The Sannin Skirmish (5)

Hisen, Su, Sanma, and Yondu are the four elite guards of Utsu, the Fourth Takigake of Takigakure. In a village that comprises more Jonins than Chunins and Genins in terms of growth and accommodation, setting themselves out of the competition by itself places them on a higher pedestal without ever needing to show the depths of their skills.

Su, the current Jinchuriki of Seven Tails is an eccentric who loves beautiful things. But nobody knows of his true interests. Among the four, he is the most dangerous. And yet, Utsu has kept the man tame whenever the beast within him would be used to go out of control.

But like every other Jinchuriki, he is merely feared. Isolated. Well, from everyone including his team BUT Utsu.

Hisen is a solid Jonin in every aspect but his true skills shine in Ninjutsu.

Sanma is a master of Genjutsu despite his other parameters equally solid.

And Yondu is a master of taijutsu and bukijutsu and just like others, he is a solid contender for the top in this village.

But unlike Hisen, the three lack something crucial.

Within the Kage's room, clutching one of the various unfurled scrolls lying all around the ground, Hisen has to give his all but his tears soon start to wet the scroll scribbled with information that originates from dubious sources.

Seeing the stoic face of the village break down silently, it would be a lie that others did not feel their hearts stab through by sharp spears. They may be shinobi... but they failed to become weapons— All five of them in this room.

Sighing gently, Utsu whispers, "I am not sorry, Hisen-san. Not one bit. Look around this room. It has to be you..."

"Damn right," Su chuckles carefreely, "You'll make a beautiful sacrifice... after us, of course." The sarcasm in his tone makes others smile for a bit but Yondu and Sanma still keep their distance from Su.

"Hisen, you are the one who helped me train in Genjutsu," Sanma smiles, "There is no way I can ever accept what is meant for you."

"Hm. I never had such ambitions, too," Yondu nods curtly.

"You all can survive," Hisen's voice quakes and he stares off at the only sealed scroll set on the table, "Things may not come to that point. Please, Lord Fourth, let me join this mission instead. All five of us know the truth! We were prepared for this day from the moment we joined your guards!"

"Look around, Hisen-san," Utsu whispers gently as he points at the many scrolls containing sensitive information from all around the world, "Not only us five, but even this person who sent us all this information may know about Hero Water."

Hisen grows silent as Utsu continues.

"We Shinobi stab each other in the back whenever the moment arises. Although it may be unwise to follow information from unverified sources, look at all this person has already predicted. Sakumo's disappearance. Iwa's Explosion Corps was sighted this morning."

"As this mysterious source sent for us today, Third Raikage did contact us with an offer. This means Third Raikage is just as privy to our circumstances as we are to his. To some extent at least. This also means, The Sannins do intend to steal our secret... and fatally wound Su. We have a greater hand at this moment and if we manage to complete the deal with the Raikage, we stand to gain quite a bit, too."

"I almost feel for Dear Slug Princess," Su pouts, "Although I just met her today... her future felt so bright."

Ignoring Su, Hisen retorts, "But it can also mean the Sannin are just as aware! It may be a trap! That mysterious individual must have their own intentions!"

"This is what happens when information itself becomes so muddled," Utsu gazes off into the distance, "Paranoid is a safe gesture in our work but this kind of major information leakage... has everyone on their edge, I can safely assume so. But what of it."

Utsu's eyes regain their sparkle once again, "If we cannot deal with this, then whoever comes after our group must. Leaving these opportunities out of fear does not make us a Shinobi. Hisen-san, my body is failing already. Even if we assume that I and others may survive... we need one able body to be ready at all times. It's time... I take one last gulp once and for all."

Smiling, Utsu looks at Hisen whose tears are already dried up, "That's a nice expression, Hisen-san. You understand what we must do."

"Protect... Takigakure." Hisen replies firmly. His determined response lights up everyone's expression and they wait no longer. All the Shinobi but Hisen disappear from the room and flicker away into the night of Taki.

It's not long after Hisen hears a few crashing noises in distance. But he pays them no heed. Instead, he relays down the order to tighten the defenses around their immediate perimeters and returns to Utsu's room to study each of the unfurled scrolls.

Suna, Kumo, Iwa, Kiri, Konoha, Ame, and even some 'gossip' of different countries... he reads through it all.

The more he reads... the more his heart feels cold.

What is the truth?

What is an illusion?

It's as if a pair of hands surround their entire society and is guiding them to make certain choices.

'Only... Uzushiogakure's information is not revealed,' Hisen's expression grows more severe.

'But should we fall for such an obvious trap? Either this is truly Uzu's doing or they are intentionally provoking the world. Which means they have a plan. Or...

Someone wants us to be the fire that cleanses Uzu once and for all.'

'But... what kind of power allows someone to achieve all this. This capability surpasses Shinobi-kind... it's like we are mortals... played by a God.'

The chill in Hisen's heart spreads further. The hair on the back of his neck stands to its end. Yet, he feels helpless, too.

Alone in the room, he can only wait.

---

"Senju... Tsunade."

Tsunade silently observes the man from a branch of a tree. The ground suddenly doesn't feel all that safe when she first glanced at small holes on the ground over a puddle of water and a small mound of crumbled earth not far from this... creature.

'Remains of water clone and earth clone... that man is skilled and I already summoned 80% of Katsuyu's corrosive gift. Using the last bit of it on a single shinobi is unwise. But what... is his deal? A body transfiguration jutsu. A permanent one at that. A forbidden one? Hopefully not... forbidden jutsus can be vile to deal with.'

Many things go through Tsunade's head but she still maintains her mask of cold stoicism. She wouldn't reveal her Mokuton or Senjutsu easily but both of these strengths are just a snap away from being used.

Wearing his shoulder-length dark hair in an untamed, wild flow, he quietly observes her, too. His green eyes bob up and down while being surrounded by red scleras. Two long surgical scars stretch beyond the corner of his lips and cover half of his cheeks. Similarly, be it his wrists, arms, pecs, abdomen, and waist— surgical scars stitched with thick grey tendrils simply... ooze a freakish look.

Inhumane.

'Looking at his arms... and those tentacles stitched into his skin, and as I sensed during Sage Mode... this guy should be the one who plucked the flying Explosion Corps member. So, I am still in his range. The trick is in those tentacles. Fixed into his body,' Tsunade continues to deduce as much as she can.

This guy isn't like Not-A who relies on his nin-taijutsu entirely, or so Tsunade would like to believe because he took out Jiraiya's and Orochi's clones... with relative ease from the looks of it.

But even if Tsunade did not have Mokuton or Sage Mode, she still wouldn't be intimidated easily.

"Senju Tsunade, aka Slug Princess, and one of the Three Sannins," the man begins calmly, "Worth 21 Million Ryo dead... and 42 Million Ryo if captured alive. Adding Hermit Sage of Konoha— Jiraiya, for 14 Million Ryo, and the Slithering Cobra of Konoha— Orochimaru for 10 million, I shall earn 66 Million Ryo.

16 Million more than Sakumo's bounty from Sunagakure. I am glad Konohagakure continues to send out their talents to be reaped."

'But... he doesn't have any bounty despite his strength,' Tsunade furrows her brows, gleaning another clue, 'Which likely means that his body modifications came without other's knowledge... or... he has a bounty good enough but he is no longer recognizable.'

Seeing Tsunade act cautious even now, not peeping out a single word, the shinobi sighs internally.

'Surprise attacks will have to wait. She is too focused on the surroundings for those kinds of attacks to work.'

Narrowing his eyes, too, he wonders what happened to the team from Kumo and Iwa but given the clamor of battle and Tsunade arriving here all by herself... he has to assume she survived that freak of lighting chakra somehow.

'A heavy hitter... huh. Good thing I recovered the heart Sakumo destroyed before getting ambushed by A's son. Sakumo's bounty does not do his skills any justice... he should be worth 69 million or more easily.'

"If all you want is money, I can pay more than me and my team's bounty combined," Tsunade suddenly speaks up. She would be a fool to seek active confrontation on another Shinobi territory and besides... Senju Clan is still robust financially. A lot more now than before when Danzo was being a paranoid ass.

This proposition indeed catches the opponent by surprise but his caution does not ease and he questions, "And how are you guaranteeing payment? Your bounties are guaranteed by the Five Daimyos that regulate the Bingo Spots."

"How about I pay a million now?" Tsunade raises an eyebrow.

"You carry a million Ryo on yourself."

"Among many other convenient things."

He looks at her deeply before shaking his head, "No."

"So this is not all about money?" Tsunade furrows her brows. She can usually smell a money grubber from miles away and this man reeks of obsession.

"Indeed. Your bounty isn't just about money," He reveals, "But out of respect to Hashirama Senju, I shall let you in the truth briefly. I was once tasked to assassinate your grandfather... and he let me go."

Tsunade's eyes widen as she finally realizes the identity of this man. And indeed... he did have a bounty... but due to his supposed age and the fact he did not make any major moves... he is almost forgotten.

"Kakuzu... of Waterfall."

"Everyone assumes I survived Hashirama out of my strength," Kakuzu remarks grimly, "But I was captured and returned. And as one would expect... my survival was not taken kindly by the village administration. So, for once in my life since that day, this fails to be about money."

Tsunade purses her lips.

Their surrounding stiffens due to tension oozing out from both of them. Their keen senses reveal that the other party is ready.

Kakuzu will not stop. And retreating would put Tsunade in a tough spot.

The only way forward is through this conflict.

*Srrrttt*

Gentle wind rustles the leaves of the surrounding trees. In an instant, the senbon needles belted around her left wrist slides down between her fingers which she throws at Kakuzu accurately. For a brief moment, moonlight flickers off the three senbon needles.

With an icy stare, Kakuzu doesn't move which would have been an easy act to predict and thus plan for. Instead, chakra seeps into his already dark skin and his hands turn greyish-brown which he holds up to precisely catch the needles.

Seeing Tsunade form THAT seal, however... Kakuzu has to change his aged perspective of this world.

Whose fucking idea is it to inscribe explosive seals on something as thin as a needle? Nay... just who has THAT level of skill in fuinjutsu to use metal instead of paper seals?!

But Kakuzu thinks nothing more of it as his entire body darkens the very instant—

*Kabooooom*

A loud explosion lights up the surroundings with a massive gust of wind and shock!

***

Alternate Title: When Ryo Doesn't Work... Explosion Will!; God's Survivor; The God Amongst Mortals; The Hand Of Information; Chilling Revelations; Beyond the Curtain of Plans Lies... Truth Worth the Paranoia; Heart of Waterfall; Determination of the One Titled Kage; Threats Embolden The Strong-Willed; The Two Ryo Addicts' Explosive Meeting

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