The Land of Waterfalls—a small country situated in the northwest of the Shinobi World, bordered by the Land of Fire, the Land of Earth, and the Land of Iron. Despite its weak national power, it, like the Five Great Shinobi Villages, had its own leader and its own shinobi. However, due to its unstable political situation and the rampant presence of armed forces, Takigakure and the Land of Waterfalls had rarely known peace since their founding. Though the village had long struggled with financial difficulties, deep within its territory stood a grand palace, enclosed by towering walls.
The palace had a long history. It was originally the residence of Takigakure's first leader, Gotou Tsubasa, but was razed to the ground due to a series of incidents. Later, his successor, Kimu, preserved the vacant land and had it restored. When the Second Shinobi World War erupted, Takigakure was thrown into further turmoil. A shinobi named Shinnosuke, a powerful elite, assassinated Kimu and seized control of the village through brute force. Upon becoming the third village leader, Shinnosuke's first order was to renovate the palace, transforming it into the opulent structure it was today.
Inside the palace, the flickering candlelight cast long shadows. The air was thick with the lingering scent of perfume, mingling with the sound of rhythmic breathing. On a lavish bed, Shinnosuke lay fast asleep, his arms wrapped around two naked women.
Suddenly, his shinobi instincts flared. His eyes snapped open. In an instant, he shoved the two women aside and quickly grabbed his robe, slipping his hand into his pocket to grip a kunai.
The two women, startled by the sudden movement, tumbled onto the floor. They clung to each other, trembling with fear. But Shinnosuke paid them no mind. His gaze was locked onto a figure sitting at a nearby table, casually sipping tea.
"Who's there?! You must have a death wish to break in here!" Shinnosuke barked.
The figure, finally noticing Shinnosuke's sluggish awakening, turned around slowly. She was strikingly beautiful, with long, wavy brown hair and three distinct markings on her face. Her attire was minimal, seemingly designed for ease of movement rather than modesty.
Shinnosuke's breath caught for a moment. He had nearly acted recklessly without realizing that his uninvited guest was such a stunning woman. Compared to the two he had just tossed aside, this woman was on an entirely different level.
He quickly collected himself, narrowing his eyes. "Woman, how did you get in here? What do you want? You'd best answer honestly!"
A smirk tugged at the corners of the woman's lips, a mixture of disdain and amusement. Despite being only in her early twenties, she exuded a mature, confident aura.
With her long, polished red nails, she lazily tapped the table. "Your position was taken by force. If you could seize it, so can someone else. It should belong to someone more capable. Under your rule, Takigakure remains as chaotic and pathetic as ever."
Shinnosuke's pupils contracted. The greedy glint in his eyes faded slightly. He wasn't stupid—if someone had come to challenge his authority, that meant others were eyeing his position as well.
Slowly, he stepped down from the bed, one hand shielding his chest defensively while his other hand discreetly tugged at a thin steel wire hidden behind him.
"Who are you, exactly?" he demanded.
The woman's crimson lips curled into a smirk. "I am Kakuzu-sama's woman. Now do you understand why I'm here?"
Kakuzu.
The mere mention of that name sent a shiver down Shinnosuke's spine. But he quickly reassured himself. He knew why Kakuzu had a grudge against him. The benefits had already been reaped, the deeds were done—there was no reason to be afraid now. Kakuzu had already turned his back on Takigakure. Let him come. Shinnosuke wanted to see what he could do.
Forcing himself to remain calm, Shinnosuke scoffed.
"What does Kakuzu want here? He abandoned Takigakure long ago. He's not welcome."
The woman rose gracefully to her feet. Under the glow of the candlelight, her flawless figure cast elegant shadows across the walls.
"Kakuzu-sama has seen the world outside for decades. And upon returning to his homeland, he finds it just as war-torn as before," she said. Then, she gestured to herself. "I, too, am a survivor of Takigakure's endless strife. You cannot bring peace to this village. You cannot lead it to prosperity. So step down."
Shinnosuke's expression darkened. So it really was about forcing him to give up his position. But he caught something in her words—an important detail.
If Kakuzu truly intended to take back Takigakure, why hadn't he come himself? Why send a woman in his place? There could only be one reason: Kakuzu had his own limitations. Maybe he wasn't strong enough yet. Maybe he had other constraints. Either way, this meant Kakuzu had a weakness.
A small smirk appeared on Shinnosuke's lips. "Why isn't Kakuzu here in person?"
At this, the woman chuckled softly, her voice carrying a hint of mockery. "Because Kakuzu-sama is making an official declaration to the entire shinobi world—Takigakure and the Land of Waterfalls will be under his leadership, not yours, you worthless fool."
She was making it clear. This wasn't just a power grab. This was a declaration of war.
If it were Kakuzu standing here today, Shinnosuke would probably already be crying to the Sage of Six Paths for help. However, things gained through assassination, trickery, and brute force were inherently unstable. Take Takigakure, for example—after three generations of village leaders, it remained impoverished and weak. At its core, too many unstable factors were at play. Kakuzu's task was to eliminate every single one of them.
"Oh? Kakuzu sure talks big..."Shinnosuke fell silent for a moment. Then, suddenly, he lifted his gaze, his bloodshot eyes locking onto Ni.
"He's that arrogant, huh? Kakuzu is nothing but a relic of the past. And as for you—his woman—you're staying right here today!"
As soon as Shinnosuke finished speaking, the two massive doors at the back of the palace crashed to the ground with a thunderous bang. Dozens of shinobi stormed in from outside, surrounding Ni in an instant.
"Heh... You've got quite the mouth on you too," Shinnosuke sneered, his gaze turning lecherous once again.
"Let's see if your dear Kakuzu will come to save you now!"
Ni merely shook her head.
"Idiot. You're being used, and you don't even realize it."
She had no interest in wasting words on a dead man walking. Since Shinnosuke refused to back down, negotiations were officially over.
At his last remark, Ni's striking eyes widened slightly. Then, with an air of absolute confidence, she stepped forward, her high-heeled shinobi boots clicking against the floor. Her gaze swept over Shinnosuke and the Takigakure ninja with nothing but disdain.
"Kakuzu-sama is giving you three days to decide. If you don't... then prepare for annihilation."
Crack!
The sharp snap of a whip echoed through the hall as Ni struck the ground, exuding pure dominance.
"As for dealing with you all... I can handle that myself."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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