"Huh? Shikaku what do you mean? Our kids would come back to us." Inoichi asked. He didn't understand why his friend would say something like this when this is the only way to get their kids back.
Shikaku turned toward Inoichi and said "I understand what you feel right now Inoichi but we cannot be narrow minded about this. Having all the Kages come to the village and face to face with a criminal organization is nothing less than a disaster. On one hand we have leaders of villages who have their own pride and wouldn't let go of it and do you think that they would give up their biggest weapon?"
"By their biggest weapon do you mean the Tailed beasts?" Hiashi Hyuga asked.
Shikaku nodded and said "Yes...the tailed beasts. The only thing we know about the Akatsuki right now is that they want all the tailed beasts. They already have about 4 of them right now and the rest 5 are with us villages. Which of those villages will give away their tailed beast along with the Jinchuriki?"
Shikaku then turned toward Tsunade and asked "Tsunade-sama, would you handover Naruto to the Akatsuki knowing that extracting the beast will kill him?"
Tsunade looked a little shaken at this question. Shikaku was right and she would never hand over Naruto to the Akatsuki even if the two shinobi squads' life hangs in balance.
Shikaku continued and said "We don't even know what their end game is. Their leader has also never shown up his face or his strength to the shinobi world. If a person without causing any ripples in the shinobi world can create an organization of S-ranked criminals, how strong will he himself be? Is he able to control the tailed beasts ? What happens when all these variables come at our doorstep next month?"
"What the Nara clan head is saying is indeed scary. Our village might end up becoming a battle zone. Do you have any thing that can help us with these problems Shikaku?" the elder asked. As the advisor of the previous Hokage, Shikaku's opinion did matter a lot.
"I think the first thing we need to do is keep the meeting away from the hidden leaf. In the vincinity of the hidden leaf. We don't want the villagers to bear the brunt of someone's anger. But we need to do it in such a place that the Akatsuki or the other villages don't think of this as a trap. As for the exchange of the hostages, we must make it happen before the Kages speak a single word with the Akatsuki." Shikaku suggested.
Tsunade nodded and said "Yes...that would be the best course of action. Even though it carries its own set of risks, this is a middleground I think everyone can reach."
Shikaku turned toward Tsunade and asked "Have you thought of any way to get the Kages here? I mean will they even agree to come?"
"I do actually...all the villages have one way or the other suffered due to the Akatsuki and will continue to do so if we remain divided. The Kazekage and Mizukage won't be a problem since they are our allies but the Tsuchikage and Raikage will have to think for their villages and come here." Tsunade said with confidence.
Seeing that the Hokage was sure of getting it done, the elders and clan leaders also had some amount of hope.
They discussed a few more things at the meeting including the fact that the incident of Kidnapping will be kept a secret for now so as to not cause any kind of chaos. After the meeting was over, everyone started to leave. Tsunade signaled Shikaku and Hiashi to stay back as she had something different to talk to them.
"Is there something you wanted to talk about Lady Tsunade?" Hiashi asked to which Tsunade nodded and said "Yes...recently you both must have heard that Yami had fought with the Akatsuki members at the hidden sand and he revealed something truly shocking."
"Nothing is normal when it comes to Yami. I might need you to be a little more specific." Hiashi said. He had an inkling as to what Tsunade was talking about but he didn't want to be the first one to say it.
"Lady Tsunade, are you talking about him possessing the Ketsuryugan?" Shikaku asked.
"Yes...I am talking about the Ketsuryugan. I am unaware of how he got posession of it and how he planted that eye by creating another slot of eyehole but what I know is that he got this eye from the leader of the Chinoike clan." Tsunade said.
"Huh? The leader himself gave him? What kind of leader would do that?" Hiashi asked with a bit of anger in his voice.
Shikaku turned toward Hiashi and said "Yami must have definately offered him a good deal if he gave the eye himself."
"Yes he did. I do not know what the first part of the deal was but the second part was to bring the entire Chinoike clan under the hidden leaf. The Chinoike clan would occupy the land of the Uchiha clan."
"The Uchiha clan was the one that pushed the Chinoike clan to the brink of extinction. I am worried that the Chinoike clan might try to take revenge." Hiashi said opposing Yami's decision.
"That is why I need the two of you to establish relationship with the Chinoike clan. You two will decide if they harbour any hidden intentions against the hidden leaf." Tsunade said.
Hiashi thought for a few seconds and said "I don't see any reason to decline your offer Tsunade-sama so I will accept this. But would it be appropriate to do this while we are already busy with something like the Akatsuki?"
"If we are able to accept the Chinoike clan then they would be a good addition of strength to us. Their powers is not something the entire shinobi world is fully aware off so I see them as an asset." Tsunade said. She then looked at Shikaku and asked "What do you think Shikaku? Do you accept this mission?"
"Tsunade-sama, Lord Hiashi is fully capable of doing this alone and he can fully represent the Hidden leaf since the Hyuga clan is one of the most powerfull clans of our village but why me? I am sure that the Nara clan is not that strong in terms of strength or political power. I assume you need me for some other task." Shikaku asked openly. He didn't know what the Hokage expected for him to do when Hiashi is more than enough to complete the task.
"I will be blunt with you Shikaku. Although Yami has never done anything against the village's interests, he is not one to follow orders like the other shinobis. No one knows what goes on in his mind and what he is planning. Not even his own elder brothers...I mean elder brother Sasuke. I want you to confirm that the Chinoike clan's allegance is to the hidden leaf and not Yami Uchiha. I do not know how strong he has grown in the past few years but I assume that his strength has surpassed Kage level. The last thing I need is for him to have a small army of his own." Tsunade said.
"Lady Tsunade, I think you are overestimating the threat a mere 12 year old can posess. He is just a kid. Even if he is strong, with so many powerful shinobis at our village's disposal, he wouldn't stand a chance." Hiashi said.
"His fighting prowess isn't as dangerous as his way of thinking Lord Hiashi. I can't predict a single move of that kid and that is based on what I can see. The things that he must have done behind our back are unknown." Shikaku said making Tsunade nod.
Since the majority was 2-1, Hiashi decided not to push any further. Hiashi and Shikaku left after taking instructions as to how and when the Chinoike clan is to be contacted.
Shizune was listening to all this as she stood at the door. Seeing Tsunade tired after the meeting, she asked "Milady, I think you should take a break now."
Tsunade shook her head and said "No...now is not the time for that. Just get me something to eat. I am going up to my office. Need to write the other Kages a letter about this."
Shizune nodded and just left the room. Tsunade picked up the letter that was on the table and walked up to her office. She sensed someone in her office but wasn't alarmed as it was no surprise to her.
As she opened the door she said "I thought I told you to rest. Sneakily listening to a meeting between the clan heads and elders is not something you should do."
"I couldn't stay still when I notice clan heads and elders go in for an urgent meeting." A man with a mask on his face said.
"It isn't like you to slip up Itachi...why was I able to sense you?" Tsunade asked. She knew how strong Itachi was and with his strength she shouldn't be able to sense him but for a millisecond, his chakra leaked exposing his position.
"It was because of the man in the orange mask that you call Tobi and the space dimension jutsu that you mentioned." Itachi said.
"What about it? According to the information collected by our spies, he is a fairly new member and the jutsu is unknown." Tsunade asked with a confused face. She didn't know why Itachi was being cautious of a new member.
Itachi kept quiet for a few seconds and said "The jutsu he used is known as Kamui...It is one of the abilities gained from the Mangekyo Sharingan."
_______________________________
Extra chaps are now available on P@treon.
https://www.p@treon.com/lazarus898