[Kamui Marecage, Otogakure's gates]
Walking towards Otogakure's gates, Danzo recuperated the report compiled by Eiji's monitoring. Those spars served as training for both himself and his wife, but they also helped the Kenjutsu corps in visualising the pinnacle of the Shimura Kenjutsu Art [A].
Over the years, Danzo had been working tirelessly to improve the Shimura Kenjutsu Art and raise its strength, and ultimately succeeded at raising it to an estimated [A+] rank. Recent jutsu gathered from the spoils of war helped, but Danzo felt like he was missing something to refine the clan's kenjutsu art to kage-level potential.
[Danzo Shimura - Stats sheets
Attributes:
Strength: A+ → S- | Agility: A+ | Vitality: S- | Chakra: S- → S
Kenjutsu: A → A+ | Taijutsu: B+ → A- | Genjutsu: B → B+ | Fuinjutsu: A- | Ninjutsu: S- → S]
Danzo had grown much stronger, qualifying as a true mid-kage level figure.
[Harumi Shimura - Stats sheets
Attributes:
Strength: A-→A | Agility: A+ | Vitality: A+→S- | Chakra: S-
Kenjutsu: B | Taijutsu: B | Genjutsu: B | Fuinjutsu: C | Ninjutsu: A+→ S | Summoning: A+]
Harumi, after mastering Matatabi's flame, managed to create her own clan's kage-level ninjutsu. The transformation jutsu, coupled with the two-tailed flame mantle, made her a terrifying foe that regular elite jonins could not approach, much less defeat. Although it made her vulnerable to long-range ninjutsu, her vitality remained that of a jinchuriki, and lessened that risk.
Harumi was somewhere between lower-kage level and mid-kage level. Danzo estimated her to be slightly stronger than Marui, the black thunder who was her predecessor.
The number of shinobi who could match him or Harumi could be counted on one's fingers. Hiruzen, for one, only qualified as a low-kage level figure. Although he was fairly strong, his chakra reserves paled in front of a jinchuriki, and his ninjutsu mastery was inherited from ancient records of Tobirama, rather than his own creations. They were strong nonetheless, but unlike Danzo or Harumi, they did not fit his style perfectly, apart from a couple of them.
Danzo's mastery of doton and katon through the four-tails allowed him to wield three elements at once. Although there was still some resistance, the more souls he gathered from the battlefield, the more control he had over the four-tails. He could already cloak himself in tailed modes, and lacked a couple thousand souls to be able to fully transform. But this, in itself, was not necessary. Danzo preferred fighting with sharpness, rather than brute force, hence his reserves.
Arriving at the gates, Danzo looked at the salamander.
[Ibuze (Salamander Chakra Beast) - Stats sheets
Attributes:
Strength: S- | Agility: A → D- | Vitality: A+ | Chakra: A+ → S-
Ninjutsu: A+]
A mighty semi-kage-level chakra beast, which turned Hanzo infamous and unmatched. Now, however, Ibuze's legs were chained by massive shackles of steel, its body covered in seals, its eyes exhausted. Its guardians, Hebikaze shinobi, fed it cattle on a daily basis and injected chakra supplements in its veins on a daily basis, a feat that raised its chakra to S- rank. Caged, it had come to an understanding that spitting a fog of poison would be rewarded with food, a simple-minded lifestyle that added a layer of village-size security to the Kamui marecage.
Without escorts, the marecage could not be crossed safely.
Well, there were exceptions.
As the Kazekage descended, his face covered in a mask, his followers struggling to breathe, Byakuro hurried and distributed vials of antidotes, allowing them respite.
"Welcome, Kazekage. It has been a long time", Danzo spoke
The Kazekage's eyes wandered to the massive cage that hosted Ibuze. From his point of view, Ibuze's fate was horrifying, yet the beast did not seem depressed, only exhausted.
"What a barbaric sight", he could not help to comment, "But marvelous ingeniosity, I have to admit"
Danzo scratched the back of his head: "To be fair, I only had the idea. The Hebikaze clan are more adept than us Shimura at taming beasts, especially strong ones like Ibuze"
"So the claim of defeating Hanzo is not a rumour. No wonder he has stayed quiet ever since the Second World Shinobi War ended with our victory", the Kazekage smiled, "I always wanted to visit Otogakure, and flying over there, I must say I am impressed"
'Impressed? I guess the resources available for construction are unlike anything Sunagakure ever knew', Danzo hypothesized
And indeed, he was spot on: "I wish Sunagakure could afford to build houses and engineer its pathways like your streams of water"
Nestled within the Kamui Marshland, Otogakure was like a spectral mirage hidden in poisonous fog and murky waters. The swamp was akin to a labyrinthine marvel of engineering and sinister artistry. Instead of azure streams of water, the pathways of Otogakure were akin to a web of eerie and murky jade-coloured waters.
Of course, it would have been disastrous if it was harmful to human health, but the murky liquid was actually diluted version of the chakra supplement injections, their wastes to be more acurate. Although it had little to no effect on regular humans, it made the civilians stronger, and increased their fortitude. More importantly, Eiji forecasted that the rate of appearance of civilian shinobi would triple over ten years of consumption, and increase ten-fold if ingested on a daily basis for twenty years.
Every structure portrayed complex Shimura seals, fortification enchantments mainly preventing the decay of erosion or age. In other words, billions of Ryo had been invested to create an immense village, only a quarter of which was currently built. Yet, its eeriness made it tempting, and seemed to draw the soul of those flying above into it.
"I will take this as a compliment. Our clans invested enormous funds in its construction and plans. Of course, I cannot take credit for this. Most of the buildings were actually built by regular civilians", Danzo indicated, his humbleness quite rare in those times, causing his wife Harumi to roll her eyes
"What he means is that he has strong workers", Harumi corrected, "Loyal to him, and him only"
The Kazekage smiled, seeing the couple's dynamics: "People are truly different at home"
"How so?"
"Well, they look happier. To be fair, we are roughly the same age, but I always felt you had a century's worth of experience, Otokage"
Danzo had a cold sweat on his forehead upon hearing those words: 'I guess I am a bit old'
"Well. Since you accepted my invitation, I suppose you have something of interest, or was your visit a mere excuse to size our progress and overall strength?", Danzo squinted
Clan leaders had naturally come to welcome the Kazekage, and the Yashiro Clan Head had been trembling slightly since his arrival. After all, the Yashiro clan came from the lands of wind, under the jurisdiction of Sunagakure. In other words, they refused the call of war during the second shinobi world war, and after it ended, ran away to Otogakure, deserting their home lands.
The Kazekage stared at the Yashiro clan leader and sighed: "As you know, Sunagakure originates from nomads. I have no intention of claiming a clan that has established itself already. As for sizing your progress, I am more than aware of the rate at which you are growing. Deserters, mercenaries, small shinobi families are flocking to Otogakure, hoping to receive bountiful rewards. No. I came here to make a proposition"
"We are all ears"
"The alliance between our two great villages have yielded tremendous benefits to us both. The peace treaty is unlikely to last for five years. When the time comes, the cards will be redistributed. But this is food for thoughts for another day. I have captured a squad of one hundred Iwagakure shinobi near my borders. Deserters who raided our village, mainly. I know of your interest in human guinea pigs"
"An interesting offer", Danzo nodded, "But one hundred is not a big number"
The Kazekage smiled: "I agree. I will use this excuse to push our lands to the North. Prisoners will accumulate, and nobody will question where they go. Sending them to Otogakure, however, would be detrimental to both of our villages"
"What is your suggestion, then?", Danzo asked
"I wish for our villages to hold a conjoint laboratory, and share the results of our findings"
Danzo considered the offer for a while, before accepting.
"The research will be confined to the poison sector. I will send one of my elders to study the effects of our products. I am not naive, third kazekage"
"What do you mean?", the third kazekage asked with a knowing smile
"Holding a joint laboratory means that we will both have access to the poison and antidotes of the other village. You wish to bind us into the Sunagakure-Otogakure alliance for the coming years. However, I have no reason to refuse. My village is lacking in medicinal and poison brewing fields. You are actually selling technology and shinobi arts for my village's support", Danzo spoke
The rest of the clan leaders nodded. Otogakure was clearly winning here. They would earn technology and strength against nothing but a promise of neutrality at worst, alliance at best.
"If you understand that much, I hope this goodwill shall promise a lasting alliance between our village. Again, congratulations for your growth, Danzo Shimura. From what I am seeing, Otogakure is not going to be a weak major hidden village, but potentially the strongest"