Shadows On The Leaf

Author's note: I want to thank the comments made by the reader Misteriboi. I have already corrected the mistakes they pointed out. Please remember that I use a website to translate from Spanish to English, so many things get lost or confused in the translation. I appreciate your comments.

Early the next day, the group arrived at the Kirigakure mission building. Fog shrouded the streets like a constant veil, but the four maintained a calm demeanor, befitting their roles. Danzo, under his identity as "Hajime," led the way, his bearing firm and collected. At his side, Tatsuma, as "Taichi," looked protective, while Shisui, "Shin," walked with a carefree energy that made his role as the younger brother more believable. Kinoe, or "Taro," stayed a few steps behind, discreetly observing the surroundings. 

The building was less crowded than expected. Only a few shinobi, all of them mid- or high-ranking, were moving between the assignment tables. Danzo headed straight to the main counter, where a tired-looking chunin was checking a scroll. 

"Good morning," Danzo greeted politely, his voice controlled but authoritative. "My family and I wish to request a high-ranking escort mission." 

The chunin looked up, quickly sizing them up. "What kind of escort are we talking about?" 

Danzo gave a slight smile, beginning the story they had rehearsed. "We received news that our grandfather left us an inheritance in a small village in the Land of Hot Springs. A fishing company. We plan to travel to claim it, but there is a problem. Our father, who forced us to flee the country a few months ago, will probably hire shinobi to stop us. We cannot take any chances."

The chunin nodded, making a note on a scroll. "I understand. Are you requesting a specific ninja or are you leaving the choice up to us?" 

Danzo shook his head, leaving room for Shisui to intervene. "We trust Kirigakure's judgment in assigning us someone capable. We just want to make sure he's an experienced and competent ninja." 

Shisui seized the moment. His eyes subtly glinted with the Sharingan as he fixed his gaze on the chunin. A small dose of genjutsu was enough to plant the idea. 

"An experienced ninja… Ao would be a good choice," the chunin muttered to himself before turning his attention back to Danzo. "Of course, this will be treated as an A-rank mission. The costs will be high." 

"It's no problem," Danzo replied calmly. "The safety of my family is the most important thing." 

The chunin wrote a few more details on the scroll before looking up. "Leave the details of your current residence. Once the mission is taken, the assigned ninja will go find you to discuss the details and coordinate the trip." 

"We are staying in a house near the western district market, the house number is 420," Danzo replied, providing the address of his current abode.

The chunin nodded again, setting the scroll aside. "That would be all for now. Stay tuned. The assigned ninja should contact you in the next few hours or days." 

Danzo bowed his head slightly in gratitude. "Thank you for your assistance." 

With everything in order, the group left the building. Shisui maintained his relaxed role until they were away from prying ears. 

"That was easy," he commented with a slight smile. 

Danzo didn't answer immediately, looking out at the streets shrouded in fog. Finally, he spoke in a low tone. "Now, we just have to wait. If everything went according to plan, Ao will be the one to take on the mission. And then, we'll begin the real task." 

//////

The afternoon felt even denser than usual in Kirigakure, with fog pressing down on the small house where "Hajime" and his "family" waited. Danzo sat at the head of the table, in complete silence, while Tatsuma sharpened a kunai with slow movements. Shisui and Kinoe, meanwhile, sat in the living room, passing the time with a game of cards. 

A firm knock on the door broke the calm. Tatsuma looked up at Danzo, who with a slight nod indicated that he should open the door. 

Opening the door, Tatsuma was met by a stern-faced man, Ao, the ninja they had been waiting for. He could be seen wearing an eyepatch over his right eye. However, what caught everyone's attention in the room was that he did not come alone. 

Beside him was a silver-haired young man with a large sword wrapped in bandages resting on his back. Although he was still a child of about eleven years old, his gaze denoted confidence.

'Mangetsu Hozuki,' Danzo thought, immediately recognizing the prodigy of the Hozuki family.

The other companion was a boy with long black hair, with a calm expression that hid any trace of emotion. Danzo couldn't immediately identify him, but he didn't seem any less trained than Mangetsu. 

"I am Ao," the veteran said firmly. "These are Mangetsu and Renjiro. They will accompany me on this escort mission. Don't worry about their age, they are both Chunins."

Danzo stood up from the table with a neutral expression, although his mind was already processing this new information. 'The Hiramekarei sword... what an unexpected fortune.'

Danzo stepped forward, bowing slightly in respect. "It is an honor that a ninja of your caliber has been assigned to our mission, Ao-san."

Ao nodded briefly, his posture stiff as expected of a veteran ninja. "Are you ready to go, or do you need time to prepare?" 

Danzo replied calmly. "There is no need for further preparations. My family and I understand the importance of punctuality. Everything we need is already prepared." 

Ao seemed satisfied with the answer. "Fine. Then we will leave immediately. The road to the Hot Springs Country is short, but we must be alert for any unforeseen events." 

"Understood," Danzo said with a slight nod. Then, he turned his attention back to the others. "Shin, Taro, Taichi, let's go. It's time to go." 

Shisui, in his role as "Shin," couldn't help but look at Mangetsu's sword with feigned curiosity. "That sword is huge! Can you really use something like that?" 

Mangetsu gave a cocky smile. "Not only can I use it, I master it better than anyone else. It's Hiramekarei, not just any sword. It's a matter of skill, not strength." 

Shisui pretended to be impressed, tilting his head slightly. "How amazing! I bet you could knock down an entire tree with that." 

Mangetsu smiled proudly, but Ao cut the conversation short with a gesture. "This is no time for small talk. If you're ready, let's go." 

The group left the house and began walking towards the village gates. The thick fog was a constant reminder of where they were, and the path was covered in an eerie silence, broken only by Ao's firm footsteps. 

Danzo walked in front, calmly. Although he maintained his "Hajime" facade, his mind was already evaluating the new items on the board. 'Mangetsu Hozuki and the Hiramekarei... A weapon of great power. Its acquisition will be an additional reward for this mission.'

/////

The group landed in a small village on one of the many islands surrounding Kirigakure. The captain of the ship explained that he had to leave a message there before continuing on to their destination. However, when they arrived, the situation was much worse than they expected. 

The village was destroyed, its houses reduced to rubble and large pools of blood covered the ground. Corpses lay scattered, some grotesquely mutilated. The stench of death permeated the air, mixing with the saltiness of the sea. 

At the center of all this chaos, a chilling scene was unfolding. Amidst the rubble and mangled bodies, a group of individuals were fighting each other, laughing heartily as their attacks crossed paths in a violent spectacle. 

They were members of the Kaguya Clan. Their appearance stood out: black hair tied back on the sides with a white bow and the clan symbol, two red dots, marking their foreheads. Men, women and even children were among them, all displaying the same expression of ecstasy for battle. 

Despite not displaying advanced skills or a defined combat style, their brutality and resilience were undeniable. They fought with a primitive ferocity, ignoring their wounds and launching into the attack without hesitation. 

Mangetsu, who had remained relatively relaxed throughout the journey, watched the scene with narrowed eyes, holding the Hiramekarei on his back. "It seems we have found those responsible for this massacre." 

Ao took a few steps forward, drawing his sword in one swift motion. "You two stand back," he said, addressing Danzo and the others. "This is none of your business. Return to the ship and make sure the captain doesn't do anything foolish." 

The captain, pale as a corpse, waited no longer. He turned and ran towards the ship as fast as he could, leaving a trail of dust behind him. 

Danzo, without saying a word, gave a meaningful look to Tatsuma, Shisui and Kinoe. There was no need to speak; the order was clear: do not intervene. The group retreated a few steps, staying on the edge of the battlefield, far enough away not to appear involved, but close enough to observe everything carefully. 

"Let's go," Tatsuma muttered to Shisui and Kinoe. "Let's let them handle it. This isn't something we should be dealing with right now." 

"Why don't we help?" Shisui whispered, frowning. 

Tatsuma placed a hand on his shoulder, his expression serious. "If we act now, we'll reveal that we're shinobi, and that would jeopardize the entire mission. Now isn't the time." 

Shisui nodded, understanding the logic behind Tatsuma's words. 

Meanwhile, Ao led the charge, accompanied by Mangetsu and Renjiro, the other chunin. The latter unrolled a scroll with seals while Mangetsu unsheathed the Hiramekarei with a confident smile. 

The Kaguyas, noticing their presence, stopped fighting amongst themselves and focused on the newcomers. Some smiled, others laughed out loud. One of them, a tall, muscular man with a makeshift spear made of broken wood, stepped forward, looking at Ao with a wild glint in his eyes. 

"It doesn't matter who they are. We will take them all on!" he shouted with a maniacal laugh, his words filled with a dark euphoria. 

The Kaguyas did not wait any longer. They launched an attack with swift and ferocious movements, as if they knew neither fear nor prudence. 

Ao, Mangetsu, and Renjiro reacted instantly. Ao faced the impromptu leader, their swords clashing hard in a whirlwind of steel and splintered wood. Mangetsu, with a fierce smile, dodged and counterattacked, taking on two Kaguyas at once. Renjiro used explosive seals from his scroll, knocking down several enemies with each blast. 

From a distance, Danzo watched the battle in silence, his cold, calculating eyes analyzing every move. 'Let Ao and his subordinates wear themselves out. This will serve to evaluate their abilities, and besides, the Hiramekarei will be mine when the time is right.'

The tension was palpable, but none of Danzo's group moved a finger. They held their ground, watching as Ao and his team fought fiercely, while the screams and laughter of the Kaguyas filled the air, along with the sound of clashing weapons and explosions. 

The battle had just begun, but the outcome was already being written in Danzo's mind, always one step ahead.