Naruto: Kage of Kages

“Shiki will make sure relevant details regarding layouts, traps and guard strength will get to both of you. SImply assemble a force that is absolutely trustworthy or take care of it personally, whichever you think best.” Mito spoke.

“I will call another meeting in three days, have everything ready by then so we can set the exact time for a simultaneous strike.” She added.

“May I ask what Shiki-kun’s targets are specifically?” Toka spoke up.

“One of them is a record storage containing all kinds of possibly incriminating and otherwise valuable information while the other is a prison/research facility focused on studying a mutated kekkei genkai wielder they “recruited” as a baby from one of Konoha’s clans.” The boy explained.

The Senju woman nodded and asked no further questions though she did wonder who the prisoner in question could be.

Naori on the other hand, only peripherally paid attention, enough not to miss critical info about the plans but clearly, her mind remained focused on her target and the personal nature of what it constituted.

*

Three days passed quickly for some but agonizingly slow for others, either way, it was time.

The Record Keeping Hideout was going to be the easiest, it was closest to the village so it had less guard to avoid making it too conspicuous.

Concealment and secrecy were its two greatest protections but against Shiki those tended not to be too effective.

The plan for this location was less an assault and more of a heist.

Utilizing the sensory and counter-sensory capabilities of her Shuigan, Benihime was in charge of stealthily retrieving all of the stored intelligence.

She was also temporarily given the unused communication talisman for the group meeting, not to participate but so she could receive mito’s signal to start the operation when the time came.

In the periphery Ema and Tomoe were on standby, just in case something went wrong and a more violent approach to the information retrieval became a necessity.

They would, in all probability, have no part to play but Shiki found that the more thoroughly he prepared for things going awry, the more often they went completely according to plan.

As for the boy’s personal target, it was not to be a stealth operation.

Well . . .

If no one is alive to report an incident, then wouldn’t it mean perfect stealth was achieved?

In that sense, it was indeed going to be a stealth op.

Shiki was fully planning on leaving no survivors.

Considering they were about to face “fellow shinobi” from Konoha, perhaps the Uchiha and Senju groups were still slightly reluctant to start a massacre since they were fighting people just following orders from their superiors.

Casualties were inevitable and they would never put neither their lives nor the mission in jeopardy out of mercy, they were veteran shinobi after all but once the battle was over, they would not purge the survivors as Shiki intended to do.

The boy was going to handle his target by himself as well, although he enjoyed having Beni’s support at times, considering she had her own task this time around, he preferred to go about his business alone, the facility was not that big anyway.

What was big however, were the two facilities left to Toka and Naori and they did not go about doing things by themselves.

The latter only brought two people but both were not only powerful, they were key figures in the clan’s political landscape.

Naori elected to reveal her rejuvenation only to those two and use this operation as a sort of final rite to unite the Uchiha clan with a singular purpose.

With Naori taking control of the neutral faction purely through influence and reputation and these two as the leaders of the remaining two factions the de facto leaders of today’s Uchiha were all there.

Uchiha Setsuna, leader of the Hawk faction and Uchiha Fukutsu, the clan head himself and leader of the Dove Faction.

“Why bring us all the way here in secrecy?” Setsuna impatiently questioned Naori.

The woman had been very selective in what she revealed and, considering she was trusted enough to convince the two to come with her while keeping most of the situation to herself, she had merely told them to come equipped for a fight and that all would be explained later.

“I’m sure my sudden return to youth has more than piqued your interest, you probably guessed the one behind it as well.” Naori spoke.

“You have entered cooperation with Uzumaki Mito and, since she could give you back your youth, it stands to reason that old age is not nearly as close to catching up with her as she led most to believe.” Fukutsu probingly responded.

“That’s right. And I’ve brought the two of you here based on information provided by Mito-sama as well.” The rejuvenated woman revealed.

“What? So we’re here to do a job for the Uzumaki?” Setsuna questioned.

Naori could only sigh in exasperation at the simple mindedness and though he kept a straight face, Fukutsu wanted to do the same.

While Setsuna’s straightforward and proud personality made him popular amongst the more battle lusting members of the Uchiha clan, it also meant someone nearly incapable in diplomacy and internal politics wielded considerable influence.

“Mito-sama volunteered the information to me because it is of interest to the Uchiha clan, it was here doing us a favor, one we’ll have to repay later, not the other way around.” Naori explained.

“And the information is . . .” Fukutsu bade the woman to continue.

Naori succinctly retold all the info she learned from Shiki.

The two men fell into a stunned silence.

Even Setsuna, who always made it a point to wear his dissatisfaction with the village leadership on his sleeve, did not think they would go this far.

“You want us to attack this facility?” Fukutsu asked.

“Don’t tell me you still want to consider the so-called “greater picture” even now.” Setsuna immediately interjected.

The Uchiha clan head did not even dignify the leader of the Hawks with a response and kept his attention on Naori, waiting for her response.

“This is just one of the places being targeted tonight. Mito-sama is arranging a simultaneous strike on several locations. The Senju are also in on this.” the Uchiha kunoichi replied.

“So I assume a follow up is already planned then?” Fukutsu already guessed the answer but still asked for confirmation.

“Of course, the Uchiha merely need to cooperate later while letting Mito-sama handle the main part of the talks, I’ll explain it afterwards. For now, let’s go over the details of the facility and plan out our attack.” Naori responded.

*

Meanwhile, at an entirely different location, Seju Toka gathered three trusted members of her clan, not very politically significant but trusted subordinates of her.

“Your role is just locking down this whole area. Don’t let anything escape, people, messenger animals, anything.” the austere woman commanded.

“Leave it to us, we won’t fail you.” Her subordinates assured.

*

And so, everyone tensely waited the appointed hour when Mito would signal the timing for the simultaneous assault.

Time stretched as seconds felt like minutes and minutes like hours.

Then, suddenly, the signal came and Operation Uprooting began in earnest.

+++++

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