Systematic Shinobi - Chapter 58.2 (Patreon)

Mei hadn't been sure what to expect when the renowned and legendary Professor, the God Of Shinobi, the Sandaime Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen reached out to her with the notion of an alliance between the Hidden Mist and the Hidden Leaf.

It had come completely out of left field and not something she'd expected to ever happen in her wildest dreams. Since the inception of both villages, not once had they been allies.

And to be frank, as much as it hurt to admit, there was little they could offer the Leaf, especially in their weakened state.

They had lost the vast majority of their most powerful force. They had lost both of their Bijuu. Their troops were at an all time low. Even monetary wise, they were completely in the red.

That said, while the temptation had been there to save face and block off the offer, she wouldn't allow her pride to outweigh the benefits that the Mist could obtain from such an alliance, even if briefly.

Upon agreeing, she'd been sent another message from the Leaf, to expect an envoy who had the Hokage's full backing and approval in the negotiations.

…She was not at all expecting a young teenager. And definitely wasn't expecting one, like Daiki Yurei.

The boy casually leaning against her desk, as if he weren't in a foreign village grinned boyishly at her, "Incentive huh? Well, how about I start with a gift."

"A gift?" she hummed, before smiling at the boy, "Is it perhaps expensive chocolates or jewelry? I'm told those are a staple for dates."

Was it wrong for her to partake in flirting with the young man, a foreign shinobi? Definitely. But he was such a handsome young lad, and just look at those arms.

So yummy. Just what would they feel like wrapped around her, sinking into her skin?

"Sadly not, I wasn't sure what kind of things you preferred," Daiki shook his head, grin never leaving his face, "You should let me know for next time. And fill me in on your three sizes while we're at it, I'll need them if I'm gonna buy you clothes as a gift too, like that bikini for instance."

So brazen and bold. Men rarely paid her attention romantically, for reasons she simply could not fathom no matter how she tried to appeal to them. So none had ever spoken to her anywhere close to the way this boy was.

It made her belly flip flop deep inside. And it took a concentrated effort not to giggle girlishly.

Men from the Leaf were truly a different breed from here in the much more conservative Mist.

"I'll keep that in mind for when we finish up here." she replied, and if she fluttered her eyelashes just a little bit, well that was just normal wasn't it?

"For reference, what kind of bikini do you prefer?" Daiki leaned slightly over her desk, and as he did that deep scarlet gaze of his flickered to her abundant cleavage and his gaze turned almost hungry, sending a shiver down her spine, and he made no attempt to hide where he was looking, "Personally, I'd love to see you in a nice little string bikini, maybe in pink or white."

Such blatant lust for her! As if he wanted to launch himself over the desk at her and snatch her up and have his way with her!

If he did, she might just let him.

"I've never worn one, it's actually not something you'll find on sale anywhere here in the Mist," she admitted. After all, for the over a decade they'd been in the process of a civil war, beach attire was hardly going to be a seller during that kind of period, "I suppose I'll have to leave it up to you?" she winked at him.

A look of surprised flash across his face at her words, as if he couldn't believe what she was saying. Just like when she told him of her single status. As if he couldn't believe men weren't lining up for her. As if he couldn't believe there was not a clamour to see her within a bikini.

It made him all the more appealing to her. She would definitely steal him away from the Leaf right here and now if he weren't such an incredibly important person to the Leaf, they would definitely go to war over this boy. Anyone would.

The surprised was replaced a moment later by that boyish grin again, "So I'll be the first to ever see you in a bikini huh? Nice, I'll hold you to that then," he laughed in delight, prompting her to laugh alongside him, "For now though, gift wise I suppose you'll have to settle for this." he held his hand out, and suddenly space twisted.

And a massive blade appeared in his grasp

Her eyes widened, "Kubikiribocho!" she uttered in surprise. She'd heard rumours that Zabuza Momochi had been killed, but to think it had been true.

And it seemed that it was at the hands of the Leaf, just like Raiga. Did they hunt him down specifically to use in talks of this alliance?

Was Daiki the one to do it? Just like with Raiga?

Either way, as far as gifts went to open up negotiations, it was quite the grand one.

Personally, she would have preferred the bikini. If he was that interested in her dressed as she was now after all, just imagine what he'd be like in such a skimpy outfit.

He'd probably pin her down right then and there and have his way with her!

Even so-

"Thank you," she thanked him as the leader of the Mist Village, "This will go a long way to restoring some of our lost strength."

"That's good," Daiki nodded, placing the blade down atop her desk in front of her, "Beyond that, I know where the rest are."

Huh?

She blinked, "You…do?"

They knew of course, where Samehada was, or at least who had it. They had no idea where Kisame Hoshigaki was though. And retrieving the blade form him was a pipe dream right now, even she wasn't sure of her ability to defeat him. With Samehada in hand, he was a direct counter to her.

Beyond that they knew just whom had the Kiba Blades had been, alongside Kubikiribocho, well until now at least.

But the rest? They didn't have the faintest idea where they were.

"Samehada is in the hands of Kisame obviously, and he's part of a group you might have heard of. A mercenary group called the Akatsuki." Daiki revealed.

Her eyes widened. The Akatsuki!

Of course she had heard of them. They were quite well known for selling their services to the highest bidder, she had no idea Kisame had joined them though. But beyond that, was something she'd kept close to her chest. The only others who knew of it, were Ao and Chojuro.

In their final battle with Yagura, they'd learned that through the vast majority of his tenure, he'd been under an obscenely powerful genjutsu. And that, there were ties to Akatsuki. She'd long since held the suspicion, that Akatsuki had somehow been controlling Yagura, but had no proof.

…Wait.

Something Daiki said not long ago clicked for her. He had alluded to information he had about Yagura that he had obtained through the Sanbi. And now bringing up the Akatsuki.

Did he know the truth behind Yagura?

If the Sanbi was truly working with Daiki, it meant he would be privy to everything Yagura ever knew as well. And everything the Sanbi had learned of their village since they first started creating Jinchuuriki for it at the inception of their village.

"As for the rest, well Orochimaru stole them at some point," Daiki continued giving an annoyed sigh, "Honestly, that guy is one of the biggest ever embarrassments to the Leaf. It might take a little while, but I'll take care of him in the future as well and get them back for you."

Mei blinked, putting aside the possible thoughts of Yagura and the Akatsuki, "That's quite the claim to make," she pointed out, "Indeed the Hokage did claim you had his full backing and authority for these negotiations, but promising the slaying of Orochimaru of all people, is a bit much no?"

The confidence with which he said it, was very attractive. But, she still had to wonder. Just where did such confidence stem from to promise such a thing?

"It's not the old mans authority I'm claiming that with, it's mine," he said and Mei blinked as the teenager leaned across her desk fully to cup her chin, "You're talking to the one next in line to be Hokage sweet cheeks, I've already been chosen to become the Godaime Hokage."

Oh….

Oh!

Her eyes flew wide open in shock. "Hokage, at your age?!" she could not help but splutter. If true, he would be the youngest ever sitting Kage of the five great nations.

And of the strongest and most affluent of them all at that.

She of course knew he was powerful, being a truly perfect Jinchuuriki alone brought that to the table. Even Yagura was not a truly perfect Jinchuuriki. He could call upon the full power of the Sanbi, but he was not in full cooperation with the Bijuu like Killer Bee was with the Hachibi. It meant that there was always a clash of wills even with the subdued Sanbi that bled off some of the total power, and left Yagura without the genjutsu immunity true perfect Jinchuuriki had.

But simply being a perfect Jinchuuriki would not be enough to be made a Kage, never mind of the Hidden Leaf Village. Yagura after all, was her equal if not better even without the use of his Bijuu. It meant, that the God of Shinobi himself considered Daiki strong enough to hold the position of Hokage even without the power of the Sanbi.

'And at such a young age. True the Leaf are known for the absurd amount of young prodigies they churn out, but this is beyond even that.' her thoughts raced.

Daiki it seemed, was a truly remarkable individual.

"That is incredible." was all she could say.

"Yeah, I'm pretty great," he laughed, letting go of her chin and casually sitting up cross legged atop her desk, and staring into her eye, "I'd have to be to have a chance with a babe like you after all." he licked his lips, and as he did his sharp canines were exposed to her giving him an almost powerful, feral look.

Oh my.

He looked like a wild beast who wanted to just gobble her up.

"And so modest too." she couldn't help but tease.

He just grinned, "Anyway beyond that, I know where the Rokubi Jinchuuriki is as well," he dropped another massive bomb on her and her eyes widened once more, "While I'd prefer you guys to leave the Rokubi alone, since me and the Sanbi are good buddies and that's one of his siblings, I won't stop you either. Though it's probably in your best interest to leave it for now anyway."

"Oh?" she said, prompting him to continue. While it was true that Subduing a Jinchuuriki, even an untrained one could be quite taxing on resources and without her there personally they were liable to lose people during the fight. And it would take even more time and resources to train up a new jinchuuriki, the benefit of the war deterrent simply outweighed those losses, sad as it was to say.

They needed at least one back sometime soon to ward off other villages that thought they were an easy target.

"The Akatsuki," Daiki said simply, "Do you know what they're up to?"

"I don't," Mei shook her head, what did they have to with all of this? "I know very little about them beyond being a mercenary group and that they've been hired quite a bit by the Hidden Stone."

"Fucking rock humpers," Mei was taken aback by the sudden venomous vitriol in the boys tone all of a sudden as he spat to the side in outright disgust at the mere mention of the Hidden Stone. He shook his head, then met her eyes again, "The Akatsuki are composed of a group of ten, now nine S-class missing nin after Orochimaru betrayed them. And their goal is the destruction of the five great nations. Their plan to accomplish that, is the Bijuu. They plan to kill all of the Jinchuuriki, steal the Bijuu and tell me Mei, before now did you know the Bijuu were siblings?"

"…No I did not." Mei replied, even as her mind. Nine S-class missing ninja? And they wanted the Bijuu? If such a force attacked the Mist, they wouldn't be able to resist them at all.

But why did they want the Bijuu? Surely they did not think they could make themselves their Jinchuuriki and control them as they pleased? But why else would they want them specifically?

"Most probably aren't, I only found out through the Sanbi himself, and it's why he's willing to completely back me up," Daiki revealed and leaned forward staring absolutely seriously into her eyes, losing the light, confident and flirty demeanour he'd had previously, "Once upon a time, the Bijuu were all one being. That being was called the Juubi. An absolutely unstoppable monster, with all the combined might of every Bijuu and then some. It was only stopped in the end, by the Sage Of Six Paths alongside his equally as powerful brother."

The Juubi.

The legendary Sage Of Six Paths.

A brother to the almighty sage as well who was just as powerful!?

'I just learned of something both incredible and terrifying.' Mei thought, awed.

Assuming it was true of course.

"Upon his deathbed, to stop the beast from reforming when he passed, the Sage of Six Paths split the Juubi's chakra into nine different parts," Daiki continued on, "And created the moon to seal its physical body within."

Such a fantastical thing. She had of course heard the Sage Of Six Paths had created the moon. Most children had heard of that fairy tale.

"That seems too fantastical to be true." Mei shook her head. The sage was truly a godlike being, there was no doubt. But creating the moon itself, how would one even accomplish such a thing? No matter their power?

"Trust me, it's true," Daiki shrugged, "The creation of the moon was made through a jutsu known as Chibaku Tensei. An innate technique that is natural to those who possess the Rinnegan."

The Rinnegan. The greatest and most powerful, the most legendary of the three great dojutsu. The eyes of a god.

"And how would you know that?" Mei questioned him seriously, "I don't wish to call you a liar Daiki-kun, but this tale is fantastical beyond belief. I assume this is something you heard from the Sanbi? What if it is just manipulating you? The Rinnegan has never before been seen by anyone in this age, and we have no proof they even existed."

"Valid concerns, but trust me, they're real," he chuckled, not breaking his eye contact with her, "After all, the leader of the Akatsuki has the Rinnegan."

…..Oh…….

Well now, didn't that change everything?

Suddenly, a lot of things began to click into place. After all, it had always bothered her. Just what kind of person had the power to control a man as mighty and powerful as Yagura? Just what kind of person had the kind of power required to completely twist someone like Yagura completely against their nature?

But if it was someone with the same eyes as the Sage Of Six Paths himself. Then, it was definitely doable.