Naruto - Azure Awakening

Kaoru changed into his traditional robes in record time and flickered toward the council room. Even in emergency meetings, formality was mandatory.

When he arrived, he was surprised to see Tsunade already there.

'I didn't even know she was back.'

Tsunade was constantly traveling, rarely staying in one place for long. The last time he had seen her was two months ago.

He knew she had only taken Maki with her, but where they had gone and what they had been doing was a mystery. What he did know, however, was that the legendary Sannin had been helping Maki develop the next form of her signature technique - Predator's Pact.

'She's probably indebted to her now and that's why she had been running errands.'

Kaoru smirked at the thought but didn't dwell on it. Tsunade wasn't the type to take advantage of someone like Maki. If anything, it was probably Tsunade who got the short end of the deal.

"Good afternoon, Lady Tsunade," Kaoru greeted her with a slight bow.

"Hello, Kaoru-kun. It's been a few months, hasn't it? You've grown taller," Tsunade noted as she gave him a quick once-over.

Kaoru knew Tsunade had been trying to learn more about his dojutsu. The problem was that clans were always secretive when it came to their kekkei genkai and the Takime Clan was no exception. She had tried offering various things to both Suiren and Kaoru in exchange for information, but neither had budged.

Suiren was too prideful and Kaoru simply didn't want to get caught in a lie. He wasn't against revealing basic details, but not without Suiren's permission first.

So when Tsunade learned that Maki had given up on the Suijingan, she thought she had found her way in.

She was wrong. The lady luck was never on the side of "The Legendary Sucker."

Maki knew less about the Suijingan than Tsunade did. The Sannin had read every book she had an access on in the Takime library, while Maki had never even tried to learn about the Suijingan despite Suiren's constant nagging. Since she had never been able to use it properly, she never saw a reason to study it.

The deal Tsunade made was helping Maki advance her technique in exchange for everything she knew about the Suijingan and it turned out to be a total loss, just like most of the bets she had made before.

At least, that's how Tsunade felt at first. But over time, she had grown to like Maki.

Maki was impulsive, loved drinking, enjoyed a good joke, and was a taijutsu genius - it was like looking into a mirror. Tsunade even took Maki on her mission to spy on and gather intel about Kaiketsu.

Since Takimura could also use the information Maki did not mind. But their mission was halted when Tsunade received an order from Konoha.

The order came directly from Jiraiya.

Tsunade was supposed to meet him on a small island bordering three great nations - the Land of Water, the Land of Fire, and the Land of Lightning.

<<<>>>

"Kumo and Konoha delegations are set to meet on Sunny Island," Suiren explained. "Kumo discovered wind affinity Dragon Vein Crystals there and both villages want to monopolize them. But since the island is neutral territory, neither has a rightful claim. Everything will be decided by the local daimyo. Since the Land of Water is also connected to it, we have the option to send a delegation as well."

Dragon Vein Crystals were rare and highly coveted. They couldn't create an affinity from nothing as shinobi needed to have a natural inclination toward an element for them to be effective, but they could strengthen an existing affinity and even expand chakra reserves.

However the sheer quantity needed to make a real difference was enormous. These crystals weren't something small factions could afford to throw around. Outside the great villages, only the wealthiest clans or nations could spare them for a single person.

And Kaoru wanted to be that person.

He had tested his second affinity with the advanced chakra paper he bought in Konoha and it was wind. So the wind Dragon Vein Crystals would be perfect for him.

"What's the point in sending a delegation?" Beno asked, as someone who was in charge of finances he hated unnecessary expenses. "Even if, by some miracle, Konoha and Kumo agree to let us control Sunny Island, we don't have the resources to establish a foothold there."

"That's not the point, Beno." Tereno leaned forward, he was the most experienced when it came to strategic maneuvers and his voice carried the biggest weight. "Our delegation isn't going there to claim the island. We're selling our support. Compared to the great villages, we might be small, but we still hold value. Whether it's Kumo or Konoha, one of them will buy our backing."

Suiren nodded in agreement. "Tereno is right. We'll send Maki and Mei, accompanied by Oinin squads."

"I just hope Meruem doesn't turn this into an argument," Tereno muttered, frowning. He had little patience for Meruem, seeing him as someone who put his own clan's interests above Takimura as a whole. Of course, Tereno was guilty of doing the same for the Takime Clan, but a man is allowed to be a hypocrite.

Right now, the Takime Clan's council was finalizing their stance for the upcoming Takimura council meeting. They always presented a united front there, any disagreements were settled internally.

Then Suiren turned to Kaoru. "You're going as well."

Kaoru blinked.

"You'll be joining Lady Tsunade," she continued. "She requested your company, and I agreed."

The small, satisfied smile on her face told Kaoru exactly what had happened.

'How much did you sell me for, Grandma?'

He chuckled internally.

Not that he minded. Attending a diplomatic meeting like this was a valuable experience, one every future leader needed.

<<<>>>

In a dimly lit room overlooking a rain-drenched city, five figures stood in tense silence looking at each other.

Three of them wore identical robes making their unison clear. The other two were unmistakably distinct. One wore a mask with a single eyehole. The other had a strange yellow eyes and an unnatural face - half black, half white. But what stood out the most was the Venus flytrap-like extensions that emerged from his shoulders.

Even at a glance, it was obvious these five did not belong together.

The man with orange hair, one of the three in matching robes, took a step forward. His voice was cold and full of suspicion.

"Why did you seek us out?"

"I didn't," the masked man replied. "It's your friend I'm interested in."

His lone eye shifted toward the red-haired man standing slightly behind the others. He was clearly tense and his expression screamed uncertainty and hesitation.

"Our society has long sought to guide the one who awakens those eyes down the correct path," the masked man continued as he gestured toward the redhead.

"How do you know about my eyes?" the redhead was clearly flustered.

But the masked man ignored the question entirely and continued making his point.

"While the so-called great nations bask in the light of prosperity, small countries like yours are left to die in the shadows. That is why your eyes have awakened. That is your purpose."

He let the words hang in the air before shifting his gaze back to the redhead.

"Where there is light, there must also be shadow. As long as the concept of winners exists so must the existence of losers"

For a brief moment, something raw surfaced in his voice - genuine pain, buried beneath cold indifference.

"Some may fight to preserve peace," he continued as his voice regained cold indifference, "but most will always use their strength for self-interest. That is why the cycle never ends. It is why protecting what you love is impossible."

Again, the masked man's voice became genuine for a fraction of a second.

"At least, it was impossible until now."

The masked man extended his hand toward the red-haired shinobi.

"If we work together, we can create a world of winners. A world of peace and love. Eventually, you will come to wield the true power of the Rinnegan. When that time comes, this vision will finally be complete."

But before the redhead could respond, the orange-haired man stepped between them.

"You're just trying to use us," he said firmly. "Your words sound too good to be true. We have our own path. If we can make our enemies understand our pain, we will take one step closer to an ideal world."

The masked man tilted his head slightly as if he was amused.

"Make your enemies feel your pain, huh? In other words… vengeance?"

But his attempt to expose a flaw in their ideology was immediately shut down.

"No. Not at all," the orange-haired man countered. "We will force them to understand each other."

The masked man was silent for a moment. Then, with a chilling voice, he spoke again.

"You say such pretty words," he said. "But in this world, words alone mean nothing. One day, you will understand that."

"Nagato, Konan. We're leaving," the orange-haired shinobi said as he turned away. "They can't be trusted."

He cast the masked man one last glance.

"Don't approach us again."

But the masked man was unfazed.

"I will be here at this time, every day." His single, red eye was locked onto Nagato. "One day, you will come to find me."

<<<>>>

Obito flickered into Konoha's graveyard as he recalled his conversation with Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan.

He had visited this place at least once a year. He could not let go of Rin's grave, the only connection he had left to her in this world. But this time would be the last.

He crouched beside the headstone and gently placed a flower on the grave. The petals trembled under the moonlight, a fragile contrast to the void within him.

"Rin… I miss you."

His voice was quiet, but his lone eye remained empty, devoid of the sorrow it should have carried.

This scene should have been sad.

But it wasn't.

Obito had already let go of everything, his grief, his hesitation, his humanity. He had embraced the darkness fully.

"This is my last visit, Rin. We'll meet soon."

To him, Rin was not truly gone. The reality he sought to create would reunite them. The Rin he loved wasn't beneath this cold stone. She was waiting for him in the world he would bring to life.

Obito rose, straightening his cloak as a breeze swept through the graveyard. The moonbeam danced on Rin's headstone as Obito turned and stepped into the darkness.

<<<>>>

In the Land of Lightning Raikage was having a council meeting.

"Konoha will try to put the blame on us, claiming we attempted to secretly monopolize the Dragon Vein Crystal deposit," Dodai began setting the tone for the discussion.

"They're not strong enough to confront us openly," A said impatiently. "They'll rely on their usual tactics - spreading rumors in the shadows and using diplomacy to pressure us. But if we strike a deal with Iwa and agree to split the deposit, Konoha won't be able to do a damn thing."

He wanted war. That much was obvious. But he wasn't reckless enough to attack outright. If Kumo and Konoha weakened each other, the other great villages would swoop in and capitalize on the chaos.

"Don't underestimate the Tsuchikage," Dodai warned. "Onoki could just as easily make the same offer to Konoha. If that happens, they'll join forces against us. We can't afford to give the impression that we're preparing for war. The moment we do, we become a top priority for every other village."

A's fingers dug into the table.

"The reason Konoha has always been the main target is simple, it's because of their ability to produce geniuses. If not for that, someone else would be in their position." Dodai met A's sharp gaze. "And we don't want to be that someone else."

A growled, slamming his fist down hard enough to crack the table.

"So what? You're saying we should fold and just negotiate a fair deal?"

"No, I'm not," Dodai said evenly. "But we do need to be careful. Konoha might not be at their peak, but they're far from weak. They still have Tsunade and Jiraiya, Hatake Kakashi, Fugaku Uchiha… and god knows who else. And most importantly, they still have the Third Hokage."

He let the words settle, then added, "Just because he's old doesn't mean he's weak. If it comes to war, you would have to fight him personally."

Dodai let the weight of that truth sink in before he continued.

"What I'm suggesting is simple…"

**

A/N -

I think there are a few things I should clarify xD

* The scene with Obito meeting Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan was a flashback. I intentionally avoided specifying the timeline because canon's timeline is a mess. I believe it was post-Kurama's attack but anime says it was before that…

* A might come off as too impulsive or reckless to be the Raikage, but that's exactly the point. He's young, headstrong, and prone to rash decisions. Even in canon, during the Fourth Great Ninja War, when he was older and supposedly more mature, he was still quick to anger and make reckless calls. In Azure Awakening, he's much younger, so his lack of restraint makes sense. 

* I'll be introducing more things like Dragon Vein Crystals. A world full of chakra should have mysterious and "magical" minerals, herbs, and creatures. It just makes sense to me.

* That scene with Obito at Rin's grave was my way of summarizing his complete transformation. I wanted to deliver the weight of that moment - how his grief had been buried so deep it no longer registered as sorrow. I hope I managed to get that across.

Small Request – If you're enjoying the story, consider gifting Power Stones to help it reach more people, it would help me a lot!

If you'd like to join Azure Awakening discord - https://discord.gg/RWNrMSp8nC

Thanks for reading!

**