Chapter 30.2- One Thousand Hands

Something about my old Sensei’s words seems to sink in for the Silver haired Kumo shinobi and he straightened up.

“With all due respect, Ginkaku, I seem to recall the Konoha Shinobi being my prisoner. While it was one of yours that detected him, I was the one to lead the team that captured him. Iwa is very much interested in this trade.” Kitsuchi, the Tsuchikage’s son stepped forward. I could tell he was only a few years older than me. Easily the closest person to me when it came to age, except the Jinchuriki of course.

“Alright then. We will do as planned. We will release both prisoners and they will walk to the other side. At that point, we will all leave these islands. Enough blood has been spilt here for all our nations” Sakumo said next.

“No to that one. Swap the hostages if you want, but none of you leave here while I still live. I will see that snake bastard pay for what he did to my brother” Ginkaku said, face forming into a harsh snarl that made it clear that he would not be moved on this goal of his. Even worse, the whisker marks on his face were there and dark as ever meaning that he had nine tails chakra coursing through his veins.

I had faith in Sakumo’s strength but this wasn’t the kind of engagement that we had a high chance of escaping unscathed. I’;d already allowed Jinpei return to the summoning realm and summoning him again was going to wipe me out, even with what I’d gained from the soldier pills I’d taken between then and now.

“Orochimaru is already well on his way back to Konoha” Sakumo said, lying through his teeth and I just kept my gaze on Ginkaku’s fascinating chakra system to avoid accidentally giving anything away.

“There is nothing to be gained from facing us here. My young partner has already killed Kubo Yatsuki and every single one of the Kumo and Iwa Jounin placed on the other island. Kinkaku has taken a lot of damage, and quite a few of your Jounin are dead. Fighting us now does nothing but put you in needless risk. You might win, you might lose, but I guarantee that you will not live beyond today” His killing intent pressed down on the whole clearing. A man strong enough to beat all three of Hiruzen’s students at the same time. It was clear even now that he was the strongest one of us all. Ginkaku hid it well but few things could be hidden from my eyes, and he was hurting. Kitsuchi had a broken set of ribs and the rest of the Jounin had some injury or the other.

Even I had sustained some damage in my fight with Kubo. Only one of us was unscathed from all the earlier battling- Sakumo.

“fine. Take your man and get out.”

“Thank you Ginkaku-san”

I watched the hostage exchange with bated breath- waiting for them to betray us, waiting for Sakumo to give me some signal for us to betray them, waiting to receive some sort of show of weakness that would make me do it nonetheless. All my tension disappeared in one fell swoop as Danzo crossed the invisible line that marked our territory with nothing happening. I waited even longer and still nothing. Nothing at all. No attack, no surprise. Just an alive Danzo with a terribly broken arm.