Chapter 24: The Plan (16)
Land of Fire
Hima Clan Base
"AND done!" Akio exclaimed triumphantly, placing the final scroll on top of the neatly stacked pile. After a brief moment of contemplation, he realized that waiting for an uzumaki to magically appear and assist him with sealing the scrolls was not a viable option. Determined to finish the task, he took matters into his own hands and diligently wrote down all the Jutsu's he could think of.
With a sense of satisfaction and pride, Akio gazed at the finished product. "A total of 35 Jutsu's written," he announced to himself. "15 C rank, 10 B rank, 5 A rank, and 4 S rank, with a Forbidden Jutsu mixed in." As he surveyed the stack of papers, a feeling of accomplishment washed over him.
"Now what should I do about the Forbidden Jutsu, it was a spur of the moment decision but now that I think about it again it was a stupid decision since I have no way to hide or seal it" Akio mutters, his old habits coming to life. He always had a tendency to make impulsive decisions, and now he was regretting his latest one. The Forbidden Justu had been written down without a second thought, and now he realized the consequences. He had no safe way to keep it hidden.
This impulsive nature was not new to Akio. Even in his past life, he had a knack for acting on the spur of the moment. Sometimes, it resulted in unfavorable outcomes, like the time he wanted to pee but couldn't find any nearby bathrooms so he decided to relieve himself on the police station wall. Other times, it led to positive things, such as the moment he impulsively decided to flirt with the next person he saw, who happened to be his future wife.
"Hmm, perhaps I could try swallowing it like Franky did with the blueprints of Pluton," Akio ponders, eyeing the scroll's size and measuring his mouth's capacity. However, he quickly dismisses the idea, realizing that as a full human, his stomach acids would likely destroy the scroll. "Well, that plan is going down the toilet," he chuckled, amused by his own pun. Akio continues, shaking his head, "I envy Franky's cyborg abilities sometimes."
"Maybe I should just use the forbidden Justu to hide the scroll," Akio mused aloud, his eyes trained on the scroll before him. He furrowed his brows, deep in thought as he weighed the potential consequences of such a decision.
But just as Akio was about to reach a conclusion, a voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts. Startled, he turned to see who it was.
"Excuse me, Clan Head," the voice called from outside Akio's tent. "We have people claiming that they want to have a meeting with you. What should we do?"
Akio's mind raced with confusion. "A guest?" he wondered, the question marks practically visible above his head. "Since when did I become so famous that I am receiving guests?" His curiosity piqued, he couldn't resist the urge to find out who it was.
"Tell the person to come in," Akio instructed the voice, his impulsive nature taking over. He confidently prepared himself to receive the visitor, placing the scroll on his stool and positioning it behind his back.
After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, Akio's guest finally arrived at his tent. As soon as the figures entered, his eyes widened in shock and amazement. He couldn't believe his luck - or was it fate? Was a higher power granting his wishes?
Lost in thought, Akio couldn't help but wonder if coincidences could truly be this perfect. The two visitors, a man and a woman, took a seat on the mat in front of him. Akio couldn't help but notice their striking red hair and the spiral symbol on their warring state armor, indicating they were both members of the Uzumaki clan.
It was as if all his prayers had been answered. The clan he had been longing to meet to help him with his current predicament had finally arrived. His eyes couldn't help but sparkle at their sight with literal stars in them right now something you would only see in a cartoon or an anime, Akio couldn't help but think, "I have the power to make my wishes come true."
Keiko's mind raced with one question: "Is he a pervert?" As she caught sight of Akio's gleaming eyes, an uneasy feeling crept over her. She never anticipated that the clan leader could be a pervert.
Shortly after Akio was lost in thought, his friend Kaito cleared his throat, bringing him back to reality.
Akio, now fully present, asked a crucial question. "To what do I owe the pleasure of the Uzumaki clan requesting an audience with me?" His voice radiated composure and focus.
Kaito, impressed with how quickly Akio regained his composure, explained the reason for their visit. "We were passing by the area to our clan residence when your Hima clan ninjas stopped us. We've heard of your clan recently and decided to stay and see how it operates."
Akio's eyes and voice showed his intrigue and curiosity. "You've heard of our name?" It had only been three days since he sent Yamamoto and the others on their mission, yet they had managed to spread the name of the Hima clan far and wide. 'It seems the plan is going well' he thought as he calls for the ninja outside to steal some tea from Iroh's house earning a confused gaze from Kaito and Keiko
"Your name has been on the rise lately," Kaito continued, putting aside his initial confusion. "Your clan ninjas have been earning accolades for their remarkable achievement of ending a war between two cities in just one day." Akio's shock was evident on his face as he processed Kaito's words. "Wait, what war?" he exclaimed, his mind still trying to grasp the information.