42 Chapter 43:

Nero and Ichigo entered a big tent. The insides were bare, a wooden table, a large map marked with different locations and some wooden chairs.

Inside were Ameruyi, Ayaka and three other people. The first was a man in his mid 30's with a scruffy beard and a nasty looking scar runing across his eye. Beside him stood another man in his late 20's, he was lanky and pale, but his eyes held an intelligent glint within. The last was a young woman, she had a noble bearing about her and carried herself similarly to a noble. She didn't rediat any notable strength but her eyes were ruthless, cold and analyzing.

They stared at Nero with varying measures of scrutiny and their brains seemed to be working overtime trying to come up with their next move.

Nero ignored these gazes however, he found himself staring at Ameruyi. It had been years since the last time they saw each other.

Ameruyi stared back at him, unlike Nero who was clearly happy to see her, her emotions were conflicted. After meetimg him she had questioned too many thing to the point that she almost went insane. And just when she thought she had figured him out he reappeares more mysterious than before.

"Aren't you glad to see your sensei Ame-chan?" Nero asked teasingly causing the trio who didn't know of their exact relationship to raise an eyebrow in slight surprise.

Ameruyi blushed a little and looked down, she clenched her fists and made a cute frustrated face showing her clear discomfort.

"How tragic! My own student hates me. What have I done to earn your ire my dear Ame. Last time we parted you clung so tightly to me and begged to come along. Where's that sweet little girl." Nero shook his head tragically as he recited like a wronged man reveling in the rising awkwardness and discomfort of his student.

Ameruyi steeled herself and finally replied."Please stop that! You're being very unprofessional Nero sensei." The last part was a very small whisper as if she was embarrassed saying it.

To be honest Ameruyi was a happy and relieved, they're last encounter hadn't ended on a good note. On one had Nero had taught and cultivated her farther than she thought possible. But on the other hand he had asked her to betray her village she didn't hesitate to try and kill him the spot.

He'd left her soon after and cut off all communication. Surprisingly Ameruyi had never disclosed anything about her encounter. After her arrival back in Kiri, she was back to being treated like a tool, clans hated her for no reason and the atmospher she once thought made her happy just crushed her with grief.

Since then the years went by in a slow agornizing crawl for her, she continued her faithful duties and completed even riskier missions. It was also around that time she found out about her illness. Knowing her time was limited she pushed with even more vigor to help her village. They took her for all she was worth and when she couldn't move anymore they just left her for dead. If not for a cure arriving just weeks before her demise, then she wouldn't be here right now. The flame insignia on the package had made it clear what the price was though. But she was willing to pay it.

The last time she was still a teenage girl who was in over her head. She had been embroiled in a heated war against her own fellow comrades. Honestly, civil wars seem to be some tradition in this village.

Now that she was grown and had more experience, she realized that she needed to change the village herself, shape it in her image not the illusion she was fed.

It brought her relief to see him act as he always did around her, she was glad, she had seen different sides to Nero and of all of them she preffered his playful nature over his more, gruesome and cold traits.

"Fine...it's good to see you." Nero rolled his eyes, a smile plastered on his face as he stared at the girl.

"Ahem!! Anyway let's begin the briefing, but first. These are my collegues Aiko Hajime former head of intellegence, she knows everything there is to know about anythig that happens in this village.Hanzo Sasaki, he's a war hero who earned merit in the last war, he's commonly known as switchblade due to his sword techniques. Last but not least is Fujima Sasaki, he was an advisor of a now extinct clan and is famed as the shinobi scholar. His genjutsu is very potent."Ameruyi said, stirring the conversation back on point. You could hear the admiration and respect she had for these people as she introduced them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Your assistance today was very helpful." Fujima; the skinny and pale man spoke, he kept his eye locked directly into Nero's own, trying to decipher him. An uncomfortably long time passed and an awkward silence hung between the group.

"Don't look at me like that, it's creepy." Nero commented with a light frown. His gaze turning towards the map on the table.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm just fascinated by your display. I've never seen such an advamced armor." Fujima replied.

"Yeah it's a very unique piece. The first real breakthrough after my first prototype 18 years ago." Nero replied with a carefree shrug, it's not like he planned to hide anymore. After everything was laid out, he'd directly topple down entire villages and gather influence.

"This suit's been in development for 18 years?" Aiko; inquired curiosly as she leaned in closer.

Nero nodded in confirmation."Yeah, I think they called me the iron demon back then?"

"Steel demon actually. They called you chaos's envoy the unstoppable steel demon." Ichigo intervened and corrected Nero. While the other three people in the room seemed to be clueless about what Ichigo was talking about. Aiko went into deep thought as she felt the name sounded familiar.

"Yeah that. Thanks for the helpful input my dear." Nero smiled at Ichigo and turned his gaze back on the map.

"Steel demon? Steel de- wait! You couldn't possibly mean 'that' steel demon. The same monster who ran amock in Sora and destroyed multiple highly defended fotresses within a few weeks? He was even rumoured to be the one who took down the floatinf island." Aiko's voice shook.as he listed off what she knew about this steel demon. As a former member Kiri's anbu corps she had gotten first hand intel about the terrible being from various people who got the chance to be saved by him.

Nero tore his eyes away from the map and looked at Aiko with a smile."Yep, besides destroying Soragakure's hq the rest is pretty accurate. You're quite competent Miss Aiko. I had thought I eliminated all information regarding my escapades."

"I'm honored by your praise Lord Nero. And you're right most information about you was very vague, but my sources were very adment about your existence. After almost 20 years I thought they were lying." Aiko replied and bowed slightly to show respect.

"Who else knows about my existence besides you?" Nero asked in a serious tone, clearly showing the gravity of the matter.

"Ah...I believe only the elders, a few clan heads who have a large presence in the anbu and the Mizukage."Aiko replied, her confidence was starting to waver under Nero's intense gaze.

"Is that all you know about the steel demon? Don't lie to me now, we're friends afterall." Nero questioned. If people were aware of his early days of operation and knew about the steel demon. Then they definitely might know a little more about Inferno. Although not enough to become a problem, knowing about an organization that was supposed to be a secret was a problem.

"No I know nothing else besides that." Aiko decisively replied.

Nero have her a look that seemed to be saying 'Are you sure?'. His eyes were also a little less friendly as he considered torturing the information out of the woman.

"She's telling the truth." Ichigo's cold voice cut through the very tense atmospher.

"Okay great. Then I guess we can get back to work." After saying that, Nero acted as if nothig happened and looked back at the map.

The other people in the room let out sighs of relief, they felt as if death was nearing for a second there.

Hanzo let go of the sword at his waist and swallowed all the saliva that had formed within his mouth. He looked at his brother Fujima to see him wiping beads of sweat while Aiko, the person who was exposed directly to Nero's thick killing intent almost buckled and dropped on tbe floor.

She turned to give Ichigo a thankful look before regaining her breath and also looking at the map. Ameruyi also seemed flustered, she was breathing a little heavier and had almost grabbed her swords on instinct. Just imagining whatever spontaneous and dangerous thought was running through Nero's head at the time made her shiver.

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Hope you like this chapter. I took a little longer to edit it since it didn't feel quite right, but I did my best so please enjoy.