章 5: Chapter 5
Disclaimer: Naruto is the property of Kishimoto-sensei.
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(4 days ago)
"An alliance?!" A voice bellowed, its owner doing a double take at his Kage. "What? Accepting our defeat in the last war isn't enough. Now we are going to be their friend as well?"
"Yes. You've heard it right," answered Onoki in a surprisingly calm manner.
Sitting around a huge rectangular slab of a table in a cavernous room were the Third Tsuchikage and his eight-member shinobi council. The council consisted of four village elders who were also the heads of the four most prominent clans in Iwagakure, the Jonin Commander, the ANBU Commander, the leader of the Explosion Corps, and the head of Intelligence Unit. However, the Vice Jonin Commander was temporarily filling the seat of his Commander who was currently on a special mission in Konohagakure.
Everyone in the meeting room had initially expected their old Kage to explode in anger at the blunt disrespect by the young council member, but he didn't which made them realize how serious this particular meeting was going to be.
The man who had lost his temper was Akashi Nobu, the youngest member of the elders. He had spiky dark hair and a goatee beard, looking to be his early 30s. He was wearing grey sleeveless shirts, and dark pants. Covering his shoulders was the ceremonial red shoulder-length cape which was worn by the rest of the elders as well.
In all seriousness, he didn't have any objection to the proposed changes for Iwa's Ninja Academy. He knew the academy was really in need of necessary adjustments to its policies of instruction and selection. But to form an alliance with those tree-huggers? Preposterous!
Coming from the renowned Akashi clan, Nobu replaced his father as one of the eight members of Iwagakure's shinobi council. Physical appearance was the only thing he bore resemblance to his father. Nobu was almost polar opposite to his late father, Akashi Kazuo, noticeably in terms of their world view and attitude. Nobu was a man of pride, never being one to accept defeat easily and his stubbornness so aggravating that it was only second to his arrogance.
Apparently, it was his late father who had wholeheartedly supported Onoki's decision to sign the armistice at the end of the Third Ninja War, which only rubbed salt into the wound on the young man's pride. At the same time, it was also this very reason that Nobu could retain the position among the most prominent figures in the village.
However, unlike Kazuo, who was known for his compassion and honor, Nobu had never been shy of showing his disdain at the 'cowardice' of the council during every meeting he had attended so far, chiding them for even agreeing to the surrender in the first place.
In Nobu's belief, the village should never show weakness at all cost, and it was isolationism that would be the key to Iwagakure's prosperity. He would do anything to fight for that goal even if he had to use underhanded tactics.
Ironically though, the same end-justify-the means mindset had been the backbone of the Third Tsuchikage's political ideology ever since he came into power, specifically his encounter with Uchiha Madara. And the aged Kage had paid a very costly price for that.
Because of their pride, Iwagakure had blindly sent 1000 of its ninja and lost them all by the hands of only a single Konoha ninja. Consequently, their invasion was pulled to an abrupt stop. Their military power and economy suffered tremendously after that, having barely recovered two third of their strength in the past 15 years.
However, the recent incident was the final straw, and it finally opened Onoki's eyes to see the faults in his way. His overconfidence in his village's defense and his granddaughter's abilities had resulted in her kidnap. It would have ended in her demise if it hadn't been for the intervention of a Konoha's ANBU squad who happened to be infiltrating one of Orochimaru's bases in Earth country.
Speaking of Konoha, who would have thought that the village he hated the most was also the one who had saved the life of his kin.
"The direction we have been headed for is a mistake. We cannot afford to be held back by our past anymore if we want to rebuild our might. Changes must be made, and I believe that playing 'friendly' with the other villages will benefit us more than ruining us." Onoki continued with his voice surprisingly somber.
"Surely enough, you do not expect the citizens and ninja in our ranks to see the merits in your decision, do you Tsuchikage-sama?" said another elder. Iwao Hideki, the head of the Iwao clan famous for their destructive earth techniques and their invaluable contributions in previous wars, voiced his uncertainty over Onoki's proposal.
Hideki had quite a long history with Onoki, having been by the Tsuchikage's side since their rise of power. Onoki, Kazuo, and he were very close friends although the late Akashi clan head had been the only level-headed one among the three. Onoki and Hideki had often had clashes of ideologies, but they weren't done out of ill-intent. In fact, it was necessary as those disagreements presented different perspectives on things. At the end of the day, they both had the best interest of their village at heart.
"Do not worry about our ninja. We will follow Tsuchikage-sama's decision through and through," said the Vice Jonin Commander with utmost confidence which was shared by the ANBU Commander.
The Tsuchikage nodded at his loyal subordinates in appreciation for their faith in him. "As you all have known, the Third Hokage did not demand any reparations from us in the last war. Knowing that he desires for peace and would not miss out on a chance to achieve it, if we can show him our will to unite, he will no doubt accept. And through this alliance, we can boost our recovery."
Although they were fierce rivals, Onoki and Hiruzen had immense respect for each other, both having been chosen to step up for their village during times of war and facing each other on multiple occasions which almost always ended up in stalemates.
"But he was forced to step down from his position because of that. How can we know he won't change his mind?" Hideki countered.
"He won't. Rest assure, my friend. A trade agreement between Daimyo-dono and the Land of Fire's Daimyo is already in the process of negotiation. Once it is through, Sarutobi will comply with his Daimyo's decision. All we need to do is to establish a good relation with the Leaf village." Onoki responded.
Seeing that nearly all of the councilors, bar two, seemed convinced by his reasoning, Onoki made one last statement to end their meeting, "If anyone dares to sabotage this effort, do not expect mercy from me."
The implying threat was not lost on the head of the Akashi clan, made apparent by his clenched jaw and glaring eyes. Meanwhile, the clenched fists of the leader of the Explosion corps went unnoticed by all the occupants in the room.
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(Present)
Kitsuchi, Iwagakure's Jonin Commander and acting ambassador, was standing in front of the man who was of equal rank and fame to his father. Despite the Hokage's reputation as a pacifist, Kitsuchi was having a very difficult time trying to decipher what stance Sarutobi Hiruzen was taking regarding the proposal for an alliance.
Standing at 7 feet tall, Kitsuchi suddenly felt small under the cold, calculating eyes of the Third Hokage. He could handle the glares of the other three figures in the room, but Sarutobi's eyes spoke of a man who had seen so much and experienced so much that no trickery could possibly escape his watch.
His father had informed him beforehand that The Professor could be intimidating if he needed to be. But the Jonin Commander of Iwa never thought the Hokage was this intimidating, having never met him personally before.
"We'll send 3 teams to participate in this year Konoha-held Chunin Selection Exam as an act of good faith. We hope you will consider our proposition," said Kitsuchi, delivering the message from his village with displayed confidence. On the inside, tension and trepidation filled Kitsuchi's mind as he patiently waited for the reply of the man before him.
"I see. We'd like some time to discuss this matter. For now, you may go to your resting place. Bird will show you the way," said Hiruzen after minutes of silent deliberation. His blank expression disappeared in an instant, replaced by a strained yet benign smile, the edge of his mouth curving up slightly.
With a respectful bow, Kitsuchi followed an ANBU with a bird mask out of the room. Pausing for a moment, he let out a relieved sigh that he didn't know he was holding. Even for him who was usually level-headed and calm under pressure, the earlier meeting was intense. Regaining his composure, he left for his accommodation where his entourage were currently staying.
I hope father knows what he's doing.
Approximately 10 minutes later, Kitsuchi arrived at a traditional two-storey wooden inns. It was nothing grandiose, but the building was not worn down either, practically just enough for a comfortable stay and perfect for keeping track of the guests. The sliding wooden doors with thin papers affixed to their lattices were able to prevent any seeing through; however, any conversation could be heard from the outside, making it almost impossible to have secret discussions.
Removing his footwear, Kitsuchi slid the main door open and saw only Akatsuchi and Kageki. The former was sitting seiza and reading a scroll while the latter was sprawling on the tatami mat and chewing on a ration bar. Kageki had light brown hair which he tied into a short spiky ponytail, and green eyes. He was wearing the generic Iwa ninja outfits like his teammate, except his entire right hand was covered by bandages.
"Where's Kurotsuchi?" Kitsuchi asked with raised eyebrows.
It was Akatsuchi who answered, "She's with Rat walking around the town."
"Rat?"
"The ANBU who saved her life." Akatsuchi clarified. The older ninja nodded in understanding.
"I don't know what's got into her. She's been acting weird these days, suddenly asking around about what the other villages are like and stuff. She even argued with me because of that guy!" Kageki snorted in disbelief, getting up in a sitting position, looking annoyed at the peculiar situation.
"What do you mean?" the Iwa Jonin Commander asked, frowning in confusion.
"Well…"
(Flashback - Half an hour ago)
Rat didn't know why, but he was appointed to serve as a guide for the three members of the Iwa team, taking them to their designated accommodation which was being guarded by a squad of ANBU.
It was understandable as although they weren't at war with each other at the moment, they weren't exactly on a friendly term either. This visit was the first official meeting since the peace treaty almost two decades ago.
The three Iwa ninja, especially Kurotsuchi, were looking left and right, intrigued by the hectic and busy activities going on in this part of town they were in. There were all sorts of business and stores along the street. People were engaging in their conversations in an all-round cheery mood and friendly smiles, which was totally different from the people of Stone village who usually conducted themselves in a cold and curt manner.
"Wow this is interesting! I rarely see any of these happening in Iwa," Kurotsuchi exclaimed in restrained excitement.
"It's because we lost the war, remember?" Kageki retorted, rolling his eyes, though he admitted he was mildly interested too.
"I don't know why that bastard Orochimaru left this place," Kurotsuchi continued, ignoring her teammate's crude remark.
"Yeah, well," said Rat plainly while catching the subtle side glances given out by those same friendly-looking crowd. You have no idea what are hidden behind those smiles.
Ticked by the ANBU's terse reply, Kageki scoffed. "Evil doesn't need a reason to become one. If the mighty Leaf had done something about him, maybe it wouldn't have resulted in these mess," he responded, his off-handed comment laced with sarcasm.
Catching onto it, Kurotsuchi retorted before Naruto could, "Well, he's an international criminal on the run."
"A Konoha criminal, mind you. It's their fault for letting him roam free."
"So you're saying that it's also our fault for letting Deidara roam free?"
Unfortunately, the Iwa kunoichi's comment hit a sore spot. Even Akatsuchi winced at her accusation.
"His was a different case!" Kageki countered, his voice rising in anger.
"Why? He's no different. He's a terrorist who bombs villages and towns, indiscriminately killing innocent people for money! You still want to associate him with our village?" Kurotsuchi reacted with matching cutting retort.
"Why are you even arguing for them? They killed your mom," retorted Kageki, this time directly pointing at Rat.
"You-!"
"Guys! I don't think we should be discussing this here," Akatsuchi intervened, both verbally and physically as Kurotsuchi was about to pounce on their brown-haired teammate for mentioning her mother. Despite his imposing stature yet jovial personality, Akatsuchi always had to play the mediator role in their team, always separating them whenever those two were arguing.
And he was right as the people around who had been minding their own business were now looking at them strangely, having overheard their exchange.
Kurotsuchi and Kageki then huffed in annoyance and looked away from each other, making their large teammate sigh in defeat.
Meanwhile, Rat suddenly felt out of place as he watched on deadpan. He then cough loudly to regain their attention, trying to shake away the awkwardness that had ensued from the intense argument. "Let's go. Your place is this way."
(End of flashback)
"That idiot," Kageki muttered before getting hit upside his head by his team leader. "Ow!"
"Watch your language. That idiot is my daughter!" Kitsuchi scolded. To tell the truth though, he was also curious about his daughter's odd behavior which had started ever since her rescue. One time, she even asked him about what the Third Ninja War was like and who the involved in the war were. Of course, the academy had explained about the war, but she said something about him having a first-hand experience in it.
Kitsuchi then sat down contemplating as the brown-haired boy was soothing his head. All the while Akatsuchi quietly continued reading his scroll without a care.
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Wanting to get some fresh air after her heated discussion with her teammate, Kurotsuchi decided to venture outside, silently sightseeing another section of the village hidden in leaf. The district too was bustled with activities, and all the restaurants and sweet shops were filled with customers. To her surprise, the residents were not paying attention to her at all. They were just going about their lives as usual as if they were used to the sight of foreigners walking the streets.
However, she almost missed a presence that had been following her since she left the inns although he chose to stay a few feet behind her. Having an idea of who that was, she just opted to continue walking in growing fascination for her surroundings.
Reaching a playground, Kurotsuchi stopped and watched a group of kids playing with their friends. Some were swinging back and forth on the swings, and laughing excitedly while others were playing tags. Some were even throwing invisible projectiles at each other, making silly sounds, and pretending to get hit.
"When I was five, my father used to take me to a playground near our house. I would play for hours with my friends. But I can't do all those things anymore now," she said, her face wearing a nostalgic smile, seemingly talking to no one.
A second later, Rat caught up and stood next to her, looking at the scene before him in curiosity. "I'm an orphan, so I've never experienced anything like that," he said in a monotone, though there was no trace of any sarcasm in his voice.
"Oh, uh. I didn't know. I'm sorry," Kurotsuchi quickly responded with a sense of panic, worried that she might have offended the young ANBU.
"It's fine. I don't really care anyway," Rat answered, shrugging his shoulders.
No more words were said before there was a sound of a low growl. Rat turned to Kurotsuchi who was covering her stomach in embarrassment. "You want to grab some lunch?"
After a short walk, they arrived at a small ramen shop. Lifting a flap of cloth with the character 'Ichi' on it, Rat went in and sat down on a chair, followed by Kurotsuchi. As it was a bit past lunch time, there were not a lot of customers, just two being there chatting with each other. However, the moment they saw Rat, they immediately stood up and exited the shop in haste.
Kurotsuchi's eyebrows rose in confusion as she looked at their disappearing backs. Now that she thought about it, all those people she saw earlier on the street weren't exactly looking at her. Their eyes were actually directed at the young ANBU who had been walking behind her. And for some reason, they started fidgeting strangely when Rat passed by. They all seemed to stiffen and quiet down considerably, some even pausing their conversations altogether. Anyone could clearly notice their anxiety and nervousness.
She glanced at Rat, but he looked around the shop as if nothing had happened.
"Oh! It's none other than my faithful customer," said a middle-aged owner and chef of the restaurant with a jovial laugh. He was wearing a white chef uniform with the name of his shop embroidered on the front of his hat.
"Good afternoon, Teuchi-san. Long time to see," Rat greeted with a small bow, his mask concealing a gentle smile on his face.
"Yeah! How have you been? And who is this lady friend of yours?" Teuchi asked with a meaningful smile.
"I've been fine. And this is Kurotsuchi. A guest of mine." Rat answered without hesitation.
Nodding in understanding that it was confidential, Teuchi took a quick order from the two before going to the back to prepare the dish. The ramen shop owner had always been kind to Rat, asking him every now and then about his life, but he also knew what he shouldn't prod, especially when sensitive information was concerned.
"You two seem very close," Kurotsuchi blurted out, a little bit surprised at how willing Rat was to talk to the owner of the shop.
"He's one of the few who treat me nicely. So, I often drop by here for a quick meal," Rat replied softly, his hand unconsciously swirling a glass of cold water.
Kurotsuchi found it hard to figure out what Rat was feeling when he said that as she couldn't get a look of his face. She was neither a psychologist nor a detective, but putting two and two together, she could get an inkling of something unpleasant having happened in his childhood.
Their conversation was cut short when two hot bowls of ramen were set in front of them. The appetizing presentation and strong aroma momentarily distracted her mind, seducing her and promising her their wonderful taste.
For the next few minutes, silence dominated as Rat and Kurotsuchi were savoring the delicious dish of Ichiraku Ramen.
The Iwa kunoichi heaved a contented sigh as she finished her lunch. Nothing was left in her bowl, not even the soup. It was the best meal she'd had for these past few days, having had to stick to only dried food and ration bar during her journey here.
"About what my friend said earlier, I'd like to apologize in his stead. That was rude and uncalled for," the girl said, her voice significantly lowered to express the sincerity in her words.
"It was." Rat replied, putting down his glass of water in a thud. Kurotsuchi grimaced at his crude response.
"But I'm used to hearing those kinds of words."
"Ah- is that so?" Kurotsuchi chuckled helplessly, an awkward smile on her face.
"Do you think it's funny?" the young ANBU continued, tilting his head sharply at her direction.
She gasped in surprise at his accusing tone before closing her mouth, looking away in embarrassment and guilt. It didn't go as smoothly as she thought it would. Once again, silence ensured for a few seconds, but it felt like hours to her.
Then the tension left just as quickly as it came when Rat let out a snicker, his shoulders rocking in suppressed laughter.
Kurotsuchi's mouth dropped. A betrayed look crept onto her face. "You asshole!" she blurted out in disbelief before jokingly punching his arm, which made the blond let out a hearty laugh. Despite his stiff posture and flat voice tone, his laughter was contagious. Kurotsuchi couldn't help but to chuckle along with her life saver.
Meanwhile, Teuchi smiled serenely at the sight of the two laughing teens before him. He had never seen the blond happy like this for quite a long time. Furthermore, Boar's death had affected his psyche pretty hard. That was why Teuchi was relieved to see the blond's mood was lifted a bit.
In his mind though, the ramen shop owner felt heavy-hearted by the sad irony that had befallen upon the young boy. It's such a pity that someone from another village treats you better than your own villagers do, Naruto.
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