"It was a close one. Should I not have sent Zetsu to the daimyo as plan B... I could've lost Kiri, which in turn would've affected my plan on Uchiha Obito."
Seated on his throne and tapping his frail fingers on the stone armrest, the old Madara, with his eyes closed, was in deep thought.
"...Three tails was slain. Only a handful of men were capable of achieving such a feat throughout the history."
He didn't rage like before. Calmly, he assessed the available options.
Running through simulations, Madara finally concluded.
"Akashi... he is dangerous. Too dangerous to ignore."
His body then trembled as he uncontrollably coughed. It was the sign that his death was near.
"Huff... huff..."
Shifting his eyes, Madara saw the awake form of Obito, laughing and conversing with two white-colored Zetsus.
'Yes...'
Madara doubted that Obito would be able to defeat Akashi. There was something inexplicable about that brown-haired shinobi.
Madara instinctively felt that he was the only one capable of killing him.
"...Imprisoning orb, was it."
Madara was getting an inspiration.
'A trap it is.'
__________
Numerous buildings were ruined and destroyed.
With dents and holes, Kirigakure was in a poor state, having taken a toll due to the overnight war.
However, in contrary to the damage done to the infrastructures, the number of people gathering around the centre of the village was high.
It was strange, for it meant that the casualty was extremely low in comparison to Kiri's state.
It meant that there were those who protected them. It also hinted that the purpose of the war was to protect them, to liberate them.
However, the civilians didn't know. They didn't bother to learn. They simply were relieved that those whom they were afraid of, be it Karatachi Yagura or Akashi, were gone.
"Dear civilians!! At last, the time came!!"
The obese daimyo, standing with two feet, proclaimed.
"Those terrorists are no more!! We've finally reclaimed what is ours... this land, that is!!"
The daimyos are the owners of lands. That's why they are called the daimyos. That's why their hierarchy is above the ninjas'. They tend to be the primary sponsors of the hidden villages, and for that reason, they tend to have a close relationship with ninjas.
However, the daimyo of the land of water and Kirigakure were a different story.
After the death of the third Mizukage, Yagura oppressed the daimyo by force, forcibly taking the daimyo's wealth to fund his army. That was another reason why Mei and her force was no match to his.
The daimyo grew a distrust for ninjas of Kirigakure. Vowing to revenge, he recruited the Kaguya clan ninjas who were banished from the Bloody Mist of all places, due to their love for violence, ironically. He recruited the Funato clan, who are the pirates that raid and snatch the supplies of Kiri.
His entrusted strategist, Zetsu, predicted that Terumi Mei will unleash a terror in the village to fight against Yagura. He decided to gamble, betting on the possibility that both sides will be weakened—enough for him to take over the village.
This was the result. He succeeded. The reign of Yagura was no more. The one who was standing as the leader of the village wasn't one of those ninjas, but him—
"...Eh?"
That was the final remark that the daimyo made, blinking his eyes.
His head was detached from his neck. It flew high up in the sky before falling down and rolling on the ground.
The cheerful attitudes of the civilians immediately faded.
The one who slayed the daimyo was none other than a white-haired shinobi, the member of the Kaguya clan who stood next to the daimyo.
A sharp, sword-like bone was protruding out of his palm. Its tip had a blood dripping; it is through this bone that the daimyo's neck was severed.
"Hm?"
The white-haired shinobi then raised an eyebrow as he saw the civilians staring at him in fear.
"Well, he no longer has a use."
He shrugged, before kicking the headless body away from him.
"H-Huh...?"
The civilians didn't understand what was happening.
"Doesn't it feel nice?"
The white-haired shinobi, as the sword-like bone retracted back into his body, looked around, eyeing each and every single civilian in sight.
"Kaguya clan and Funato clan are back... better than ever before!"
The title of Bloody Mist continues.
The civilians continue to suffer from the violent tendencies of their rulers, the ninjas.
Seeking for more and more blood, they would eventually join the war.
Unlike Yagura's Kiri, however, they would attack anyone they sight without an exception, without a single care for a diplomacy or tactics.
Eventually, they gain another title apart from 'Bloody Mist':
The Filthy Mist.
__________
The scene ahead of Akashi was peaceful.
Sitting on a patch of grass, his eye contained the sight of blue sky, vast ocean, and the land mass that surrounded him.
They were in a small island, one that wasn't inhabited.
Gai and Hidan were playing around nearby, being similar-aged. It was surprising to see them being free of concern, for Gai was always nervous and Hidan was always stoic.
"...I found this island years ago while roaming around the land, trying to look for allies."
Sitting next to Akashi, Mei spoke.
"We are at far south. Below the land of tea that is located at the south of the land of fire."
Mei passed Akashi a cup of water.
"It won't be a trouble trying to live in this area for some time. There is fresh water and a variety of resources."
"What's the name of the island?"
"We haven't given one yet."
Quite some time passed since they left the land of water.
Taking over a boat, they escaped many pursuits of Kiri ninjas. Chaotic days it was, and at the end of it, everyone was exhausted.
This was their destination. Here, no one chased them. No one knew that this island existed. To them, or to Akashi at the very least, this island was something akin to a paradise.
"What now, Mei?"
Terumi Mei changed after that day.
Her eyes no longer contained the brilliance or the vibrancy. Hollow and dead, they, most of the time, headed toward Akashi as if he had all the answers of the world.
Taking a sip of water, Akashi turned to face Mei.
"...You kept your side of the promise, and I failed to keep mine."
Mei looked at Akashi intently, not blinking once.
"I owe you a huge one, but I have no way to pay you back. I lost everything... there is nothing for me to give, except one thing..."
It was still early in the morning.
From afar, Gai sneezed.
"Hey, you two!! Get back already before you catch a cold!!"
Zabuza barked at them, but with a worry in his attitude.
"My loyalty."
Mei then held Akashi's arms, holding them tight. Her body was trembling... in fear.
"So please... please..."
She was pleading. Her mentality broke long ago.
"Don't abandon me..."
"Hm..."
Akashi didn't know what to say. This was the first for him.
"I don't recommend that you follow me. The bounties on me was already bad enough, and this time around, Kiri increased it fifty times. I now hold the highest bounty in this world."
"That's... that's because of me..."
Mei shook her head, nervously.
"You did nothing wrong."
"I don't really care whether I was in the wrong or not."
Akashi chuckled.
"Then, let me tell you another thing, Mei. You see, I have a plan. One different than my past goal of finding a place to rest."
"...A plan?"
"A revenge."
Akashi's eye stared at the horizon.
"There is someone I need to destroy."
"I... I will help."
Mei immediately responded.
"I don't care if that person is the most benevolent one in this world. You can kill me if I become useless. Just... let me stay."
"..."
In silence, Akashi stared at the horizon some more.
Instead of answering, he spoke,
"Gather everyone."
...
Many things happened.
Akashi suffered a lot. This world has mostly been hateful to him, throwing him trials after trials.
He questioned the morals. He questioned the natures of the human beings. He questioned the world, of why it was in such a state. Thinking and thinking more, he found himself more confused than clear.
In the end, he realized that they don't matter.
Rogue ninja from the start, he remains rogue.
One could say that he had no home. At the cost of the lives of his family—Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato—he lost his place in Ame. He attempted to gain one in Kiri, but failed.
However, he didn't feel dejected. There wasn't even an ounce of pain in his heart.
This world honed him to a man of steel.
He decided to think otherwise—that it wasn't that he didn't have a home, but that...
...The entire world was his home.
"There is something that I must do. It is a hard goal to have, but I won't stop until I achieve it."
Standing in front of Mei, Juzo, Ao, Zabuza, Hidan, and Gai, Akashi stated.
"I cannot do it alone. I need a group to help me. The group would need to remain hidden, far more hidden than any hidden village. Here, I will make a proposal.
Join me or not. The choice is yours."
"And the goal is?"
"I will tell should you join."
Zabuza, the one who asked, frowned.
"Then..."
He backed away,
"Count me out."
"Same here."
Ao nodded, expressing the same stance as Zabuza.
"We were bound by Kiri, but we are no longer affiliated with the village. I don't wish to risk myself by staying with the world's highest bounty holder."
"Understandable."
Akashi nodded before looking at the others.
"I am in. Definitely."
Mei immediately said as Akashi looked at her.
"Yes, me as well."
Kisame grinned. He appeared scary due to his sharp features, but no one in the area thought as such, having gotten used to him.
Akashi turned to Juzo.
"...Tch, it's not like I have anywhere to go."
Juzo sighed.
"Whatever. I'll join."
Finally, Akashi turned to two boys.
Gai and Hidan blinked, surprised that they too are given the choice.
"I..."
"I am in."
Gai hesitated, and Hidan immediately answered.
"I am in as well... but I want to free my dad in the future!"
Gai, clenching his hands, shouted.
Nodding, Akashi eyed Zabuza and Ao.
Noticing his intent, the two of them backed away, leaving the conversation.
"Then, I will tell you my goal. We will be ruining one man and whatever plan he has down to its core."
And ironically, through that hate-filled goal, peace would come unto the world.
"His name is Uchiha Madara."
The five people's eyes widened.
"And the name of this organization..."
The sun began to rise from beyond the horizon.
Turning, Akashi's eye contained the bright scene ahead.
"...Yes."
He's decided.
Daybreak, or in other words,
Akatsuki.