The Hima clan compound was alive with the sound of war preparations. The clang of metal on metal rang out from the forge as blacksmiths trained by Riku's father, Fuji worked tirelessly, shaping kunai, shuriken, and chakra-conducting blades. Warriors sparred in the training yard, the sharp whoosh of blades slicing through the air mingling with the distant crackle of a flame jutsu demonstration.
Inside the armory, Akio moved with a purposeful calm. Rows of kunai pouches, scrolls, and smoke bombs lined the shelves, alongside racks of razor-sharp chokutō and collapsible spears. He meticulously checked each weapon, testing their balance and craftsmanship, his sharp eyes missing nothing.
A voice broke the focused silence. "Akio, you know we do have people assigned to check the weapons, right? You're making the blacksmiths nervous."
Akio turned, his gaze meeting Iroh's. . His hair was tied back neatly, and his dark eyes carried a mischievous glint that clashed with the somberness of the moment.
"I don't leave these things to chance, Iroh," Akio said, picking up a set of reinforced shuriken and testing their edges. "Especially not now."
Iroh pushed off the doorframe and approached, his arms crossed. "That's fair. But you're running yourself ragged. A clan doesn't march to war on sharp kunai alone."
Akio smirked faintly, placing the shuriken back on the rack. "And yet dull kunai can mean the difference between life and death."
Iroh chuckled, tapping one of the racks of weapons lightly. "Fair point. But maybe let me take some of this off your plate. I've just come back from a mission, and I'm more than warmed up."
"Ah yes," Akio said, turning to him fully. "How did things go in the Land of Iron?"
Iroh's grin widened as he placed his hands on his hips. "About as well as you'd expect. The samurai are stiff as ever oh but I did meet one interesting one, what a feisty one she was. And their craftsmanship? Impeccable. We've secured a trade for some of their chakra-forged blades. Expensive, but worth it. I even brought one back for demonstration."
He reached into the bag slung over his shoulder and carefully pulled out a sleek katana. The blade shimmered faintly with a blue hue, chakra visibly infused into its core.
Akio took the blade, testing its weight and balance. "Excellent work. This will give us an edge."
"Well, I aim to please," Iroh said with a mock bow. Then his tone grew more serious. "Speaking of edges, I've heard the Kaguya are stirring again. And the Shimura… They're lurking, waiting for their moment."
Akio nodded, sheathing the katana. "The Kaguya have always been reckless, but they're not without their cunning. And the Shimura? They'll strike when it suits them. I intend to make sure we're ready."
Iroh studied Akio for a moment, his usual playful demeanor softening. "You've got a lot on your shoulders, Akio. You're not just preparing weapons; you're preparing for survival. If you need me, I'm here."
Akio turned to him, his expression unreadable for a moment. Then he nodded. "I know. That's why I'm appointing you as the general of our forces."
Iroh blinked, the usually quick-witted ninja caught off guard. "General? Me?"
"Who else?" Akio asked, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "You're one of the strongest fighters we have, and you've already proven your tactical skills in missions. The clan trusts you—and so do I."
Iroh hesitated for only a moment before his grin returned, this time more subdued but filled with pride. "Well, I guess I'll have to live up to your expectations, huh?"
"More than that," Akio said, clapping him on the shoulder. "You'll have to surpass them. You've got a week to prepare your forces. After that, we move to the southern border."
Iroh gave a mock salute. "Understood, Clan Head. And don't worry, I'll make sure no one leaves their kunai dull."
As Iroh left to begin his preparations, Akio stood alone in the armory for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the rows of weapons. He allowed himself a rare moment of reflection.
The Hima clan was young, but its people were strong. Akio knew they had a chance. He just had to make sure the pieces were in place before the storm hit.
...…..
The land blazed with an unending fire, stretching across the horizon like an ocean of heat. Flames rose and fell in rhythmic waves, as if the very earth itself were alive, its pulse syncing with the inferno. In the center of this blazing realm stood a figure cloaked in shadow, hidden from the fire's reach. The sage's crimson eye glowed faintly, observing the land before him with an unsettling stillness. The wind was heavy with the scent of burning earth and something far more ancient.
Pyrra, the great phoenix of the land, swept down from the skies with a flicker of flames trailing her wings. Her descent was graceful, but the intensity of the flames around her caused the air to ripple and shimmer. She landed lightly, though the force of her impact left small scorch marks on the ground. Her feathers gleamed with flickering embers, and her sharp, intelligent eyes locked onto the sage.
"Back already, Pyrra?" The sage's voice rumbled from the shadows, low and deep. "What did you find?"
Pyrra stretched her wings, fluffing them out as if to shake off the lingering heat. "Well, I found what you were looking for, Sage—sort of." She eyed the sage with a glimmer of mischief. "I traced that chakra disturbance you sensed to the Hima clan. That's the good news. The bad news is… it's more complicated than I expected."
The sage's eye narrowed, the light dimming as he observed Pyrra carefully. "Complicated?"
"Yeah," Pyrra said, puffing out her chest with a cocky tilt of her head. "The disturbance—it's coming from them, sure. But I couldn't get too close. Akio's got some kind of sixth sense, I swear. He would've caught me in an instant if I pushed too far."
The sage's eye glowed brighter. "Akio?"
"Yeah, the leader of the Hima clan. I think he's the one causing the disruption in nature chakra," Pyrra explained, glancing over her shoulder as if expecting something to spring from the flames. "But here's the thing. I didn't get too close, so I didn't see much. I did catch him using those flames of his, though."
The sage's eye flared with interest, but he said nothing, waiting for Pyrra to continue.
"It's… strange, Sage. I saw him heal a kid's knee with what looked like green flames. It didn't burn the kid or anything. It was like it just warmed him, like the flames were made for healing, not for destruction." Pyrra shook her head, clearly baffled. "I've seen plenty of fire in my day, but nothing like that."
"Green flames?" The sage's voice deepened, and his massive eye narrowed. "That is… unusual. Flames used for healing. What else?"
Pyrra shuffled on her talons, clearly uncomfortable with the lack of concrete answers. "Not much more than that, Sage. The Hima clan's flames are intense, but they seem… different. I mean, the fire's not just regular fire, right? It's not like your usual ninja flames or even chakra-enhanced fire. This stuff… it almost feels alive, like it's responding to the people using it. And Akio? He seems like he has some kind of… control over it. But again, I didn't get close enough to see if it was just him or if the whole clan's got that same weird energy."
The sage was silent for a long time, his eye glowing like a dying ember. His thoughts were unreadable. He didn't speak for a moment, then his voice emerged from the dark like the rumble of distant thunder. "You say the flames are alive, responding to their users. Do you believe this disturbance is a sign of something more? Perhaps… a deeper connection between the Hima clan and the elements they use?"
Pyrra flicked her wings with a small puff of flame. "Could be. It doesn't seem like just chakra control. There's something primal in their fire—something raw and untamed. I can't quite put my talon on it, but I think whatever it is, it's bigger than anything I've seen before."
The sage's eye shifted, his gaze flicking to the horizon where the flames burned bright and endless. "And yet you only saw a glimpse. How can you be certain that the Hima clan's flames are tied to the disturbance?"
"Well, the disturbance is a real thing. I felt it the moment I got close, and it's unlike any chakra surge I've ever experienced. The fire's definitely involved. And Akio? He's at the center of it all. When I saw him, I could tell he wasn't just some fire user. His flames? They felt different, like they were part of him, responding to his emotions or his thoughts." Pyrra flapped her wings, raising herself a bit higher off the ground. "I don't know what it is yet, but I'd bet my feathers that it's something big. Something that could change the way we think about fire, chakra, and nature itself."
The sage absorbed her words in silence, his crimson eye glowing brighter as he thought. Then, after a pause, he spoke again, his voice low and contemplative.
"Akio's flames… something primal. You say it's as if they are responding to him, almost as if the flames have a mind of their own."
"Exactly!" Pyrra squawked, pleased that the sage was following her train of thought. "It's like he's one with the fire, not just controlling it. Like it's… it's part of him. He doesn't force the flames; they just flow with him, like a second skin."
The sage's expression remained impassive, but his eye flickered with something akin to curiosity. "And you believe that this connection between Akio and the fire… could lead to something even greater?"
Pyrra's feathers shimmered as she flexed her wings in thought. "I don't know. Maybe. I mean, if his flames are really like that—alive, tied to him in such a deep way—then yeah, maybe there's more to him than just a fire-wielding ninja. But honestly, Sage, I can't say for sure. I only caught a glimpse. You know how that is. Can't get too close to the big guy without getting burned."
The sage's eye glowed brighter still, like a star on the edge of collapse. "I see. Then we wait. If Akio's flames are truly connected to something ancient, then we must observe him closely. His strength will either prove to be an asset or a dangerous force. But for now, let us see if he survives what is to come."
Pyrra let out a small laugh, the flames around her flickering playfully. "Survive? With flames like that? If I were him, I'd be more worried about who's coming for me next. I mean, if I had those flames, I wouldn't be taking any chances!" She puffed out her chest proudly, letting her wings stretch wide. "I'd be the hottest thing in the sky."
The sage didn't respond, but the faintest shift in his eye indicated he was deep at thought. "We shall see, Pyrra. We shall see."
Pyrra glanced toward the horizon. Her feathers crackled with the energy of the flames around her, and her gaze softened as she stared at the flickering horizon.
"Alright, Sage. I'll keep an eye on them. If Akio is more than he appears, we'll know soon enough."
With that, the phoenix spread her wings and took to the sky, vanishing into the flames as if she were part of the inferno itself. The sage remained silent, his eye reflecting the fires, his thoughts a tangled web of speculation and caution. The disturbance in the chakra was only the beginning. Whether Akio and his clan would prove to be allies or enemies was yet to be seen.
"Hmmm, haven't had this much interest since hagoromo".
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Okay guys I need suggestions for the name of this sage land, I tried searching around but couldn't decide on a name, make sure the name is related to flame and Remember, "there are no bad ideas—until you hear yourself say them out loud."