35. The Urgent Report

Kakashi stood before the Hokage and the council, continuing his harrowing report. "After Kira eliminated the two Anbu shinobi, an unexpected figure appeared on the battlefield. It was Darui, the Raikage's right-hand man."

The council members exchanged worried glances, beads of sweat forming on their foreheads. Koharu couldn't contain her shock. "What is the Raikage doing in the Land of Grass? What's going on?"

Kakashi's face remained stern. "Darui attacked Kira swiftly, but Kira immediately disappeared, only to reappear behind a Cloud shinobi who was about to kill Hyuga Hiro. Kira held out his hand and said, 'Rokushi: Shigan.'"

Kakashi mimicked the move, extending his fingers. "A pulse of energy shot from his fingers, piercing the shinobi's head like a watermelon. There were... brains everywhere."

Gasps filled the room. Homura shook his head in disbelief. "When did Konoha produce such a powerful shinobi? Killing an Anbu like slaughtering a chicken? This is too strong."

Danzo's eyes gleamed with a dangerous light, his mind already racing with possibilities. "Such power... Imagine what we could achieve."

Kakashi continued, "Darui was enraged. He attacked Kira with a lightning spear, but Kira dodged and jumped high into the air. I know what you're thinking, that he died there. But Kira didn't."

Kakashi's voice grew more intense. "Kira said 'Rokushi: Geppo' and began moving through the air as if he were standing on solid ground."

The room was silent, stunned by this revelation. Shukaku broke the silence. "Kakashi, these techniques Kira uses—Rokushiki, Shigan, Soru, Geppo—are they self-created? Has anyone ever heard of them?"

Kakashi nodded. "That's what I believe as well. These techniques are unlike anything we've seen before. They seem to be part of a set, the Six Techniques, or Rokushiki."

Sarutobi, deep in thought, finally spoke. "Kira's abilities are indeed unique and formidable. If he has created these techniques himself, his potential is beyond extraordinary. We must ensure his skills are developed and used for the benefit of Konoha."

Danzo's mind raced, his ambition barely contained. "Such talent must be closely monitored and controlled. We cannot afford to let such power go unchecked."

Sarutobi's eyes met Danzo's, a silent warning passing between them. "We will handle Kira with care and respect. His loyalty to the village must be nurtured, not exploited."

Kakashi stood before the Hokage and the council, the room tense with anticipation. "That's not all," he continued, drawing the attention of every council member even closer. "As Kira was in the air, he taunted Darui, challenging him to a battle of lightning releases."

A murmur of disbelief rippled through the council members. Koharu looked incredulous. "Is he tired of living? Competing with the Raikage's right-hand man in lightning release?"

Homura shook his head. "This boy must be mad."

Kakashi remained composed. "Kira told Darui that he should be honored to be the first to feel the power of his newly created technique."

The air in the room grew thick with suspense. Danzo leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with interest. "Another technique?" he asked, almost salivating at the thought.

Kakashi nodded. "He called it the Thunder Breathing Technique. This technique used a series of forms that made Kira faster and faster. Soon, all we could see were trails of lightning and bolts flying around. Friend or foe, everyone was at risk of being hit."

The room was silent, the weight of Kakashi's words sinking in. Shukaku's face was pale. "How could a Genin possess such power?"

Kakashi continued, "After a long time of fighting, Darui realized he was at a disadvantage and entered his Chakra Mode."

Gasps filled the room. Homura's eyes widened in shock. "The Raikage's right-hand man using his trump card against a mere Genin? This is wrong... that kid is too strong."

Danzo, unable to contain his impatience, urged Kakashi to continue. "What happened next?"

Kakashi took a deep breath. "Before Darui could make his move, Kira used the Seventh Form: Honoikazuchi no Kami—Flaming Thunder God."

Everyone in the room leaned in, their eyes fixed on Kakashi. The Hokage's gaze was intense, filled with both concern and curiosity.

"This technique," Kakashi explained, "creates an immense burst of lightning infused with fire, creating a devastating shockwave. The ground cracked and splintered under the force. Trees were uprooted, and a massive explosion of light and heat sent everyone, friend and foe, flying. The battlefield was engulfed in chaos."

Danzo's face lit up with excitement, his imagination running wild. "This power... we must harness it for Konoha."

Sarutobi's eyes narrowed at Danzo's words but remained focused on Kakashi. "This technique, Honoikazuchi no Kami, is extraordinarily destructive. Inoichi, I need you to retrieve Kakashi's memory of this event."

Inoichi Yamanaka, who had been standing quietly at the side, stepped forward and placed his hand on Kakashi's temple. "This will only take a moment," he assured.

The council members watched as Inoichi's eyes glazed over, accessing Kakashi's memories. Moments later, he withdrew his hand, and a light screen formed in the center of the room, displaying the battle as Kakashi had seen it.

The room fell silent as they watched the scene unfold: Kira's lightning-fast movements, Darui's fierce attacks, and finally, the cataclysmic impact of the Flaming Thunder God technique. The sheer power and destruction left everyone in awe.

Homura's face was pale. "Such a technique... it's beyond anything we've seen."

Koharu shook her head in disbelief. "A Genin with this level of power? It's unprecedented."

Danzo's eyes gleamed with ambition. "We must secure Kira's loyalty. He is too valuable a weapon to lose."

Sarutobi's expression was thoughtful, his eyes fixed on the image of Kira in the memory projection. "Kira's potential is immense. We must ensure he is guided and protected. His power could either be our greatest asset or our downfall."

The Hokage turned to Inoichi. "Inoichi, what else did you see in Kakashi's memory? Anything about Kira's state after using such a powerful technique?"

Inoichi nodded. "Yes, Hokage-sama. Kira appeared exhausted but unharmed. He possesses remarkable resilience I'm sure he'll return after recovering."

Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, sat at his desk, his fingers steepled in front of him as he processed the new information. His eyes, sharp with experience, scanned the room, finally settling on Kakashi Hatake, who had just delivered startling news.

Sarutobi leaned forward, his voice calm but commanding. "Now, tell us, Kakashi. What in the world was Cloud Village digging up?"

Kakashi, his single visible eye as unreadable as ever, glanced at the others in the room—Itachi Uchiha, Danzo Shimura, and Shukaku Nara—before responding. "According to Byakuya Kuchiki from an organization called the Gotei 13, he suddenly appeared in the midst of the battle when we encountered Cloud Village forces. He identified the stone pillar they were guarding as a Poneglyph."

"A Poneglyph?" Sarutobi repeated, frowning as he recalled a memory. "I remember... some time ago, a man infiltrated the village, claiming to be searching for a Poneglyph. We dismissed it as an excuse for a spy. But to think that's what Cloud Village found..."

Kakashi continued, "After reading the Poneglyph, Byakuya was disappointed. He mentioned that he was searching for something called a Road Poneglyph and had no interest in a History Poneglyph. This suggests there is more than one type of Poneglyph."

Sarutobi absorbed this information, his mind racing. If there were indeed multiple Poneglyphs, each with different purposes, then the implications were staggering. Before he could ask for more details, Kakashi nodded to Itachi, signaling him to share what he had learned.

Itachi, ever composed, stepped forward. His voice was steady, but the gravity of his words carried a weight that pressed down on everyone in the room. "According to the History Poneglyph that Byakuya read, it spoke of the God King Ghidorah. It said that the God King created the Titans—beings of immense power that aided him in a rebellion against his own kind, Ghidorah's angels. The Poneglyph specifically names three Titans: Rodan, a fiery winged Titan; Mothra, the Queen of the Titans; and an ancient Titan known as Shimo."

A murmur ran through the room, but Itachi continued, undeterred. "The Poneglyph also described Shimo in greater detail. Shimo, the Ancient Titan, possesses the power to freeze the entire world. And it is said that Shimo is over three million years old."

The room fell into a stunned silence. Even the stoic faces of the shinobi betrayed their shock. The sheer scale of what Itachi had revealed was almost incomprehensible.

Sarutobi's mind raced. A Titan with the power to freeze the world? The thought of such a being, and the potential for its power to be unleashed, was terrifying. If someone could control Shimo, the devastation would be unimaginable.

Danzo's eyes narrowed as he leaned back in his chair, a dangerous glint in his gaze. Though he said nothing, it was clear that he was already contemplating the possibilities. The idea of ruling the world with Shimo's power was undoubtedly crossing his mind, his ambitions spiraling toward dangerous paths.

Shukaku, more measured but equally intrigued, spoke up. "The God King Ghidorah... Who could this being have been? In all our history, the only gods we know of are the Sage of the Six Paths and the Rabbit Moon Goddess. But if this God King created such powerful beings, his Titans strength must have been immense. Perhaps... even beyond that of the bijuu, clearly theres no bijuu that can freeze the whole world, at best a bijuu can only destroy a village or city right?"

Sarutobi nodded slowly, his expression grave. "We have known powerful beings, but nothing of this scale. If Shimo is as powerful as the Poneglyph suggests, then we must tread carefully. The world does not need another weapon of unimaginable power or at least in the Wrong Hands."

Kakashi shifted slightly, still processing the implications. "Byakuya's interest lies in the Road Poneglyph, which maybe be some kind of coded map leading to a way to Titans. If there are others like him searching for these Poneglyphs, we could be looking at a race to uncover ancient, world-altering secrets."

Itachi, who had been silent for a moment, spoke again, his tone thoughtful. "The information on the History Poneglyph also suggested that Shimo has been dormant for millions of years. If it was awakened... or controlled... it could bring about an age of ice and destruction. We must ensure that never happens, we don't even know about other Titans, could there be more than one Ancient Titan? We'll have to find out"

The Third Hokage nodded in agreement. "We need to investigate further, gather more information about these Poneglyphs, and ensure they don't fall into the wrong hands. The balance of power in our world could shift drastically if we're not careful."

The room remained silent as the weight of Sarutobi's words settled over the group. Each shinobi present understood the gravity of the situation. The discovery of the Poneglyph and its connection to beings of such destructive power was a matter of utmost concern. The Hokage's decision was clear: they would act swiftly and decisively to protect their world from the ancient forces that were stirring once more.

As the meeting came to a close, each person left with a sense of urgency. Sarutobi remained behind, staring out the window at the village he had sworn to protect. The shadows were lengthening, and with them came a growing threat. He could only hope they were prepared for what lay ahead.