Shota, Pakura and her genin left the village after a couple days of observing Konoha, they left.
Everyone stayed alert as they walked through the forest paths leading away from Konoha.
Maki turned to Pakura and said, "Konoha had really lost a lot of their shinobi in the attack. They really are weakened." Maki spoke in a low voice so only the group could hear.
She had seen the damaged buildings and the tired faces of the remaining shinobi during their stay. It looked like Konoha was struggling after losing so many fighters. This made her think about how the balance of power between villages might have shifted.
One of the two boys grinned. "We should take this as an opportunity to attack Konoha." The genin sounded excited at the idea. He imagined that a surprise attack now could give Suna a big advantage.
Shota smacked him on the back. "Oi did you know how hard it was to convince the council to not take advantage of Konoha and instead help them?"
The genin rubbed his head in pain. "But..." He tried to argue back but was again hit by Shota. The second smack made him stop talking right away.
The genin could not help but look at Pakura sensei only to be ignored by her.
Pakura said to Shota, "He is not wrong. Konoha really lost some of their best jonin including Shinku Yuhi, Ikkaku Umino among others." Pakura finally spoke up after thinking about the losses. She listed the names of strong jonin who had died in the attack.
These were experienced fighters who played important roles in protecting the village. Their deaths created big gaps in Konoha's defense.
'Kurenai and Iruka dads. They were respected jonins.' Shota thought. Shota remembered the names from what he knew about this world. Shinku Yuhi was Kurenai's father, and Ikkaku Umino was Iruka's father.
The genin looked at Shota as if to see if he would hit Pakura too.
Shota said, "And they would still recover from it like always. We thought the same when they lost their first Hokage then second Hokage and Mito Uzumaki then Sakumo Hatake but we still lost all 3 wars. It is time we change our thinking and not underestimate Konoha."
Pakura nodded thoughtfully at that so did the genin. Though they did it for fear of Shota hitting them if they do not accept his words. Pakura agreed because she saw the wisdom in Shota's experience.
Maki asked, "Where are we going now? I do not think this is the way to Suna?" Maki noticed the path was turning away from the direct route to the Hidden Sand Village.
"We are going to Takigakure to take a child with us." Shota answered her question directly.
"A child? Taki?" Maki repeated in surprise.
"Yes, we are going to take the seven tails jinchuriki to Suna." Pakura said. She confirmed the plan and told them about the powerful tailed beast involved.
The three genins looked shocked. "A jinchuriki... seven tails like the nine tailed fox that destroyed Konoha. Is that safe?" They spoke almost at the same time.
The idea of bringing another tailed beast to their village worried them. They had seen the destruction in Konoha and did not want something similar to happen in Suna.
"Well no, but it would bolster Suna's strength and give it another war deterrent like Shukaku of the sand." Shota said.
He admitted there were risks but explained the benefits clearly. Having two tailed beasts would make enemies think twice before attacking Suna. It would act as a strong protection for the village, similar to how Shukaku already helped them.
After a couple of days of travelling they reached Takigakure. The journey was tiring but peaceful. They crossed forests, rivers, and hills without running into major trouble.
The genin trained lightly along the way to stay sharp. As they got closer, the sound of rushing water grew louder and louder. Tall trees gave way to rocky cliffs covered in green moss.
The group stopped at the edge of a huge cliff and looked down in wonder. A massive waterfall crashed down into a clear pool below, sending spray high into the air.
Hidden behind the falling water was the entrance to Takigakure, a village built inside the rocky caves and tunnels. Shota pointed toward the waterfall and explained how the village used the water as natural protection.
"Look at that. The village is right behind the waterfall," one of the genin said with wide eyes. He had never seen anything like it before. The sight made him forget about being tired from the long walk.
Pakura smiled slightly. "Yes, it is a clever defense. Anyone trying to attack would have to go through the water first."
They carefully climbed down a hidden path along the rocks until they reached the base of the waterfall.
Shota stepped forward first. "We are here on official business from Suna. We request entry to speak with your leader." He raised his voice to be heard over the water.
After a moment, a group of Takigakure shinobi appeared from behind the waterfall. They looked cautious but polite. One of them nodded and led the Suna group through a narrow passage where the water did not touch them.
The inside was surprisingly dry and well lit with special lanterns. The village opened up into a series of connected caves and platforms built around underground rivers. People went about their daily lives, trading goods and training in open areas.
The Suna team looked around with interest, noting how different this hidden village felt from their desert home.
As soon as they entered the village, they saw a very old man waiting for them on the other side. The old man stood straight despite his age. His clothes were simple but clean, and he had a kind but serious expression on his face. He waited patiently as the Suna group approached.
"Welcome folks of Suna..." The old man greeted them warmly. He bowed slightly in respect and introduced himself as a respected elder of Takigakure.
The elder continued, "We understand the purpose of your visit and have discussed it among our leaders. Takigakure wishes to build stronger ties with Suna through this exchange."
Shota was more focused on why the old man had a baby girl in his hands. "This here is my granddaughter Fū... she would be the next jinchuriki. Oh, I am the current Jinchuriki of the seven tails. I hope you would take care of her and make sure she is at home in Suna."
The old man held the small baby carefully and showed her to the Suna group. Fū was wrapped in soft blankets and looked peaceful as she slept.
--------Author Notes---------
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