Akio returned with a full load of spoils.
This trip to the battlefield had originally been meant to check on his students but somehow, it had completely gone off course. Still… the final result wasn't bad at all.
At least Akio himself was quite satisfied, and he felt absolutely no shame about having "stolen" anything.
At the entrance to Konoha's camp, Shikaku, Sakumo, and Akio's four disciples were waiting anxiously.
"Uncle Jitou, did Elder Akio really say he was going to handle it personally?"
Jitou had now officially become an "uncle," and even Sakumo called him that.
"The teacher did say he was going to take action himself," Jitou replied, though he sounded confused too.
If Akio was moving, there should've been some kind of massive disturbance, if not heaven and earth shaking, then at least something on that level. Yet after all this time, there was still no movement at all.
"Could Elder Akio have gone for an assassination?" Sakumo voiced the thought but didn't believe it himself. No one else did either.
"Teacher's back," Nanako suddenly said.
The others focused their gaze ahead. Akio's figure flickered rapidly toward them.
"Teacher's traveling style has changed, huh…"
When Akio finally appeared before them, Shikaku couldn't hold back anymore.
"Elder Akio, what happened to Sunagakure?"
Akio grinned. "Do you really need to ask? With me involved, what could possibly go wrong? Don't worry, Sunagakure will be retreating very soon."
Shikaku hesitated, unsure whether to believe him. They hadn't even seen Akio's trademark Dust Release in action this time.
Akio could tell what they were thinking and shook his head.
"Relax. Sunagakure took a heavy hit this time."
He had already noticed on his last visit that the Sand Village's economy was struggling. Now, with the stockpiles they'd built up over the years completely taken by him in one sweep, they wouldn't recover anytime soon.
"Forgive me for asking, but… what exactly did you do to strike them, Elder Akio?" Shikaku asked carefully.
Akio's face twitched. "Since you already said 'forgive me,' you shouldn't ask! Nanako, Jitou, Nagato, Konan, let's go."
Shikaku and Sakumo could only watch helplessly as Akio led his four disciples away until their figures disappeared from view.
"Sakumo, you're the one who knows Elder Akio best"
"I don't know him at all."
The two of them were still puzzling over things when a familiar white-haired figure appeared in the distance.
"Shikaku! Sunagakure's forces suddenly retreated back to their camp! Is this some kind of trick?" Jiraiya shouted.
Shikaku froze, then his face lit up.
"Looks like Elder Akio can be reliable… sometimes."
Fortunately, Akio already far beyond the borders of the Land of Rain with his disciples didn't hear that last remark.
As they traveled, Akio finally found time to ask Nagato and Konan about their first taste of war.
"So, how was it"
"Don't even start," Akio cut Nagato off with a dark look.
Konan hesitated, then asked softly, "Teacher, why does the war have to happen in the Land of Rain?"
Though she'd become an orphan young and barely remembered the good days of her homeland, seeing so many innocent civilians die still made her heart ache.
Akio paused for a moment. The correct "grown-up" answer would be: 'Because weakness is a sin.' But he didn't want to teach his students something that harsh.
"Well… this kind of question…"
"This has to do with some advanced strategy and tactics like flanking maneuvers, striking deep behind enemy lines, you know…" After racking his brain for a while, that was the best excuse he could come up with.
Konan, already fifteen and quite smart, gave him a look of pure disdain.
"Alright, alright, enough of that. Let's just hurry home," Akio said quickly, mentally scolding himself for ever asking about their 'war experience.'
He didn't use his half-baked space ninjutsu this time. Instead, the group sprinted the whole way, returning to Konoha in half a day.
He told his disciples to wait for him at the Senju compound, while he went straight to the Hokage Building.
Hiruzen had already heard the news of Akio's return and was waiting anxiously outside. Reports from the battlefield hadn't yet reached the village.
"Elder Akio, the situation in the Land of Rain?"
"It's been taken care of."
Hiruzen let out a long sigh of relief. He knew Akio wouldn't joke about such matters.
"But didn't you say it would be inconvenient for you to take action personally?"
Akio smiled. "As long as I stand at the front lines, the enemy's rabble loses the will to fight. Hardly worth mentioning."
Hiruzen's face stiffened, he didn't even know how to respond.
Then came a voice of flattery from behind Akio:
"When Elder Akio takes the field, victory is inevitable, invincible and unstoppable!"
Akio should've been pleased… except the one saying it was Danzo.
"Demon! How dare you impersonate Danzo take one strike from Old Akio!"
…was what he wanted to shout, but the words died in his throat.
He turned, it really was Danzo.
"Terrifying. Truly terrifying…" Akio thought grimly.
"So… what method did you use against Sunagakure?" Hiruzen asked again, feeling awkward from Danzo's sudden praise.
Akio sighed. He knew this question would come, but luckily, he'd prepared an answer on the way back.
"Recently, while observing the stars, I was suddenly enlightened with a Sage Art, a technique called 'World Within the Sleeve.' With a flick of my sleeve, the enemy's weapons and supplies vanish into it. Deprived of those, the Sand Village collapsed without a fight."
Hiruzen: "???"
Danzo was the first to catch on. "You mean… you used a jutsu to take away their weapons and supplies?"
"Seized!" Akio shamelessly corrected.
Hiruzen finally understood, and his expression brightened. He didn't care if Akio had any shame as long as it benefited Konoha.
"At this rate, we'll hear news of victory from the front lines within half a day," Hiruzen said, exchanging a glance with Danzo.
Akio watched the two old friends interact and shook his head with a chuckle.
"Would you like those weapons and supplies? I can sell them to you at cost."
Hiruzen froze, then after a moment's thought, gritted his teeth. "We'll take them. All of them."
He was hoping to gain Akio's favor and perhaps his future help in another war.
"Step back and clear this area," Akio instructed, looking like he was about to cast a mighty spell.
They hurriedly backed away, and Hiruzen ordered the Anbu to keep civilians from entering the area.
Akio flicked his sleeve and unleashed the 'World Within the Sleeve'.
A massive pile of supplies poured out onto the ground.
"Your sleeve… can also hold living creatures?" Hiruzen asked in astonishment.
Akio's face twitched as he turned to see a fat cat sitting atop a heap of grain. The creature let out a startled "Mrow!" then spotted Akio, sprinted toward him, and clung to his leg, biting furiously.
He hadn't fed it all day and the pocket full of food had been driving it mad.
"Go on a diet, fat cat," Akio muttered.
Then he turned back to Hiruzen and Danzo.
"Pardon the embarrassment my… unrefined pet."
But before he could finish, his face froze.
"Elder Akio, this tree?" Hiruzen asked, staring at the large tree that had somehow fallen out along with the supplies.
Akio felt his soul leave his body. He thought of the 256 spatial nodes in his technique and felt completely drained.
---
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