“Sensei, what’s the plan?” Kaoru whispered, crouching beside Shin on the thick branch overlooking the clearing where the Konoha outpost stood. The morning mist was still lingering, curling around the tents like lazy serpents, giving the scene an ominous weight.
“We’ll only fight if there’s no other way.” Shin’s voice was low but sharp. His gaze never left the outpost. “And if it does co to that, none of them can remain. Not even their corpses.”
‘That’s Sensei alright.’ Kaoru nodded silently, noticing Shin’s expression harden as he flickered from the branch, landing soundlessly just a few steps away from the outpost periter.
Without hesitation, Kaoru also followed. His heartbeat remained calm, steady, as if the situation wasn’t tense at all. The readiness for violence didn’t stir any discomfort in him anymore. He had already crossed this threshold long ago, even before leaving for Leviathan territory. And the endless training, harsh discipline, and relentless strain on both body and mind had further sharpened his instincts, molding him into sothing far more controlled.
“Stop right there!” a voice barked. A guard erged from behind a nearby tent, his kunai already drawn and eyes narrowed. Though both Kaoru and Shin raised their hands in a show of peace, the man’s shoulders remained tight with suspicion.
“We’re from Takimura,” Shin said calmly.
The guard’s expression shifted as realization set in. Outposts like this rarely held more than a dozen shinobi, so there was no chance he hadn’t already heard of the captured Noda clan mbers Konoha had brought in.
“Stay where you are.” The guard narrowed his eyes but slowly took a few steps back, calling toward one of his comrades without turning away from them.
As the brief exchange played out, Kaoru leaned slightly toward Shin and whispered in a quiet breath. “Sensei, there are two strong chakra signatures inside.”
Shin’s eyes briefly widened in surprise, but not because of the information. His head turned toward Kaoru, a small approving smile curling his lips. ‘He can sense them without using Suijingan?’
Kaoru had always been able to read chakra signatures, at least as long as Shin had known him, but it had required his Suijingan to be active. Now, though, Kaoru’s eyes remained dim and entirely natural. Yet his sensory field was spread outward like an invisible net, checking every living being inside its range.
‘I hate to admit it, but the Leviathans must have done a much better job than I ever could,’ Shin thought. The bitterness stung, but pride for his student pushed it aside.
The guard finally signaled them forward. “The big tent toward the left,” he said, this ti with politeness, though his wary eyes never fully softened.
As they stepped forward, Shin suddenly reached into his sleeve and handed Kaoru a mask. The mask was simple but strange - a dark plate with soft cyan lines running downward from the eye holes like frozen tear streaks.
“Kaoru, put this on,” Shin ordered, his voice a little too casual.
Kaoru froze for a mont, staring at the mask like it had personally insulted him.
‘What the hell is this?’ he grumbled inwardly, but obediently slipped it on, feeling his cheeks burn with humiliation.
“I can’t have the head of the Taki clan walking in there beside while I negotiate, can I?” Shin added, a faint smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. There was a mischievous glint in his eyes that Kaoru was not familiar with at all.
‘He’s enjoying this… He actually planned this ridiculous crying mask beforehand just to ss with .’ Kaoru clenched his jaw but stayed silent, glaring at Shin through the eyeholes as they approached the tent.
The tent was quiet, with only three people inside, and Kaoru instantly recognized all of them.
“Lord Shin.” Fugaku nodded politely, his face as emotionless as ever, the slight movent of his head the only sign of acknowledgnt.
“Lord Fugaku,” Shin returned the greeting with equal restraint, then his gaze shifted toward the man seated behind the table.
“I am Asuma Sarutobi,” the man introduced himself, extending a hand toward Shin as he rose from his chair.
‘What is Asuma doing here?’ Kaoru stiffened. ‘Since when is the Third’s son personally handling border patrol?’
His mind reeled, trying to make sense of it. He knew Fugaku’s presence was logical - Uchiha had offered goodwill to Takimura, and helping Takimura retrieve their missing shinobi fit that purpose. But Asuma’s sudden appearance made no sense. The ti it would’ve taken him to arrive from Konoha was too short unless…
Either this is pure coincidence, or Konoha’s been keeping an extrely close watch on us... and the information leaked.
Both possibilities were bad. And what Kaoru didn’t know yet was that this negotiation would beco far more difficult than either Shin or Fugaku had anticipated.
“I believe there must have been so misunderstanding,” Shin began smoothly, his voice too soft for the occasion, paired with an innocent shrug that nearly made even Kaoru wonder if it was all just a simple mix-up. “We inford both Konoha and the Uchiha ahead of ti that we would be crossing into the Land of Fire in pursuit of the rogue shinobi from the Land of Water. I don’t quite understand why our team was captured in the first place.”
Asuma listened silently, showing no reaction, his hands crossed. But standing behind him, the young shinobi, one Kaoru imdiately recognized, couldn’t contain his simring anger.
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
‘Young Iruka,’ Kaoru noted, the corner of his mouth twitching for a brief mont. It was always odd seeing people he knew from the series as younger versions of themselves. But the brief amusent drained away the mont Asuma finally spoke.
“The reason your shinobi were captured, Lord Shin, has nothing to do with the issue of trespassing,” Asuma said evenly, placing both palms flat on the table. “One of your n killed three shinobi from Konoha.”
‘Was this a setup? Is Konoha trying to start a war with Takimura?’ Kaoru imdiately tensed, his eyes narrowing on Fugaku.
Even though the Uchiha head remained stone-faced, Kaoru knew better than to assu he was here as an ally or that he’d even remain neutral. And if Asuma was here, there was a high chance that other, stronger shinobi were on their way. Or worse - already nearby, hiding their chakra signatures.
Shin didn’t react imdiately. He let the heavy accusation hang for a few long, suffocating seconds before speaking so calmly soone might have thought he didn’t understand the gravity of the situation.
“May I speak with my shinobi? I would like to hear directly from them as to why they attacked.”
Iruka bristled imdiately, his fists clenching, voice rising. “Are you saying we’re lying…”
“Enough.” Asuma cut him off sharply, shooting a sidelong glare that silenced Iruka instantly. “Of course, Lord Shin. You may speak with them.”
…
“Sensei, there’s no way the Noda clan would have attacked Konoha shinobi without our permission,” Kaoru whispered as they walked side by side, approaching the open cage where three Noda shinobi were being held.
But sothing else gnawed at him.
‘Weren’t there supposed to be four of them?’ His brow furrowed as he glanced at Shin, searching his sensei’s face for hints. But Shin’s expression remained unreadable, his eyes steady and cold, giving nothing away. He didn’t respond to Kaoru’s whisper, didn’t even acknowledge it, and instead kept walking forward, studying the captured shinobi like they were complete strangers.
The mont they ca close, the eldest-looking among the captives stood up. Despite his shackled hands and chakra supression seal on his abdon, he offered a polite, if bitter, smile.
“Lord Shin,” the man greeted, lowering his head slightly in respect. “We apologize for all the trouble we’ve caused.”
Shin gave him a faint nod, not bothering with pleasantries. His voice was calm, direct, cutting straight to the heart of the matter. “What happened? And why are there only three of you?”
He didn’t need to repeat the accusations Konoha had made. He trusted his people to speak the truth.
The Noda shinobi exhaled quietly, as though steadying himself before he spoke.
“One of us… Lord Illumi’s cousin, Sako… attacked the Konoha patrol while they were sharing information about the rogue shinobi. He killed three of their n and fled.” His voice trembled faintly - anger, sha, or perhaps both. “We saved the last remaining Konoha shinobi and surrendered willingly. We knew that even if we tried to run and cover our tracks, it would still be traced back to Takimura. At least this way, we hoped to prove our innocence.”
He finished with a faint bow of his head, his eyes drifting up toward Shin, as if seeking so form of reassurance or approval for the decision they made. But Shin only nodded again and then continued with the questions that actually mattered.
“Any idea where Sako might have gone?”
Kaoru listened quietly, but as the conversation unfolded, a growing unease stirred inside him.
‘Sako, Noda clan head’s cousin, kills a Konoha patrol and escapes while supposedly chasing rogues who stole the clan’s secret technique… and Asuma Sarutobi just happens to be nearby?’ His mind raced as he followed the threads. ‘There’s sothing far ssier underneath this.’
The thought of Konoha orchestrating the theft wasn’t far-fetched.
‘I know better than to assu Konoha is above making moves like this. But why would they need the genjutsu when they…’
And then it clicked.
‘Konoha already lost its greatest source of genjutsu when the Uchiha left. If they got their hands on the Noda clan’s technique…That would fill a very dangerous gap in their arsenal created by Uchiha separation.’
This realization carried one more aning for Kaoru, this one creating a problem for him personally.
‘So much for eting Jiraiya on this trip…’
Even under normal circumstances, reaching the Toad Sage would’ve been difficult. But now, with tensions simring between Konoha and Takimura, any eting would be hostile at best, if not outright impossible. And he definitely diidn’t want to stand in front of the Toad Sage as an enemy.
Kaoru gave himself a faint, self-mocking grin. ‘Yeah… not happening this ti around.’
“Let’s go.” Shin’s voice pulled him back to reality as his teacher clapped a hand on his shoulder and guided him away from the cage.
“So… what’s next?” Kaoru asked quietly as they walked.
“We’re going to find Sako and bring him back here. Deliver him to Konoha as paynt.” Shin’s voice was flat, almost cold.
Kaoru’s eyes widened.
‘We’re handing them soone who knows everything about the Noda clan’s secret technique?’ His instincts scread in protest, but before he could even voice his objection, Asuma was already waiting for them outside the tent.
“I suppose you’ve already confird the cri…” Asuma said, a faint bitterness lingering beneath his polite smile.
“Yes,” Shin replied firmly. “And we’re going to apprehend the actual criminal, instead of the innocent ones who currently sit in that cage.”
Asuma’s lips parted as if to respond, but before he could utter a word, Fugaku stepped forward, smoothly inserting himself into the conversation.
“Lord Shin, since Takimura originally requested our assistance in pursuing these rogues,” Fugaku spoke with composed authority, “we shall instead offer our aid in capturing this criminal. If that is your preference, of course.”
Shin inclined his head without hesitation. “Thank you. Your assistance is appreciated.”
Kaoru stood silently beside his teacher, carefully observing every word exchanged. His mind, however, was racing.
‘Takimura never requested Uchiha’s help for this mission… we were planning to do that later…’ he mused, his gaze darting between Shin and Fugaku. ‘But Fugaku is deliberately stepping into this now, binding Uchiha and Takimura even closer. He’s making it clear that our alliance isn’t just formal words. He’s taking ownership of this conflict alongside us.’ Kaoru’s lips twitched into a faint smile. ‘We’ll have to pay sothing for this generosity later. Favors always co with a price. But still… we should be grateful.’
His gaze shifted fully to Fugaku now, eyes reflecting appreciation. But what truly lit up Kaoru’s expression was what Fugaku said next, turning his attention directly toward him.
“I’ve already summoned one of our best trackers,” Fugaku said with subtle emphasis. Then, as if deliberately sending a ssage, he added with a brief glance in Kaoru’s direction, “They’re waiting for you outside.”
Kaoru instantly got excited.
‘Itachi?’
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