Naruto: Seiryu's Aether

Land of Lightning, Kumogakure

Kūga, Kenta, and Danzo arrived at the Raikage's towering office in Kumogakure. The dark storm clouds that constantly loomed over the village gave it an almost oppressive atmosphere.

Villagers cast glances at them as they passed, some curious, others wary. Kūga noticed their expressions and made a mental note at the weary look in their eyes, the stiff way they held themselves.

Once inside the office, Kūga was led directly to the Raikage, who sat behind a large desk, his massive form casting an imposing shadow over the room.

Kūga greeted him with a polite nod, though his demeanor remained relaxed and casual.

"Kūga Seiryu," the Raikage grunted, eyeing him with a hint of suspicion. "What's the purpose of this visit?"

Without hesitation, Kūga pulled a scroll from his coat, presenting it to the Raikage. "A message from the Shodaime Hokage himself," he replied, his tone light.

The Raikage took the scroll, his eyes narrowing as he broke the seal and read the contents. A tense silence filled the room as the Raikage's frown deepened.

Finally, he looked up, slamming a fist on the desk. "These accusations are baseless. Kumo has no intention of attacking Uzushiogakure!"

Kūga merely smiled, an almost amused glint in his eyes. "Is that so?" he replied, his voice calm. "Then I suppose you won't mind if I'm there to greet Kumo and Kiri forces, should they happen to appear in Uzushio. Consider it a warm welcome."

The Raikage scowled, clearly irritated by Kūga's nonchalant attitude. His expression darkened further when Kūga continued, leaning back slightly.

"There's also the matter of the Golden Canopy Rope, Raikage-dono," Kūga said smoothly. "It was promised to Konoha during the Kage Summit, yet we haven't received it."

The Raikage's jaw clenched, his gaze stormy as he called for his assistant. "Summon the Gold and Silver Brothers to the office," he ordered, his tone laced with frustration.

While they waited, Kūga took a slow look around the room, his sharp gaze noticing the signs of discontent that even the grand office couldn't hide. "Oh, and Raikage-dono," he added, almost as an afterthought, "on the way here, I couldn't help but notice something strange. The villagers… they didn't seem too thrilled with their leader. Quite unfortunate."

The Raikage's frown deepened, his day clearly getting worse by the minute. He remained silent, unwilling to respond as tension thickened in the air.

.

A few minutes later, the door opened, and two men strode in. The Gold and Silver Brothers, both towering and muscular, with an almost menacing aura, entered the room. They glanced around before their eyes landed on Kūga, Kenta, and Danzo, each of them narrowing their gaze.

"Why have we been summoned?" the Gold Brother asked, his voice a low growl.

The Raikage cleared his throat, his gaze steely. "You're here to hand over the Golden Canopy Rope to Konoha, as part of the reparations agreed upon."

At this, both brothers bristled, a dangerous glint appearing in their eyes. "We don't take orders from outsiders," the Silver Brother hissed. "And you'd better rethink sending Kumo's treasures away, Raikage."

Danzo and Kenta watched the exchange intently, Danzo's eyes sharp as he observed the hostility building in the brothers' expressions. Kūga, on the other hand, remained unfazed, his relaxed smile never faltering.

"Raikage-dono," Kūga interjected calmly, "I'd hoped this would be a smooth exchange, but it seems your men aren't exactly cooperative. Unfortunate, really."

The Raikage ground his teeth, his fists clenched. "Enough, you two," he barked at the brothers. "This is an order!"

But the Gold Brother's face twisted with anger, and in an instant, he lunged toward Kūga, his hand reaching for the blade on his back. The Silver Brother followed suit, aiming to strike Kenta, his eyes gleaming with malice.

Kūga's smile barely wavered as he extended his hand, his fingers flexing as he released a wave of Aether energy. The Gold Brother froze mid-stride, forced to his knees as if a great weight pressed down on him.

On the other side, Kenta watched in surprise as the Silver Brother was similarly forced to the ground, unable to move as Kūga's Aether wrapped around him, neutralizing both of them effortlessly.

Danzo's eyes widened, his admiration for Kūga's power growing. He hadn't seen anyone neutralize opponents so quickly, so easily.

Kūga's voice was calm, though his tone held a cold edge. "Now, Raikage-dono, I believe Konoha will be taking more than just the Golden Canopy Rope, given with the sudden attack towards Konoha's messenger and shinobi. Consider it an addition to the reparation fund."

He reached down, removing the Golden Canopy Rope and Seven Star Sword from the immobilized brothers, who could only glare in helpless rage.

The Raikage's face twisted with anger, his voice raised in protest. "This is nothing short of robbery, Kūga Seiryu!"

Kūga met his gaze, his smile gone as he locked eyes with the Raikage, and for a brief moment, a wave of unrestrained bloodlust filled the room, emanating from Kūga's piercing blue eyes.

The Raikage's defiance crumbled, his breath catching as a chill ran down his spine.

Even the villagers outside felt a sudden, suffocating weight press down on them, and both Danzo and Kenta froze, barely able to breathe.

As the bloodlust faded, Kūga's expression returned to his usual calm, laid-back demeanor.

He gave the Raikage a final, faint smile. "Well… I guess we're finished here."

Without another word, he turned and leisurely walked towards the door, gesturing for Kenta and Danzo to follow. Danzo cast one last, awed glance at Kūga before he hurried to join him, Kenta close behind.

.

Land of Frost, Camp, Later That Night

They set up camp in the snowy wilderness of the Land of Frost, the fire casting flickering shadows over the surrounding trees.

Kenta was already sprawled out by the fire, napping as easily as if he were back home. Danzo, however, sat quietly, gazing into the flames, lost in thought.

After a while, Danzo looked up at Kūga, his brow furrowed. "Kūga-san… or sensei... with your strength, why aren't you the Hokage?"

Kūga considered the question, leaning back as he poked at the fire. "Danzo," he began, "being Hokage isn't about strength alone. It's about protecting what you care about. For me, that's Konoha. Strength, titles… they're nothing if you don't have something worth protecting."

Danzo looked down, absorbing Kūga's words, his expression thoughtful.

Kūga continued, "Look at the Shodaime Hokage, Hashirama. Or even Madara Uchiha. They're strong, yes, but their strength is born from what they want to protect. That's why they're respected, why people trust them. You can even ask them yourself"

Danzo sat silently, staring into the fire, the weight of Kūga's words settling over him. He'd always thought power was the answer to everything, but Kūga's perspective was something new, something that seemed… deeper.

Kūga placed a hand on Danzo's shoulder, his voice steady. "One day, you'll have someone or something you want to protect. And that's when you'll understand true strength."

Danzo nodded slowly, not quite able to find words. He stood and looked over to where Kenta was peacefully napping nearby, his relaxed expression a stark contrast to Danzo's constant intensity.

"Come on," Kūga said, patting Danzo on the back. "You and Kenta can go hunt. I'll be here to cook whatever you bring back."

Danzo nodded, finally standing and approaching Kenta, who stirred slightly as Danzo gave him a nudge. "Kenta, time to hunt."

Kenta grumbled as he yawned. "Alright, alright. Let's go."

As the two set off into the frosty woods, Kūga watched them, a small smile on his face.

He was proud of both of them, knowing that even though they were different in every way, they each had the potential to be formidable shinobi.

As he waited by the fire, Kūga prepared for their return, ready to cook up a feast that would warm them for the journey back to Konoha.

*Small Timeskip*

The sun had just started to warm the morning frost when Kūga, Kenta, and Danzo finally broke camp, leaving behind the chilly, snow-covered wilderness of the Land of Frost.

Their journey back to Konoha was peaceful, though long as it took a week of walking, and by the time they arrived, it was afternoon.

Kenta seemed ready to dart off the moment they passed through the gates, his eyes bright with anticipation of returning home, but Kūga casually held up a hand to stop him.

"Hey, Kenta," Kūga called with a teasing grin. "Leaving without your mission payment?"

Kenta's steps halted immediately, and he turned back with a sheepish grin. "Guess I'll stick around a little longer, then."

Together, the three walked through Konoha's busy streets, heading toward the Hokage Tower. But before reaching their destination, Kūga steered them in the direction of his Water Station, the bustling establishment he'd recently set up.

As they stepped inside, the place was alive with the sounds of conversation and the quiet hum of work.

As soon as Aya and Yuna noticed Kūga, they quickly bowed their heads slightly, greeting him with respect. "Welcome back, Kūga-san."

Kūga flashed a friendly smile in return and then turned to Kenta and Danzo. "Why don't you two introduce yourselves?"

Kenta stepped forward first, grinning with enthusiasm. "Hey! I'm Kenta. Kūga-sensei's student."

Danzo followed, giving a respectful nod. "The name's Danzo Shimura. Genin of Konoha."

Aya and Yuna returned the introductions with polite nods, despite being a few years older than both young men. Aya's voice was warm as she spoke. "I'm Aya, and this is Yuna. It's nice to meet you both."

Kūga then turned to Aya, raising an eyebrow. "How's everything going today?"

Aya straightened slightly, her professionalism slipping into place.

"Busy, Kūga-san. We had a lot of deliveries scheduled for today. The delivery for Suna finally went through," she explained, her tone carrying a hint of amusement. "A team led by a Jonin took the mission this morning. They were surprised when they realized they'd only be guarding a small scroll. I think they were expecting a full caravan or something."

She paused, glancing down at her notes before looking back at Kūga. "And there's also a delivery set for Tetsu no Kuni. I was a little surprised as it was a Konoha shinobi who placed the order. Apparently, the General of Tetsu no Kuni sent a messenger hawk to make the request. The letter was detailed, thankfully. Konoha already paid the full fee, though I'm not sure how that arrangement works."

Kūga placed a thoughtful hand on his chin, humming as he considered this. "Yeah, that can happen sometimes. My guess is that the shinobi assigned to deliver it will receive the payment directly at Tetsu no Kuni, although I'm not a fan of that process. Too risky."

He folded his arms, sighing. "I'll have to discuss it with Hashirama. See if we can adjust things a bit."

Aya nodded, then walked over to the counter to retrieve the record book, flipping it open and holding it out for Kūga to examine.

Kūga scanned the pages, his eyebrows raising slightly at the busy logs. He chuckled, handing the book back with a small grin. "Business is booming, it seems."

Aya smiled, pride flickering in her eyes as she looked at the impressive entries in the record. Kūga continued, glancing back at both Aya and Yuna. "If we keep this up, I'll need to give you all a raise. And… we may need to bring someone else on board to help, too. Otherwise, I'll end up overworking all of you."

Yuna's eyes widened in excitement, and she spoke up eagerly, "If I may, Kūga-san—I have a younger brother who can work full-time. He'd be grateful for any work, even at a low wage."

Kūga gave her an understanding look, shaking his head.

"I don't underpay my employees, Yuna. That's not how I do business." He offered her an encouraging smile. "Bring him by tomorrow, and I'll interview him. If he's a good fit, we'll work out fair compensation."

Yuna's face lit up, nodding gratefully as she turned back to her tasks with renewed energy. Kūga handed the record book back to Aya, his tone casual as he said, "Alright, I'm heading out. Your shift's almost over, so just tidy up and close things down for the day."

Both Aya and Yuna nodded, giving a respectful bow as Kūga, Kenta, and Danzo headed toward the exit.

Kūga glanced at his two students, nodding toward the door. "Let's go, then."

With eager nods, Kenta and Danzo fell in step behind him, ready for the next part of their day as they made their way to the Hokage Tower.

.

Kūga, Kenta, and Danzo approached the Hokage Tower, their steps echoing through the corridor. Just as they reached the entrance, the secretary looked up, opening her mouth to say something but quickly sighing instead.

"Shodaime-sama is in there with Nidaime-sama," she said, her tone resigned. "They told me to postpone anyone from coming in, but…" She waved her hand with a slight grimace. "Just go ahead."

Kūga chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "You always stop me before I head in. What's different this time?"

The secretary sighed, giving a weary smile. "Because every time I try, Hokage-sama just lets you in anyway. So, from now on, I'll skip the fuss and just let you through."

Danzo, who had been quietly observing, couldn't hide his surprise at Kūga's influence over even the Hokage's closest staff. With a smirk, Kūga nodded to the secretary and led the two genin inside.

As they entered, the doors opened smoothly with a faint ripple of Aether, a typical display of Kūga's ease with his power.

Inside, Hashirama sat, hunched over a large pile of paperwork, his pen moving rapidly across the pages. Tobirama occupied a separate desk near the door leading to the rooftop, closely reviewing every paper his brother signed or declined.

Both brothers noticed Kūga and his students entering, but were too absorbed to break away.

Seeing the stacks of documents, Kūga gestured to the sofa.

"Let's take a seat," he said, motioning for Kenta and Danzo to join him.

He settled comfortably, pulling out a newspaper. Kenta took this as permission to lean back and close his eyes, falling into a light nap despite the slight hum of activity around him.

Danzo, unused to such relaxed behavior in an official setting, merely sat back, keeping silent as he leaned against the sofa.

Nearly an hour passed in this quiet manner until suddenly…

"BAM!" Hashirama's voice filled the room as he slammed the final piece of paperwork on his desk, stretching his arms high above his head. "Ahh! Finally done!"

Tobirama, without looking up from his own pile, sighed. "And I'm… not." He cracked his neck, massaging it with a deep sigh.

Kūga, still reading his newspaper, chuckled and leaned toward Danzo. "See that? That's exactly why I never want to be Hokage."

Danzo looked at Kūga in disbelief, his body already sore from the long wait. The paperwork and the sheer volume of tasks involved was eye-opening.

Hashirama, noticing Kūga, put the papers aside with a broad grin. "Since you're here, let's hear how it went."

Kūga stood, motioning for Danzo to rouse Kenta. With a groan, Kenta straightened as Kūga conjured a comfortable stool and approached Hashirama's desk. Kenta and Danzo stood behind him, Kenta still looking half-asleep.

Kūga began, recounting the mission in detail. "Everything went as planned in the Land of Hotsprings. The daimyo welcomed us and accepted the letter, saying he'll prepare a hotel for you and anyone else you bring."

Hashirama nodded approvingly, his face lighting up. "Good to hear. And the hot springs itself?"

Kūga grinned. "Superb. it was the most relaxing hotspring I tried, honestly."

Hashirama's eyes lit up with excitement, leaning forward. "That's one of the main reasons I'm heading there! My first ever vacation—finally!"

Tobirama sighed, looking over at Hashirama with a dry expression.

Kūga noticed this and immediately asked, "What's with the mood?"

"That's because he's going on vacation," Tobirama stated while massaging his temples, "Meanwhile, I'll be here busy with the things I need to do. Since the Kage Summit, the missions from other daimyos have increased, and with no Hokage in office, shinobi and kunoichi will have no one to assign or approve their tasks."

Hashirama scratched his head, sheepish but unmoved. "Well… someone has to enjoy it. Tobirama, you're great at holding down the fort."

Rolling his eyes, Tobirama muttered, "Lucky me."

Hashirama cleared his throat, getting back to business. "Now, Kūga, about the most important matter?"

Kūga gave a nod and continued, "We had a 'nice' chat with the Raikage."

Tobirama, catching a subtle shift in Kenta and Danzo's expressions, raised an eyebrow. "I imagine it wasn't all smooth talk, was it?"

Kūga chuckled, admitting with a sly smile, "Let's just say I 'inspired' him to hand over what was promised. I made it clear that if he continued his schemes against Uzu, I'd personally be there waiting for him."

Hashirama shook his head, though he couldn't hide his amused smile. "Kūga, that's cold."

Kūga smirked, continuing, "Once we got past that, I asked about the promised weapons. He called in those brothers, the Gold and Silver ones. They tried to sneak a hit on me, so I decided to make them kneel as a little lesson. The Raikage was furious, claiming I was robbing him, but I walked away with the Seven Star Sword as well."

He shrugged. "He might have been upset, but it got the job done."

Both Hashirama and Tobirama nodded in approval, with Tobirama adding, "That actually went smoother than I'd expected. Well done."

"Oh, and one more thing," Kūga said, leaning back with a faint grin. "It wouldn't surprise me if there's a new Raikage soon. The village is in a rough state. The villagers blame him for his greed. I heard complaints from all directions."

Hashirama considered this thoughtfully, then reached down to a compartment under his desk and took out three envelopes. He handed one to each of them, but when Kūga accepted his, he immediately shook his head.

"Nah," Kūga said, handing the envelope back. "Donate what's meant for me to the orphanage and any other programs that could use it."

Hashirama was taken aback, but a smile quickly spread across his face. "There's been an increase in orphans lately. That's generous of you." His tone brightened. "It's a nice sum—50,000 ryo each."

Kenta and Danzo's eyes widened as they heard this, glancing at each other with jaws dropped. Kūga himself widened his eyes for a moment, coughing slightly as he processed the amount.

"50,000?" he murmured, a playful glint in his eyes. "Well… maybe I should reconsider—"

"Nope!" Hashirama interrupted, chuckling as he waved his hands. "No take-backs! You're the wealthiest man in the village, remember? And what about those orphans?"

Kūga broke into laughter, shaking his head. "Alright, alright. I was just kidding."

Hashirama smiled, shaking his head. He handed the remaining envelopes to Kenta and Danzo. "Well then, that wraps up the mission reports. You're all dismissed… except for Kūga, you stay for a little bit."

Kenta and Danzo bowed in respect and turned to leave, each clutching their envelopes tightly. As they headed out, Danzo couldn't help but glance back at Kūga, admiration clear in his eyes.

.

As Hashirama settled into his chair after Kenta and Danzo left, he adopted a more serious tone, exchanging a look with Tobirama.

Tobirama leaned forward, folding his hands on the desk as he started, "So, a new Raikage, huh? Aniue, this might be our chance."

Hashirama nodded thoughtfully, turning to Kūga. "We could forge an agreement between Konoha and Kumogakure with the new Raikage. Ideally, an alliance—but if not, a long-term peace treaty would be sufficient."

"And only if he's not controlled by the Shodaime Raikage," Tobirama chimed in with his usual pragmatism. "And an alliance would void their reparations, which we can't afford to dissolve so soon. A treaty is the safest option here."

Just then, the office door creaked open with a familiar, deliberate force. They knew who it was by the way it opened.

Madara walked in, with Izuna and Hiruzen trailing behind. Madara grunted, crossing his arms as he looked at Hashirama.