sasuke said they plan on fightin’, too.
Akatsuchi: As the joint commanders of the entire army.
Mei: And since we have no other shinobi of status to take the position…
Konohamaru: (He leaned back in his chair as he spoke, smiling away at the answer to the lingering question.) …I nominated you, Shikamaru.
Their obvious secrecy tipped him off moments in advance, but that did little to decrease how time it took for Shikamaru to find a response.
Shikamaru: Me…our entire forces…but I can’t, I mean…I’m not a leader. They need me as the chief strategist.
Temari: (She smirked and clenched his hand to get his attention.) And who said you can’t lead and strategize at the same time?
Suzaku: It’s not as if they both don’t reside inside our main headquarters, anyways.
Shikamaru: (He looked at both of them for a moment before shaking his head and turning away.) But, that’s not…there’s a difference. The strategist and commander are different positions for a reason.
Shikadai: Then let me take the first one off your hands.
For the entire hour this group of shinobi had been bunched up inside the Hokage’s office, it was Shikadai who said the fewest words, if any at all. He was the only one who appeared annoyed to be there and those who knew him would certainly vouch for this being the truth. So to hear him speak up now, in a way that not only didn’t evoke laziness, but expressed a desire for the opposite, was a surprise in it of itself, especially to his father.
Shikamaru: Shikadai…
Shikadai: (He shrugged his shoulders and rubbed the back of his head.) It’s a pain in the ass, I know. You don’t have to tell me that, but…I’ll take it on if that means we get the right man to fill the big chair. …That’s what you’ve been doing for forty years, isn’t it?
He smiled as he said this, prompting his father to look around, finding similar expressions on every other face in the room. Naruto was several miles from the village by this point, possibly even outside of the Land of Fire, but as one of the people who knew him best, Konohamaru took it upon himself to nod in agreement in his stead, knowing full well that he would’ve done the same.
Konohamaru: All of us came to this decision together, Shikamaru.
B: Damn right.
Gaara: …Now you just have to accept it…Brother.
Still at a loss for words, Shikamaru continued gazing over their smiling faces in hopes of finding the right ones to express his feelings on the matter. It wasn’t until he turned to his wife once again, finding the faintest bit of annoyance in her expression, that he finally rubbed his eyes in irritation.
Shikamaru: Huhhh, what a drag. …No matter how much I try to stay in one place, these titles just keep getting longer for me.
Temari: (Her smile grew before turning to Konohamaru.) That’s his way of saying yes.
Shikamaru confirmed with a smile, a gesture those around the room returned with a sense of relief. Just moments later, thought, a loud buzzing noise filled the room for several seconds until Sarada recognized it as her phone, prompting her to take it out and motion over to Konohamaru when she noticed the number.
Sarada: Hey, Karin. Perfect timing. Have you reached the hideout yet?
Karin: …Yeah. Just a moment ago.
Sarada: (Her face quickly became filled with concern upon noticing her despondent tone.) …And?
Sarada set the phone on speaker and held it out in front of her to allow everyone present to hear. All of them immediately moved in closer to ensure they heard everything, a motion mimicked even by those watching on the monitors, worry quickly filling the room when no answer was given.
Konohamaru: Karin?
Karin: …The hideout is in ruins. Jūgo and the others are dead and…Orochimaru’s nowhere to be found.
As the village forces prepare for war, their leaders receive shocking news regarding an old foe!!!
The End
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lol
