Naruto: Azure Awakening

Ch 115 - Uchiha's Schemes

“Where even am I?” Kaoru muttered, looking around the unfamiliar island. The merchants had brought him here, avoiding the mainland and the islands he wanted to reach. Those places were too close to Kumo, Kiri, and Takimura forces, and merchants didn’t go near hot zones like that.’ thought Kaoru as he flickered toward the nearest settlement.

In the distance, the faint outline of a village began to take shape through the mist.

The village was small, but surprisingly pristine. The roads weren’t dirt paths but neatly laid stone, and the houses, also built from stone, stood solid and well-maintained. Even the tiny yards in front of each home were decorated with blooming flowers and fruit trees, looking vibrant and full of life.

Kaoru wondered, his mouth slightly ajar. He hadn’t expected anything like this, not in such a remote area. Not even Takimura or Konoha had this kind of charm, this quiet elegance.

As he moved through the village, still admiring the details carved into windowsills and the polished lanterns by each doorway, his gaze landed on a lone villager walking slowly down the path. The man’s gait was uneven, one leg clearly favoring the other. His clothes hung loosely over a frail, tired frame, and though exhaustion was written all over his face, there was something else in his eyes, something Kaoru couldn’t quite place.

He flickered beside him, landing silently.

“Hello,” Kaoru said gently, bowing his head slightly to show respect.

The man, who had been limping and looking worn out just a second ago, suddenly straightened up like a bamboo as his face broke into a wide smile. “Hello, young man!” he said cheerfully.

Kaoru was shocked.

Kaoru had many questions, but he didn’t ask them. It wouldn’t help, and it might just make the man angry.

“I’d like to send a letter to someone important. Is there anyone here who can help with that?” Kaoru asked, pulling out a pouch of coins from his satchel. He held it out, hoping to motivate the villager, but the man didn’t even look at the money.

“You’ll need to see our great village head,” the villager said, his smile growing even wider. “He’s the reason our village is so prosperous and why we’re all so happy and well-kept.” His words sounded cheerful, but Kaoru noticed that there was no real emotion behind them. It was like the man was reciting lines.

“Thank you. Can you tell me where to find him?” Kaoru nodded politely, though he felt uneasy.

“Just go straight down this road. You can’t miss it.” The villager pointed toward a large, fancy building in the center of the village.

As Kaoru walked away, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. The village looked perfect, but the villager’s forced smile and hidden exhaustion didn’t match. It was like there was a secret here, one Kaoru wasn’t sure he wanted to uncover. But for now, he had a letter to send, and that meant dealing with the village head.

The house, or rather the mansion, where the village head resided was massive, easily half the size of the Hokage's residence in Konoha. It stood behind a tall stone fence with sharp metal spikes lining the top like a crown of thorns. The gate was forged from heavy iron, its surface adorned with intricate carvings: roaring lions, fierce tigers, and graceful peacocks, all etched with such detail they almost seemed to move in the fading light.

Kaoru didn’t care much about the village head’s luxurious lifestyle or the wealth of the villagers. All he wanted was to send a letter and move on. After that, he planned to find the fisherman’s village the merchants had mentioned and try to rent a ship there.

“Hello,” Kaoru greeted a guard standing near the gate, waiting to get his attention. “I’d like to send a letter. A villager told me to come here.” The guard, who carried a comically large blade on his back, eyed Kaoru with suspicion.hing had become unmistakably clear:

Fugaku had drawn a line.

The Uchiha were no longer hiding their discontent. No matter how hard Jiraiya had worked to repair the broken trust, the clan had stopped listening. And now, their silence had turned into something far more dangerous - resolve.

“I agree,” Itarama Senju spoke up, surprising the room. It was rare to see the Senju and Uchiha on the same side. “Our village is surrounded by enemies, and we have a rare chance to lose one enemy and gain an ally. Takimura isn’t strong enough to fight Konoha, but they’ve proven they can overturn Kiri and even challenge Kumo to some extent. Why not offer them some small help and gain their trust? They could become valuable allies. All we need is time, after all, time for our new generation to mature.”

Danzo thought, furious but keeping his emotions hidden. Danzo was about to speak when Hiruzen addressed Itarama.

“What do you suggest?” Hiruzen asked.

Itarama scratched his jaw, thinking. “I think we should move our forces closer to the Kumo border and apply pressure. That should be more than enough. A’s forces clearly aren’t making progress, and if we make it harder for Kumo to send reinforcements, they’ll have to retreat and end the war. A weakened and demoralized Kumo benefits us, and we’ll also gain an ally in Takimura,” he explained.

Danzo was very displeased with this idea and he was not going to let the council to even consider it, as his calm voice cut through the room. “Why are we wasting such a good opportunity just to please a small group of people?” His words were carefully chosen, making it unclear whether he meant Takimura or the Uchiha.

Everyone glanced at Fugaku, but he ignored their stares completely, acting as if the discussion didn’t concern him at all.

Danzo continued, “What we should do is invade the Land of Water when Kumo attacks again. Kiri and Takimura won’t split their forces by then, they’ll keep fighting Kumo, and we’ll be able to occupy several islands easily. After that, we can offer them help in exchange for the territories we control. This way, we weaken Kumo, Kiri, and Takimura all at once.” His plan was sharp and calculated, proving once again that when it came to scheming, Danzo was second to none, except maybe Shikaku, who was about to speak when an ANBU flickered into the room.

“Sorry for the intrusion,” the ANBU said urgently. “Iwa and Suna have started assembling their forces near our borders.