Chapter 61: Whispers of Power

The Kirigakure council chamber was tensely silent. Lanterns cast dancing shadows across the faces of those present as the succession debate entered its third hour.

"Suikazan Fuguki," one of the senior councilors offered, his voice echoing in the circular room. "As a member of the Seven Swordsmen, he has the experience and respect to lead the village."

Murmurs of dissent rose from different corners of the room. "Fuguki?" Another councilor stood up, his voice sharp. "The man who was humiliated by the so-called 'Green Beast' of Konoha? His reputation is ruined, and with it that of the Seven Swordsmen."

"Furthermore," Councilor Fujino interjected, his voice calm but piercing, "after... the incident with the young Konoha kunoichi, perhaps it would be wise to consider a more decisive change of direction. A new face, not tied to recent events."

A silence fell over the room as the implications of those words sank in.

"And who do you suggest?" someone asked from the shadows.

"I have heard," Fujino said with studied casualness, "that Yagura has shown exceptional talent."

"Yagura?" The councilor who had suggested Fuguki leapt to his feet. "He is little more than a boy! And what will the Water Daimyo say about such a... unconventional choice?"

"He has assumed great control over the Sanbi," Fujino said with studied calm. "An impressive achievement for someone his age, don't you think?"

"And besides," Fujino pulled out a sealed scroll, "the Daimyo has already made his position known. He will not participate in the selection, relying entirely on the judgment of the council."

As the debate continued, a thin smile formed on Fujino's lips, his eyes occasionally catching reddish highlights in the flickering lantern light.

Meanwhile, in a secluded area near the lake, Ren completed his hundredth meter hand walk. The seventeen kilograms of additional weight made his muscles tremble slightly, but his control remained steady.

'I can't increase the load too much,' he mused as he maintained his balance. 'The body is still developing, I have to be careful.'

He stood up, his mind wandering to the project he was planning. A set of training swords - not sharp, but heavy. The idea had come from observing how weights had improved his overall strength.

'I need to talk to a blacksmith,' he thought as he began his stretching routine. 'Someone who understands that I don't want combat weapons, but training tools.'

His thoughts returned to the protection seal he was developing. He was close to a breakthrough, he felt it, but something was still missing. 'I'll go to the library tomorrow,' he decided. 'There must be something about the theory of seals that I'm missing.'

As he performed a series of basic kata, his mind continued to work. Kurara's style during the exams had impressed him - the variety of tools and the fluidity with which she used them was something he wanted to incorporate into his arsenal.

'But the real key,' he thought as he completed a sequence, 'would be the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. Even one clone would double my learning speed.' He paused, considering the possibilities. 'The problem is finding someone who can teach me without asking too many questions.'

The morning mist was beginning to lift as Ren wrapped up his training. His plans were taking shape, one step at a time. Like the fog itself, he had to be patient, persistent, and most of all, subtle in his progress.

The afternoon wore on, and the tension in the village was palpable. Groups of ninja gathered on street corners, talking in hushed tones. The ANBU patrols had doubled in size, their white masks appearing and disappearing in the fog like restless ghosts.

"I hear the council is still in session," a chunin muttered to a colleague as they passed the Mizutani shop.

"Twelve hours," the other replied. "It's not normal for them to take this long."

Ren watched everything from the shop window, cataloging every detail. There was something different about the way the ANBU moved today—more coordinated, more present. As if they were preparing for something.

Toward evening, as he helped his mother close up the shop, Ren decided to tackle the topic he had been putting off for days.

"Kaa-san," he began, tidying up the last rack of kunai. "Do you know of any blacksmiths who could make me some practice swords?"

Yuki paused in the middle of his cataloging, casting an interested glance at his son. "Practice swords?"

"Not sharp," Ren quickly clarified. "Just... heavy ones. To strengthen the muscles and improve control."

A small smile appeared on his mother's face. "You sound just like your father," she said softly. "He was always looking for creative ways to train, too."

She walked over to a hidden shelf behind the counter, pulling out a dusty old ledger. "There's Takeshi-san, in the eastern part of the village. He forged many of the weapons your father used to train with. He's... peculiar, but he's the best at figuring out exactly what a ninja needs."

She stopped when the sound of heavy footsteps sounded outside the shop. A group of ANBU passed quickly, heading toward headquarters.

"That's the third patrol in an hour," Yuki noted, her voice betraying a slight worry. "The last time I saw this many ANBU on the move..." She didn't finish the sentence, but Ren understood - the last time was during the incident with Rin.

"Tomorrow morning," his mother said, returning to the previous topic, "I can give you Takeshi-san's address. But for now..." Her gaze shifted to the window, where the fog seemed thicker than usual. "For now, it's best to stay home."

A sudden shout from the street made them both turn. A group of jonin ran toward the headquarters, their expressions tense.

"They've decided!" one of them shouted. "The council has reached a decision!"

The evening mist quickly swallowed their figures, but the excitement in their voices hung in the air like a harbinger of what was to come.

Ren and his mother exchanged a look. Something was about to change in Kirigakure, and this time the change would be swift and irreversible.