The Plan (11)

Land Of Fire

Outskirt of the HIma clan base

The dense forest near the Hima clan base was a place filled with mystery and danger. The trees towered over the ground, creating a canopy that blocked out most of the sunlight. It was the perfect place for the Hima clan to establish their base, hidden from the outside world.

As the silence of the forest was broken by the sounds of rustling leaves and the occasional chirping of birds, a moving carriage came into view. It was being guarded by skilled and stealthy ninjas, easily identified by the spiral symbol on the back of their clothes and their bright red hair. These ninjas were fiercely protective of the carriage and its occupants, their senses sharp and ready to defend against any potential threats.

Inside the carriage, there were two individuals who shared striking similarities, yet were entirely different. The first was a man, appearing to be around fifty years old. His bright red hair was streaked with grey, a sign of wisdom and experience. His composed aura spoke of someone who had seen many battles and emerged victorious. A scar on his cheek only added to his rugged and battle-worn appearance, a testament to his strength and resilience.

The second person in the group was a young woman, likely in her mid twenties. She had a stunning complexion with fair, flawless skin. Her long red hair was pulled back in a ponytail, giving her a more playful and youthful appearance. However, there was a rough and untamed energy radiating from her, contrasting with the calm demeanor of the old man. Despite this, her piercing eyes held a depth of wisdom and intellect that was evident even in her youthful features.

"When are we going to reach the clan base old man" The young woman asks the old man impatience leaking from her words and body. The old man, true to his calm and patient demeanor, replies with a smile, trying to ease her frustrations. "Be patient, Keiko," the old man, whose name is Kaito, reassures her. "We will reach the clan base in a week or two. Just relax and trust in the journey." Keiko lets out a deep sigh, her frustration clearly visible. "Remind me never to take any mission related to the daimyō's ever again," she says, her voice dripping with contempt. "Those fat perverts only have sex on their minds. They are overly proud and arrogant, and it disgusts me." Kaito nods understandingly, having dealt with the daimyō's himself in the past. He knows all too well the kind of mission Keiko is referring to - the ones that require them to interact with the powerful and wealthy lords who often have questionable morals. "I understand your frustration, but we should always focus on the mission at hand," Kaito advises, trying to calm her anger. "We must always complete the task, for the sake of our clan and our honor."

Keiko, a member of the prestigious Uzumaki clan, was frustrated by the idea of having to follow the orders of the daimyō, whom she believed was incompetent and did not take his job seriously. She couldn't understand why her clan, already known as one of the top clans in the world, had to listen to someone she deemed unworthy. Her anger was close to boiling over as she exclaimed, "Why don't we just get rid of them? No one even likes them!"

Kaito, another member of the Uzumaki clan, heard Keiko's outburst and let out a sigh. He knew her anger was justified, but he also understood the importance of keeping the daimyō in power. "As much as we may want to, we can't just kill the daimyō," he explained. "They may not be the best leaders, but they provide us with resources and funds. If we were to eliminate them, it would create chaos and potentially lead to war among the clans."

Kaito went on to explain that the daimyō served as a necessary balance between the clans, preventing any one clan from becoming too powerful and causing widespread conflict. Despite their flaws, the daimyō played a crucial role in maintaining peace and stability within the ninja world.

Keiko nodded, understanding the importance of the daimyō's role. "But what happens if the daimyō goes against these rules or causes harm to another clan?" she asked, still feeling angry at the daimyō's actions. Kaito's expression turned serious. "That's when we have enough justifications to take action. The daimyō may be powerful, but they are not above the law. We must protect our clans and maintain balance in our society." As they continued their journey, the two ninjas were lost in thought, taking in the beauty of the forest around them. However, their peaceful moment was soon interrupted by a loud commotion outside. Kaito and Keiko quickly went to investigate, only to be met with a scene of destruction. The once beautiful forest was now a charred wasteland, with molten rocks and ashes covering the ground. It was a stark contrast to the serene forest they had just passed through.

As Keiko and Kaito stood on the outskirts of the wasteland, their minds were filled with questions. What had caused such destruction? And why were they sensing powerful chakra signatures in the area?

Keiko's mind immediately turned to the top powerhouses of their world - Madara, Hashirama, and Tobirama. These were the only individuals capable of causing such devastation in a battle. But what would they be doing here, in this seemingly uninhabited wasteland?

Kaito, on the other hand, looked at the wasteland with the eyes of an experienced ninja. He could tell that this was not the aftermath of a war, but rather a single battle. And with the strength of the chakra signatures he was sensing, it must have been an intense one.

Before they could fully contemplate what had happened, their thoughts were interrupted by the sudden arrival of five chakra signatures. Keiko immediately went into a fighting stance, ready to defend herself and her clan. But Kaito, using his unique ability of The Mind's Eye of Kagura, sensed that these ninjas were not here for malicious purposes.

"They are just wary," Kaito said, stopping Keiko from attacking. "It seems we have stumbled into their territory. I sense an establishment not far from here."

Using his ability to sense chakra from great distances, Kaito was able to pinpoint the exact location of the establishment. And to his surprise, he found that one individual in the establishment had chakra levels comparable to their patriarch.

"There is someone in that establishment with chakra levels as strong as our patriarch," Kaito revealed, causing shock among the surrounding ninjas.

But before they could process this information, the five chakra signatures arrived. They were easily identifiable by their orange hair and standard warring state armor, but with a Yin and Yang symbol on their backs with fiery Blue and red lines.

"You have trespassed into the Hima clan base. State your business at once," one of the ninjas demanded, looking at the uzumaki clan members with suspicion.

Kaito's mind was already racing with thoughts. The Hima clan? They were a rising clan in the land of fire who won the war for the city lord with ease, who could have known someone with that much chakra. He couldn't help but wonder what other secrets this clan held.

With a smile, Kaito replied, "We are members of the uzumaki clan, and we wish to speak with your clan head."

The other uzumaki clan members were shocked at how easily Kaito could lie, but they trusted his judgement.