The New Waterfall

A/N: We've reached our double release target, so there will be a Double Release next Monday. Lets go for the Triple Release target. This story's continuation depends on your support—so don't forget to give the story powerstones! New Goal: 1000 Powerstones! Let's increase our power ranking!

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Goro's mind replayed the brief clash with Kisame as he continued walking down the path. 'He managed to get a piece of my chakra…' Goro mused, replaying the exact instance Kisame had swung Samehada. 'But why did they leave so suddenly?'

He watched as the figures of Itachi and Kisame faded into the distance, their silhouettes disappearing into the forest. 'The Akatsuki… they've been a thorn in my side.' His expression hardened, thoughts swarming his mind as he considered their actions. 'If they continue to be a nuisance, I'll have to teach them a lesson. And if they push me far enough, I'll destroy their plan entirely before it picks up any steam.'

Turning away from where the two Akatsuki members had gone, Goro set off in the opposite direction, following the path that led back to the Hidden Waterfall Village. He couldn't help but notice the vibrant colors of the surrounding forest. 'I'm enjoying the outdoors more than usual…' he thought absently, his senses focused on the life around him.

Before long, the familiar sight of the village gates came into view. The Hidden Waterfall Village was bustling with activity. Merchants streamed in and out, their carts filled with goods. The streets were alive with voices, laughter, and the sound of trade. The village was thriving.

As Goro approached the gate, the shinobi stationed there immediately straightened, their postures stiffening. They bowed deeply, voices raised in unison. "Good evening, Lord Takikage!"

Goro nodded in acknowledgment as he passed through the gate, his gaze scanning over the village he had cultivated. The two guards at the gate kept their eyes locked on him, watching his every movement. When he passed through the gate without incident, both of them shared a look of relief.

"Not an impostor," they thought simultaneously.

Goro was aware of their vigilance. 'There's no need for them to be so cautious,' he mused, his gaze drifting to the ground beneath his feet. 'After that one incident, I've had my clones place multiple seals here that will prevent anyone unpermitted from entering. I guess they'll learn to be more confident in the seal, with time…'

The village itself was almost unrecognizable from when Goro first took over. The architecture was more advanced and elegant, the dull, bland buildings replaced with structures that were more artistic and intricate. The people walked with confidence, their faces bright with hope and contentment.

Goro felt the emotions of the citizens around him. 'I can feel it… they're happy.' A rare, genuine smile formed beneath his mask. He had shaped this village into a place where people could thrive. Initially, he had only planned for it to be a place he ruled over, but he grew fond of the humble attitude of the people that lived in the village and their strong devotion to him as their leader.

As he walked through the main street that led to the Takikage Mansion, Goro was stopped by a small tug on his cloak. He glanced down and found himself looking into the wide, sparkling eyes of a young child. The boy beamed up at him, his voice filled with awe and excitement.

"Mom, look! It's the Lord Takikage!" the boy exclaimed, his face lighting up as he pointed at Goro.

The child's mother quickly picked him up, her expression mortified. She bowed deeply, her head almost touching the ground. "Sorry, Lord Takikage, I didn't mean to bother you."

Goro's gaze softened. He reached out and gently patted the boy's head. "It's alright," he said warmly. "You've got a brave son. One day, he'll be a great ninja."

"Yeah, I'll be the greatest ninja!" the boy yelled, giggling as he poked at Goro's mask with his tiny finger.

The mother bowed again, a smile of relief and gratitude on her face as she murmured her thanks. Holding her son close, she continued down the street, her steps lighter than before.

Goro resumed his walk, but he couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped him. The interactions didn't stop there. People of all ages smiled at him, waved, or offered their greetings as he passed by. Some bowed, others whispered his name in reverence. 'So this is what it feels like to be a celebrity that is loved by the people…' he thought, a hint of amusement in his eyes. 'A thirty-minute walk has turned into an hour.'

The mansion gates loomed ahead, but something made Goro pause. His senses prickled with unease. There was someone approaching—someone with a searing hatred directed at him, closing in at a steady speed. He turned around, curious to see who it could be.

'A friend of a person I killed, perhaps?' he speculated.

To his surprise, the one rushing at him was not an avenging shinobi or a rival. It was a child, barely ten years old. The boy's face was twisted with rage, his small hands gripping a kunai tightly. He held the blade away from his chest, its tip aimed directly at Goro.

'A child?' Goro thought, puzzled.

The boy closed the distance, his tiny frame trembling but resolute. Goro's body tensed, instincts screaming at him to evade, but he suppressed the urge. He allowed the child to get close.

With a cry of anger and sorrow, the boy plunged the kunai into Goro's gut. Tears streamed down his face as he thrust the blade in again and again, his small hands shaking with every movement. Goro stood still, his gaze fixed on the boy's tear-streaked face.

Slowly, Goro lifted his cloak and pulled up his shirt, revealing the dark threads crisscrossing his body. As the boy's eyes widened in horror, the threads began to weave the wounds shut, the stab marks vanishing before his eyes. In mere moments, Goro's stomach was whole again, not a single trace of the child's attack remaining.

The child stumbled back, dropping the kunai. His mouth opened and closed soundlessly as he stared at Goro's stomach, then at his face, then back at his stomach.

"You won't ever get revenge," Goro said quietly, his voice cold and devoid of pity.

The ninja guarding the Takikage Mansion gates had noticed the commotion. They rushed over, eyes wide as they took in the scene. "Lord Takikage!" they shouted, their gazes darting from the bloodstained kunai to Goro's uninjured form. "We'll deal with him!"

'To have the courage and hatred to stab me…' Goro thought, his expression darkening. 'The ninja assigned the task of annihilating the families of those I killed failed to do their jobs. I'll have to have a talk with them and get to the bottom of this.'

He looked down at the trembling boy, then at the guards who had come running. "Return to your duties," he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

The men hesitated, exchanging uncertain glances. But they bowed deeply and, with obvious reluctance, returned to their posts.

Raising his hand, Goro summoned five masked shinobi. They appeared instantly, dropping to one knee around him in a half-circle.

"Take the child," Goro commanded, his voice emotionless.

The masked shinobi nodded. One of them, distinguished by an upside-down teardrop-shaped mask, stepped forward, but Goro raised a hand, stopping him.

"You wait here," Goro said firmly. "The rest, do as I said."

The four other masked shinobi moved quickly, securing the child and flickering away. The remaining shinobi, still on one knee, watched silently as Goro created a water needle with a flick of his fingers. Without hesitation, Goro drove the needle into the masked shinobi's chest, piercing his heart.

The shinobi didn't utter a single sound. Coughing up blood, he collapsed lifelessly at Goro's feet.

Raising one finger, Goro summoned another masked ninja. The new arrival picked up the corpse and vanished, leaving no trace behind.

'We're getting more spies by the day,' Goro thought grimly as he turned and walked through the gates of the Takikage Mansion. 'I need to remember to create a seal that prevents entrance from above the village walls. I hadn't had time to get around to that.'

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Reminder: This story's continuation depends on your support—so don't forget to give the story powerstones! New Goal: 1000 Powerstones! Let's increase our power ranking!