Naruto - Azure Awakening

"Thank you for meeting me on such short notice, Lady Suikage," said the Water Daimyo, smiling brightly as he offered a respectful bow.

It was a rare sight, a Daimyo bowing to a village Kage. Even if the lords of the land held little real power and were effectively at the mercy of their respective villages, they usually kept up the appearance of dignity. But among them, the Water Daimyo's position was the weakest.

Kirigakure had always been uncooperative. Mizukages never conceded anything, not even for the sake of appearances. So when Takimura rose, far more flexible and willing to negotiate, the Daimyo knew this was likely his last chance to stabilize the Land of Water.

"We're honored to have you here," Maki said warmly, returning a small bow of her own. It wasn't about politics or power, she genuinely respected the frail, soft-spoken man in front of her. He'd worked harder than anyone to preserve peace in their land, and besides, Takimura hadn't forgotten how he had helped them when they needed it most.

"I was so sad I couldn't attend your appointment ceremony," the Daimyo said gently, removing the oversized hat from his head and setting it down with care.

He turned to the window beside them.

"Every time I visit, Takimura feels like a different village - larger, stronger… more alive," he said, still gazing out across the rooftops and streets. Then his eyes shifted back to Maki, his voice brighter. "This is my third visit, and I still can't believe how far you've come in such a short time."

"It's thanks to the hard work of our people," Maki answered. "And of course, to the help we've received from our friends."

She gestured to the seats, offering one to the Daimyo and his son. Rather than meeting in the formal council chamber, they were in the Suikage's private lounge, a spacious room with a wide glass wall overlooking the entire village.

Takimura was bustling, not just with locals, but merchants and travelers too. Positioned near both the Land of Fire and Land of Lightning, it had become a natural stop for caravans moving east or west. And with the Shegachi clan opening businesses all across Takimura, the village coffers had swelled quickly.

"Lady Maki," the Daimyo began, finally settling into the seat, "as much as I love visiting this village, I'm here on business."

His son hovered awkwardly behind Daimyo, unsure whether to sit or remain standing, until he finally lowered himself beside his father.

"Is Kirigakure acting up again?" Maki asked, the warmth draining from her voice almost instantly.

"No… well, yes, but that's not the reason I'm here," the Daimyo said with a tired chuckle. "You see, the merchant settlements like Shiomura have always relied on samurai protection for small matters. And whenever pirates or bandits appeared, a commission would be made, and Kirigakure would send shinobi to handle them. That was the system and it worked."

He took a sip from the tea Maki had poured for him, letting the silence sit before continuing.

"But lately… the situation's changed. The number of criminal incidents in Shiomura has risen sharply. And this time, it's not just bandits - it's rogue shinobi. The samurai we hire can't deal with them. Casualties are rising. They're refusing the missions now, and even if they weren't, the cost is becoming unsustainable."

He sighed again, heavier this time. The frustration was clear in his voice. This wasn't just a political problem, it was a human one.

"And to make things worse… Kirigakure hasn't accepted a single commission regarding the bandits and pirates in two months. Their excuse is that they're still recovering from the war. That they have no shinobi to spare."

Maki's expression darkened, however, there was a hint of pride in her eyes.

Takimura had grown, and now the Land of Water was knocking - not just for diplomacy, but for protection.

"I can't promise that we can station many shinobi in Shiomura and take over the samurais' role entirely," Maki replied after a short pause. "We're still in the middle of reorganizing our forces. But we can take commissions. And I should be able to rotate several teams in and out, at least until things settle down."

The Daimyo's eyes widened. Then he smiled and that smile said more than any words.

'I knew Takimura would be different. She offered help before I even brought up what we'd offer in return.'

"We don't need payment until the immediate threats are dealt with," Maki continued. "We can even lower the commission cost. But in exchange, we'd like an exclusive contract. Give the commissions only to Takimura."

She paused briefly, then added, "And one more thing - allow our merchants to open shops. That way, we'll have a clear justification for stationing shinobi. Nothing official, of course, but it gives us the premise we need."

Merchant settlements like Shiomura traditionally allowed only independent vendors to operate shops. Technically, Takimura could've bypassed that rule by assigning a representative, but if that got exposed, it would damage the village's credibility.

The Daimyo studied Maki's expression, the earlier look of gratitude giving way to amusement.

'She'd likely help even if we denied her request about the shops, but she's not pushing for anything unreasonable. And while the whole "merchant cover" is obviously a pretext, it's smart. If Kiri complains, I can always say the shinobi are there as guards for their merchants.'

He was genuinely impressed. Maki had not only met his expectations, she'd exceeded them.

"Those terms are favorable to us," the Daimyo said finally. "If you can lower the commission fee by thirty percent for the next six months, just enough for us to recover, that would be ideal."

The moment he finished, Maki extended her hand without hesitation.

"Deal," she said, grinning.

<<<>>>

Shin stepped into waist-deep water, the tall grass swallowing him completely.

"Sensei, are you sure about this?" Akane whispered, trailing just a step behind. "We've been trying to figure out where they disappeared for two months now."

The village and the entire clan they were searching for had vanished without a trace. Every lead they managed to uncover ended in failure. Either the person they were chasing disappeared too, or the clue turned out to be a dead end, likely planted on purpose.

"This is the last one. If we don't find anything this time, we're heading back," Shin replied quietly. His voice was calm, but the weight of it wasn't lost on her. This would be his first official failure if the man they were following now led nowhere.

Akane shivered. The water was cold, and they couldn't use chakra to regulate their body temperature. If their target was a sensor-type, even the smallest flare of chakra would expose them.

"We could've used the trees instead of this filthy canal," she grumbled, voice barely above a breath. "It's cold and disgusting."

Shin didn't reply. He only smiled faintly, but not because of her complaint. He was watching their target with growing interest.

The man stopped suddenly, glancing over his shoulder and scanning the area as if checking for followers. Then, turning to the right, he walked toward a tree.

Akane squinted. Her brows furrowed when she saw the man pull out a scroll and place it directly on the tree trunk. The ground next to it, covered in what looked like normal grass, shimmered slightly, and then a trapdoor appeared, wooden and old, leading into a hidden basement.

"Sensei, do we follow him? Or attack?" Akane whispered, her right hand already resting on her blade's hilt.

"Follow for now. There may be traps," Shin responded, never taking his eyes off the man.

They both watched as the man stepped forward again, placing a second seal directly on the door. But instead of opening it normally, the entire door vanished into thin air like it had never existed.

'What the hell? I didn't even know fuinjutsu could be used like that…' Akane stared, wide-eyed. The illusion was seamless.

Just as the man was about to step into the basement, Shin suddenly moved. In a blur, he charged forward and struck, knocking the man unconscious with a swift, silent blow.

"I thought we were just following him," Akane said with a smirk as she landed next to Shin, glad to finally be out of the freezing water.

"He wouldn't have left the door open," Shin replied, crouching beside the man and checking him for additional seals. "Waiting any longer would've been pointless. He would've gone in, closed it behind him, and we'd lose our chance."

Akane nodded, already surveying the entrance ahead with excitement.

"He doesn't have any more seals. Let's hope that means there aren't any traps," Shin said, his voice low and tight as he slowly walked toward the open basement. "Follow behind me. Step only where I do."

The stairs led into a narrow hallway. It was dark and damp, the air thick with mildew. Each step they took echoed softly, the sound swallowed by the oppressive silence ahead.

'This place feels abandoned,' Akane thought, careful to mimic Shin's movements exactly. Her hand hovered near her blade, senses strained. 'So what the hell was he coming here for?'

Aside from the distant drip of water and the scurrying of rats retreating deeper into the dark, there was no sound. No sign of life.

"Sensei, I don't think anyone's hiding here," she whispered, but seeing the way Shin's shoulders stayed stiff, the tension rolling off him in waves, she kept quiet and followed.

They moved like shadows through the corridor, stopping every few steps as Shin listened, sometimes even holding his breath to catch the slightest sound. He was unnerved. And that, more than anything, told Akane something was wrong.

Eventually, they reached the end of the hallway.

The room before them was different.

Unlike the rest of the space, the floor here was clean. Dry. No sludge. No dripping walls. A faint light flickered from an unseen source above, enough to cast long, eerie shadows across the metal shelves and rows of narrow tables.

'This one… this doesn't feel deserted at all,' Akane thought, her hand tightening around the blade hilt.

The tables were cluttered. Rows of vials, cracked glassware, yellowed papers with diagrams and notes scribbled in ink. Strange seals were burned into the stone walls, some still glowing faintly.

Akane stepped forward, reaching for a page marked with unfamiliar script, but Shin's voice cut in sharply.

"Don't touch anything," he ordered, whispering. "There's someone here. I can't sense them."

He dropped his concealment entirely, his chakra flaring out like a wave, measured but aggressive. His eyes were focused, body coiled like a spring.

"There are people below us," he muttered. "Faint chakra… children, I think."

His hand moved to his back, fingers wrapping around the hilts of his blades.

Akane's confusion only deepened. 'If there's no one in this room… why does Sensei feel like we are being watched?'

She inhaled slowly and activated her new technique. Chakra shimmered across her body, shaping into a faint aura. Her breath caught as her senses sharpened, tuned to the silence.

She focused on hearing, closing her eyes. But even before she could register the sounds surrounding them, her senses screamed at her of danger.

A cold rush down her spine. Like something vile had just breathed on the back of her neck.

"Sensei," she whispered.

"I feel it too," Shin replied. "That's bloodlust."

Lightning crackled to life around his body, forming an unstable shroud. Sparks jumped from his shoulders to his chest, but it wasn't calm - it pulsed wildly.

Akane's heart was racing now.

And then, without warning, a voice echoed through the room. Smooth. Smug. Unnatural.

"I thought you'd never find this place."

Shin froze.

"I was getting so tired of waiting…" the voice continued, calm and cold, dripping with amusement.

The air grew heavier.

And somewhere, just beyond the edge of their vision, something moved.

**

Reminder - Break Tomorrow

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