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"Kumogakure's forces have stopped advancing. Konoha managed to win a few battles, but also suffered some losses," Ao reported, glancing at the notes he had prepared to make sure nothing was missed.
"We don't know who he fought, but it's rumored that the Raikage defeated someone from the Leaf."
"What? It couldn't have been the Hokage, right?" blurted the head of one of the smaller clans, who had only recently gained a seat on the council.
"I don't think so," Ao replied. "It was probably either Tsunade or one of the clan heads, but I can't imagine any of them being reckless enough to face the Raikage alone."
He quickly ran through the list of known leaders in his head. None of them, in his opinion, were strong enough to take A one-on-one.
"As long as Konoha isn't pushed too hard, we should be fine," Maki said, adjusting the Suikage cloak on her shoulders.
'This is the most uncomfortable thing I've ever worn… I miss the Takime clan's robes,' she thought, pressing her lips in annoyance.
Ao glanced around at the bright faces in the room, his gaze settling into something proud. None of them understood Ao's expression, except one - Luna Shegachi.
'Speaking freely… acting without watching every word. This is nothing like Kirigakure,' she thought, nodding to herself. Leaving the Mist behind had been the right choice.
"What about the Uchiha?" asked Maki. She was curious whether Kaoru's suggestion had worked - had the Uchiha chosen peaceful separation, or had they gone down the path of rebellion?
"They're participating in the war, as far as I know," Ao replied, "but they no longer wear Konoha's symbol."
He didn't need to explain further. He and Akura were the only two in the council with full access to all intelligence regarding village affairs, and they both understood exactly why Maki was asking.
"So they didn't rebel," Maki smiled, clearly pleased. "We should expect their envoy soon," she added, laughing as she slapped her knee in delight.
"Alright, any other major news?" she asked, watching as Ao flipped through his notes again.
"Nothing else from Konoha, but there is news from Kiri and also from Uzumaki Yko. I'll start with Kiri. They will soon request that we return the Seven Swords we currently hold." He smirked as he glanced at Shin, who held the Kiba Blades - one of the Seven.
"Hah. They wish," the Noda clan head, Illumi, scoffed. "Do they really expect us to hand them over for free?" His laugh was turning into something darker, more aggressive, so Ao cut in before things got out of hand.
"No, Lord Illumi. They're offering something in exchange, but I don't know what," he said with a shrug. Just knowing the intent behind Kiri's actions was already impressive. No one expected Ao to have every detail. "They should arrive soon, though. Maybe in a few days."
"Shin," Maki said, smiling slightly, "how much do you like those blades?"
The room froze.
Everyone understood what this meant. If Takimura returned the blades, it could be seen as a sign of weakness.
"The length, weight, and shape don't suit me that well," Shin answered plainly. "But I do like the lightning effect. If the village can forge a custom weapon with the same properties, I'd gladly hand these over."
All eyes instinctively turned to Brok Durinu, Takimura's best blacksmith, and likely the best in the entire Land of Water.
"I never said I couldn't make it. No one asked," Brok shrugged.
Eyes widened across the room. For many here, their fighting style revolved around weapons. And now they'd just learned that Takimura's blacksmith was confident he could recreate or even rival the legendary Seven Swords.
For those warriors, this might've been the best news they'd heard all year.
"Alright, let's discuss commissions afterwards," Brok laughed, his deep voice echoing through the room. "We should focus on the village's matters for now."
After seeing the sparkling eyes of those who relied heavily on weapons, Ao realized calming them down would be a challenge, but Brok managed it effortlessly. No one wanted to upset the one man who could forge their future tools of war.
However, there was one person whose excitement didn't fade, even after Brok made it clear he wouldn't be taking orders until the meeting was over - Luna.
'This place is like a rich deposit. So many gems here… just waiting to be polished,' she was already running through ways to get the master craftsman to work for her.
"Lady Suikage, I almost forgot about Iwa and Suna," Ao said, his tone shifting from amused to serious. "There's a rumor that Suna hired the same mercenaries you and Shin fought. After bringing them in, they managed to win a few battles."
"Wasn't Suna barely hanging on? How could they afford to hire a group that strong?" Mei spoke for the first time, the fatigue briefly lifting from her face.
'I see… she's been training hard too,' Shin thought, smiling inwardly as he clenched his fists, still marked with bruises and burns.
"That, unfortunately, we don't know," Ao answered plainly.
He waited a few moments to see if anyone had something to add. When no one spoke, he moved on.
"Yko Uzumaki has finally finished the device he's been working on."
<<<>>>
"What is this place, Elder Ogashi?" Kaoru asked, eyes narrowing as he stepped into the vast chamber. Dozens of massive suspension tanks lined the hall, each filled with thick, dark liquid that rippled faintly under dim lighting.
He walked closer to one of them and tapped the glass with his finger. The liquid inside shifted just slightly, but enough to make him step back in surprise.
"These are the creatures you saw on the engravings," Ogashi said, already moving toward the far end of the hall. "I'll explain everything as we go."
'How can these things be alive? Aren't they just… liquid?' Kaoru's gaze kept bouncing from tank to tank, eyebrows furrowed in disbelief.
"When we lost the war and the Takime clan retreated, our tribe was forced to flee as well," Ogashi began, his voice lowering with the weight of memory. "We couldn't follow them, we wouldn't survive on land. So we searched for a place nearby, hoping that one day we'd meet the next Suijingan bearer."
He turned slightly, offering Kaoru a faint smile. The Suijingan… it wasn't just a symbol to them. It was a legacy. An obsession. Something sacred.
"And that's when we met these disgusting creatures," Ogashi continued, his tone darkening. "So many of our kin died to them…"
"But how, Elder Ogashi?" Kaoru asked, slowing his steps. "You Leviathans are the strongest beings I've ever met. How could something like this defea… fight against you?"
He caught himself mid-sentence, realizing it could be taken as an insult, but Ogashi only chuckled.
"Don't worry, kid. We were defeated. There's no shame in admitting that." He paused, eyes drifting toward the tanks. "You're right, though. If not for their immunity to physical damage and to water techniques, we would've wiped them out."
Kaoru's jaw fell slightly.
"Immune to both physical and water attacks? Then how does anyone fight them in water at all?"
"We can't, Korara. But you can." Ogashi reached over and patted Kaoru's head, almost like he was praising a loyal hunting beast.
"They're nothing but liquid, and your eyes allow you to control water," Ogashi said calmly, his voice brimming with confidence. "You can tear them apart without effort."
He stopped walking, now standing in front of a massive water tank, much larger than the others. But this one was completely clear, the transparent water inside showing no trace of the thick, dark liquid Kaoru had seen in the others.
"Bring one of the Nocturnals," Ogashi ordered a nearby Leviathan wearing a pale mantle lined with silver stitching, something resembling a scholar's formal robe.
"Nocturnals? Is that what these creatures are called?" Kaoru asked, watching as the robed Leviathan moved toward one of the containment chambers.
"We don't know what they're truly called. They can't speak, after all. But that's what we named them - Nocturnals. Because all they are… is darkness." Ogashi's voice was filled with hatred, a rare emotional edge cutting through his usual calm.
Kaoru noticed it immediately. These creatures were the only topic that seemed to rattle Ogashi's composure. And only the second name he seemed to remember.
In the meantime, the "scholar" Leviathan lifted one of the chambers holding a Nocturnal with ease, like it weighed nothing. Then he opened the lid and released the creature into the massive water tank.
Now, freed from its smaller prison, the Nocturnal expanded to its true form, and Kaoru finally saw it clearly.
'It looks like a stingray… but more twisted,' he thought, staring at its strange, flat shape.
"Now watch," Ogashi said, extending a single tentacle. He lashed out, piercing the creature, only for the injury to vanish the moment the tentacle withdrew.
Next, he attacked with the water element, but the result was the same. The creature healed instantly, showing no signs of lasting damage.
"It's immune," Kaoru muttered. "Like you said."
"Now try using your water extraction," Ogashi said, his voice betraying the excitement.
"But Elder Ogashi," Kaoru hesitated. "Every time I've used that ability on living things, even insects, I've been hit by backlash. It's like their bodies fight back. The resistance makes the extraction impossible, sometimes even painful…"
He trailed off as Ogashi gave him the same, familiar, disappointed look.
"Kid, you know absolutely nothing about the Suijingan…" Ogashi sighed, practically scolding him. "The more chakra a living creature has, the harder it is to extract water from them. But if you activate your Suijingan, you'll see for yourself that this thing has no density. No structure. It's just living liquid… barely holding any chakra at all."
He gestured at the tank, then nudged Kaoru forward with his hand.
"Go on. Try it. You'll see, you can rip it apart without breaking a sweat."
Kaoru frowned but obeyed, activating his Suijingan.
Ogashi's eyes sparkled, almost outshining the glow in Kaoru's eyes.
'He's like a little kid when he sees my dojutsu,' Kaoru chuckled inwardly. Then he turned his focus to the Nocturnal, extending his hand as a medium. He concentrated on the water particles inside the creature's body, and it worked.
The thing began to tremble, spasming violently in the water. It was clearly in pain, but it made no sound. It couldn't. It didn't have the organs for it. Then the Nocturnal dissipated in the water, like a droplet of ink.
"See? How easy was that?" Ogashi said, patting Kaoru on the back, his version of a compliment. "But even if it's that easy, you still won't be able to make a real difference against their numbers… unless you master the fifth ability."
"How difficult will it be?" Kaoru asked, already picturing the endless chakra he could have if he actually reached that point.
"First, you need to learn the fourth ability. Then we increase your chakra reserves. After that, you'll have to recreate your entire chakra pathways. Otherwise, your body won't be able to handle the flow."
Ogashi nodded to himself, ticking off the steps mentally like a checklist.
"New pathways? But I've already been doing that," Kaoru said quickly, excitement rising in his voice. He hadn't realized it at the time, but it seemed he'd been working on one of the steps without knowing it.
"You have?" Ogashi's eyes widened. "How is that possible? Wait, let me check."
Before Kaoru could say another word, Ogashi's tentacles had already latched onto his arms, chakra surging through his body like a current.
'So that's what Lady Enia was checking… Now I understand why she wanted me to show the kid the Nocturnals.' For the first time, Ogashi acknowledged not just Kaoru's talent, but his hard work. 'He's already finished the limbs… The torso is sloppy, but functional… Oh, thank the Abyss, he hasn't touched the head yet.'
"Kid, you've made huge progress," Ogashi finally said. "But the method you're using is wrong."
He looked ready to launch into a long explanation, but Kaoru cut in first.
"Elder Ogashi, how do you know about the Shifting Flow Sword Style chakra rotation method?" he asked, genuinely confused.
But Kaoru's confusion didn't compare to the look on Ogashi's face. His brows practically jumped off his forehead.
"Shifting Flow Sw… what?" he sputtered.
"That's the first step of our Senjutsu, Kuraru."
**
A/N -
I hope you enjoyed the twist. Kuraru's training is about to start, so be prepared xD
Reminder - Break Tomorrow
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