Chapter 49: Hidden Waterfall Village
A/N: We've hit our first target, so there will be a Double Release. Our target of the week is to reach 1000 powerstones by Sunday for a Triple Release. This story's continuation depends on your support—so don't forget to give the story powerstones! Goal: 1000 Powerstones!
----------------
Goro stood atop his water phoenix, the creature's wings dazzling as it cut through the sky, soaring above the village. The wind brushed against Goro's face, flowing through his hair as he gazed down at the scenery below. In the distance, he could see the rooftops of the village shrinking as they flew higher.
'I'll be gone for exactly one month. By the time Tsunade arrives, I'll return. This way, I can get assigned to the Sasuke retrieval mission... and steal the Kekkei Genkai of the Sound Four. And more importantly, the Kekkei Genkai of Kimimaro.'
Goro leaned back against the broad back of the phoenix, feeling the movement beneath him.
'But first, in the time I'm gone, I know what I need to do.'
Goro sat cross-legged on the back of his phoenix, staring out at the horizon. 'I have to become the strongest, in every way.'
His fists clenched. Goro's desire for power knew no bounds. If he was certain about anything, it was that he would achieve his goals by any means.
'Physical strength is important, yes... but so is political strength. I need my words to carry weight. I need to command attention without even lifting a finger. I want to be untouchable. It's no use being strong, but always being challenged and tested. No. That reminds me of prison too much. I want my status to do the fighting for me, along with my fists. That is true strength.'
He lay back, resting his head against the malleable back of the phoenix. The sun shined on his face, but his eyes weren't focused on it; he was looking to the future.
'I need to conquer a village. I had planned to do this during the two-year timeskip, but circumstances have forced me to act earlier.'
A small smirk appeared on Goro's lips.
'The Hidden Waterfall Village... that will be my target.'
His eyes glinted with ambition as he thought about the village.
'It has a Jinchuriki, meaning they already have some form of political power. It's also placed far enough from the Leaf that I can make my first moves without interference. No doubt I'll be interrupted later on down the line, but initially, I need some peace to carry out my intentions as planned. That's not all. I already know the secret entrance to the village. After I bypass it, the rest will be easy. They lack the strength to stop me.'
His smirk widened. 'I'll take over... and become the first Kage of the Hidden Waterfall. The first Takikage.'
The thrill of his idea coursed through him, but Goro was aware there was more to be considered than just how he would take over. He needed to think ahead. Goro sat up abruptly, scratching his chin in thought.
'The plan sounds solid, but how will I manage two lives at once?'
Goro frowned as he racked his brain for a solution to his problem. After a few moments, a realization hit him. "I've got it," he said, grinning.
'I'd forgotten about my new mastery of fuinjutsu. I can now create a jutsu that allows me to share consciousness between clones, so I can receive information without having to dispel them. Not only that, but I could even switch my consciousness between them.'
The complexity of the jutsu excited him. "It'll be tricky, but I'll create a seal to store part of my consciousness in a clone... that way, I'll be able to control my actions from afar. This jutsu will be useful in a lot of missions, as it'll allow me to be in multiple places at once. Now I won't need to physically switch between my alter ego, I can instead switch consciousness." Goro mumbled to himself. The phoenix tilted slightly in response to his shifting weight, but Goro remained deep in thought.
'And then there's the other thing I need to test... The Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu. I've already got Hiruzen's ear; I can use that to test my ability. After seeing how effective it is, if needed, I can improve it using my system.'
Goro's eyes darkened slightly. The thought of experimenting with such forbidden techniques brought a twisted smile to his face.
Suddenly, he stood up, raising a hand to shield his eyes from the sun. In the distance, a massive waterfall came into view. He pointed toward it. "Right there," he commanded the phoenix.
The water phoenix obediently descended toward the waterfall, its wings beating slower as they approached. Goro reached into his scroll, pulling out a cloak and mask adorned with a lightning symbol. He slipped them on, putting his headband away in the scroll as the phoenix glided toward the ground.
'The entrance... It was somewhere around here... But where...?'
The phoenix landed gracefully beside a small pond at the base of the waterfall, the mist from the rushing water cooling the air around him. "I remember the entrance from the show," Goro muttered as he eyed the waterfall. "If I'm right, it should be on that cliff."
Without hesitation, Goro jumped to one of the cliffs, leaping over the slippery rocks with ease until he reached the one that served as a path to the entrance behind the waterfall. As expected, a cave opened up behind the cascade of water. He stepped into the cave, his eyes scanning the area.
'There was a large puddle that served as an entrance, but where was it? Also, I've got to say the security is appalling. How do they defend against rogue ninja like Kakuzu, who know the entrance? I mean, he's gone now, but the defenses they pride themselves on are nothing special at all. They've been extremely lucky to not have been invaded. I'd say the only thing that stands out is this village's ability to keep the entrance a secret.'
Goro moved quickly, locating the hidden path that was disguised as a puddle.
'It's here.'
Goro plunged into the water, following the wide underwater route. The longer he swam, the more light began to appear.
'I'm nearing the end of the tunnel. I've got to be on guard in case they have defenses on the inside, although I highly doubt they do.'
Moments later, Goro surfaced in a part of the city that looked very old and rural.
'I made it.'
Stepping out of the water, he shook off the droplets and took in the sight of the Hidden Waterfall Village. The old look of homes wasn't exclusive to the part of the village he surfaced in. All the houses in the distance were also old wooden structures that hadn't seen much upkeep. The place felt stagnant—isolated from the rest of the shinobi world. Goro had calculated correctly. A place like this was ripe for the taking.
'No ninja guarding the entrance either... They've grown arrogant after years of not being invaded. The Akatsuki surely had an easy time abducting the village's Jinchuriki, Fu. Along with the incompetent defense, they also appear to not have much going for them when it comes to trade. This village needs a lot of work in order to become my main base.'
Goro glanced around, ensuring no one had noticed his arrival. The village seemed quiet and peaceful, with not much going on.
"I'll be wasting no time. I'm walking straight there. I've got to deal with the higher-ups and the village head. After that, this village is mine. I may not even need to kill the leaders if they cooperate—it's not like they can harm me," Goro muttered to himself. "After that, the rest will fall in line."
----------------
Reminder: We've hit our first target, so there will be a Double Release. Our target of the week is to reach 1000 powerstones by Sunday to get a Triple Release. This story's continuation depends on your support—so don't forget to give the story powerstones! Goal: 1000 Powerstones!
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone