Akio and Mifune locked eyes, neither backing down. The standoff dragged on far longer than it should have, turning the atmosphere painfully awkward.
A samurai's discipline was impressive, but Akio wasn't about to be the first to blink.
This is a losing game, Akio thought dryly. His face is hard to look at, and he's enjoying every second of this.
Time to cheat.
After a brief pause, Akio quietly gathered Wind chakra in his right hand. A faint swirl formed at his fingertips. With a casual flick, a light breeze shot toward Mifune's eyes.
Mifune reacted instantly, tilting his head aside while his right hand slid naturally to the hilt of his sword.
"You blinked," Akio said calmly.
Mifune: "?"
A hint of amusement flashed across Akio's face before vanishing just as quickly. The joking was over. It was time to get serious.
"Alright," Akio said. "What exactly happened that's serious enough for you to suspect even me?"
Mifune slowly removed his hand from his sword and hesitated before speaking.
"My apologies, sir. I do not truly believe you are responsible. But your arrival was… unusually timed. Please, come with me."
Akio nodded and led the three children as they followed Mifune into the general's residence.
After searching through several documents, Mifune retrieved a folded map and spread it out in front of Akio.
"This is the region surrounding the Land of Iron. May I ask which route you traveled?"
"The Land of Earth," Akio replied.
Mifune nodded. "That confirms it. If you had passed through the Land of Whirlpools, you might have been able to save civilians from this country."
"Hm?" Akio frowned, scanning the map until he noticed a small nation marked with a red cross.
"Don't tell me… it's gone?"
Mifune exhaled heavily. "We received confirmation yesterday. The country has been completely wiped out."
Akio stiffened. "Completely?"
Mifune nodded.
"Hey, Elder," Karin muttered uneasily. "When you say wiped out… you don't mean"
"Yes," Akio said quietly. "Exactly what you're thinking."
"Wiped out" didn't mean conquest or occupation. It meant annihilation from the daimyo down to the last ordinary civilian.
That wasn't something conventional warfare could accomplish. It had to be ninja. Even during the Warring States Era, acts like this were rare. Whatever grudge fueled it had to be monstrous.
After a brief pause, Mifune continued.
"Intelligence suggests a ninja unleashed a large-scale technique within the country. I've already sent Chōsuke to investigate. He should return by tomorrow morning. We may need your assistance."
"A single technique capable of erasing a nation…" Akio murmured. "There aren't many ninja who can do that, but there are enough."
The so-called country was smaller than even Konoha, barely a dot on the map. Dozens of such minor nations existed around the Land of Iron, relying on samurai protection and rarely dealing with ninja.
In the modern shinobi world, several individuals could destroy such a place. Jinchūriki alone could do it with ease.
Mifune nodded grimly. "This will spread fear among neighboring nations. If Chōsuke finds nothing, I ask that you help us hunt down the culprit."
Akio straightened, expression resolute.
"This is my responsibility."
Mifune paused, then turned his head. "Rikaku, prepare guest quarters. Our guest has traveled far, and night is approaching."
Akio sighed. Even now, it sounded like Mifune didn't fully trust him.
"Relax. I'll help investigate. Consider it payment for teaching Kimimaro swordsmanship."
Only then did Mifune nod. "You have my thanks."
As the samurai named Rikaku finished arranging the rooms and approached, Akio suddenly remembered something.
With a wave of his hand, the puppet body of Hanzo appeared before them, still enclosed in a faint blue barrier.
Mifune's eyes widened. "That is… Lord Hanzo."
"So you already know," Akio said. "He's long dead. Worse, his body was turned into a human puppet, modified with poison. I remember you knew him. Arrange a burial. The Rain no longer has a place for him."
Mifune drew a deep breath. "Understood."
Akio nodded, then paused.
This might complicate things, he thought. When Nagato or rather, Yah—no… when they approach the Land of Iron later, neutrality might not be so simple.
The Next Morning
After breakfast, Akio and the children followed a samurai to an open training ground. Mifune stood waiting, wooden sword in hand.
"I need to assess the child's fundamentals," Mifune said.
Akio turned to Kimimaro. "One bone blade only. No other abilities."
Kimimaro charged with fierce intent, but Mifune was far beyond his current level. With a simple flick of the wooden sword, Kimimaro nearly lost his grip.
After a few probing exchanges, Mifune applied more pressure, forcing Kimimaro to stumble back beside Akio.
"Instinct alone," Mifune said. "He has a long way to go."
Akio nodded. "That's why we'll stay for about three months. I'll leave his training to you."
"Three months will have to suffice," Mifune replied. "Until Chōsuke returns, I'll teach him personally."
Akio patted Kimimaro's shoulder. "Watch carefully. Learn everything."
"Yes, my lord."
As Kimimaro trained, Akio guided Haku and Karin through sparring practice.
Time passed but Mifune's expression only grew darker. Not because of Kimimaro, but because Chōsuke still hadn't returned.
Near noon, a report finally arrived. Chōsuke was back.
Akio left the children to train and followed Mifune to meet him.
"General," Chōsuke said, "this is Shū, the young lord of that country. He survived because he was being held here as a political hostage."
Akio examined the boy six or seven years old, hair tied into two small braids, tears streaming down his face.
Haku would still win, Akio thought absently.
As Mifune questioned Chōsuke, the samurai shook his head.
"No survivors. The country wasn't struck by multiple techniques; it was erased by a single, massive one. The civilians had no chance. It didn't even feel like ninjutsu."
"More like a natural disaster," he added.
Mifune turned to Akio, face grim.
Akio nodded slowly.
"Take me there. A ninja capable of this narrows the list to fewer than five people."
"…And I have a strong suspicion who it was."
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