Naruto: Akatsuki

A speech style that resembled a rap. When coupled with the large voice and the name spoken by the servant, the identity of the man speaking with said servant just outside was clear.

'Killer B.'

He was the brother of A whom Akashi fought hours ago. B of the infamous A-B Combo. Such a man was just outside, unaware of the fact that the enemies of his brother were sitting inside the room next to where he stood.

"Who are ya?! Try to stop me and ya getting y'er butt slapped—"

"I wish to make no commotion in lord daimyo's watch."

With the servant having backed away, the shinobi with grey hair and purple eyes now handled B.

"...Let us talk. But not in here."

Akashi knew that the shinobi was wary of his and Mei's presence. The noise of footsteps was heard, indicating that the shinobi had turned and begun to walk away.

"Hey!!"

B growled, but eventually stomped, following the shinobi out of frustration.

Taking his attention off the outside, Akashi quickly took out a bingo book from his pouch and began to flip through the pages.

'Yugakure...'

And there, it wasn't hard to learn who this man was.

Tamura. A-Ranked. Wanted by Iwagakure.

'Known for his feats in the Second Shinobi World War. And that's all the information there is, it seems.'

The existing data regarding this man hasn't been updated for years, meaning that no one knows how much strength he holds today.

Anyhow, this man wasn't someone whom Akashi could ignore.

'I need to prepare for the worst.'

__________

"My, yet another visitor today."

Leaning his face into his hand, the daimyo of Yugakure expressed amusement as he stared at the shinobi in front of him. 

Blonde and blue-eyed. Taking into consideration the forehead protector that had the symbol of Konohagakure engraved on his forehead, it was clear that this shinobi was none other than Namikaze Minato, the Yellow Flash.

'First, there were the visitors from Kiri, Terumi Mei of the Terumi clan and her bodyguard. Immediately after, B of Kumo arrived, demanding me the whereabouts of Kiri ninjas... where the descriptions matched those two.'

Keeping Akashi and Mei at bay with a vague reason was based on nothing but the daimyo's hunch, that he shouldn't let them go. With B having arrived, the daimyo was now certain that there was a clash between Kumogakure and those ninjas of Kiri. 

'Then, there is this man.'

Yugakure was accepted as a neutral ground through the oaths made by the daimyos of the land of fire and lightning. Afterward, it has become an unspoken rule that the ninjas of Konoha and Kumo don't visit this hidden village at the same time to avoid a potential conflict. 

Yet, here Namikaze Minato was, ignoring this unspoken rule among the ninjas.

"I hope you'll forgive my rudeness, daimyo-sama. However, we did inform you of my visit on this day a month ago."

"It's fine, it's fine. You'll remain civil regardless, right?"

The daimyo waved his hand off.

"Yes, indeed."

"If so, for what reason have you visited us?"

'There definitely is something about those Kiri ninjas.'

One thought that entered the daimyo's mind was, did Terumi Mei defect from Kiri? Was she affiliated with Konoha now?

"Hokage-sama has written you an urgent letter, and it was naturally decided that I, one who is considered to be faster than many, should be the one to deliver it to you safely."

Minato revealed a scroll, a letter. He handed it to a ninja nearby him, who opened it to make sure that there wasn't any suspicious work done on it, before handing it to the daimyo respectfully.

"Hm..."

It was a letter that informed the daimyo of the newfound alliance between Konoha, Suna, and Ame to fend off the combined assaults of Iwa and Kumo. 

'The Professor, three sannins, and Yellow Flash of Konoha... in truce with Hanzo of the Salamander...'

Did that mean that the war had now gone in favour of Konoha? 

Not necessarily.

After all, unlike Konoha and Suna who were unable to control their tailed beasts, Iwa and Kumo were very effective at incorporating jinchurikis within the war. 

'Four fails and five fails of Iwa... with two tails and eight tails of Kumo. One tail of Suna and nine tails of Konoha are nowhere to be seen... meaning that the beasts may be well off the available force for them to dispatch.'

However, Hiruzen too was aware of this. The letter continued, and there was additional information that brought the daimyo into shock.

'...Kiri,'

The daimyo's eyes widened as he double-checked what he had just read.

'is planning to join the war? On the side of Konoha?'

This was the game-changing information. If Kiri were to support Konoha, the combined force of Iwa and Kumo definitely wouldn't be enough. 

'...! That is why...!'

The daimyo then realized the presence of two Kiri ninjas in his guest room. The information from his ninjas indicated that they came from the direction where the battlefield between Konoha and Kumo lied. 

Kiri was stealing Kumo's information. The supposed civil war has long been over, and they've been preparing for the world war themselves... without anyone knowing.

This was the conclusion that the daimyo reached. Ending his thoughts, the daimyo finally spoke to Minato who patiently waited,

"...Give me the time to think, will you?"

"How long, daimyo-sama?"

"Three days."

__________

"...The eyes are gone."

Within the darkness as the sun had set, Mei voiced to Akashi.

"Why have they given up watching us?"

"..."

Akashi also didn't know why. But he could make a few guesses.

"Yugakure doesn't have a ninja in the position of a 'kage'. The daimyo technically serves the role of kage as well. This means that the order to watch us and the order to withdraw were both given by the daimyo."

Akashi watched the moon outside the window. It was almost midnight.

New information suddenly flowed into his head. The shadow clone whom he snuck out as they were led into the daimyo's building has finally dispelled. Closing his eyes, Akashi focused, causing Mei to express confusion at his behaviour.

'The surveillance schedule, ranks, notable ninjas...'

Akashi then frowned.

'My clone didn't willingly dispel. Rather, it was a forced one...'

By Tamura, that shinobi with grey hair and purple eyes.

It meant that the majority of the information that his clone collected would soon become null. Tamura will adjust and modify the defense system of Yugakure. To get past it, Akashi had to act fast.

'Then, there is the information that Minato has come just after us.'

It was revealed that the reason why B was here was to chase him and Mei. However, Minato's presence confused him.

'The one who was supposed to meet me is Jiraiya, not Minato.'

Yet, Jiraiya was nowhere to be seen. Combining the information together, Akashi deduced that Minato was likely the substitute of Jiraiya.

Standing up, Akashi put on a black cloak.

"Stay here."

Mei nodded. With a puff, a shadow clone appeared next to Akashi.

"Should something happen, you know what to do."

Akashi's clone nodded before sitting down in a chair that Akashi had been at until now.

Mei blinked. Akashi was gone, and the window on the right was open, letting in the cold air. 

Akashi's clone remained seated, with his face covered by the same mask worn by Akashi.

__________

'Midnight.'

The time was specific. The location indicated was Yugakure. However, no further specifics were given. 

Minato, who managed his way out by utilizing his 'Flying Thunder God Technique', was now disguised as a civilian among the crowds.

'Akashi... where are you.'

There were many questions that he had about this man whom Minato hadn't seen for years. Though the time they stayed together wasn't for long, the impact of such a memory was huge. 

Be it for good or bad, Akashi was always someone whom Minato took an interest in. A sense of rivalry it was, perhaps.

Minato continued to roam around the street, but with no gain on Akashi's whereabouts.

The night in Yugakure was bustling. How strange, Minato couldn't help but think, knowing that an intense battle was going on just outside the walls.

The moonlight was quite bright tonight. Stopping his walk, Minato looked up and saw the bright full moon above. 

It was midnight.

And that's when Minato's vision turned entirely black.

'This is...!'

Minato's eyes widened as he dispelled the genjutsu done upon him.

He recognized the technique. 'Dual Shade', it was a simple technique that Akashi created and used on multiple occasions before.

Upon dispelling, he focused on the shadows of the people in the street. 

'...How did he find me?'

That was the first thing that entered Minato's mind as he inspected the numerous shadows.

'This genjutsu is double-layered. The first layer generates a blatant blockade of vision. Upon dispelling it, the second layer applies shadows on any object present in sight.'

Yet, there was one person who lacked a shadow in this street full of shadows. With his back turned, the man was moving away from Minato.

Minato followed the man carefully. The man went inside a nearby restaurant. Counting up to five minutes, he too went inside, where a clerk greeted him.

"Oh, welcome!"

The clerk seemed to have recognized him.

"Your friend told me that you'll arrive shortly after him. Would you like me to lead you to where he is?"

Minato stoically nodded.

He was led to a private room. A door was opened, revealing the appearance of the same man whom Minato had been chasing after.

"Oi, Takashiro, you're late!"

"Sorry, I had some matters to take care of."

"Business is booming recently, eh?"

Minato sat down across the man as he nodded.

"Please enjoy!"

The food was already distributed across the table, and there was nothing more to be served. As the clerk closed the door and left, Minato inspected the menu, and they were all composed of the food that could be made in a short time.

"...So,"

The man's tone suddenly changed. His eyes headed to the corner, and Minato followed said eyes; there was a seal—one that was meant to prevent the conversation in the room from leaking out.

"It's been a while, Minato."

Gone was the man of an unfamiliar appearance. Instead, there was a tall man with hazel-coloured hair and a blue eye with a shade darker than Minato's own. His other eye was closed with a scar spanning across his eyelid. When ignoring this hideous scar on his lost eye, his facial features could be defined as handsome.

"...Akashi."

Minato grimaced as he saw that Akashi's lone eye didn't shine as brilliantly as he remembered.