A/N: Our target of the week is to reach 1000 powerstones by Sunday for a Triple Release. This story's continuation depends on your support—so don't forget to give the story powerstones! Goal: 1000 Powerstones! Also, if all goes well, I plan to make maybe one or two new fics, while continuing this one. I might be too busy though... We'll see. If I do, it would be MHA or another Naruto Fic (leaning towards MHA).
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Goro walked down the main street of the Hidden Waterfall Village, his eyes focused on the Leader's Mansion up ahead. The mask he wore concealed his face, but it was clear that Goro wasn't meant to be there. Goro's bloodlust was so strong that it garnered the attention of the people.
'There's no need to drag this out. I'll let my intentions be known.'
His path was direct, unwavering, and he made no effort to avoid the people in his way. Instead, he walked straight through the crowded street, bumping shoulders with several villagers who, startled, quickly stepped aside.
"Who is that guy?" someone muttered nearby.
"I've never seen him before... Should we alert someone?" another voice whispered nervously.
Goro paid no mind to the growing whispers. His eyes, hidden behind the mask, stayed focused on the mansion in the distance. His thoughts, however, drifted briefly.
'These people… They've grown too comfortable. I'm still yet to run into someone who has attempted to stop me.'
He scoffed inwardly at the cowardice he was seeing.
As he continued walking, a man in his thirties stepped in front of him, blocking his path. Dressed in plain clothes, he didn't look like a shinobi, but his posture was alert.
"Who are you?" the man demanded, his voice carrying an edge of authority.
'I was beginning to lose hope in this place. Looks like it won't need as much work after all.'
Goro stopped, meeting the man's gaze through the eye holes of his mask. The air around them seemed to still for a moment as Goro inspected him.
'An off-duty ninja perhaps? He's got kunai pouches strapped to each leg...'
"The new ruler of this village," Goro said, his voice clear and filled with arrogance.
The man's eyes widened in shock, but he quickly reached for a kunai, his instincts kicking in. Goro, however, was faster. In an instant, he drew his own kunai, slicing through the man's neck. The man collapsed to the ground, blood pooling beneath him. The entire exchange had taken less than a second.
'I'll have to get rid of that man's family later. I don't need a revolution to occur down the line.'
Panic rippled through the crowd. The villagers who had been watching in curiosity now screamed and scattered in every direction, running from the masked intruder who had so easily cut down one of their own. Goro's expression returned to a frown behind the mask.
He watched the chaos unfold around him as more shinobi, now alerted by the commotion, arrived. The shinobi wore headbands with the insignia of the Hidden Waterfall and uniforms. The uniforms consisted of a light blue flak jacket and black shoulder protectors, with a dark blue long-sleeve undershirt.
They didn't hesitate to confront him. Several surrounded him, weapons drawn, their eyes filled with fear. A smirk returned to Goro's face. His hand tightened around the hilt of his kunai as he effortlessly dispatched each one, moving through the crowd of shinobi with ease. His cuts were deep and severe, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake.
The once lively street was now stained with blood. Goro continued his march toward the mansion. Any guards who had the misfortune of standing in his way found themselves shaking, their hands trembling as they tried to block his path. But they were no match for him. With a swift flick of his wrist or a well-placed strike, they fell, and Goro pressed onward, unchallenged.
Finally, he reached the compound of the village leaders. The large gate loomed before him, but no one dared to stop him as he pushed it open. He strode through the entrance, his drenched cloak trailing behind him like a shadow. The guards at the compound, those who had not already been killed, merely watched, paralyzed by fear.
Inside the mansion, at the top of the stairs, Goro passed a group of elderly individuals—village officials, no doubt—sorting through files and documents. They barely looked up from their work, oblivious to the bloodbath that had just occurred outside.
As Goro moved past them, the door to one of the side rooms opened, and a young woman stepped out, holding a stack of files in her hands. She couldn't have been more than eighteen or nineteen years old. Her short brown hair framed her face, and her blue eyes widened in shock as she caught sight of the masked figure walking down the hallway.
She froze in place, her breath catching in her throat. But to Goro's surprise, she didn't flee. Instead, she stepped in front of him, her body trembling, but her eyes filled with fierce determination.
"You can't go in there!" she shouted, her voice shaking but strong. She grabbed Goro's arm, trying to stop him. Her grip, though weak, was insistent.
Goro glanced down at her, mildly impressed by her bravery. Most would have run. "I'm here for a diplomatic chat," he said, his voice smooth and reassuring despite the coldness of his words. "Nothing more. Don't you worry."
The girl didn't let go. Her terror was evident, but she stood her ground, holding onto his arm with all her strength. Goro could feel the tension in her grip, but he didn't retaliate. Hurting helpless people, especially women, wasn't his style.
He gently but firmly pulled his arm away, causing her to stumble slightly. "Move aside," he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.
The girl didn't protest further. She simply stood there, trembling, as Goro turned toward the large door at the end of the hall. Without hesitating, he pushed it open and stepped inside, the door creaking as it swung on its hinges. Behind him, the girl quickly followed, her footsteps hurried as she chased after him.
Inside, the room was spacious and lit up by old lamps that hung from the ceiling. A large curved desk stretched across the room, behind which three figures sat. An elderly man in the middle, his face wrinkled and tired, stared at Goro with an expression of confusion and concern. To his left sat a middle-aged man, his brow furrowed, while an older woman sat to the right, her sharp eyes glaring at the intruder.
Goro stood before them, his presence dominating the room. The three leaders exchanged glances, trying to assess the situation. The young woman who had tried to stop him finally arrived, standing frozen in the doorway.
"Who are you?" the old man in the center demanded, his voice hoarse.
"Me? I'm the man that will reform this land," Goro answered.
The room fell silent. The old man blinked, clearly trying to comprehend what Goro had just said. The elderly lady beside him opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. The realization of what was going on finally dawned on them.
"Let's have a chat," Goro continued, stepping forward.
The old man at the center, clearly the leader, stuttered as he tried to regain his composure. His voice shook as he spoke. "W-what would you like to t-talk about?"
Goro pointed directly at him, his finger like an accusation. "Your fate as rulers of this land."
The old woman on the right, her wrinkled face hardening with defiance, leaned forward. "What do you mean by that?" she demanded, her voice sharp.
Goro sighed and shook his head slowly. "Before we get into that, you guys really don't have any manners, huh? I come here as a guest to discuss important matters, and you can't even afford me a chair?" he asked, his tone disappointed.
The old woman's face flushed with anger, her patience snapping. "You just barged in here! What do you mean, manners—"
She was abruptly cut off by the old man in the center, who raised his hand in a gesture for silence. His eyes stayed locked on Goro, his mind racing as he tried to assess the danger. "Aika," he said, his voice strained. "Get him a chair."
The woman who had tried to stop Goro earlier nodded quickly and rushed out of the room. Moments later, she returned with a simple wooden chair, setting it in front of the desk. Goro took it without a word, sitting down in a relaxed manner, as if he had all the time in the world.
Once seated, Goro leaned forward slightly. "Your rule is over," he said matter-of-factly. "You can either leave the hard way or the easy way."
The old man's face reddened in outrage. Unable to control himself, he roared, "But that's absurd! You said you wanted to discuss important matters, but you're just speaking absurdities!"
"Don't push your luck," Goro replied. "I'm being kind enough that I haven't killed you already."
The old man flinched, his anger quickly giving way to fear. His lip quivered, and for a moment, he was speechless, his eyes darting to the woman and the middle-aged man beside him, seeking some form of support.
Goro leaned back, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest of the chair. "So, what'll your answer be?"
The middle-aged man, who had been silently watching the exchange, finally spoke up. "We're allies with the Hidden Leaf," he said, staring at Goro. "Any action against us is like waging war with them. I'm not so sure you want to go down that route."
'So they aren't aware... They don't know about the war with the Sand, or that the Leaf has its own problems with the Cloud. And no Hokage to lead them.'
Clearing his throat, Goro responded, "The Leaf recently had a war. They won't be eager to join another, even if the damage they sustained was minimal. And currently, they don't have a Hokage, so that's out of the question."
The middle-aged man's expression faltered, surprise and uncertainty crossing his face. "No Hokage?" he muttered, as though trying to process this new information.
Looking down at the table, the man started to think about Goro's words. "That would explain why the Leaf hasn't responded to our recent messages... He's not lying. He knew about the alliance, and yet he still came here with this kind of confidence. There's no use defying him with force…"
The middle-aged man stood up slowly, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Fine," he said, his voice hidden with calculation. "I relinquish my position."
Goro watched him closely, his instincts sensing the man's intent. The middle-aged leader was clearly plotting something—perhaps to visit the Leaf and confirm this information—but that didn't concern Goro. He had already won this confrontation.
Before anyone else could speak, the old man turned toward his companion. "Tetsu, you can't—"
But the old man's voice died in his throat as he noticed Goro's hand resting on the desk, a kunai drawn in his other hand. The blade gleamed dangerously in the light, inches away from the old man's face.
The elderly leader looked to the old woman beside him, but she only shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. Finally, in a soft, broken voice, the old woman spoke. "We relinquish our positions."
The old man, his lip quivering in fear, nodded weakly, his spirit crushed. "We relinquish our positions," he echoed, barely able to speak.
Smirking in satisfaction, Goro lowered the kunai, placing it back in his cloak.
"Good," he said simply, standing up from the chair.
'Now it's time for the hard work. This village needs to change, and I only have a month to put all my energy into it. I have more plans for this village during the timeskip, but for now, I need to get as much as I can done so it won't be a burden later on down the line.'
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Reminder: We've hit our first target, so there will be a Double Release. Our target of the week is to reach 1000 powerstones by Sunday to get a Triple Release. This story's continuation depends on your support—so don't forget to give the story powerstones! Goal: 1000 Powerstones!