Four hundred and fifty miles, around seven hundred and twenty five kilometers, on the north light The Hidden Rock village. Its rugged terrain had always been a natural fortress that protected the village from invaders, but now, for that same reason it had become a curse. A purple plague had taken root in the soil, spreading like wildfire across the Eastern border of the Earth (Kingdom) Country, all the way up to the village's doorstep.
The situation was dire. The disease was a cancer caused by the sins of those living in the world. Fortunately, of only who are currently alive.
- Six out of the nine fertile farming lands were now tainted. Now the soil itself seemed to pulse with malice. The contamination was spreading. Every treatment attempted, whatever it was, even forbidden jutsu had failed. The land resisted healing, as if the corruption had a will of its own.
The calls for nearest hamlet had gone unanswered. No word came from the spies from the neighboring Waterfall Village, a supposed ally did not answered either. No genins who entered had returned or send any messages yet. It was as if they had vanished. The plague was knocking in the Hidden Rock's Village who stood alone, its people gripped by a growing sense of dread.
In the Tsuchikage's office the air was thick with tension. Onoki, the Third Tsuchikage, sat hunched behind his desk, his weathered face twisted in a scowl.
- Urr! Those Konoha rats! He bellowed, slamming his fist on the table with a force that he couldn't handle. The impact sent a jolt of pain through his spine, and he winced clutching his lower back.
- Oh! My back! Damn it all… Why'd you stop? Keep going! And tell those lazy lab bastards to work harder!
Akatsuchi, the shield of Tsuchikage stood behind him silently. His calm presence was a bright contrast to Onoki's fiery temper. He smiled softly to that guy cheering him up.
The unnamed chunin adjusted his stance, his voice was shaking.
-The contamination isn't just in the fields, Lord Tsuchikage. The trees, water and even animals in the Eastern border are changing. Everything turns brittle and gray, and then purple… Like it's rotting from the inside.
Onoki was red of anger, his patience was as fragile like an old rope.
-I don't give a damn about trees!
He snapped, waving a dismissive hand.
- Isn't there anything more important? What about the border, the people? Get to the point!
Before chunin could respond, the heavy stone door to the office burst open with a thunderous boom. A young jonin, his face pale and streaked with sweat, stumbled into the room and dropped to his knee. His eyes were wide with terror.
-Lord Tsuchikage! His fingers were shaking uncontrollably and voice trembling.
- A horde of strange, worm-like creatures are approaching fast from the corrupted lands! They're coming from the sky, insanely huge and moving very fast! The purple soil… it's teeming with them!
Onoki's scowl deepened, his small frame trembling with rage.
- Worms? From the sky? His voice was dripping with disbelief and fury.
-Are you joking!?
The window shattered with a deafening crash, shards of glass scattered as a Soul Eater burst into the room. Its hollow screech echoed off the stone walls. Before it could dive for its prey, a massive figure stepped forward and slammed it with his massive hands. He layed down on the creature successfully immobilizing it.
The Onoki released the dust release.
- Give it to the lab. Let those nerds examine this... thing.
Without another word, he launched himself from his chair to the shattered window. He left just a paper that scattered across the room. Akatsuchi tried to call after him
-Lord Tsuchikage, wait! But his words fell on empty air, Onoki was already gone.
Outside, the east side of the sky above the village was a sickly violet, streaked with unnatural clouds that seemed to writhe and twist. Onoki hovered above the tainted fields, his sharp eyes scanning the horizon. What he saw turned his blood cold. A writhing mass of creatures, each around two meters long and meter thick, slithered through the air.
Onoki became even more exhausted as he summoned his kekkei tota for the second time this day. A cube of shimmering energy formed between his palms. With a shout, he unleashed it, and the cube expanded, engulfing the horde in a blinding flash. When the light faded, the creatures were gone, reduced to nothing but atoms. But Onoki's triumph was short-lived. Below, he spotted as the tree transformed on his eyes. In near seconds the leaves become gray and than purple. The branches twisted unnaturally, as if reaching for the sky in agony.
- Damn it all! Onoki swore, his voice hoarse with exhaustion. He flew lower, his hands trembling as he formed another Dust Release. This time, he aimed not at the sky but at the earth itself. This time it was a rectangle that carved a deep, clean trench along the border of the corrupted land.
His energy spent, Onoki's flight faltered, and he descended slowly, his breath ragged. He landed heavily in his office, his small frame slumping into his chair. Akatsuchi was at his side his soft face was full of concern.
-Lord Tsuchikage, you've pushed yourself too far again...
Onoki waved him off, though his hands shook.
-No time for this. He growled.
-Get the men out there. I want that trench to extended around the entire border of the corruption. No gaps, no mistakes. We hold the whole corruption...
He paused, his eyes narrowing as he stared out the window at the darkening sky.
-And find out what's happened to the Waterfall Village. I'll allow to use some jonins...
//Author's note.
There is a vote on Scribble Hub and RoyalRoad.
End of note.//