Chapter 12 - Kamikage

Tsukiyomi arrived at the meeting place, her steps hurried as she navigated the winding paths of Chikagakure. She was greeted by Kakuzu's stern expression as she entered the room where the council meeting was about to commence."You're late," Kakuzu said, his voice laced with impatience."Sorry, sorry, I got lost," Yomi apologised, attempting to defuse the tension with a smile. Kakuzu remained unimpressed."I don't get paid enough for this," he muttered, shaking his head."Yes, you get paid way more," Yomi retorted with a grin. "So tell me the situation."Kakuzu sighed, clearly exasperated but also somewhat amused by her antics. "The council members are divided. Some support your proposition, while others are fiercely opposed. You'll need to convince the skeptics if you want to become the Kamikage."Yomi nodded, her expression growing serious. "Let's do this."They entered the council chamber, which was carved deep into the heart of the underground village, with walls made of polished stone that reflected the soft glow of lanterns hanging from the ceiling. The centerpiece was a large, circular stone table surrounded by intricately carved chairs, each representing the different clans and factions within the village. The council members were already seated, their faces serious and stoic as they turned to look at Yomi.The reason Yomi was even allowed to present her case was due to the dire situation of the hidden village; they lacked capable Shinobi. Chikagakure was in desperate need of strong leadership to navigate their way through the upcoming wars. They had almost been wiped out in the Second Shinobi War, and now, with a third on the horizon, they realised that Chikagakure would soon cease to exist without intervention. The promise of new clans, alliances, and power under her guidance was too tempting to ignore. However, most of the clans here had been established for centuries and were unwilling to give up their power on the council to a more powerful, but unknown, clan. Chikagakure might not have been powerful, but in this village, they were royalty.Yomi took a deep breath and addressed the room. "Thank you all for coming. I understand that my candidacy for Kamikage might come as a surprise to some of you, but I assure you, I have the best interests of Chikagakure at heart."A murmur of discontent rippled through the room. One of the council members, an elderly man with a stern expression, stood up. "Why should we trust an outsider? What do you know about our village and its needs?"Yomi met his gaze, her expression unwavering. "I may be an outsider, but I have spent considerable time learning about Chikagakure and its people. I also have the skills and connections you lack to lead this village to prosperity."Another council member, a woman with sharp features, spoke up. "Skills? What skills do you possess that make you think you can lead us? You are but a mere child boasting of skill. It is an insult that we are all here listening to this joke."Yomi smiled softly. "If you doubt my capabilities, I welcome anyone to challenge me to a death match."The room fell silent. A death match was all well and good, but who was going to give up their life in the name of proving a child was weak? What if she was indeed powerful?The council members exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of how to proceed. The woman, who had spoken earlier, sneered. "You think we're afraid of a child? This is ludicrous."Kakuzu's eyes narrowed, he felt irrationally angry, Yomi felt his bloodlust. She stopped him with a gentle touch on his arm, her calm heart unwavering.Yomi only smiled and asked, "Do you think you will come out of this alive?"The council members were taken aback by her audacity. One of the men, a burly figure with a thick beard, stood up angrily. "How dare you threaten us in our own council chamber!" he roared, his hand reaching for a weapon.Before he could draw his weapon, Yomi's eyes glowed with a fierce light. She extended her hand, and her blood shot out from her fingertips, slicing his arm off swiftly."Argh!" The man screamed in shock, clutching his wrist as blood poured out."You are noisy. Shut up," Yomi's words were cold and low, sending shivers down the spines of the council members. Her blood reached out again, forcing its way into the man's mouth, silencing his screams. He tried to cry out but could only manage muffled gurgles."How dare you—!" Another council member started, but before anyone could react, a single drop of blood appeared in front of their faces. They stilled immediately, paralyzed by fear.Yomi sat back, sighing in disbelief. "I will be blunt. This village is a shithole. Despite existing for just as long as the Great Five, you have nothing to show for it. Where is your Shinobi Academy? Why are you all so pathetically weak? I am being nice by asking you to hand over this village to me. You can keep your seats on the council for all I care. All I ask for is the position of Kage. Would that kill you?"Her rant echoed through the chamber; her anger palpable. "What's wrong with all of you? Cat got your tongue?"The council members remained silent, unable to speak. The drop of blood had stretched into a thin, barely visible needle that had pierced the forehead of each council member. One wrong move and they would lose brain function."I said speak!" Yomi demanded, her voice cutting through the silence like a knife.Fear.The feeling of overwhelming fear enveloped the room.The only thing worse than a crazy motherfucker was a crazy motherfucker who was unreasonable.She was too unreasonable!"I'm sure you're thinking, 'Why should we give up all we've worked hard for to this kid?' How stupid. So what if I ask you for your heads? You should just give them to me!" Her eyes were bloodshot, revealing a side of her that Kakuzu had never seen before. Who was this? Was it the same person who only read smut and liked flower arranging?He felt as if cold water had been poured over him. He found that he too was... afraid?Was it fear?"Do not mistake my calm for weakness," Yomi said, her voice cold and commanding. "I will resume this meeting, so let us all use our common sense and decide who will be the Kage."She withdrew her blood, and the members collapsed back into their seats, cold sweat drenching their backs. They looked at the monster at the end of the table and realised they had no choice.The elderly man who had spoken earlier cleared his throat; his voice shaky. "It seems... we have no choice but to accept your leadership, Lady Yomi."Yomi's eyes softened slightly, but her demeanour remained firm. "Good. How easy was that? I'm not an unreasonable person. You can all remain part of the council. I trust that you love this village. I don't plan to run it into the ground, but I will run it."She turned to the sharp-featured woman, who had been avoiding her gaze. "You.""M-Me?" the woman stammered, clearly taken aback."Yes, you. Serve us tea.""Ah, yes!" The woman hurriedly got up from her seat and moved to a side table where a tea set was placed. Her hands shook slightly as she prepared the tea, but she managed to compose herself enough to serve it with a semblance of grace.The blood drops that hung above the heads of the council fell into their cups, creating ripples on the surface of the tea."Now, if you want to live, drink," Yomi commanded, her voice cold and authoritative.Hands trembled as one after the other, the council members lifted their cups. The question lingered in their minds: was it poison? Was it a bind? Fear and uncertainty etched their faces, but they had no choice. They drank.Yomi watched them intently, her eyes sharp and unyielding. "I want you to understand one thing. Do not mistake my kindness for weakness ever again. From this second, every breath you take is with my grace. Every child in your clan remains alive due to my grace. Your existence is only possible due to my grace. Do we have an understanding?"A murmur of assent spread through the room, the council members nodded their heads in reluctant agreement. "Yes, Chikakage.""Chikakage? Oh no." Her lips spread into that breath-taking smile that made Kakuzu momentarily speechless. "Kamikage. I am the Shinigami, and by my grace, this village flourishes. Without my grace, this village dies."The declaration hung in the air, a stark reminder of the power shift that had just occurred. The council members were visibly shaken, their earlier defiance and pride completely shattered. But in the face of a death god, what other choice did they have but to submit?Kakuzu, standing by her side, couldn't help but be shaken. Yomi's ruthless efficiency was beautiful; she was a tyrant, unreasonable, and unbearable, but that, to him, was beautiful. The way she spoke and commanded respect, her words, her smile, her every action to him was perfect. "I love that we have come to an agreement.. Now the first Issue that we need to fix." Yomi continued, setting her tea cup down, "I don't plan to stay here and micromanage all of you, you're all grown. You can rule this place in my stead, but do not think your every action isn't being seen by me. So if you embezzle, if you accept bribes, or if you decide to do something illegal, make sure it is of little consequence because the day it clashes with Chikagakure's interests is the day you die ."Yomi smiled, leaning forward slightly. "First things first, we need to solidify our internal structure.""Internal structure?" another council member echoed, confusion evident in his voice."Yes," Yomi replied, her tone confident. "We will start accepting unwanted clans with Kekkei Genkai. We need to build new houses and set up a Shinobi system good enough for them to fit into. This way, we will be able to set up a Shinobi academy and nurture our own talented warriors."A murmur of interest and skepticism rippled through the room. One of the older council members, a man with a weathered face, spoke up. "And how do you propose we attract these clans? They have no reason to trust us.""We offer them safety, respect, and a place to belong. Many of these clans have been persecuted and driven out. If we can provide a sanctuary, they will come.""But won't this attract unwanted attention from the larger villages?" a woman with a stern expression asked.Yomi nodded. "It might, but strength comes in numbers. If we have enough powerful clans allied with us, we will be a force to be reckoned with. Our goal is to create a village that others will think twice about attacking."Another council member leaned forward, intrigued. "And what of our current Shinobi? How do you plan to integrate these new clans without causing internal strife?"Yomi smiled. "We will establish a council where each clan has representation. This ensures everyone has a voice and a stake in our village's future. We will also set up a merit-based system for our Shinobi, where skills and contributions to the village are rewarded, regardless of their clan."The room fell silent as the council members digested her words. Slowly, nods of agreement and understanding began to appear. Throwing aside self interest, it was objectively a good idea. Protecting your clan meant nothing if she was just going to kill them, so they were able to focus on the situation objectively. "It is an ambitious plan," the elderly man conceded. "But it has merit. We are willing to support this initiative, Kamikage."With the council's tentative approval, Yomi and Kakuzu left the hall, the ocuncil members standing to see them off. As they faced the vast expanse of Chikagakure, Yomi felt a weight lift off her shoulders. This was going to be her home from now on, and until her death, these people would be her responsibility."What? You won't congratulate me?" Yomi asked cheekily, glancing at Kakuzu.Kakuzu, usually always grumpy, surprised her with his next actions. He knelt, his fists to the ground, and took off his Oni mask, his hand falling down his shoulders. "Congratulations, Kamikage-sama."Her smile bloomed sweetly, a smile that made his heart swell with an unfamiliar warmth. This was a smile he would die to protect, in this life and the next.'Dear Yahiko,I realised something today; violence is the solution to most problems. Sometimes, when you don't have the energy to talk too much, just threaten whoever it is a bit—it works wonders. Also, do you want to visit Chikagakure? I have a fun surprise for you <3.'< em>Yahiko stared at the letter, confusion etched across his face. Nagato peeked over his shoulder and burst out laughing."What the hell did she do?" Nagato asked between bouts of laughter. "Knowing her, she probably made someone carry all her shopping home for her." He wiped the tears from his eyes, still chuckling."Really? Hmmm, do you think Jiraiya-sensei will let us send a toad to her? That way she won't need to carry all her shopping," Yahiko mused, genuinely concerned.Nagato patted Yahiko on the shoulder. "This is Yomi we're talking about. She'll be fine."