Complete Mayhem (12)

In the silent ground full of craters and destroyed vegetation due to the battle between Akashi and Sasori, noises arrived.

"Orochimaru-sama, this..."

The ninjas wearing the forehead protectors of Konohagakure were there, trying to assess what happened at this site unknown to them. 

Considering how they received the information that Kumo ninjas were here a couple of hours ago, this was a serious concern. 

Orochimaru, as the lower-ranked ninjas inspected the site, rubbed his chin curiously.

"Yes, I know. A puppeteer was here."

Lowering his body, he grazed his hand across the ground. Lifting his body back up, he saw that there were specks of iron sand on his palm.

"...Iron sand. The third Kazekage who went missing, eh?"

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed.

"Sasori of the Red Sand. To think he's taken the third Kazekage as his own puppet... now isn't that interesting."

It was still strange, however. Who did Sasori fight?

"The enemy of Red Sand seems to be a one person, but there were numerous Kumo ninjas. This indicates that they weren't the one who fought Red Sand..."

"The trace of the battle ends here, Orochimaru-sama! We analyzed the remaining fluid here and identified as a uniquely modified blood!"

"Modified? So the fluid belonged to Sasori."

Receiving the nods, Orochimaru found himself placed in confusion.

First of all, why did Kumo ninjas come all the way here? What is it that they were chasing after starting from Yugakure?

Second of all, what were those Kumo ninjas doing while there was a battle ongoing between Sasori and an unknown ninja?

'Let's think this out, shall we?'

Orochimaru found the most joy when in a situation that required him to use his wits. Licking his lips, his eyes rapidly moved—indicating that he was in a deep thought.

'In Yugakure, the reason why Kumo ninjas attacked the village was because they were certain that the village will break its neutral status and join Konoha. The reason why they came to think as such was because of Namikaze Minato who visited the village to relay the information to the daimyo, that Kiri will be joining Konoha's alliance. And then, there were... Kiri ninjas who were reported to have visited the village as a pass-through—'

Orochimaru's eyes widened. He smiled, seeing that he's found the answer.

'Those Kiri ninjas were found to have come from the north. It is very likely that they stole the top secrets of Kumo. So the Kumo ninjas chased, but weren't able to get them.'

He still wasn't able to find out why Sasori was there, attacking one of the Kiri ninjas, but what was the point of trying to figure out the thoughts of a mad man? 

Ignoring the matter regarding Sasori, Orochimaru looked at a direction that led to the border of the land of hot water, one that was in touch with the land of whirlpool.

If Kiri ninjas' goal is to reach Kiri, that was the most logical path for them to take.

'Hm, now isn't that interesting.'

Orochimaru smirked.

'It's only been a few hours, and if I'm not wrong, Kumo dispatched the jinchuriki of two tails there. The reason was unknown beforehand, but now it looks clear.'

Konoha's move after identifying the presence of jinchuriki was quick. To monitor a potential flank, they too dispatched a ninja of their own at the border—or harbor, to be more exact.

And that ninja was none other than Namikaze Minato, the fastest man that they had. 

A quite busy week it's been for Minato, to travel to Yugakure, escort daimyo of Yugakure safely to Konoha's base, then to immediately reach the harbor to keep the jinchuriki in check.

"..."

Just the thought of Minato made Orochimaru's smile fade. He was reminded of all these feats Minato's made, leaving him in a foul mood.

'...Namikaze Minato. Who are you to interrupt my plan?'

Clicking his tongue, Orochimaru ended his thoughts.

"There is nothing more to see here. Mark Sasori of the Red Sand as dead, but keep this information concealed from other villages. We'll be returning to our base, for we cannot leave it open against the main force of Kumo who should be back on their own by now."

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama!"

__________

Boom.

Mei felt the intense heat as a ball of fire struck the ground next to her. 

'This woman...'

The fire was blue in color, showing just how hot it was. When speaking of intensity alone, the fire of this kunoichi, Nii Yugito, was greater than Akashi's fire.

Therefore, Mei knew that this wasn't Nii Yugito's inherent strength, but the power of the two tails.

'She is able to harness the power of two tails...!'

Mei spurt out a jet stream of water out of her mouth, but against the intense blue fire, water didn't suffice. 

The steam flowed out of the collision between the water and the blue fire. As the stream of water continued to get pushed back, Mei ended her technique and jumped to the side. 

With a boom, the blue fire struck the ground that she was standing on just a second ago, although the noise was muffled due to the steam that was now present all around.

"Tch..."

Wrapping chakra around her body, Mei prevented her skin from being burned by the hot steam. Then closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath and focused.

'Hiding in Mist technique.'

'...!'

Yugito frowned while surrounded in the mist-like steam, aware that this was the environment that Kiri ninjas loved the most.

Her hands began to undergo hand seals at a quick pace. 

"Fire Release,"

She then placed her hands on the ground below. 

It was akin to giving an opening for Mei to attack, and she wasn't the one to miss the opportunity.

Mei threw three shurikens at Yugito's exposed back. 

However, those shurikens didn't manage to hit, as at the next moment, the pillars of blue fire burst out of the ground surrounding Yugito.

The intensity of the fire was enough to dry up the moisture. This meant that the mist that concealed Mei's form effectively died down.

Mei gritted her teeth while stepping back.

Clang!

Her kunai met the sharp fingernails that Yugito lengthened out of her hands.

'Is it that the tailed beast is working together with her? How is she able to...'

Sparks flew.

'Use the power of two tails so well mid-fight?!'

The only jinchuriki whom Mei saw in the past was the one who used to have three tails inside him. That man's strength was no higher than genin at best—having a mediocre chakra control and a hostile tailed beast who had no intention other than to harm its host.

Mei was aware that Yugito was a special case, but still. This wasn't what she has been expecting.

The clash continued, but at the last moment, Mei lost the grip over her kunai. Simultaneously, Yugito slammed her foot into Mei's chest, causing the red-haired woman to slam into a nearby house.

"Huff... huff..."

Mei grimaced as she quickly stood back up, knowing that Yugito was one level stronger than her.

__________

"..."

In a forest nearby the harbor where Mei and Yugito were fighting, Akashi found himself facing yet another ninja. 

This time around, said ninja was a very familiar person, however.

Blond, jaggy hair. Blue eyes. Forehead protector of Konoha along with the green combat vest. Three-pronged kunai in his hand.

Namikaze Minato. The man whom Akashi spoke with just two to three days ago was now standing in front of him.

"Why are you stopping me?"

Akashi questioned under the disguise of 'Taka'. 

"Kiri is allied with Konoha. There is no reason for us to fight."

"Allied... is it?"

Minato frowned.

"Something doesn't make sense."

Minato spoke with certainty in his tone.

"Why did you not aid Konoha during the night at Yugakure? Why did you leave the Kumo ninjas whom you fought against alive? It's as if..."

Kiri is planning for a betrayal.

Akashi's eye narrowed as Minato's eyes too narrowed. 

Minato was thinking the exact same thing as Akashi and Mei. 

Primarily, that was the reason why Akashi left the Kumo ninjas alive. 

Even if the ones who are currently ruling Kiri are to be hostile to Mei, the loss of reputation and diplomacy with other villages will reach Mei in the future. Furthermore, unlike when Akashi was being chased down, the reason behind the pursuits of Kumo ninjas seemed plausible to him.

"Then, there is the hate that has been between Konoha and Kiri since the ancestors' time... there are far too many fishy things in Kiri joining us."

"Aren't they speculations at best?"

"Yes, they are. But what if I tell you, that my hunch tends to be correct most of the time?"

Akashi felt like sighing.

A fight after a fight... against the world's most renown ninjas at that. 

'Minato.'

Akashi thought as he saw a tri-pronged kunai being thrown at his way,

'To think I'd be fighting you this fast...'

Akashi heard the noises of explosions just outside the forest. Mei was probably in a battle against someone; there was no time for him to waste.

Time seemed to slow down as the tri-pronged kunai flew past Akashi's shoulder. 

Akashi's lone eye beyong his mask grazed over the seal written on the kunai.

'How unfortunate.'

He didn't get a time to study that seal of Minato just yet. 

Tap.

Turning around, Akashi grabbed Minato's rasengan-holding hand by the wrist, preventing the blue spiralling ball from striking him as it hovered right in front of his chest.

"...How?"

Right away from the start, Minato's speed was read. With a disbelief, he muttered.

"Prediction."

Replied Akashi, nonchalantly.