Chapter 48.5- One Thousand Hands

XXXXXX- SHORIRAMA SENJU

“So what’’s the damage?” I asked a visibly limping Shino. With my byakugan, I could see the full extent of his wounds, but did not offer to heal them. The alliance between Konoha and Taki was far from the thing it was in canon where Naruto ands team had been allowed into their village. Even after beating two jinchuriki for them, they were far from giving me that honour.

“We lost seven of ours in the chase. Only one of yours though” He said, giving me a half glare at those words. One of the women that had met us by his side was one of the dead. A lover?

“A complete victory then” I surmised.. Because that was the truth. Two jinchuriki were enough to end the vast majority of Taki’s forces, legendary hero water or not.

He took a deep breath before looking to the side for a second.

“Yes, a complete victory.”

“Then I’ll be expecting some payment for my services.”

“What? We had a deal with your Kage”

“Hiruzen can do as he wishes. I killed a jinchuriki for you, and you tried to assassinate my grandfather in the past.. Think of it as reparations if you refuse to think of it as a reward. “

“What could you possibly even want from us? We don’t have much money”

“Money is for those with less imagination than I. I want the only thing of value your village produces. A flask of your hero water”

“That’s ridic-“

“Give me what I need and I won’t tell the hokage what you have done with the Nanabi who once roamed this forest” I said, making an educated guess. The way he paled gave me the proof I wanted almost instantly. Kurama had been able to feel imprints of Chomei’s chakra, especially after we freed Kokuo and he left. The only possible explanation was that he was once here. And since I knew Grandfather had never captured the Seven Tails and Taki somehow had a Jinchuriki of their own by the time canon rolled around.

“Taki has just as much rights to do what the rest of the villages do. Don’t think for a second that I don’t know what you are, Shorirama Senju” He’d found some backbone, it seemed. It would almost have been amusing if he didn’t find it against me of all people.

Kurama?

Gladly.

I pulled some of his chakra into my stream. Not much. Just enough to change the color of my eyes as I deactivated my byakugan. I could see the way his demeanor changed. I could see my red irises reflected in his black orbs for a second before his eyes flicked away, unable to maintain eye contact.