The Land of Waterfall lies nestled between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth, bordered by four nations. It is a realm defined by its geography; massive, cascading waterfalls act as liquid fortress walls, providing a natural defense network against invaders. The caves and pools hidden behind these falls form a labyrinth that disorients any outsider. It is beneath one such great waterfall that the Hidden Waterfall Village is concealed.
The villages of this country are tucked away in aquatic grottoes, with only a few open to outsiders. Aki's merchant caravan entered one such village known as Naomizu. Aki was struck by the sight: a colossal, sky-piercing tree sheltered the village, surrounded by serene lakes and islands connected by a network of bridges. While the merchants went to meet their black-market intermediaries, the team settled into a local inn.
Aki was itching to explore, but Danzō's orders were strict: remain on high alert and do not wander. However, Torifu Akimichi soon approached him. "Go take a walk," Torifu said. "Danzō said we can have some free time. I have to stay to guard the cargo, so you go. But you'd better bring back plenty of roasted meat and rice balls, or I'll thrash you!"
Aki thanked him with a grin and headed into the village.
Walking through Naomizu, he saw children playing in the lake and women washing clothes, chatting happily. If I didn't know this country was mobilizing for war, I wouldn't see a single trace of it here, Aki thought. The people's faces don't carry the shadow of conflict.
Suddenly, a suspicious-looking man bumped into Aki. The man offered a hurried apology and ducked into a nearby lakeside house. Aki's curiosity was piqued—the man wore no headband, but a split-second activation of the Sharingan revealed chakra reserves nearing the level of a Chunin.
Curiosity killed the cat, Aki thought, but he shadowed the man anyway.
Aki used his chakra to walk up the side of the house and slipped through a second-story window. Hearing footsteps on the stairs, he leaped onto a ceiling beam and used a Transformation Jutsu to blend perfectly into the wood.
Three men entered the room. One signaled the others to sit. "The Takikage demands we hand over the Hero's Water," the leader said. "What are your thoughts?"
The man who had bumped into Aki—Jinbachiro—spoke up heatedly. "The Takikage is gathering ninja for war. This goes against our village's ideals. I won't hand it over. War for the sake of war brings no peace. If that's all you have to say, save your breath."
Another man, Tamafuji, agreed. "We know the consequences of using the Hero's Water. It is meant for defending the village, not for foreign conquest. Hara, stop asking us to surrender it."
Hara, the third man, sighed. "I understand, but the Takikage is forcing our hand. If we don't comply, he will destroy our village."
"There is no true 'Kage' in the Land of Waterfall!" Jinbachiro shouted. "He's just a man with the Daimyo's backing. If he wants war with us, let him come!"
After a long silence, Tamafuji looked out at the giant tree. "The village is more important than the water. If the village is gone, what use is the treasure? As long as the Great Tree stands, the water will return." He reached into his robes and tossed a scrap of cloth to Hara. Jinbachiro followed suit.
Hara looked at them. "You may despise me, but for the sake of peace, I believe this is worth it." He then headed downstairs, followed by the others.
Hero's Water? Aki whispered to himself. Sounds like a powerful drug. It would be much better off in Konoha's hands than with these warmongers.
Aki slipped out the window to track Hara. He activated his Sharingan and released a Ninja Bee—a specialized messenger—to alert Danzō. He followed Hara deep into the forest surrounding the Great Tree.
Eventually, Hara stopped. Aki sensed multiple chakra signatures ahead and hid in the canopy. A group of Waterfall shinobi appeared, led by a man with a Hidden Waterfall headband.
"What is your village's answer, Hara?" the leader asked. "Hand it over or face the consequences."
"Will you truly exempt our village from taxes and military service for ten years?" Hara asked tentatively. After receiving a firm confirmation, the exchange began.
Aki observed the group: one Jonin, three Chunin, and six Genin. I can't take them all alone, he realized.
Just then, two shadows flickered to his sides. It was Danzō and Kagami.
"What is this?" Danzō whispered sharply. "I told you not to cause trouble."
Aki quickly explained the "Hero's Water"—a legendary treasure that granted immense power at a great physical cost. "Lord Danzō, we cannot let this fall into the hands of those hostile to the Leaf."
Danzō's eyes narrowed into slits. "The map to this water is on that man, Hara?"
"Yes," Aki confirmed.
Kagami hesitated. "If we steal it now, we might blow our cover. We are outnumbered."
A cold light flashed in Danzō's eyes. "The Cloud Village has been active on the Waterfall border lately. If the Waterfall thinks the Cloud stole the water, what does that have to do with the Leaf? We wait for them to find the location first—we don't know the terrain. Once they reach the source, we strike."
The Waterfall shinobi led the way to a secluded lake deep in the forest. Danzō watched from the branches as they began searching the perimeter.
"The water is nearby," Danzō commanded. "Move!"
Danzō initiated the attack with Wind Style: Peacock Whirlwind Slash, unleashing hundreds of rotating wind blades that shredded the foliage and forced the Waterfall ninja into a panic. He dove straight for the enemy Jonin. Kagami followed up with Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire, raining fireballs down on the group.
Aki saw his opening. He threw several shuriken attached to wires, using the Manipulated Shuriken Technique to catch the flames from Kagami's jutsu, weaving a web of fire that cut off the Waterfall ninja's escape routes.
"I'll handle the Genin!" Aki shouted, drawing his blade and plunging into the fray to clear the path for the elders.