The air atop the Hokage Rock was heavy with the looming threat of a diplomatic war. Danzo Shimura, the Fourth Hokage, stood at the precipice of the Hokage tower, his eyes fixed on the horizon at the Konoha Gate. To his left stood Minato Namikaze, the Yellow Flash and to his right, the legendary Sannin...Tsunade and Orochimaru while Jiraiya is back at the Iwa front. Behind them, Fugaku Uchiha, the head of the Uchiha clan and Police Force, his position a silent reminder of the internal friction between the clan and the village.
They were spaced exactly two feet apart. The silence was broken by the soft thud of a Jonin landing behind them. He didn't wait for a greeting. "Hokage-sama... The Kumo Envoy team will reach the gate in five minutes."
None of the five shinobi turned. They didn't need to as their focus was already miles ahead.
Tsunade was the first to break the stillness. Her movements were a blur as she bit her thumb, the scent of blood hitting her nose. Her fingers danced through a sequence of hand seals...Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram... with a speed that would have left a normal shinobi dizzy.
"Summoning Technique: Katsuyu!"
With a massive plume of white smoke, a twentieth portion of the Great Slug materialized, her gargantuan form rivaling the height of the Hokage Tower itself. The sheer weight of the summon caused the foundation to groan.
"Spread," Tsunade commanded.
Without a second's hesitation, the massive slug began to liquify, splitting into thousands of palm-sized clones. They poured off the tower like a pale, sticky tide, flowing over the rooftops and through the alleyways of Konoha. It was a sensory web, a living surveillance system and precaution against anything Kumo might do and a demonstration of strength and that they are not someone's who could be messed with.
A slightly larger Katsuyu crawled onto Tsunade's shoulder. "Lady Tsunade, I will establish the network around Konoha as soon my other selves are in position. I can see everything within Konoha. I will alert you of any anomalies. Several of my clones will reach the main gate in two minutes."
Four more clones detached themselves and slid onto the shoulders of Danzo, Minato, Orochimaru, and Fugaku.
Danzo's eyes narrowed as he watched the slug land on his shoulder. "She usually splits for escaping or mass healing on the battlefield", he thought, his mind already calculating the threat. "She has refined the technique for intelligence gathering. A Senju's ingenuity is truly a nuisance. I will have to be careful around her. I'll have to tighten the security around the Root laboratories; I cannot have her slimy slugs sliding through the vents."
He turned his gaze toward Minato. "Minato. It is time."
The young man nodded, his expression grim. The five of them moved inward, closing the gap until they surrounded the Yellow Flash. Each placed a hand on Minato's shoulders or arm. In a flash of blinding yellow, the rooftop was empty.
~~
At the Konoha Gate, the space shimmered with the arrival of the village's elite. They appeared in a perfect line, blocking the path or perhaps welcoming the approach of the Kumo delegation.
A hundred yards out, the Third Raikage skidded to a halt, his massive boots carving furrows into the earth. His eyes immediately went to the gate's archway, which was now covered in a pulsating layer of hundreds of small, white slugs.
"Slugs... Hmph. The Senju Princess's summon," the Raikage grumbled, as his voice vibrated in his chest. "It seems Konoha has grown a little strong while I was away. Or perhaps they're just hiding behind a woman's skirt."
Beside him, Kushina Uzumaki stood perfectly still. Her red hair now seemed to pulse with a darker, more predatory chakra. Her violet eyes were cold and detached, locked onto the golden-haired man standing at the right most side of the Konoha line.
The Katsuyu on Minato's shoulder whispered into his ear. "They are here. The Raikage and Kushina."
Danzo's heart hammered against his ribs with greed. Finally, he thought, staring at Kushina. "The Uzumaki brat. The Nine-Tails has arrived, and this time, I will be the one to hold the leash."
The two groups faced off. The Five of the Konoha faced against the Five of Kumo and behind them were few elite jounin: notably Dodai, Sango Hibaku.
The Raikage stood opposite to Danzo; Renga faced Orochimaru; Aya, glared at Tsunade; and Kushina stood directly across from Minato and Dodai stood face to face with Fugaku Uchiha. Behind the Raikage, the other elite Jonin stood ready, their hands twitching near their weapon pouches.
The first to talk was the Raikage but it was not a greeting to the Hokage. Instead, he looked past Danzo, his eyes landing on Fugaku Uchiha.
"Tell me, Fugaku," the Raikage boomed. "Have you put any more thought into what I said when we last crossed hands? The offer to join Kumo still stands."
Danzo's jaw tightened. The blatant disrespect was one thing, but the suggestion of treason was a calculated strike at the heart of Konoha's political instability.
"Raikage, watch your tongue," Danzo hissed, his hand gripping his cane until the wood groaned. "You are addressing the leaders of the Leaf. Show some modicum of diplomatic decorum."
The Raikage slowly turned his head toward Danzo, his expression one of bored confusion. "And who are you supposed to be? The village's accountant? You look like you're one foot in to the grave."
Danzo's composure cracked, his face flushing with a rare, visible anger. "I am the Fourth Hokage of the Hidden Leaf!"
The Raikage stared at him for a long, agonizingly silent beat. "Ok."
He immediately turned back to Fugaku, dismissing Danzo as if he were a nagging child. "So, Fugaku. What's the answer?"
Fugaku's face remained a mask of Uchiha's usual stoicism, though the Katsuyu on his shoulder could feel the sudden spike in his heart rate. "Don't joke around, Raikage-san," Fugaku replied, his voice level. "We, Uchiha, are proud members of Konoha. Our loyalty is not for sale."
The Raikage let out a barking laugh. "Proud? Is that what you call it? That's funny, considering you Uchiha contacted Kumo just a week ago asking about 'asylum'. Did you forget about that, or did you just not tell your Hokage?"
The Raikage knew he was speaking non-sense and rage-baiting Danzo and Fugaku... or at least twisting a minor contact in the war into a major conspiracy... but it didn't matter. He saw the way Danzo's eye flickered toward Fugaku. He saw the seed of doubt take root in the soil of Danzo's paranoia. He had successfully placed a discord them Konoha's delicate political balance which should make Danzo not trust Fugaku anymore.
Fugaku's eyes narrowed into the Sharingan, the three-tomoe spinning slowly as he narrowed his brows.
"Of course, of course," the Raikage waved a massive hand dismissively. "You don't want to talk about it in front of the audience. I understand. You know the protocols. You know who to contact and at what time. We'll keep the seat warm for you."
Fugaku didn't respond, knowing that any further denial would only make him look more defensive. But the damage was done. Danzo's mind was already spinning, wondering which Uchiha had made the contact... or if Fugaku was simply a better liar than he had anticipated.
"Tobirama-sensei, was right? Uchiha are an evil clan."
~~
A/N: For those who forgot who Sango Hibaku is... He fought along side with Dodai against Inoichi and Choza at west flank. While young Ay fought Fugaku at east flank.
He is a Bakuton (Explosive Release user) and a sensor. He was introduced in chapter 43.
And, no... Uchiha has not contacted Kumo but the Raikage was playing with Danzo' mind and the dynamics of the village clans. Will Danzo trust Uchiha?
Upto 20 Advance chapters available @ patreon.com/aizenDuchiha0