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"Ssso we have a deal? Will you ssspar with me?" Senzui hissed, his voice somehow even louder than before.
'Okay, now I'm sure. He's doing this on purpose,' Kaoru thought, annoyed. Kaoru had no interest in sparring with him, but unfortunately, there was no dodging the Noda clan's overly theatrical heir.
"Sure, why not? Let's do it tomorrow afternoon," Kaoru replied, matching Senzui's tone to make sure that everyone heard him loud and clear.
'If I can't avoid this, then I might as well enjoy it. And I'll make sure you regret trying to corner me like this,' he added inwardly, a faintly menacing grin tugging at the edge of his mouth.
Senzui lit up, his excitement shining through his face.
"Great! Tomorrow then!" he all but shouted before sprinting toward the council hall, completely forgetting to ask if Kaoru wanted to walk there together.
Kaoru blinked, watching him disappear around the corner.
'Wait… why is a clan heir even attending the council meeting? I was never called when I was an heir.' He realized the oddity. 'So this isn't just any meeting.'
It was Maki who informed him about it, so obviously, she didn't bother with the details.
He straightened his posture and resumed walking, brushing off the earlier irritation. The streets were busier than usual, the entire village alive with energy. Takimura had changed and was still changing with each passing day. The people had pride in their steps now, and for good reason.
…
The council hall was packed, more than Kaoru had ever seen.
Not just the heads of the clans, but their heirs and several key figures from across the village had gathered. This wasn't an ordinary session. Today, Takimura was holding its most important meeting yet.
Today, they would publicly declare victory over both Kirigakure and Kumogakure.
And more importantly, they would elect the first Kage of Takimura.
Everyone was beaming with restrained excitement. Despite the losses they had suffered, Takimura had done what no one thought possible. Not only had they survived their first war, they had emerged stronger than before.
No one, absolutely no one, had predicted that a newly formed village would stand its ground against Kiri, then turn around and repel Kumo. Even the most optimistic clansmen wouldn't have dared to imagine it.
"Is it true the Daimyo is coming?" Brok asked, his voice hushed despite his towering frame. Politics wasn't his strong suit.
"Yes. I asked Tereno earlier and he confirmed it. However, he won't be arriving today," Orihime replied, visibly exhausted. She had all but begged to be excused from the meeting, but her presence had been demanded. After following the army throughout the entire campaign, the veteran medic was worn thin. Age had caught up with her, making it impossible to bounce back with a rest of few days.
"Can you believe it?" Brok said, swelling with pride. "Our little village… and now the Daimyo himself is coming to celebrate with us."
Though the Durinu clan hadn't been among Takimura's original founders, they had joined during the early days when the village was still more an idea than a place, and they carried that pride like a badge of honor.
"It's more than celebration," Beno Takime said as he approached, carrying three delicate blue flowers with deep crimson centers. "We need Daimyo's approval before we can elect our Kage."
"Isn't that more of a gesture than anything real?" Brok asked, crossing his arms. "I mean, even if the Daimyo disapproves of our Kage candidate and wants someone else… would we actually listen?"
He didn't bother lowering his voice. Clan heads and high ranking officials' heads turned immediately, all looking at him in stunned silence.
Such questions weren't meant to be voiced in the middle of an important meeting, especially not one as important as this. But Brok didn't care for unspoken rules. He wasn't trying to make a scene or stir controversy. He was simply asking what was on his mind.
Orihime chuckled softly, the blunt question lifting some of the exhaustion from her expression. She reached toward Beno, taking two of the blue-and-crimson flowers he held - one for herself, and one for Brok.
"It's more of a tradition at this point, yes," she said, handing Brok the flower with a small smile. "But why ignore a harmless tradition that helps maintain good relations with the Water Daimyo, especially when it costs us nothing?"
She smiled again when she saw Brok eyeing the flower with visible confusion, turning it over in his large hand like it might be part of some unexplained ritual.
"It was Lady Mei's idea," Orihime continued, gently twirling her own flower between her fingers. "Each year, on this day, we'll bring these flowers to the graves of our fallen comrades. A way to remember the war and the price of our first victory."
"But why this flower?" Brok asked, still curious.
"Because it represents Takimura," Orihime answered, her tone softening. "It only grows in this valley, nurtured by the waterfall that shapes our land. The petals are the colors of our founders - blue for Takime, crimson for Terumi. All blended into one. A perfect symbol of where we came from."
She lifted the flower to her nose and inhaled gently. Maybe it was her imagination, but for a moment, she could smell the distant roar of the waterfall, the life force of their valley, the soul of their village.
"The water Daimyo sent us gifts to congratulate on our victory. He did not send anything to Kiri," Beno laughed, deliberately raising his voice.
"That should tell you what he really thinks of us."
Their conversation came to a natural pause as all eyes turned to the entrance.
Maki, Mei, and Kaoru stepped into the hall, smiles still playing on their faces from the earlier conversation. The room fell into respectful silence as the three most prominent young leaders in Takimura walked forward, the unspoken symbols of the village's future.
Sensing the need to save them, Akura rose, stepping on a slightly elevated platform designed to give the speaker visibility.
"Now that everyone is here," he announced, "we can begin."
He scanned the room once before smiling, the relief on his face plain to see.
"First of all, let me formally say what you all already know - Takimura has achieved the impossible. We've not only survived two wars against Kiri and Kumo, but we've won. And with that victory, peace has finally returned."
He paused, glancing toward the crowd with a hint of humor.
"And that means I am no longer the acting head of the village."
The smile that followed was genuine, perhaps the happiest anyone had seen on Akura in months. He looked ten years older, but ten times lighter.
"I can finally sleep again," he muttered, slightly annoyed. But then laughed to sell it as a joke.
"In a few days, we will receive the Water Daimyo," Akura announced, his voice ringing through the crowded hall. "They're arriving to officially appoint Takimura's first Kage, however, He has already agreed on our candidate."
He allowed the weight of the words to settle before continuing, pride seeping into his tone.
"Now that we're no longer a village in name only, but a true power acknowledged even by great nations like Kumo and Kiri, we can't continue moving forward relying solely on the council."
He paused, his gaze becoming unfocused as old memories stirred.
He saw it all again - the first meeting with Meruem, the heated arguments with Maki and Mei, their unwavering belief that uniting their clans was the only path forward. The slow, uncertain process of convincing others. The long nights. The fear. The hope. How the Durinu and other clans had joined, one by one, until what was once an outpost became a village.
Akura smiled, but the smile carried the weight of the sacrifices they had to make.
'Suiren… you would be so proud of what we've built.'
He snapped back as the silence stretched too long.
"Forgive me, old memories caught up with me," he said, brushing the moment aside with a brief cough.
"The recent wars have shown us how fragile peace can be. In a world where one misstep can lead to war, we can't afford uncertainty. We need a leader. Not just someone to manage or someone who is the friendliest, but someone who can stand as the symbol of our village! Someone our enemies will fear and our allies respect."
Akura's words were measured. He didn't name anyone, but he didn't have to. The implication was clear.
They weren't choosing the kindest candidate or the most experienced politician. They were choosing the strongest shinobi in the village, someone backed by the most powerful clan, and someone who had proven herself on the battlefield time and time again.
Everyone was having a different reaction.
The Takime members straightened with subtle pride, already knowing what was coming. The Terumi clansmen, while slightly subdued, showed no signs of protest. The truth was obvious - Maki was the most qualified. While there was disappointment, there was no resentment.
The rest of the figures like Yko Uzumaki, Shin, Ao, and the various clan representatives, had no reservations. Maki had stood where no one else could. She had fought the strongest enemies, taken the greatest risks, and carried the heaviest weight. Takimura's survival and victory were, in large part, because of her.
She had earned this.
"Sis, they're talking about you," Kaoru whispered, nudging her side with a mischievous elbow.
"Haha, Akura-san basically said you're not the friendliest person in the village," he added with a grin, laughing a little too loudly.
A few heads turned.
Akura's eyes found him with a tired stare, but there was no malice behind it.
'Maybe he really does need to get out and mature a bit,' Akura mused, though the thought came with a hint of chuckle.
Kaoru, now more confident and at ease than ever, didn't seem to care about the attention he was drawing. The war had changed him. He no longer carried himself with the same uncertainty. There was a confidence in his posture, a quiet strength in the way he stood among the village's leaders - not out of place, but as someone who belonged there.
And he did.
While Maki had become the undeniable symbol of Takimura's strength, Kaoru had been just a step behind her, contributing in ways that shaped the course of the war. He had helped turn the tide against Kiri, destroyed the fleet Kumo relied on to continue their invasion, and uncovered the rare mineral that Kiri had been trying to hoard.
Each of those moments had proven his value not just to the village, but to himself. Maki had cast the longest shadow, but Kaoru had grown strong enough to stand in it without disappearing.
And now, that self-confidence showed in every word he spoke or every step to took, even if some of those steps were out of place.
"Ru, shut up," Maki muttered, trying and failing to suppress a laugh. What surprised everyone more was the sight of Mei beside her, covering her mouth with a hand, her shoulders shaking slightly. The three of them had already been smiling from their previous conversation when they entered, and Kaoru's teasing had been just enough to push them over the edge.
Laughter followed, light at first, then growing with each second.
"Haha, we seem to forget that our heroes are still young," Brok rumbled, his deep voice booming through the hall like thunder cracking in a still sky.
This time, no one frowned at him. The remark struck a chord. The laughter spread, catching like a spark on dry grass, until it completely filled the room.
It wasn't Kaoru's joke that stirred it, and it wasn't Brok's timing either. It was the release of everything they had held in. Fear, pressure, and fatigue were swept away by the joy of standing at the threshold of something new. They had won. They had survived. And now, together, they were beginning again.
Eventually, the sound softened, voices falling into breathy chuckles, a few lingering smiles still tugging at corners of tired faces. When silence finally returned, Akura stepped forward once more.
"Ahem, let's continue… I believe you already know who this village will be led by," he said, looking around. "The council vote was unanimous. Every member chose the same name."
He took a pause before his expression lit up with pride.
"And I'm honored to announce the results," he said, raising his hand and gesturing toward the center of the hall.
"I'm proud to present… the first…"
**
A/N -
I could've included the official Kage title in this chapter… but since I haven't decided on the final name yet, I figured it'd be better to wait one more chapter xD
I'll also be sharing the visual design of Takimura Kage's hat
Character Notes:
Kaoru - Chaos in formalwear – "Council meeting? Political milestone? Nah, perfect time for an elbow jab and bad jokes."
Akura - Finally done - "You know what? Let her be Kage. I'm going to sleep for a year."
Brok - Unfiltered wisdom - "You're all thinking it. I'm just loud enough to say it."
Yko - Likely drawing explosive seals on the walls - "Still here. Still dangerous. Still fabulous."
Senzui Noda - Patiently dramatic - "Ssssspaaar with me Lord Kaoru, sssspaaarrr!."
Reminder - Break Tomorrow
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The link is also in the synopsis