Naruto: The Last Harbinger of Storm

Naruto: The Last Harbinger of Storm

Chapter 17: Shadows of Conspiracy

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Chapter 21: Into the Heart of the Mist is Out!

Chapter 22: The Crucible of Shadows is out!

Chapter 23: In the Lion's Den is Out!

Chapter 24: The Last Harbinger Rears Its Head Storm release is out!

Chapter 25: Remnants of a Great Village is out!

Chapter 26: The Bond of Loyalty IS OUT!

Chapter 27: The Turning Tide is out!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Author's Note:

This chapter delves into the intricate political dynamics and power struggles among the most influential figures in the Hi no Kuni. These individuals, though unnamed, are powerful characters, playing pivotal roles behind the scenes. Their decisions and manipulations shape the fate of villages and their inhabitants. The tension and intrigue in their discussions reveal the high stakes and the delicate balance of power they strive to maintain. As always, your thoughts and feedback are invaluable, and I look forward to hearing your perspectives on this chapter.

"Power resides where men believe it resides. It's a trick, a shadow on the wall. And a very small man can cast a very large shadow." — Varys, (A Song of Ice and Fire).

Happy reading!

In an undisclosed location, six individuals sat around a round table in a dimly lit room shrouded in secrecy and protected by some of the highest security in the world. The atmosphere was heavy with an almost tangible sense of power and foreboding. Outside, the night was deep, cloaking the surroundings in a veil of darkness, adding to the clandestine nature of the meeting.

These were among the most powerful people in the Hi no Kuni, their very presence commanding an aura of authority and menace. An old woman with sharp, discerning eyes and a stern expression stood up from one of the six seats. Her demeanor was unyielding, her gaze piercing through the shadows, reflecting the wisdom and harsh realities of a lifetime spent in the political and strategic machinations of the village. Her hair, tied in a tight bun, showed streaks of silver, a testament to her age and experience.

Opposite her sat another elderly figure, a man with a stern face framed by a mane of white hair. His eyes, though aged, were keen and watchful, carrying a lifetime of experience and the weight of countless decisions that had shaped the course of history. His presence was calm but commanding, exuding a silent strength.

To his left, a figure clad in dark robes and bandages that covered part of his face remained silent, his single visible eye cold and calculating. His demeanor was that of a strategist always plotting several steps ahead, his gaze never revealing his true intentions. The bandaged arm resting on the table hinted at a past filled with conflict and hidden agendas.

Next to him, a man with short, spiky hair and a serious expression observed the proceedings with a critical eye. His features were sharp, and he radiated a sense of disciplined authority. He seemed always ready to take decisive action, his mind constantly analyzing the situation.

On the other side of the table, a man with a grizzled beard and a scarred face sat with a stern, almost grim, expression. His rugged appearance and the battle-worn armor he wore spoke of a lifetime spent on the front lines, where decisions had to be made in the heat of battle. His gaze was steady, his presence solid and dependable.

Finally, another elderly woman with her hair styled in traditional buns sat quietly, her eyes reflecting a blend of wisdom and weariness. Her demeanor was more measured, perhaps reflective of a role that required balancing the aggressive tendencies of others at the table. The lines on her face spoke of countless deliberations and the burden of maintaining order and stability.

The room itself was an embodiment of secrecy and power. The walls were thick, designed to absorb sound and prevent eavesdropping, adorned with intricate seals that glowed faintly in the darkness, ensuring privacy and security. The round table was made of dark, polished wood, symbolizing equality among those who sat there, yet the atmosphere hinted at underlying tensions and unspoken hierarchies.

Each individual in the room carried an air of gravitas. The flickering candlelight cast long shadows, accentuating the lines of age and experience etched into their faces. The air was heavy with the weight of their combined authority, each person a formidable figure in their own right, holding the fate of nations in their hands.

"Hiruzen, you fool," The old woman began, her voice filled with frustration. "What did you think would happen if the Daimyo recognized the boy?"

Another old man, distinguished by his stoic demeanor and calculating gaze, leaned forward. "Did he recognize him?" he asked, his tone more curious than alarmed.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, responded with a weary nod. "He has his suspicions."

A third man, cloaked in shadows and exuding an air of cold pragmatism, interjected. "I said long ago it would be better to assassinate the boy and be done with it."

Koharu shot back, her voice dripping with frustration, "Jiraiya would rebel if you tried. We were weak after the Kyubi's attack. To have our last loyal Sannin go rogue would be all the invitation other villages needed to declare war. For all of Hiruzen's power and his reputation as the strongest living Kage, he is old. He can't fight on multiple fronts at the same time."

Danzo interjected, "We don't know that. For all the idiocy that man plays, he is loyal. In my opinion, the only loyal shinobi Hiruzen could train. He has done far worse things in his duty. How are you sure he would know we committed the act?"

She turned her sharp gaze towards the bandaged man, her tone accusing. "And you, Danzo, would you throw all your resources into the war, or would your schemes demand you to hold back for power struggles? Jiraiya is not as foolish as he portrays himself to be. He maintains one of the largest and most efficient spy networks in the elemental nations. If anything happened to the boy, he would undoubtedly uncover the truth and expose those responsible. The resulting chaos would tear us apart from within and would also bring the Daimyo's scrutiny upon us. We'd have to explain why we kept the boy for two years without informing him."

Koharu's words hung heavily in the air, her accusations and concerns reflecting the precarious balance of power they were all trying to maintain. She continued, her voice growing more intense, "Jiraiya's network stretches into every corner of the continent. He would not only find out who orchestrated the deed but would also leverage his information. The risk is too great. We must tread carefully, or we could be the architects of our own downfall."

Another voice chimed in, "Who would support Jiraiya avenging the boy? For all his father's and his beloved's reputation in the village, he is hated outside. But knowing who his mother is, certain people would join us."

The room fell silent, each of the powerful figures digesting her words, aware of the fragile stability they were trying to preserve. Koharu's sharp eyes scanned the room, ensuring her point had been made clear.

Homura nodded in agreement. "We have pushed Jiraiya's loyalty to its limit. We cannot test it further now."

An unnamed fourth individual, shrouded in mystery, spoke with palpable disdain, his voice laced with bitterness. "The Fourth Hokage was a fool to marry her. Of all people, he chose someone who made so many enemies. He was obsessed with her—anyone with a fraction of intelligence would not touch her with a ten-foot pole. It was only his immense power that prevented the world from collapsing onto our village. And now he goes and dies, leaving behind a spawn of hers. We could have tolerated it if she had merely been an Uzumaki; we've harbored foreign jinchuriki in the past to secure their loyalty. But her? The man was utterly mad."

The fifth person, whose identity was equally concealed, leaned forward, his voice dripping with incredulity and frustration. "I hear the boy is adept with seals. Did any one of your foolish followers go and babble the boy's heritage, Hiruzen? To this day, I don't understand why you named him Uzumaki. It would have been infinitely wiser to name him Namikaze. For heaven's sake, the boy even has the red hair. What more do you want? Next, he'll be spouting the Adamantine Sealing Chains and waving them around the capital! It's like we're begging for trouble."

The sixth person, a woman with a sinister yet unsettlingly playful demeanor, interjected, attempting to diffuse the escalating tension. Her voice was smooth and eerie, reminiscent of a serpent. "Now, now, let's all calm down," she purred, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of amusement and menace. "We voted against killing the boy not only to avoid testing young Jiraiya's loyalty but also because the other two members of our council—those old fossils who once sat here—would not have taken it kindly. Do you really want a confrontation with our wayward comrades? They, too, were part of Squad Tobirama along with our dear departed Kagami."

She paused, her lips curling into a twisted smile. "We can't do much about naming the boy Uzumaki after we convinced the nobles that he was a product of little Orochimaru's experimentation with Uzumaki cells all those years ago. We needed him then. If Saru's cute little grandson couldn't contain the beast, the boy would have been a viable replacement."

The woman's tone shifted, becoming more calculating and cold. "The boy also keeps the remnants of that village in line. When the time comes, he can smooth over any friction between the village and them. I am curious, though, about how loyal the boy truly is. Is he malleable? Does he possess the same fire and potential as his father, or is he like his grandfather? Or perhaps, is he like the blasted grandfather from his mother's side?"

Her gaze turned sharply toward Hiruzen, her voice dripping with both curiosity and veiled threat. "But what I really want to know, my dear Hiruzen, is why you placed the boy close to dear Kagami's son. Is it a test? A gamble? Or perhaps something more?"

She leaned back, her eyes never leaving Hiruzen, her expression a mask of dangerous amusement as she awaited his response. The room, filled with some of the most powerful individuals in the elemental nations, hung on her every word, the gravity of the discussion casting long shadows over their secretive meeting.

Hiruzen stood up, his chakra flaring with suppressed anger, filling the room with a palpable tension. His eyes burned with a mixture of frustration and resolve. "You people conveniently put all the blame on me. I was all for raising the boy in secret or training him to protect the village, and I would have even gladly given the boy to Danzo. But it was you who wanted to avoid a confrontation with our old friends."

His voice grew louder, echoing off the walls. "You ask me why we didn't kill the boy. I refused to vote on it, even though it wasn't my idea. It was your greed to harness the Uzumaki clan's power for the village. His encounter with the Daimyo was circumstantial. I convinced the Daimyo that he is an experiment of Orochimaru, like Tenzo."

Hiruzen's gaze swept across the room, landing on the woman who had spoken with such a sinister tone. His eyes narrowed, and the weight of his words became even more pronounced. "Apart from the fact that you seem to know classified information and the identities of ANBU personnel, which is treason in itself, I want nothing—absolutely nothing—to do with the boy."

His voice grew colder, slicing through the silence like a blade. "I neither asked nor coerced Kakashi to take him in or to drop him. Similarly, Shisui chose to place him in the ANBU squad. He scored in the top five of his class, and his first preference was the top squad with a vacancy. Being the captain of that squad, Shisui chose the boy."

Hiruzen's words hung in the air, a stark reminder of the dangerous game they were all playing. The room remained silent, each individual absorbing the gravity of his statement and the implications of their decisions.

"I don't want the boy to develop a big head and lose his potential like Kakashi. For all his talent, he still thinks he's head and shoulders above other ninja. He's good, but compared to any S-rank shinobi, in his present condition, he can only stall them. Nor do I want unwanted attention on the boy."

Hiruzen's voice grew even more resolute. "Sending him to ANBU was a calculated step. Now, he will be going to Kiri for a long-term mission. There, he will learn the harsh realities of the world, and Shisui will instill loyalty in him. I cannot stress enough the importance of not meddling in his mission or doing something foolish enough to endanger him."

His gaze sharpened as it moved pointedly towards the sixth woman, her eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and menace, and then towards Danzo, whose expression remained inscrutable but tense. "Interference could jeopardize everything. This is not just about the boy; it's about the stability of our village and the delicate balance of power we maintain. The repercussions of any misstep would be catastrophic."

The silence that followed was thick with tension. Hiruzen's chakra flared subtly, a silent warning to those who might consider undermining his strategy. The stakes were high, and every word, every decision, carried the weight of potential disaster. The council members exchanged glances, the gravity of the situation sinking in deeper with each passing second.

Stay tuned for the next exciting episode of Naruto: The Last Harbinger of Storm!

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Chapter 19- Undercover in the Land of Water is Out!

Chapter 20- Life of a undercover agent is Out!

Chapter 21: Into the Heart of the Mist is Out!

Chapter 22: The Crucible of Shadows is out!

Chapter 23: In the Lion's Den is Out!

Chapter 24: The Last Harbinger Rears Its Head Storm release is out!

Chapter 25: Remnants of a Great Village is out!

Chapter 26: The Bond of Loyalty IS OUT!

Chapter 27: The Turning Tide is out!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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