Reborn in the Mist Ch261-The Drowned Tower

He did it!

‎In my hand there was a missive from Konohagakure proclaiming Jiraiya as the fifth Hokage. I could hardly believe he had actually gone ahead and done it. This was the best proof that my efforts were changing the flow of events in this tiline. I wondered how much change would co from this.

‎I sat back in my unusually empty office and pictured how it went down in Konoha. Jiraiya finally accepts the mantle of Hokage after years of evading responsibility and power, and his sensei once again stripping Danzo of the opportunity to beco Hokage himself. I could just imagine the look on Danzo's face when he realized that Jiraiya would indeed take up the mantle after years of debauchery and sin.

‎While I was sure to find it humorous, I wasn't certain about the rest of Konoha. How did they take it? What did they think of their new Kage? As far as I know, Jiraiya hadn't been the most present Sannin, though even he was better than his fellow Sannin.

‎The intel my spies relayed back on the brief piece of parchnt paper wasn't enough to contain the answers to my questions, but I assud Konoha had taken positively to their new Hokage, if only for the fact of him being the ntor and father figure to the previous. This could only be right.

‎I felt relieved at the thought, at the reality that I was living now. At the sa ti, I felt an imnse pressure as I realized simultaneously that my efforts to change the tiline had beco fruitful. The more fruitful they are, the more the tiline changes and the more change occurs, the less control I have over the events, or at least less foresight.

‎I bore my teeth and shoved down the dreadful feelings and only focused on the good alone. Jiraiya as Hokage was the best thing Konoha could do for Kirigakure. I picked up my pen and snatched a clean piece of paper from under the pile and began to write a heartfelt letter congratulating the new Hokage. The Fifth Hokage.

‎I wanted to write about Kushina and Naruto as well, perhaps ask how they were doing, how Naruto was growing, and how Kushina was recovering. But I kept it formal, even though my excitent and support showed through my words. As I began to fold the letter and set it into an envelope with my seal, the single other being in my office dared to speak.

“‎Lord Yagura. Kaizoku awaits us.” I turned my gaze onto the serpent, SlipFang.

‎It had been so ti since I trained with Kaizoku. Even though I promised to return to his realm regularly, there was just too much to do to organize and oversee as Mizukage to sacrifice precious ti training with the great sea serpent. Now things were turning around for the worse and for the better. If I ever hoped to keep things safe, to keep my village, my loved ones safe, then I had to train harder and grow stronger.

“‎Oh, be patient, serpent. I will be with you in ti.” I scolded Slip Fang. He grumbled, or rather slithered, in a fashion that said he was doubting my commitnt, and I couldn't bla him, but there was nothing left to doubt.

‎The Akatsuki were using this ti to prepare themselves and I couldn't wait around idly either. It was obvious from the way Obito or any trace of the masked Uchiha had eluded Owl mask and her teams. It was purposeful: Obito was hiding from the gaze of anyone that would be of interest to such conspiracies. It would be harder for to sell the truth without any tangible evidence.

If I couldn't provide evidence of my claims. If Obito continued to elude and lay low without causing any trouble. The elental nations would disregard my warnings about the Akatsuki and, surely, to those who have already gotten the news about the incidents in the Rain Village— and, to an extent, Kirigakure's role as the source of the information Konoha used in their attack— it would look like Kiri had done so out of a war-mongering need for spilled blood and the loss of n. It would look like Kiri had manipulated Konoha into attacking the Rain village, for no good reason other than our own thrill.

The tiline was changing. Jiraiya taking up the mantle as Hokage was irrevocable proof of that and I had to prepare. I had to steady myself against the consequences of my own interference with fate.

Now to do that and to live well in this world as I wished to and as I wished for many others to, I had to be strong. Stronger still. And Kaizoku was a wellspring of power I couldn't ignore. The Raikage would not soon forget this diplomatic incident, his lingering agent, Mabui, was proof of that. But I wouldn’t be forgetting either. I had to prepare for an uncertain future, one where the worst threats might not be the Akatsuki.

I stepped outside my office with a letter in hand and a peek to my right, the Chuunin pair working and my secretaries perked up at the sight of . “Mizukage-sama! What do you need?” “What can we do for you?” They said, stumbling over their words.

I outstretched my hand with the letter in it and one of them sprinted over to take it from . “Send this as well as a basket of fresh-picked apples, oranges, and whatever else the orchard in my estates breeds, along with you. Speak with the treasurer and deliver five gold ingots as well to the Fifth Hokage of Konoha.”

The girl nodded quickly and hurried off to do as I asked. Though it might co off as a blatant bribe of friendship and financial interest—if there was any— I genuinely wanted to give Konoha a gift they would appreciate even if it returned nothing. Besides I hadn't the ti to think properly on what would truly fit as a gift for a new minted Kage, even with one year under my belt. However, money was always appreciated. Hopefully my intent would be read in the letter as well or at least it would ease the burden Jiraiya would have to bear as Hokage.

With that done I went back into my office and shut the door. As I went, SlipFang was waiting for . He hissed, rising with anticipation. "Is it ti, Master? May we proceed to Kaizoku?” I waved my hand and nodded, at last the persistent summon would get what he wanted. At last he would complete his mission and would be able to return ho, at least for the mont.

SlipFang wasn’t as large or thick as Unaimaru, but his size was just as impressive compared to a regular serpent. He slithered around my feet in a circle wide enough for to spread out my arms. In tandem I and SlipFang began to channel our chakra while I perford the required handseals. He instructed : Rabbit, Ram, Rat, Bird, Snake, landing on the final hand sign called out this jutsu, "Reverse Summoning Technique: Depths of the Endless!”

In a puff of smoke I and SlipFang vanished from my office in Kiri, reappearing in a large hall that was flooded nearly to the top. I stared around in awe once again as I caught my footing on the surface of the water. Grateful that this ti I was returned to an environnt I could breath without having to enter my Sage Mode or employ tougher techniques.

A myriad of the realms denizens slithered and swam up to the surface of the water, poking their heads out and splashing up onto the surface. So even used chakra to sit upon it as they watched, forming an audience that respected an unspoken boundary that none of them dared to cross. They cheered, jeered, and whispered my na in the mix of their strange language. My eyes narrowed at them all. I couldn't be sure what Kaizoku or Unaimaru was feeding these creatures about or about my accomplishnts as a Sea Sage. I had begun to suspect it for so ti but now I wondered if Kaizoku had the ability to sense each ti I tapped into nature energy to complete my sage form.

His requests for training especially intensified each ti I entered sage mode. It would explain how SlipFang usually stumbled upon while I was training or ditating. The slithery summon would interrogate on what abilities I had unlocked and what capabilities I saw myself acquiring. I barely ever gave an answer when asked. Now I see that Kaizoku may have been observing and my improvents in Sage Mode for so ti. These truths must have co to the ears of the strange realm's denizens in so manner for them to look upon him as if a hero.

The gates in front of us creaked open, branded with the Uzumaki spiral. It ca ajar with a tired groan as a brand new wave of water splashed and flooded through the gap, rushing out towards to fill up the hall. SlipFang looked up at and seed to shrug, even though he had no shoulders. He hissed, “This would be a good ti to hold your breath.”

I looked down at him and scoffed, “Haven't you heard? I am the Sea Sage!” I left the tidal wave of water to take already. I was used to the violence of it; it was my elent after all. I found myself in perfect sync with it as soon as everything in the hall was subrged. The water was supernaturally thick with Nature Energy and I readily absorbed it to assu my Sea Sage state. Even underwater none of the denizens dared approach across the unspoken boundary.

I gave one last look at this gut-hard audience as I swam up after Slip Fang. I could sense Kaizoku. His anticipation was in the air, or rather in the water, boiling it with chakra and enhancing his own strengths at the cost of overwhelming his senses. This was an annoying but passive effect of the Sea Serpent King's connection with his domain, the Drown Tower.

As SlipFang and I swam towards the opened gates, I felt ripples in the water turn to forceful waves. Within my Saged State, it was impossible for to miss Kaizoku’s fast rising tail and I was its target. My eyes went wide upon the realization and I found SlipFang further away than he’d been a mont ago. I shook my head and braced for combat as Kaizoku greeted with a giant tail whip to the face.