The Root shinobi returned to Konoha after being discovered by their target. The cover story of Anbu on a mission would no longer work, and continuing to press was too dangerous.
Besides, they had already gathered more than valuable information. Much can be extracted just by observing, and shinobi were masters of observation.
Kneeling before Shimura Danzō, the captain of the squad tracking Takeshi narrated everything learned throughout their mission. Little in content, rich in value.
—The Yuki Clan... — Danzō murmured with a cold glint in his visible eye. —There are usually not many rogue Ninjas coming from important Clans. This boy must be good enough to leave his Clan's sphere of influence alive.
—His chakra is abnormally vast, Danzō-sama. We even assumed he was a Jinchūriki from Kirigakure, but he has not used Bijuu chakra at any time. The other option is that...
—He is a prodigy— the Darkness of the Ninja World concluded, his tone flashing with both seriousness and longing. But he quickly regained his composure.
Yes, a member of the Yuki Clan was something Danzō could potentially gain access to, if he set his mind to it. The investment of resources would be questionable, however, and he doubted he could successfully kidnap a high-level member.
But Yuki Takeshi, a shinobi without a Clan, without a Village, without a home, was a much more practical target. And one of considerable strength.
—What else do we know about his travel companion?— he interrogated the Root agent.
—Nothing, Danzō-sama. According to his protector, he is a rogue shinobi from Takigakure, but we do not know his name or his abilities. Although his reserves are equally monstrous, without reaching the level of the Yuki boy... And his elemental Ninjutsu is top-notch.
Danzō raised an eyebrow, motioning for the agent to continue his explanation.
Upon the report's conclusion, Danzō's mood visibly darkened. Like everything else in this world, things were not going to be that simple.
Powerful mercenaries traveling in pairs, undertaking missions for Iwagakure whose target was Konoha itself. An unknown shinobi with lethal, unknown abilities, powerful combined Ninjutsu.
The similar attire indicated the same organization. They might not be the only ones wandering around.
At this point in the story, Akatsuki was not yet Jiraiya's target. There were rumors about such an organization, but Danzō had no reason or information to associate it with Yuki Takeshi and the mysterious Taki-Nin accompanying him.
He needed more information, accurate information. Yuki Takeshi was the most likely suspect on Danzō's list, given the circumstances, the young man's lack of initiative in covering his movements along the way, the incident in Kusagakure, and the strange, icy residual chakra that his most skilled shinobi managed to detect.
Even if he wasn't, allowing a young powerhouse like that to roam freely was a resounding NO for the old man of Konoha. His bloodline would be better off in Konoha's hands—in his own hands.
Similar thoughts were crossing the mind of another old man in another Hidden Village.
In the Tsuchikage's office, Ōnoki was receiving the report from the Jōnin who had taken on the mission to contact Akatsuki.
Kōsetsu had just transmitted the information he was able to gather after his brief exchange with the mercenaries.
Beyond the Organization's capabilities and trustworthiness, the presence of the brat caught Ōnoki's attention a great deal.
A rogue shinobi with considerable strength was one thing, but a young man capable of associating with such shinobi on equal terms was an entirely different matter.
Ōnoki did not focus on the child's current strength, but on the strength he could develop over time. That was where the danger lay.
Now he was presented with two options:
First, he could maintain regular business with the organization he belonged to, making sure to learn more about the young man, his capabilities, his origins, the reasons for his desertion—if there were any—or if he was a civilian with monstrous talent who had the opportunity to exploit it.
He could try to drag the homeless and unsupported young man to his village, subjecting him to conditioning with the aim of turning him into a loyal and valuable asset for Iwagakure.
Second, he could avoid unnecessary risks and get rid of a prodigious young man whose loyalty was not directed toward his village, and probably antagonizing the mysterious Akatsuki in the process.
Whatever the decision, the fact remained that Ōnoki had discovered another potential growing power. Regardless of his affiliation or lack thereof, such an individual could not live as he pleased in this world. Ōnoki would not allow it, and the other Villages would not allow it if they found out.
The case of Yuki Takeshi would be very different from that of rogue shinobi like Uchiha Itachi or Deidara, who had not yet defected from their respective villages. Nothing was known about him, unlike the other two.
And if there was one thing the Villages hated more than a dangerous Ninja loose in the world, it was one about whom they knew absolutely no information.
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Pieces of paper fluttered to the sound of Amegakure's cold, damp breeze, undisturbed by the eternal rain falling upon them.
They wove their way with precision, evading obstacles and buildings, skillfully circling the tangled, faded vines of this one-of-a-kind metal jungle.
From below, some people raised their heads and contemplated the spectacle, their eyes flashing with admiration and respect.
After a while, the pieces of paper stopped their flight, swirling into a controlled storm and materializing the bearer of this particular Kekkei Genkai.
Eyes as gray as the clouds above the Village and as cold as the air blowing observed a group of children playing in the puddles formed on the ground, led by a lively girl with striking red hair.
Konan tried, and failed, to hide the glimpse of a smile that graced her lips.
From her elevated position, the kunoichi delighted in the sight for a while, as the children's laughter reached her ears through the endless torrent that lashed the rooftops.
Uzumaki Karin was jumping and splashing, egging the other children on to chase her in some silly, innocent game of tag.
The water splashed, clothes got soaked, and the children laughed and laughed, filling Konan's heart with an unusual warmth. Witnessing such phenomena often did, although she would never say it out loud.
She would like to claim it brought back good memories, but the good memories were stained by the bitter ones. That's why she thought of nothing and simply observed.
When Yuki Takeshi rudely pointed at her and demanded her participation in training Uzumaki Karin, Konan felt an overwhelming urge to cut off his head.
She, in charge of a child? Sure, she used to direct the Amegakure shinobi now and then, giving advice here and there, but she had never taken on an apprentice or anything of the sort. What was she going to teach an Uzumaki?
She wasn't a Sealing Master, her Kekkei Genkai was unique, and she didn't possess the vast Ninjutsu repertoire of her former Sensei. Nor did she feel she had his charisma, or the capacity to guide a student.
But the little bastard was insistent on this point, and Konan had a bitter premonition about fighting Yuki Takeshi at that moment, despite being backed by Kakuzu.
He was hiding something. Every shinobi did, but those with the ability to put Kakuzu in trouble without revealing their hand were definitely on the dangerous list.
So, she reluctantly accepted. The girl's identity as an Uzumaki also played a part in it.
Now, months after Yuki Takeshi's addition to Akatsuki and Karin's arrival in the Village, Konan felt genuinely at ease with the situation.
She even came to accept the fact that she enjoyed spending time with the girl. It was a breath of fresh air, without machinations, without planning, without ideologies, without dangerous assassins.
Just her guiding a young, capable, enthusiastic mind. A rowdy yet leading child who was slowly making a place for herself in the damaged heart of the kunoichi.
Konan cleared her mind of such thoughts, shaking off the spell she had fallen under. Her gaze turned serious, yet kind, and she descended from her spot, forming paper wings on her back that helped her soften the fall.
The appearance of the angel halted the children's endless coming and going, all of them staring with stunned expressions at her mystical figure.
—Angel-sama!— some exclaimed with rigid postures and bright eyes, unsure whether to behave as their parents probably told them or yield to their childlike impulses and surround her with curiosity.
—Uzumaki Karin, meet me at the usual training ground— Konan said solemnly, maintaining the facade of cold indifference that characterized her.
Having made her statement, the kunoichi deformed her body into a flock of paper pieces and went on her way without waiting for a reply. Another day, more training, more time to relax.
And despite everything, a slight annoyance assailed her chest. If she showed too much closeness to the Uzumaki, Yuki Takeshi would never let her hear the end of it. She could feel it.