Fear.
I looked outside the window as the night began to fall, thinking about the decisions I made today and the effect they were going to have.
Shikaku would be reaching out to the civilian council in the coming days. I had convinced them with empty promises and he certainly could do the same. The youngest amongst them and some of the older ones idolized me. The up-and-coming hero, that was what I was to them… but the majority stuck around due to my influence and the benefits their businesses were getting out of it. If Shikaku somehow convinced them that it would be better to side with the numerous clans… and I had no doubt he could, most would leave in a heartbeat.
I could not allow that.
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(3rd Person POV)
As the night fell a shadow flickered as a figure dressed in black, wearing a white blank mask and holding two tantos made his way towards a two-story mansion inside the village. Many would take notice as it was a mansion that few could afford… in this case, an influential counselor and advisor to the previous Hokage.
The shinobi flickered and appeared on the mansion's rooftop, crouching down and looking at the floor, placing a hand on it. Not a minute later he started moving. Retrieving a scroll from his back, he weaved through hand signs and soon a barrier expanded, covering the mansion's main building before disappearing.
"This should do."
Saying that the figure flickered and appeared on the front door of the mansion, knocking on the door.
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(Mc POV)
People loyalties can change as fast as their mind allows them to think. I knew that and Shikaku knew that. Jiraya was out searching for Tsunade, while SHikaku would cause trouble for me here… but not for long. As soon as my victory was assured he would stop. Carrying it further than that would only cause trouble for the village, we both knew that. He needed to protect the "king" and a divided village would jeopardize the "king" too much. That is why I was going to end this in one fell swoop.
The rumors were spreading already. The Hyuga's and the general populace were on my side. The last piece that could tip the scales was the councilors. Appeasing to them would only go so far…
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(3rd person POV)
The shinobi sensed a figure approach the door, he pulled a tanto from his back and as the door opened, stabbed straight into the figure.
The figure, now revealed to be an aged woman, looked down, feeling pain in her abdomen and surprised at the sword sticking through it, looked back up at the figure.
As she was about to talk blood rolled out of her mouth, the figure twisting the knife as his eyes shook but his hand didn't stop. Pulling the other knife, he lodged it straight into her throat, the woman's eyes becoming dim as all her weight leaned on the figure's weapons.
As the figure focused his mind, he pushed the woman of his weapons, closed the door, giving her a second look before continuing further inside the house, his weapons dripping in the wooden floor with blood.
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(Mc POV)
FEAR… that was the short answer and a probable long one. Like all emotions, with enough time it could change, become twisted, and end up as hatred. But in the same way admiration for one's strength could become twisted and turn into envy. Humans are as predictable as they are unpredictable. They are a living contradiction… it was what made them both powerful and weak. As long as I pushed the right buttons, I could get what I wanted out of them.
Right now… it was time to teach them fear.
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(3rd person POV)
The masked shinobi made his way inside the house, the closed space making him hit an incoming kunai on the left side, redirecting it away from himself and towards another Root shinobi on his right, the close distance making the Root shinobi unable to avoid the kunai and get hit in the leg.
The Root shinobi continued nonetheless, throwing a punch to the masked figure, as the figure dodged it, grabbed the Root shinobi's wrist, and pulled him in front of himself as three shurikens came flying, all three getting lodged into the Root shinobi, killing him in the process.
Noticing his disadvantage, the Root shinobi made to retreat… as a sword pierced through his back, stabbing straight through the heart. Behind the Root shinobi, another figure was standing, identical to the masked shinobi.
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(Mc POV)
It would be a massacre, but I had plenty of evidence beforehand. Some of it was genuine and some falsified, it was enough of an excuse to authorize lethal force in case of any resistance on the side of the accused.
A civilian counselor wouldn't resist. I knew that much, the older councilors knew that much, the clan heads knew that much. They would know that it wasn't a case where the accused resisted, but a slaughter to warn them that they could be next. After all… the only one that gained something from this and could authorize something like this… was me. They would all know it, and yet the people of Konoha would believe me.
The clan heads wouldn't push their noses too far, with Shikaku being the exception. They had their own interest to look after. Shikaku may give up only when my victory was assured, but the others would cave sooner. Risking a bad relationship with a young and powerful Hokage would push the clan's respective elders, to pressure the clan heads. This was the shinobi world. Assassinations for power happened on a daily basis. We were paid for half of them.
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(3rd person POV)
The masked shinobi stood in front of a dead body, blade dripping with fresh blood, the deceased body's face easily recognizable as that of Homura Mitokado. Looking at the dead body of his target the shinobi wondered to himself. One day, would his destiny be similar to that of his target? To lay down on the ground, dying because he lacked the power to do something?
As his thoughts moved his eyes began to gain clarity and narrowed as he looked at the corpse decisively.
"The power to change my destiny… I will achieve it, no matter the cost."
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(Mc POV)
Standing on the Hokage's office window, I could see how the village spanned across my eyes and one thought crossed my mind as my hand extended towards it… Not enough.
(A/N: So many switches, I lost track a couple of times when writing and editing. Hope you liked it though, then it will be worth it. 😊)