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"Attack him, hurry! Now's your chance!"
Akio grew increasingly anxious as he watched Tobirama signing an alliance agreement with the Second Raikage.
"Where are Kinkaku and Ginkaku? Hurry up and ambush the Second Raikage!" As the alliance ceremony neared completion, Akio still hadn't sensed their chakra. Doubt began to creep in.
"Hokage, with this, the Hidden Cloud Village and Konoha are officially allies in the upcoming war!" The Second Raikage's laughter echoed.
Tobirama turned to glance at Akio, who was frowning deeply.
"Hokage?"
"Oh, Raikage." Tobirama turned back. "Yes, Konoha officially joins hands with you. In the battles ahead, we advance and retreat as one!"
"Where are Kinkaku and Ginkaku?" Akio frowned again and formed the Tiger hand seal. Kagura's Mind's Eye!
A sharp alarm blared from a corner of the Hidden Cloud, likely some high-tech ninja defense mechanism. Akio ignored it.
"Not in the village? What the hell is going on…" he muttered, lifting his head to find the Second Raikage standing right in front of him.
"Elder Uzumaki, just now…"
Tobirama twitched at the corner of his mouth. They'd just formed an alliance, and his "grand-uncle" was already stirring trouble.
Akio scratched his head. "Ah, it's nothing. Just curiosity, that's all…" Then something came to mind. "I've heard that the Hidden Cloud has two legends—Kinkaku and Ginkaku. Why haven't I seen them?"
The Second Raikage gave him a long, piercing look. "The Second Tsuchikage recently infiltrated our village. A grave offense. Kinkaku and Ginkaku are currently leading a squad to battle Iwagakure's forces in the Land of Rain."
Akio twitched at the corner of his mouth. So they're really not here. Does that mean the alliance is actually genuine this time?
Sure enough, the rest of the visit went smoothly. Everyone got along, and Akio and Tobirama even spent a night in the Hidden Cloud without any incidents disturbing the peace.
Early the next morning, the two set off for home. They traveled in silence until they left the Land of Lightning's borders. Tobirama cautiously broke the quiet.
"Grand-uncle, you…"
Akio sighed. As for me… I'm heading to the Land of Rain to deal with those two brothers. This whole situation has left a bad taste in my mouth."
Tobirama hesitated, then nodded. "Be careful on your way…"
"I'll try to take them out quietly. I won't damage our newly formed alliance with the Hidden Cloud. I've got no personal grudge with the Raikage."
Tobirama nodded. "That would be best. You know about the Tailed Beast incident. Big Brother offended the Hidden Waterfall Village's ninja, and now they're getting restless. Takigakure's no small threat. Konoha's situation is delicate right now—we can't handle a three-front war."
"Complicated times…" Akio sighed. "Believe me, my Uzumaki Clan knows all about complications."
"All right, I'm off!" He waved, preparing to soar toward the Land of Rain.
But just as he gained altitude, Akio suddenly descended again. Shaking his head, he smiled and looked at Tobirama, who was clearly confused.
"No need to go any farther. They're right up ahead…"
A familiar chakra signature washed over him. Akio's expression turned sly. "Kotodama Fūin—Release!"
"Come on, Tobirama. Let's take a look." The two darted forward several hundred meters. Sure enough, they spotted familiar yet hostile figures—Kinkaku, Ginkaku, and their elite twenty-man squad.
Kinkaku hadn't noticed them yet. He was berating two subordinates.
"What's going on?! Why haven't you fired the cannon?"
The two looked aggrieved. "Lord Kinkaku, the charging process is complete. It was working fine before…"
"Kinkaku, forget it. Those two are coming our way," Ginkaku interrupted.
Akio squinted at the brothers' gear and chuckled. "Tobirama, see the gear they're wearing? Once I snatch it, we'll reverse-engineer it back in Konoha. Then every ninja gets one."
"Hey, Kinkaku, that old man wants to steal our toys…"
"Don't mind him, Ginkaku. Just a geezer knocking on death's door. Let him admire our new gear."
…
Akio's face darkened. Just as he was about to form hand seals, his sensing ability flared. A large group of chakra signatures was approaching fast.
"The Second Raikage, Bee… they've all come." Akio looked over at Tobirama and smiled. "Looks like this alliance is over."
Tobirama scanned their surroundings, face growing grim. "Grand-uncle, we'll have to go all out. If we eliminate the Hidden Cloud's elite here, that's one less front to worry about!"
Akio nodded, waiting calmly as their enemies approached. Kinkaku and Ginkaku didn't move either—still fiddling with their broken weapon.
Two minutes later, the Second Raikage and Bee arrived with dozens of ninja in tow.
"Looks like mostly jōnin… so four S-rank ninja, and fifty or sixty jōnin-level fighters. Just me and Tobirama... not too bad," Akio estimated inwardly.
"Raikage, what's the meaning of this?" Tobirama demanded, seizing the initiative.
The Second Raikage looked straight at Akio. "Uzumaki Akio—is that what I should call you? Or should I say, Namikaze Minato?"
"What? Namikaze Minato?" Tobirama turned, clearly confused. He had no idea what his grand-uncle had been doing in the Hidden Cloud.
Akio gave an awkward smile. "When did you find out?"
"Hmph!" The Raikage snorted. "I suspected you from the start. Your personality gave you away! And you dared impersonate the Second Tsuchikage! I decided to play along—and take out the Hokage while I was at it!"
Akio's face turned darker and darker. He sighed. "Tobirama, maybe this old man just isn't cut out for subtle schemes…"
Tobirama said nothing.
"You're really Namikaze Minato? You bastard!" Bee shouted, black lightning crackling around him as he flashed toward Akio. "Heavy Flow Storm!"
Akio recognized the technique and sighed. "Fifth Gate—Gate of Limit: Open!"
Elbow met elbow. B was sent flying, crashing through a line of massive trees.
Akio smiled again and looked at the Second Raikage. "See? There are still people who haven't figured out I'm Namikaze Minato."
B didn't seem hurt. He adjusted mid-air and charged again.
"B! Fall back!" the Raikage barked.
With a grunt, B skidded to a halt and retreated.
"Uzumaki Akio, no need for words. I know you can fly. You'll escape. But the Hokage stays here!"
Akio turned to Tobirama with a smile. "Shall I ditch you and flee?"
Tobirama gave him a pained smile.
Despite the looming battle, Akio found his mind wandering. After this fight, being such a strong ninja… continuing to go by Uzumaki Akio just doesn't feel right anymore. Should I change my name?
He clapped a fist into his palm. "Decision made! Uzumaki Arata—that name sounds cool enough!"
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