Chapter 20

TSUNADE SENJU

"How?" the redheaded jinchuriki of the kyubi questioned in a tone that was nearly feral.

Her chakra rippled through the room, its sheer force and density a massive surprise as the very lights in the apartment began to flicker as the Kushina stared at her.

"Because you are not the last of the Uzumaki," she told the redhead, who stilled at those words, her eyes widening as her face went through a mirage of emotions. Hurt. Anger. Rage before it settled down into one of relief and joy, her eyes watered up as she looked at her and spoke up in a shaky voice.

"You are telling the truth?" she questioned, and Tsunade nodded.

"I am. As many suspected, many families were scattered all over the continent after the War, separated from their heritage with no one to depend on. They were hunted down and then killed or enslaved," she said and saw the redhead rage at those words. For all that could have been prevented by some semblance of effort on Konoha's part, yet the village had done little for their sister village and had basically abandoned the people of her grandmother's village.

"But some years ago, a young lord hired me and Shizune for a mission," she began as she told him of Akihito.

"A mission to rescue a woman and a child from the Kusagakure, a woman and child with red hair," she finished and saw the redhead's eyes widen at those words.

"Uzumaki!" she gasped out, and she nodded with a smile.

"He had little proof that we would find them there, little information, but he seemed certain, and through some sort of miracle, he was right. And we were able to rescue them, two women with hair just like you," she said and saw the red hair touch her locks.

"Kirirn and Karin Uzumaki, with the little girl barely over a year old at that time," she told her and saw an elated expression appear on her face as she spoke up.

"And they are still alive? Did you tell them about me? About the village?" Kushina questioned, and she nodded.

"I did, told them of our clan's status and even offered them a chance to come and join the village," she told her, and she had done so.

"But they refused," she told her and saw the redhead frown at those words.

"Why?" she questioned. And she sighed as she leaned back in her chair.

"Let's just say that their experience with shinobi until that point had been unkind," she began as she thought of how to phrase it in the best way possible.

"So, she didn't wish for her daughter to lead such a life, and so she decided to stay in the capital, taking the offer of the said young lord and joined his household," she told her and saw Kushina look down for a moment as she grit her teeth, as she gave a little nod understanding their sentiment.

"Why didn't you tell of this earlier?" she questioned, anger and frustration laced her tone as she cast an accusatory glance at her, and she couldn't help but look down.

"I couldn't. When I told her that you were a shinobi, she didn't react in the best way and told me to not to disclose hers and her daughter's existence to you unless it became necessary, and after what she had been through and what I saw become of this village I thought it better to let them hide away," she said and Kushina grit her teeth, her fists balled up.

She saw her mind race as she sniffed and wiped away the unshed tear from her eyes.

"I can understand that," she replied as she nodded and gave her a nod.

"The young lord, the one who took them in. Is he…." And she replied to the unasked question.

"He is a true noble and has provided them every opportunity. You have my word. They have been treated extremely well," she assured her. She saw her give a sigh of relief as a smile appeared on her face.

"That is good," she said, and there was a hint of cheerfulness in her tone. It felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulder.

"Can I meet them?" she questioned, and Tsunade nodded.

"I will bring it up when I see them again, but before that, I am in need of your help," she asked. She saw the redhead's eyes narrow as she leaned forward.

"I believe this has something to do with the crises brewing in the capital," Kushina guessed correctly, and she nodded.

"Indeed," she said.

"The crisis in the capital is expanding, with war on the horizon. The young lord I spoke of is also one of the few lords aspiring to inherit the daimyo's seat. And while I trust him to be capable of dealing with his opposition in the capital, I believe there are certain elements in the village that would prefer if it was his opponent who ascended the daimyo's throne," she replied and saw the redhead's eyes widen.

"But that's treason!" the redhead cut in with a gasp.

"Yes, yet that is only if you are caught doing it," she said and saw the redhead nod at those words.

"What do you need me to do?" she questioned, and Tsunade leaned forward.

"With an allegation as such made and the situation in the capital being as volatile as it is. Any shinobi of the village who takes on a mission that would require them to enter the capital would need special permission from the Hokage, basically allowing him to track the said shinobi's movements," she cut in, and the redhead frowned.

"I didn't know that," she said, and Tsunade nodded.

"Few do, for the rule is rarely enforced. But it was established in the rein of Uncle Tobirama, who had it put in place just for a situation like this. So, I wanted Minato and you to use your abilities to monitor for any shinobi that may enter or move inside the capital in a suspicious manner and lack the official signature from the Hokage office," she said, and the redhead nodded.

"I can do that, but the chakra tag…" and before she could finish, Tsunade slid forward a sealing tag, making the redhead quieten up.

"It was Grandma Mito who made that tag at the request of Uncle Tobirama. I still have several of them, but I believe that should be enough," she said, and Kushina picked up the sealing tag and passed her chakra through it as the tag glew with a particular red hue, and the redhead gave her a nod.

"That will do," she said, and Tsunade nodded, and with that, the trap was set.

All it would take to implicate Danzo was one move, one single move out of the confines of the law, and he would be done.

And most importantly, under these circumstances, they wouldn't even need the authorization of a Hokage to move against the man, for he would be compelled by law to persecute the person for treason.

"How are they?" Kushina's voice shook her out of her trance.

"The other two Uzumaki, how are they?" she elaborated when she frowned at her question.

"They are rather lovely, Kirin-san. She is the mother, serves the young lord as an advisor of sorts, and has two Kekkei Genkai, both of which the young lord believes were inherited by her daughter Karin, who is now about three years old, I think…"

And then hours would pass as the redhead would bombard her with a thousand questions or so about her newly found family. Yet the ever-present smile on her face throughout the conversation made it all worth it in the end.

0000

AKIHITO SHIRAHOSHI

"NINPO: World Cleaver!" he swung his blade with all his might, his chakra giving the blade a green hue, as the invisible slash ripped up the very ground between them as it paced towards the old man.

"NINPO: Akatsuki's calling!" and with that he swung his blade once more, and his senses perked up as he hastily jumped to the side as the ground where he had been previously standing was literally torn up as he looked up, and found out that the man's technique had literally cleaved through his technique.

"Impossible," he gasped as the dust settled, and the old man stepped forward, his sword now drawn, yet his hand shook slightly as he raised it up and examined it under the moonlight.

"Impressive, it has been years since someone has made my hand shake like this," he complimented him, though Akihito was in no need of compliments as he stood up and looked at the man.

He had, of course, heard of the man and had an inkling that the old man in front of him wasn't like the other samurai. Yet it seems he had grossly underestimated just how good the man was.

"It seems you are going to make this old man come to you," and with that, the man suddenly blurred right in front of him, surprising him with his sheer pace. Speed that had been achieved without the use of chakra.

He barely managed to bring up his own blade to block the man's strike as the metal of their blades clashed against one another, sending sparks flying.

He pushed down any semblance of doubts bubbling in his heart as he hardened himself and dug his feet into the ground as he pushed more and more of his chakra into his blade.

The edge of his blade gained a green hue, and he saw the surprise on the old man's face as he saw the hue, and he could feel his own blade dig into the old man's sword.

"Interesting," he whispered before his own blade gained a slightly red hue as they separated.

Their clash was highly sophisticated as the man brought down his blade at him. He sidestepped it, and the man was quick to change the blade's trajectory, shifting the vertical strike into a horizontal one.

He had to lean back, the blade passing right above him as he pushed himself off the ground and aimed a kick at the man's arm, forcing the man to jump back. And as he landed, he pushed himself into him, closing the distance between them in a single stride as he slashed at his neck.

He parried his strike, bringing up his own blade to counter his strike, yet he didn't let go. Twisting himself on his heel, he swung from the other side in a swift move, yet the man crouched down and slashed at his heart, forcing him to go on the defensive once more.

He parried the strike, and they clashed once more, their blades sending sparks everywhere. In the end, he got frustrated by the continuous exchange and took a step back as he pushed more of his chakra into his blade.

"Ninpo: World Cleaver!" he shouted once more as he slashed violently at the man, who smirked, making his heart sink as he spoke up.

"In terms of skill, you could have beaten me, but I am afraid your impatience has cost you this battle…" he said as he reached for the shinai in his belt with his one hand and pushed it up, stopping his attack as the hue on his katana grew.

"Ninpo: Akatsuki's calling!" and with that he swung once more, this time with all his might, but not at him.

No, at his blade.

CLANG! KLISH!

And this time, as their metals clashed, he felt his sword break and a massive explosion rocked the whole clearing.

He was sent rolling back, his sword in hand, as he coughed up and steadied himself.

He glanced down and saw his blade cut into two as the old man stepped out of the dust.

"I believe it's over," he said as he glanced down at his own blade, which had a cut in its edge now, yet it was still whole.

Akihito struggled back to his feet and got up, huffing as the pain ripped through him; the whole clearing was silent as the two of them stared into each other's eyes.

And he didn't miss how the old man's eyes narrowed as Akihito brought up his blade once more, no sense of loss or hopelessness apparent on his face.

"No, it's not. Not yet," he replied as he pushed his chakra into his sword, this time not into the blade but into the seal placed in its hilt.

His sword gained a red hue as a sharp pain rippled through his hand, and blood began to drip down from his hand as he whispered into the wind.

"My sword…"

And he watched as the old man's eyes widened as the blade of his sword began to reform, as blood dripped down his hand.

"...Drink my blood!"

0000

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Have a cool day!

A/N: The move is from one very underrated series, Owari no Serpah. It would be pretty cool if someone could put a link to it down below.