Chapter 24: The Land of Rain

"The sun is about to rise, everyone wake up!"

For the past two months the Iburi clansmen would wake up early every morning before sunrise, waking up a couple of the Endo clansmen who were capable of spreading the mist, allowing them to witness the rise of the sun.

This was the tradition of the Iburi Clan ever since they settled down within the Karatachi compound.

A tradition they would carry for years to come.

Once the Iburi Clan had finished admiring the sun they would run and wake up the rest of the compound making everyone do their training for the day.

The compound was lively as everyone worked cohesively to improve.

They pushed themselves harder than anyone else as they wanted to be shinobi who could help their lord.

The energetic Iburi Clan stimulated the rest of the Clans to work harder, as it seemed the energy the Iburi Clan exuded seemed endless.

Due to their hard work they quickly advanced in training and overcame most of their opponents in spars.

Though those who lost would complain saying, 'How am I supposed to win against someone who is completely immune to physical attacks?'

Nao watched the shinobis of the different Clans train together peacefully.

'Is this a glimpse of what the future entails?'

In the Warring States although clans would ally themselves through marriage, diplomatic means, or through subjugation. 

Not many Clans would leave themselves vulnerable and allow a massive amount of shinobi to train within their compound.

Nao watched as the Iburi Clansmen trained to dodge attacks infused with chakra, and ninjutsu.

A lot more refined than when they had initially joined.

'I was worried when my son once again brought people who weren't shinobis, but their ability is absurd.

The ability to negate any physical attack as long as they have chakra, and according to Ritsu, it doesn't take them much chakra to do so.'

'These people have never been heard of yet they possess such amazing abilities, I would have questioned that they had ulterior motives, if it wasn't for the fact that they weren't shinobis in the beginning.' 

"Honey," 

"Yes my dear?" Nao answered knowing it was Tamami who called him out. 

"Come play with Junko for a while," Tamami smiled sweetly though deep down she felt uncomfortable that her husband had a child with another woman.

Yet she couldn't help but feel motherly love for Junko, Nana's child.

Sensing his wife's emotions Nao hugged her, "It's our child, just as Ritsu considers them both his mothers, you too are the mother of Junko."

Tamami pinched Nao's side, "Gee of course I know that, it's just awkward. Come let's go play with Junko, she's playing on the patio with Takao and Ena."

Since Junko was born between the clanhead and a civilian the clan soon accepted the concept of marrying civilians, though not many opted to marry civilians but those who had no one once pairs were made had no choice but to.

Even then they moved to woo the women of the other clans before moving to civilians.

—-------------------------------

Ritsu was currently in the Land of Rain along with Riku and Kaz, they had already found their next target but before making contact.

They spent the two months stealing money from the Daimyos in the Land of Rain, they only stole from the lesser known and have the lowest amount of political influence.

Luckily the ones that Riku had looked for during his time in the Land of Rain. 

The rest of the time was spent mostly raiding the stores that Riku noted as worthy to steal from once Ritsu arrived.

Stores that had no connections whatsoever.

Now they were in front of the compound of the clan they were targeting, the Fuma Clan.

From what Ritsu remembered they were distantly related to the Uchihas from the Land of Fire.

The Uchihas numbered thousands due to having a strong Dojutsu and living in the Land of Fire resources were abundant allowing them to proliferate.

But with time the leader of the Uchihas realized that a decent amount of people were failing to awaken their Sharingan.

The leader decided that clanmens whose ancestors couldn't produce the sharingan in the last three generations were to be rounded up and labeled, the failed Uchihas.

They were banished, in order to keep the purity of the clan.

The group that was banished although strong couldn't settle in the Land of Fire as they were targeted by the Uchiha's for being failures.

Eventually due to repeated skirmishes between their former clan they had no choice but to leave the Land of Fire settling down in the Land of Rain and changed their Clan name to Fuma.

Creating the Fuma Clan who with time managed to get rid of being known as the Uchiha's failures to a reputable clan in the Land of Rain.

Known for their shurikenjutsu and their trademark giant Fuma Shuriken that all members carry on their back.

At the moment they were held at the entrance of the compound.

Ritsu could tell from the obvious signs.

Instead of the casual three or two shinobis guarding the entrance there were at least a dozen shinobis all within distance of the entrance. 

Some members' eyes could be seen to be tired as if they haven't slept for days.

Some of the guards had their hands above the bags that carried their projectiles, others were blatantly holding their swords.

Normally Clans wouldn't do that when guarding the entrance of their compound as requesters would visit them.

It wouldn't be welcoming if the Clan you were sending your request to held their swords in front of you so openly.

"We are not taking visitors or requests at the moment please turn around and leave."

'The one who talked… an older man who should have a calm voice when communicating instead his voice was agitated.'

"I have a pro–"

"We will not hear it. Leave.. NOw!!"

'They must be tense, it's clear they're fighting someone but who? We're already here though…..'

Ritsu thought through many situations in his head yet couldn't figure out how to get into the clan without making the other party hostile.

'Time for some clean up.' thought Ritsu as he mentally sighed.

"Very well it seems that we have come at a bad time. Kaz, Riku, Let's go."

They left as quickly as they had arrived.

"Captain… It didn't seem that they were here for any trouble. If they had a request we could have used the money."

"We don't have the manpower at the moment if they did, but they were shinobis. It could have been a ploy."

"But what can two men and a child do?" 

"That's what we don't know, if they were strong we have a better chance at winning or driving them away at the entrance, than within the compound."

—---------------------------------

Once they were a distant away, still traveling through the forest and rain.

"Riku I am going to assume that you knew the Fuma Clan was having trouble or fighting against another clan. I want to know why I wasn't informed?"

"Well the fight didn't start till a week before you arrived. There were border and town disputes between the Fuma, Matsui, and the Hara Clan.

The Matsui and Hara Clan allied together to get rid of the Fuma clan before settling their own disputes.

But the reason I didn't report was because of how bad the blood was between the Matsui and Hara Clan; they were known to skirmish against each other quite often.

The other two times they have allied resulted in them backstabbing the other in the back.

If anything the Fuma clan was in no danger as the two clans were more worried about the other betraying them."

'Considering how the Fuma are still in the anime, they must have prevailed through this conflict or the other two clans simply annihilated themselves.'

"Very well I will accept this reasoning, but next make sure to inform me about everything prevalent towards the clans we are visiting in the future."

Seeing Ritsu taking out a spatial kunai, Riku couldn't help but question, "Are we abandoning them?"

"Of course not, we are simply going to have a live military drill. However I am the only one who is going to be leaving, you two will go monitor the Hara and the Matsui Clan.

You have two weeks before we attack. Report if the Fuma is in danger." Ritsu said before vanishing on the spot.

"This is such a pain!" groaned Riku.

"You are such a pain," replied Kaz as he looked at Riku coldly, "I do not see why the Young Master still takes you around, you have no loyalty to him." 

Riku ignored Kaz's comment, 'How could I? He killed the Clan that I, and my father have worked for my entire life,'

Riku shivered at his last thought,

'Although I serve him, I don't feel any different than I was when I was a dog for the Yua Clan.'

"Let's get this over with." replied Riku

—--------------------------------------

Ritsu was conducting mock battles.

He had them pair up in groups of three, just like in the anime forming three man cells.

He would then group up those three man cells to form a nine man squad, with a captain and two sub-captains.

Each squad was entrusted with a mission and it was up to the Captain and the sub-captain on how to accomplish the mission. 

It was the Captain's and Sub-Captain's choice in making live decisions in the field.

Capture the flag.

Infiltration.

Hold the point.

Escort & Interception.

Even all out battles, they were all conducted throughout the week, there was no rest throughout the week.

They had to find the time to sneak in food, and rest while performing the tasks required.

Ritsu would have two fronts turn into three and even four whenever he felt like it.

He would mix the men around so they would get used to working with different people.

Not allowing them to get comfortable in having the same teammates.

As in the field people were bound to die, and they would have to improvise as they might have people join their cells.

The shinobis experienced hell when they were told on the seventh day of training that they were going to fight Ritsu.

At first most of them thought it was a joke.

Despite knowing Ritsu was the one who recruited them, they couldn't help but doubt Ritsu's strength.

After all they haven't seen Ritsu fight, all they knew was he was the Clan leader's child.

They numbered close to five hundred shinobi yet their young master wanted to fight them.

But for the first time they felt fear as they witnessed the devastating power Ritsu showed them as he showered them with miniature rays formed from Storm Release, and supplied by that vast chakra of Ryuumyaku.

Ritsu simply gathered chakra in a ball but instead of firing it like a beam. He shot it to the sky before it broke up forming small rays of Storm Release.

After the initial barrage before the training coalition could even gather themselves he used a vast amount of chakra in making water clones.

Water clones that grabbed scrolls that were filled with kunais that were all fitted with a teleportation tag.

Those who survived being paralyzed or injured were shocked as dull kunai knives with a tag were thrown at them from a multitude of directions.

He then proceeded to teleport to the tags as he beat the nearby shinobi before teleporting to another tag and doing the same.

Two hours later all the shinobi were tending to their injuries, the most severe involving brokens bones, or a dislocation.

No had died in the exercise as Ritsu exercised caution with his power.

Those with more severe injuries were exempted from participating in the live battle to come although they insisted they were fine.

They rested the rest of the day, and the following day with some light training.

That day the various clans learned the power that Ritsu wielded.

Hanano, although she didn't participate in the training, still received reports from those from her clan who did participate.

Hearing the reports she couldn't help but think of the other monsters out there.

Ritsu's words when they initially met implied that there was someone stronger than him out there, even when he had this much strength.

—---------------------------------------

Ritsu had teleported to Riku to find that Kaz was beside him.

The week before the live practice they finished doing every drill once over except the one where Ritsu bullied them. 

They instead rested on the last day of the two weeks

Ritsu glanced at his surroundings; they were situated in a cave. 

'Looks like they were waiting for me.'

"What's the situation?"

"A stalemate, neither side wants to attack first. The Matsui and the Hara Clan had grouped up and were planning a frontal assault against the Fuma Clan, however, the Matsui had attempted to back stab the Hara Clan right there and then." answered Riku.

"Unfortunately for the Matsui Clan, the Hara Clan was expecting it and both sides had managed to back up after some blood had been spilled.

Though in the end both sides ended up retreating knowing they failed their betrayal, and the other can't trust the other. 

But the deciding factor was that there were Fuma Clan shinobis in the surrounding area.

If they fought then and there then the Fuma Clan would defeat the victor of the two." finished Kaz.

"A pity if you ask me. They should have killed themselves without any regard to the consequences."

"This is perfect, then tell me is there anything notable about the two Clans?" questioned Ritsu.

"Trash if you ask me, although my clan was no better in terms of strength, we only had our numbers just like them except they have more people.

Though I'm assuming you'll soften them up first with those explosion seals of yours."

Ritsu smiled at Riku's comment, "You know me so well. But I have something else I want to try."

Seeing the smile Ritsu showed, Riku almost wanted to pray for their enemies, but refrain himself from doing so.

"Do you have the location and a draft on their compound?" Ritsu turned his attention from Riku to Kaz knowing the former probably did, after all Kaz was ever hardworking.

"Of course, I spent no expense in accomplishing your task." replied Kaz, handing a map of the compounds.

"Great, I need you to go to the Matsui's Clan and Riku will head to the Hara Clan.

Choose a high ground where I'll be able to cast my Jutsu as soon as we teleport. They will know since I'm teleporting a lot of people.

Get it done by evening, we'll attack at midnight, hopefully catching them by surprise."