The Land of Fire had far larger trees than the Land of Water. The difference wasn't simply in their size or length either but in the species and most importantly, fruit. Many trees in this forest bore fruit aplenty in a manner those in the Land of Water were yet to be so fertile. Their branches were thick and sturdy, strong and well for timber unlike the water soaked logs back home.
Tonight though, its branches were far above our heads, platforms for swift moving shinobi, ANBU and the occasional squirrel. Ao and I clung to the base of the forest, this wasn't our home, they weren't our trees and the shinobi leaping above our heads would not bow to me even if I had my Kage regalia.
And so, respecting ourselves as we intruded, Ao and I skulked the forest grounds west of Konoha proper. It wasn't so far that the lights couldn't be seen or the energy of a gathered humanity couldn't be felt, but it was far enough that any of their stronger Sensor-nin wouldn't pick up on my massive chakra reserves. Even after actively suppressing my chakra signature Ao's Sensor abilities determined I gave off enough to be seen as a Tokubetsu Jounin and thus, enough to cause alarm to any diligent Sensor looking after their village.
Ao halted ahead of me, his Byakugan tracking something I couldn't. He waved safe after a minute of standing still in the canopy's shroud, the moonlight was a bright and intense white tonight, glowing a scrutinising light on everything below. I followed Ao's steps without question, just as he followed me here without once stopping to ask why we were travelling across continents only to stalk in an would-be ally's backyard.
Four days ago we left the Land of Tea for Konoha, kicking up dirt and water in our path the moment after Minato returned to Konoha himself, taking Genma with him. There were several beautiful places, breathtaking scenes Ao and I zoomed past without caring to stop and enjoy but it was worth it. I thought briefly about what I would tell Junko Hoshigaki, about how I would return to Kirigakure and report to my councillors that my entourage was accosted and that Konoha might honour the words of their Fourth Hokage.
But I couldn't stomach the uncertainty, I couldn't return back home and proceed as though nothing had changed, as if I wasn't stolen from, as if I wasn't threatened, as if I had accomplished anything other than surviving an imposter. A furious fire I knew lived in me burned action to my feet and with only Ao by my side we arrived at what would be the outskirts of Konoha proper this morning.
There were several small towns and even villages along the way, not different from how Kirigakure's Mainland and its satellite islands feed off each other. The Land of Fire was experiencing a time of peace, tenuous as it was. As such, dodging patrols and shinobi was a must as we infiltrated the country and grew closer to Konoha.
Shadows leaped overhead as Ao and I clung to a tree, hushed, in the shade of its canopy he whispered to me, "I think this is as far as we can get without risking discovery, Mizukage-sama."
The title felt off to hear, especially after losing most of the regalia in the battle with Obito. All I still had on were the gear I wore underneath the regalia, and a large shirt we borrowed from a clothesline on the way. It covered the damage to my mesh armour and did well to compensate for the loss of my scarf.
But those were only items of status and authority, the loss of Junichi or rather, my failure to keep him safe even at my side made that title dilute in my ears. I haven't felt so unworthy since…
"Focus, Yagura-kun, this is no time to sulk. If it is as you said and the Masked one will bring his fury upon Konoha, then you are already at the right place."
I swallowed a lump. I rushed over to Konoha's outskirts like an assassin for another chance at defeating Obito or at the very least, saving Junichi from him but while I knew without a shred of doubt that he would attack Konoha, I didn't know when he would do it.
"Where are they then? I need to know what's happening soon." I said to Ao.
The Byakugan wielder spared a troubled, if dishevelled look. I hadn't allowed so much as a moment's rest in the past four days but he kept up where he could and I carried him when he could not.
"They will come, I sent out a general urgent summoning pulse the moment we entered the Land of Fire." He lifted his sleeve, exposing the long wavy blue Kirigakure ANBU tattoo on his arm and pressed a chakra coated finger to it, "I've just sent another. They will come out to investigate and I will find them with the Byakugan."
The persons in question were none other than remnants of my predecessor's administration. Sleeper agents keeping tabs on Konoha and other important individuals within, searching for weaknesses to exploit and often sabotaging missions when ordered to. I haven't had any personal interaction with them, not even seen their file. They were assets for my ANBU Commander to handle and so their true reports would never make it to my desk, instead, they would be re-written to be as concise as possible before I ever had a look.
Should they find their way to us in the forest, it would be the first time they've laid eyes on a Mizukage since the Sandaime dispatched them their duties. And what a poor showing I'll give them, I thought, looking down at myself. I cast the useless thoughts aside and pressed my back to bark as Ao kept a constant lookout of the chirping, singing forest.
We ended up waiting an hour, Ao forced to use his Byakugan to look every ten minute before he finally announced, "I see them, three of them. Wearing Konoha headbands."
I raised a brow, briefly confused before recalling how many of our sleeper agents infiltrated foreign shinobi systems to learn, steal jutsu and sabotage advancements. You couldn't accomplish that without being a shinobi or adjacent.
"Let's go then, if Konoha's any competent they'll have someone watching them, if not then we can approach without concern." I said.
Ao gave a nod and together we ran up the giant trees and leaped from colossal branch to branch until we were a branch above the agents we were to meet. Ao paused to search the surroundings for any witnesses and to my joy, there were none. I dropped in their midst immediately after, startling them into defensive action.
I rolled my eyes at the kunai they pointed, two women and one man eyed me as suspiciously as they eyed each other. I let Ao land right behind them, startling them even further before I spoke, "You three, this is your first time meeting, isn't it?"
The man was the oldest of the three, tall, broad shoulders and a rippling muscular figure. He narrowed his eyes at me, scrutinising before muttering as he lowered his kunai, "Repulse-nin?"
I didn't believe I knew him but he clearly knew of me. The other two were pacified by Ao's tattoo turned to look, they were in their twenties at least and neither of them were of any of Kiri's five main clans. They seemed to recognize me as well.
"Aye, it's me but now I go by Mizukage." They made to bow but I hadn't the patience for that and I caught the man by his shoulder, "No need for that now, tell me, what has Konoha been up to in the last three days?" I said, letting my eyes fall on each of them as I asked the question.
I could see them dredge up information to the forefront of their thoughts and got excited. They looked amongst themselves for who would go first and quickly decided the man would. He fell to a knee despite my refusal and began his report.
"Kurosaki is my name, my true name sir. I am a Genin working at Konoha's largest weapons smith. It's been a regular week, Mizukage-sama, customers from clans come and go without speaking much more than their batch orders. Are you looking for a certain kind of behaviour?"
I didn't answer and looked to the next behind him, a fair skinned girl with a shortcut. She too fell to a knee as she gave her report, "I am Akari, sir. I am a Chuunin aiding medical staff. It's been uneventful at the hospital, uh…as uneventful as a hospital can be, uhm, what I mean is, nothing out of the ordinary. The hospital still laments the loss of Lady Tsunade and wishes for her return. Genin and Chuunin still come in from training injuries but I have noticed several high ranked doctors called in for questioning or 'consultation'"
"Consultation? For who?" I asked.
"I've only seen them come for a doctor once and I don't think I was meant to." Her response and the sure tension that came with it painted a picture. Konoha ANBU…but what could they want with…Kushina?
I bit my lip unsure of what to make of the report. "Has there been no word of a Kirigakure? Of Amegakure to any of your ears?" All three agents shook their heads. I breathed in deep, something in the atmosphere filled me with an unsteady panic and worry. I looked to Akari, "Those doctors, were they taken in the last three days?"
She nodded, "Yesterday, in fact."
Ao came over to my side and whispered, "Yagura-sama, I don't believe enough time has passed that Konoha would have taken serious actions on your words, whatever they might have been."
I looked up at Ao and sighed, "I informed the Fourth Hokage of threats to his country, to his village. If I were the one in his shoes, I…" I hesitated, swallowing back regret. I should have just told him about Obito outright—let him run mad or call me a lunatic. At least it might've lit a fire under him. I shook my head; it was too late to fix that mistake now. I turned to the sleeper agents and gave a curt nod, gesturing for them to stand.
"Keep your ears to the ground for anything concerning us or Amegakure. Be on the lookout for Jiraiya the Sannin, but do not follow him if you happen to get lucky—you'll only get caught."
""Yes, sir!"" they resounded in unison.
"You're dismiss—!"
My breath hitched, the words choked off as a visceral, primal dread clenched my gut. It wasn't a feeling; it was a force, an oppressive wave that swept through the forest like a shockwave, seizing the air and pressing down with a weight that made my bones feel brittle. The chakra that erupted was vile, its essence soaked in loathsome hatred, and it seemed to warp the very fabric of the world around us. I felt it like a hand tightening around my throat, squeezing the life out of the forest itself.
Ao stiffened beside me, the veins around his Byakugan pulsing as he fought to maintain focus, his breath sharp and ragged. The sleeper agents dropped to their knees, faces pale, eyes wide as if the air had been stripped from their lungs. One of the women retched, clutching her stomach. The forest, which had been alive with the nocturnal chirping of insects, fell silent. It was as if all sound had been devoured by an unseen maw.
The sky overhead was no longer clear. It darkened as if something colossal had cast its shadow over the entire forest, blotting out the moon's light. Then, a blazing orange glow split the heavens, a raw, searing light that dyed the smoke rising over Konoha in a hellish hue. The ground beneath us trembled, a shiver that ran through the roots of the ancient trees and up into my bones.
A roar soon followed—a monstrous, earth-shaking bellow filled with agony and fury, tearing through the silence like a physical blow. The sheer killing intent in that cry hit us like a wall, drowning us in bloodthirsty malice.
My fingers clenched the bark of the tree as if it were the only thing anchoring me to the world, my heart pounding in a frantic rhythm.
"Nine-Tails…" I was terrified yet I dared to smile. You're too predictable, Obito!