Hi All, Long time no see...
This chapter is slow I know but I am starting to write again and it might take some time to get the hang of it.
Thank you for all your support and the love you've shown.
Lastly, a shoutout to @AtlasFanfics, who has posted mine and many other authors' fanfics in audio format...so do check it out.
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"They might do that to the other Jinchūriki, but they wouldn't dare touch us. What's with this sudden shift, Lord Tsuchikage?" one elder asked, his brow furrowed.
"Yes... You called an urgent meeting, so I assumed we were under attack. But now you're speaking of a band of mercenaries?" another elder scoffed, the youngest among them, chuckling dismissively.
Kurotsuchi clenched her fists at their casual tone. Idiots, she thought. Grandpa's about to explode, and they don't even realize it.
"You think a bunch of S-ranked criminals from the Bingo Book are just mercenaries?" Onoki's voice rose, steely with anger.
The young elder's smirk vanished. "N-No, Lord Tsuchikage. My apologies," he said quickly, swallowing both his pride and the insult.
"Onoki," a senior elder spoke up, "the fact that you called us on such short notice tells us this is serious. What has you so suddenly concerned about the Akatsuki? Do we have intelligence they're after our Tailed Beasts?"
Ahem...
A cough echoed from the chamber doors. All heads turned toward a stone shinobi in his twenties, scroll in hand.
"Who are you?" the young elder asked, annoyed by the interruption.
"Forgive me for entering unannounced, Elder," the shinobi said, bowing.
"Well? Speak. We're in the middle of something important."
"Yes, Elder. We've received intelligence confirming the mercenary group Akatsuki launched an assault on the Hidden Sand Village a few days ago," the shinobi reported, reading from the scroll.
Shock rippled through the chamber. None had expected a group like Akatsuki to challenge one of the Five Great Nations directly.
"The Akatsuki attacked the Sand?" an elder asked in disbelief. "What were they thinking? Who hired them?"
"According to our sources, no one. They attacked independently—apparently to abduct the Kazekage. It's unclear whether it was due to his title or his status as a Jinchūriki."
"The Kazekage? That kid?" the young elder asked, eyes wide. "What happened? Is he alive? What of the Sand's condition?"
"The battle occurred outside the village, so the Hidden Sand itself was spared. Several Akatsuki members engaged with a rogue shinobi—Yami Uchiha—who resurfaced after three years. One Akatsuki member, Hidan, was captured and sealed. The rest escaped."
"Wait... that boy fought four Akatsuki alone?" the young elder asked, stunned. "Are you sure this report is accurate?"
The shinobi opened his mouth to respond, but Onoki raised his hand to silence him.
"I can vouch for that boy's strength... to a certain extent," Onoki said, drawing a scroll from his robes.
"What?" another elder asked, confused. "How would you know, Lord Tsuchikage? You've never met him."
"I have now," Onoki said, passing the scroll across the table. "The boy is in our village as we speak. He brought a letter from the Fifth Hokage."
An elder unrolled the scroll and read it aloud. Murmurs filled the chamber.
"This could be a trap," the young elder muttered. "The Hidden Leaf could be trying to lull us into exposing our defenses."
"Hmph. Do you take me for a fool?" Onoki snapped. "Rōshi and Han are among the strongest Jinchūriki alive. They won't fall so easily."
The chamber doors creaked open again. An elderly man with a white beard and cane entered slowly.
The room rose at once.
"Grand Elder!" the young elder said quickly, rushing to offer his seat. "You shouldn't have troubled yourself—"
Look at him kissing up again, Kurotsuchi thought with an eye roll.
The Grand Elder raised a hand, motioning for them to sit. He took the seat and turned his eyes to Onoki.
"I never liked that group. Akatsuki... always gave me a sense of darkness," he muttered. "If they've started hunting Tailed Beasts, we can't afford to sit idle. Show me the letter from the Hokage."
As the grand elder was reading the letter by himself, Onoki decided to address the council "As you all read, the meeting isn't just for our village but for all the other villages as well. The hidden sand has no option but to do as the Hidden Leaf wishes for the time being and the Hidden Mist will also most likely agree to the meeting since the Hidden Leaf saved them 3 years ago from us and the monster."
"Yes you are right...that just leaves us and the Hidden Cloud." the grand elder said as he placed the letter on the table. He looked around the table and made eye contact with all the elders sitting and said "The hidden cloud might be strong but they are also cautious. Their jinchuriki can use the power of the tailed beast to a great extent, but still they wouldn't want to miss the talks happening at the Hidden Leaf, so there is a high chance that they will also attend. The chances of the Raikage and the 8-tailed beast's jinchuriki losing their life in all this are very low."
All the elders understood what the grand elder was trying to imply. They suddenly felt that their village was isolated. It wasn't as strong as the Hidden Cloud or the Hidden Leaf, and they didn't even have allies like the Hidden Sand and the Mist. This means whatever decision they make right now could have very big impacts in the future.
"Grand elder is right...If we decide to reject this request, then we might become a bit isolated in all of this, and if the Akatsuki smells this, they might attack us. We can't lose our Jinchurikis Lord Tsuchikage." the young elder said as he understood the gravity of the situation.
All the other elders also realized why this urgent meeting was called. Until now, Onoki or Kurotsuchi hadn't told them or the grand elder how this letter was delivered to them. It was surely embarrassing for the two of them, but they also knew that this could enrage the elders, clouding their judgment on this decision.
"Onoki...you usually just announce your decision and then we have to deal with it...What happened now?" the grand elder said in a slight joking manner. He was the only one in the room who could talk to the Tsuchikage like this.
"You are just exaggerating old man...I am nothing like this. Forget it...I am leaning towards going for the meeting. Me, Kurotsuchi, grand elder, Roshi & Han." Onoki said and then turned towards his grand daughter and ordered "Select 2 shinobis to go with us as well." to which Kurotsuchi nodded. In her heart she was jumping up and down because this was the first time her grandfather was taking her to such an important meeting.
"This is the real you Onoki...made the decision without even asking us." the grand elder chuckled. Before Onoki could get upset and berate him more the grand elder continued "What do you all think? Staying away from the herd doesn't seem to be a wise choice right now...I would like to hear your opinions on it." The elders nodded at each other as if agreeing to what the grand elder was saying. "We agree with the decision Lord Tsuchikage and Grand Elder. I will go with a team and bring Roshi back to the village." an elder said as he stood up and gave a small bow.
"I'll talk to Han then. He is at one of our outposts near the border of the village." the young elder said and was about to bow when the grand elder said "I need to talk to Onoki so everyone leave." he said while waving his hand. The young elder who wanted to sweet talk the grand elder into letting him come as well had no option but to leave with an awkward smile.
As everyone except the grand elder and Onoki left, Onoki looked at the old man with a confused expression and asked "What now? I thought we had discussed everything we needed."
"While discussing so many important things today, everyone forgot the most basic stuff." he then raised his eyebrows and asked "Why isn't the Uchiha boy here with us? And why did the 5th Hokage send the shinobi who recently killed so many of our own?"
"How would I know why that Tsunade sent him? I am meeting him in a few hours to tell my decision...you can ask him then." Onoki said with an annoyed expression on his face. Everytime Yami's name would fall on his ears, he would remember the helplessness he felt and the fool Yami had made out of the shinobi village Onoki was so proud of.
"Okay if you say so" the grand elder said giving the side eye to Onoki and left.
While the council of the Hidden Stone village was discussing all this and Yami was roaming around the hidden stone, a brutal fight was taking place just a few miles from the main village. A fight that would soon set panic in the heart and minds of these elders.
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