Chapter 52: The Gathering in the Land of Iron
With that, Akatsurugi vanished in a flicker of movement, leaving Tsunade fuming, her beautiful blonde hair now a disheveled mess.
Damn it! If I were strong enough, I'd have pummeled him into the ground long ago! she cursed internally. Jiraiya, seeing her ruffled state, made the mistake of trying to smooth her hair himself. The result was predictable: a single punch sent him flying. Orochimaru watched the scene unfold, a faint, amused smile playing on his lips before he shook his head and turned away.
The next morning, Akatsurugi arrived at Konoha's main gate precisely at eight. The rest of the contingent was already assembled. Akimichi Kōsuke greeted him with a friendly smile. "Akatsurugi, you're leading this mission."
Akatsurugi nodded. The Third Hokage had already briefed him; he would be Konoha's chief representative in any negotiations with the other villages.
The three teams set out for the Land of Iron. During the journey, the young Sannin and the new Ino-Shika-Chō trio found common ground and chatted amiably. The Uchiha clansmen, however, remained aloof, keeping to themselves.
It was to be expected. The Uchiha clan was now considered Konoha's premier noble family. The Senju had largely integrated into the general populace, with only Tsunade's direct lineage retaining their distinct status. As such, the Uchiha carried an air of aristocratic pride and isolation. Furthermore, they currently commanded the Konoha Military Police Force, a position of significant real power. This was the Uchiha at their zenith, far from the ostracized clan they would later become. Though subtly excluded by the highest echelons of Konoha's leadership and viewed with wary distance by the common populace, the Uchiha name still commanded respect and fear.
The journey to the Land of Iron would take two days at a genin's pace. They reached the border of the Land of Fire by evening, deciding to camp for the night before entering the neutral territory tomorrow.
The duties of patrol and watch naturally fell to the Jonin. Akatsurugi had intended to share the shifts with Akimichi Kōsuke, but Uchiha En, the Uchiha team leader, proactively volunteered for the first watch. Akatsurugi saw no reason to refuse.
Around midnight, as the watch was about to change, Uchiha En approached Akatsurugi. "Lord Akatsurugi," he began, his tone formal. "The clan elders have asked me to relay a message."
Akatsurugi paused, genuinely surprised. "What is it?"
Uchiha En did not mince words. "The clan elders wish to propose an alliance with you, Lord Akatsurugi. You are invited to visit the clan compound upon our return. After all, you were Elder Kagami's disciple and now possess the Uchiha's Sharingan."
Akatsurugi gave a noncommittal nod and walked away without another word.
Uchiha En began his watch. Akatsurugi, leaning against a tree, frowned in contemplation. Are the Uchiha reaching out because they see me as a rising power? Or do they have a deeper agenda? The Uchiha clan was undoubtedly powerful now, but he knew the troubles that lay in their future. Still... they were my teacher's clan. If I can help them, I should.
He shelved the thought for now. It was pointless to dwell on it. While he was a Captain in the ANBU and held a high position, Konoha's true power still resided with the F4. If they perceived him as growing too close to the Uchiha, deviating from their specific interpretation of the "Will of Fire," they would undoubtedly unite against him.
I can't afford to be distracted. Not yet.
Closing his eyes, Akatsurugi pushed the politics aside and instead focused on his training, entering a state of mental sword meditation. Nothing was more reliable than increasing his own strength. If he could achieve Bankai with Ryūjin Jakka, to wield even a fraction of Old Man Yamamoto's power... then he could stand before Uchiha Madara himself without fear.
Truthfully, that was what he lacked most—an ultimate, annihilating attack. He had versatility, defense, and mobility in spades. But the power to reduce all creation to ashes... that was the final piece.
The next day arrived without incident. The night passed peacefully; while the post-war landscape was littered with refugees and bandits, no one was foolish enough to attack a group of shinobi from a major village.
They soon arrived in the Land of Iron and were promptly met by a contingent from Kumogakure.
The Cloud team was sizable, with over twenty participants—a clear display of force. Their leader was someone Akatsurugi didn't recognize, but the man's gaze was filled with naked hatred.
Akatsurugi merely raised an eyebrow. He didn't indulge the man's glare, simply snorting in dismissal. Even the Third Raikage couldn't do anything to me. Who are you, a mere extra?
The Cloud leader was Kujō Satoru. His brother, Kujōgawa, had been killed by Akatsurugi, and his hatred ran deep.
"Ah, gentlemen, please, no hostilities here," a calm voice interjected. Mifune, the leader of the Land of Iron's samurai, approached with a diplomatic smile. "The representatives from Iwagakure are already inside. Please, come in."
Akatsurugi gave a curt nod and walked past Kujō Satoru without a second glance. Kujō Satoru gritted his teeth, fury simmering, but followed the group inside.
Inside, they were greeted by the Iwagakure representative, Tsuchikage—a shinobi from Ōnoki's own clan.
"I did not expect the team leader to be the famed 'Blaze God' himself," Tsuchikage said with a polished smile. "Tsuchikage is honored."
He pointedly ignored Kujō Satoru, who had followed Akatsurugi in—a cheap but effective provocation. Kujō Satoru seethed, but Akatsurugi paid the petty power play no mind. The grudge between Konoha and Kumo was real; let them provoke all they wanted.
Akatsurugi took his seat in the section designated for Konoha. "The Sand and the Mist have yet to arrive? The agreed-upon time is nearly upon us."
Tsuchikage smiled. "The distance is considerable for them, I'm sure. Perfectly understandable."
Akatsurugi nodded, offering no further comment. The Land of Iron had been chosen as the host for a reason. He was curious to see what games the other villages intended to play.
The Mist and Sand delegations trickled in throughout the afternoon. The Sand team was conspicuously small, a token presence that spoke volumes about their current state. The Mist team, however, was sizable. Their leader was a familiar, if unwelcome, face: Jūzō Biwa.
An old acquaintance, Akatsurugi mused coldly. This was the man who had once looked down on him, who had led the hunt for his sensei, Uchiha Kagami. He had run headlong into Kagami's Mangekyō and been beaten half to death, his partner, Mangetsu Hōzuki, slain on the spot. Back then, Akatsurugi had been just one of the "little brats" from Konoha. Now, he was Konoha's Blaze God.
He wondered if Jūzō Biwa felt any regret.
Of course, Jūzō Biwa would never admit it. If he could hear the thought, he would likely insist he felt no such thing. But in the quiet of his own mind, faced with the man Kagami's disciple had become, regret was an unavoidable, bitter pill. Unfortunately, there is no medicine for regret in this