Ahoo!
Ahoo!
Ahoo!
Crows cried out in the early morning, their calls echoing through the streets as the town slowly came to life. Merchants arranged their wares, voices rising and falling as another day began.
Kuro woke up to the softness of two mountains on his face as Kisara wrapped around him.
Kirama was on the corner of the room, sleeping silently.
Lost in the sea of softness, Kuro was suddenly interrupted when Niji appeared out of nowhere.
"My Lord, there…"
The words died in Niji's throat as Kuro fixed him with a deadly glare. Understanding immediately, Niji melted back into the shadows, as though he had never been there at all.
Moments later, Kisara stirred. With a quiet yawn, she slipped out of bed and headed for the bathroom.
Kuro finally sat up and began preparing for the day, already making a mental note to ensure that Niji would regret disturbing his morning peace.
After breakfast, Kirama hopped on his shoulder as he made his way toward the Hokage office.
Along the way, he grabbed a few snacks for himself and Kirama.
As he continued on, he crossed paths with Minato and his team, just setting out on their border patrol mission. Kuro paused long enough to give Minato a quiet warning about other villages making preparations for war against the Hidden Leaf.
Minato's expression sharpened immediately. He thanked Kuro for the information, promising to remain alert, before leading his team off toward the gates.
Soon afterward, Kuro arrived at the Hokage's office. The ANBU stationed outside made no move to stop him. After all, they were former Root members now firmly under his control.
Without bothering to knock, Kuro pushed the door open. Inside, the Third Hokage sat buried behind a mountain of paperwork, his pipe resting idly at his side.
Hiruzen looked up in surprise, clearly caught off guard by Kuro's sudden appearance. His gaze flicked briefly toward the door, then back to Kuro.
'So he even got to the ANBU,' Hiruzen thought.
"What brings you here?" Hiruzen asked, carefully masking his surprise.
"Well, I'm here to propose a deal you can't possibly ignore," Kuro said calmly.
At his signal, a shadow soldier emerged behind him, silently placing a chair on the floor. Kuro took a seat across from the Third Hokage.
'Damn, he's not even trying to hide it anymore.' Hiruzen thought when he saw the shadowy creature.
Setting aside the papers, Hiruzen gave his full attention to Kuro.
"And what would this deal entail?" he asked calmly. "So long as it serves the greater good of the village, I am willing to hear you out."
"Oh, it's very good for the Leaf," Kuro said lightly. "In fact, it would save the lives of many of its shinobi."
"And how would it do that?" Hiruzen asked. He wasn't surprised that Kuro already knew about the looming war.
"Simple." Kuro spread his arms slightly. "Grant me the authority to act independently. Not that I need your permission. I could take that authority by force if I wished. But as a law-abiding civilian of the Hidden Leaf, I thought it proper to ask."
Hiruzen felt a sharp pressure build behind his temples. Hearing Kuro refer to himself as a law-abiding citizen nearly gave him a stroke.
"Why not simply ask for the position of Hokage?" Hiruzen asked, spite creeping into his tone.
Kuro glanced at him, then at the towering stack of paperwork on the desk.
"Uh, no thanks," he said flatly. "I'd rather enjoy my youth than rot away in an office buried under paperwork for the rest of my life."
Hiruzen's eyes widened slightly, a mix of disbelief and irritation stirring in his chest.
He leaned back in his chair, trying to maintain his composure, while Kuro's calm, almost casual demeanor made the room feel awkward.
"Alright," Hiruzen said after several moments of silent deliberation. "I will grant you the authority to act independently. However, I expect you to aid your fellow shinobi during the war."
"No worries," Kuro replied casually. "They're my fellow villagers. Of course I'll help."
Hiruzen studied him for a moment. "Anything else?" he asked.
"Of course." Kuro nodded. "I wouldn't come all this way just for permission. I want a complete report on all known locations of the surviving members of the Uzumaki Clan."
"So you're the one behind the takeover of the Land of Water… and Mito reappearing after her supposed death," Hiruzen said.
Kuro leaned back slightly in his chair, a small, almost amused smile tugging at his lips. "Seems like people give me too much credit," he said lightly. "But yes, I had a hand in both. That, I don't need the village's permission. Sometimes you just have to act."
Hiruzen closed his eyes, exhaling slowly as he tried to steady himself. 'Hah… the world moves too fast, and I'm growing too old,' he thought grimly.
"Alright," Hiruzen conceded once more. "I'll have the relevant information sent to your residence later. Is there anything else?"
"Nope," Kuro said, rising from his chair. "That's all."
Hiruzen watched him leave, then sank back into his seat, eyes drifting over the mountain of papers before him.
"Maybe I should retire after all this," he thought wryly, a tired sigh escaping him.
…
Meanwhile, Minato, accompanied by Nawaki and Mikoto, arrived at their assigned patrol area along the border.
Minato's sharp eyes scanned the horizon. "It is quiet," he muttered. "Too quiet. Something is brewing."
Nawaki and Mikoto exchanged uneasy glances.
"Looks like Kuro's warning wasn't an exaggeration," Nawaki said, his voice low.
Mikoto nodded as they continued along the border.
Minato led the way, his senses alert for the slightest disturbance. Nawaki and Mikoto followed closely, scanning the terrain for any unusual signs.
The wind whispered through the trees, carrying only the faint rustle of leaves and the distant cries of birds. Yet beneath the calm, all three felt unease.
Minutes stretched into hours.
As they rounded a bend in the dense forest, Minato suddenly raised a hand, signaling the others to stop.
From the shadows, three figures emerged, their rain-coated cloaks marking them unmistakably as shinobi from the Hidden Rain.
Minato's eyes narrowed. "They're testing the border," he muttered under his breath. "Or scouting…"
Nawaki tightened his grip on his weapon, while Mikoto shifted slightly, ready to respond at a moment's notice.
Minato studied the Hidden Rain shinobi carefully. Engaging them now could spark a full-scale confrontation that the three of them weren't prepared for.
"Hold your positions," he whispered to Nawaki and Mikoto. "We observe, we don't engage."
Slowly, they began to retreat, moving silently through the underbrush. Minato led them along a concealed path he had scouted earlier, keeping just enough distance to avoid detection while maintaining a clear line of sight on the enemy.
The Hidden Rain shinobi noticed the movement but didn't pursue immediately. Instead, they spread out, scanning and analyzing the borders for future operations.
By the time Minato, Nawaki, and Mikoto reached a safe vantage point overlooking the border, the enemy had disappeared into the misty forest.
Minato exhaled quietly, tension easing slightly. "They're probing us," he said. "We need to alert the village and prepare for what's coming."
Nawaki nodded. "Kuro wasn't exaggerating. This is serious."
Mikoto's gaze lingered on the forest. "And they won't stop at just probing. We need to be ready."
Soon, the three of them made their way back to the village to report and complete their mission.
By late afternoon, Minato, Nawaki, and Mikoto returned to the Hidden Leaf. They made their way directly to the Hokage's office, bypassing the usual chatter of the village, urgency in every movement.
Inside, Minato bowed respectfully before speaking. "Hokage-sama, our border patrol encountered shinobi from the Hidden Rain. They didn't engage, but they were clearly scouting the area."
Hiruzen leaned back, listening intently. "I see… and you're certain they didn't pursue you?"
"They held their positions and observed," Minato confirmed. "It's a strategic probe, likely to assess our defenses."
Hiruzen closed his eyes for a moment, pinching the bridge of his nose. 'So it begins…' he thought grimly. "Very well. Prepare a comprehensive report."
Nawaki exchanged a glance with Mikoto, the weight of the looming conflict settling over them. Outside, the village continued its daily life, oblivious to the storm gathering at its borders.