Uchiha Kairen returned to the shinobi world. A few teammates were waiting right where they'd left them; they hadn't been idle — sweeping the battlefield as best they could. Anyone not quite dead was finished off. You can't be soft at times like this: spare one enemy and you risk trouble for yourself, your family, even the whole clan.
When they saw Kairen come back everyone looked at him expectantly. He grinned. "Ha—plan was a complete success. The Seven-Tails has found a place to settle. Time for us to get back to our posts."
"Heh, we flattened a whole shinobi village, killed the village's Kage and stole the Seven-Tails. That felt amazing." Uchiha Retsu wore a mischievous grin.
"Honestly, I didn't expect it to go this smoothly. I thought there'd be big complications — maybe the village was just too weak," Uchiha Honō analyzed.
"Whatever the reason, we killed an A-rank Kage." Uchiha Gorou sounded pleased despite having comparatively little to do.
"That Kage probably had tricks left, but everyone else was too weak. The sealing squad that could contain the tailed beast was wiped out by kairen; with him restrained, the village was overturned by the beast. One man's strength can only do so much." Uchiha Danten sighed.
"Let's move. Such a loud commotion — we can't be sure someone curious won't come check." Uchiha Kirito urged.
They left the scene quickly, spoke little on the road, and only relaxed when they stopped for a short rest inside the Land of Grass. Then they reviewed the haul from the operation.
"kairen, how's the Seven-Tails? What's next?" Kirito asked.
"The Seven-Tails is doing well. He took to the summoning realm right away, but it's not time to use him yet. We need to build a bond — long-term work so that he will willingly fight for the clan. Also, the fact that we obtained the Seven-Tails must be kept secret. I'll report directly to the clan head. I've already made arrangements with the summoning dogs — none of them will leak this."
"What we do now is lie low. Wait for the situation to change — that's when we reclaim our honor. Right now other villages will send people to investigate; we'll stay nearby and intercept those teams. We'll slow our movements, focus on ambushing anyone who comes to check. Then we'll send word back like it was a natural result: suspected tailed-beast rampage, Takigakure destroyed. The first people on the scene often look the most suspicious — so we'll arrive late, with a plausible excuse. There's no better explanation than 'we killed the invaders.' After all, I'm the Golden Asura of Konoha — which Asura doesn't kill?" kairen laid out the plan.
"Sounds right. Since we formed this squad, our style's been the same: when we meet enemy country shinobi or rogue ninja, we don't ask questions — we erase them. That won't arouse suspicion; nobody expects us to be so bold as to target a tailed beast." The dual-swordsman spoke coldly.
"All right — onward with our slaughter tour. Let our names ring through the shinobi world!" Retsu's melodramatic boast earned a few snorts.
"First we'll swing by the Kusagakure and purposefully expose our trail. After we 'receive' the report, we'll begin the next act. Full performance." Honō said.
Gorou kept reassuring himself silently: it's fine, no one knows it was us; I checked everything. Anybody who could be found — I cleaned up. I even used their own weapons to make it look like an internal fight. I covered it well — we'll never be discovered.
Danten took a casual tone. In this team you can just follow along — the junior will rise high someday. Stay put and you'll see new sights. No point being timid and hoarding your sword skills.
------
"Hokage-sama, from the direction of the Land of Waterfalls there were huge sounds last night near Takigakure Because Takigakure is so secluded, our spies didn't act rashly; they are currently surrounding and observing." An Anbu reported to the Third Hokage.
Another Anbu pushed in with a red-lettered missive in hand. "Hokage-sama, latest readings show unusual chakra fluctuations last night by Takigakure. Several huge blasts followed; we can hear fighting when we get closer — suspected tailed-beast rampage."
"Which squads are in that area? Send them to gather intel. Avoid clashes with shinobi from other villages if encountered," Hiruzen ordered.
"Yes, Hokage-sama." The two Anbu answered in unison.
------
"See? We rested a day and someone came to report. Let's go investigate — and thank the Hokage for the free invitation." Honō said.
"Ha — come get some," Retsu taunted. "Now the hunt begins." Danten stood and stretched.
"You all seem energized. Makes me excited too — youth's full of fire." Kirito laughed.
"Stick to the planned route," Kairen tightened his headband and stood.
Gorou exhaled in relief. Finally it's starting — this day of nerve-racking waiting is over. Finish this fast and get home; this squad's way too dangerous.
"How many teams have come? These folks sure don't fear death — keep sending people to Takigakure?" Retsu stepped over a corpse.
"They're right to send squads. Many of the units there are from the Amegakure; their Kage has a demigod reputation. If anyone secures the Seven-Tails, they'll be unstoppable — far more qualified than in the Second Great War to become a top hidden village. You think they're not anxious?" Honō explained.
"Not just Amegakure — any major village, including Konoha, would shift the entire world order if they obtained a tailed beast. Ambitious villages like Kumogakure or Iwagakure would start wars to grab new advantages. The shinobi world would be reshuffled. No one can predict the aftermath." Kairen added.
"What if Konoha got it?" Danten asked.
"Then they'd dominate the shinobi world," Gorou blurted.
"Maybe — maybe not. But one thing's certain: our clan would vanish like the Senju did. We and the village — our fates are intertwined with the world. If the balance breaks, the Uchiha will have no place left. That's why I seized the key to victory early. In the crucial moment, the Seven-Tails will be our last trump." Kairen answered.
"Okay — time to carry out the Hokage's orders, then." Honō said.
"Let's move. We'll also see what clues the others have dug up." Gorou said, concern flickering across his face.