Chapter 26

On the way, Ino began badgering him about questions of himself. He was sure that he was the most powerful shinobi among their ranks, claiming he had to be to remain in power. Apparently, he was tested by a few high ranked members before. They were actually notable individuals as well. People Ino had noticed from the bingo books whose bounties were cashed in. The most notable being the puppet master Sasori of Sunagakure. Kai instilled fear of his power among his ranks to gain the respect of his people, but he feared he was losing it.

The problem was the people wanted action. They wanted something to ensure them that this organization was going to do something soon. Kai however, was unsure about this. His grandfather was the one to start this many years ago, and it was passed down to him as his father died in service. He was trained by his grandfather ruthlessly and he admitted to Ino, he really had no passion for harming the major villages. He had no reason for it. He was born and raised with the underground headquarters since birth.

Ino decided, to keep it real, she would give him some advice. "Ya know, if you don't take action soon, your people won't respect you." She said with a knowing tone. "Or someone may come around and take them from you."

Kai smiled bashfully. "Yeah I know… I don't know, maybe we'll start our own village… we've got a lot of members." He said.

Ino shook her head with a hum of uncertainty. "Changing your purpose will make them leave faster."

Kai explained he knew this and said he had been working on a way to propose the idea to the forces. He had just been too nervous to actually do it. Ino saw this as an opportunity to possibly take even more action. She pecked him on the cheek with a seductive smile.

"They say a strong woman can give a man strengths he never knew he had."

Kai looked over to her with a small grin tugging at his lips. "What is it you're proposing Ms. Ino?"

She placed her hand inside his with a bashful smile. "Tell your troops your idea… I'll be with you every step of the way."

Kai looked around the forest floor in thought. "I… I don't know." He said timidly. "I'll lose some of them…"

Ino nodded. "True, but the ones who stay are the ones who are really there for you."

She could see the realization and subtle belief in her words play out on his visage. He looked at the ground in front of them as they walked and he squeezed her hand gently. After a few moments, he looked over to her with a small smile and he nodded. Ino understood the gesture and rested her head on his shoulder.

They walked for a few more minutes until they crossed a field. Reaching the other side, he pushed chakra through the ground in a three round burst and a pathway opened up, leading underground. They were greeted by someone Ino knew of very well. Deidara, Iwa's mad bomber.

"Kai, another night of bar hopping huh?" he asked him incredulously.

Showing the respect he demanded, he walked right by him with his arm around Ino. "It's leader-sama to you and yes, another night of bar hopping." Deidara scowled at the back of his head as he followed the two. "How many men are here?"

With a deadpanned tone he replied. "Close to two hundred."

"Great, have everyone in the main room. I have an announcement." He said walking further in with Ino. Naruto was a few paces behind the three, silently watching and casually strolling along, unnoticed.

Deidara split away from the two to relay the message.

Walking through a corridor, Kai and Ino passed two throne like chairs looking out to what she assumed was the main hall as there were already more than a hundred people scattered around, either training, eating or just casually talking. The room was absolutely massive, much larger than she assumed it would be. She and Kai walked forward passing the beautifully sculpted thrones down about three steps, onto a small balcony overlooking the room.

There were a lot of other corridors lining the sides of the gigantic room with people funneling out, filling the main room within minutes. Ino watched from Kai's side as men and women chatted amongst themselves waiting for the meeting to start. Below them was a raised and rounded area seeming to be a platform for battle or entertainment. It was connected to a hall directly underneath them. Funneling out of it were seven people she assumed to be the higher ups.

Individuals such as Deidara Iwa's Mad Bomber, Kisame Hoshigaki, The Tailless Tailed Beast, Hidan, The Immortal, Aoi Rokushou, The Thief of the Sword of the Thunder God, Zabuza Momochi, Demon of Kirigakure, Kakuzu, the man who fought Hashirama Senju, and Pakura, former Hero of Sunagakure. It was a very lethal group of individuals that Ino found impressive. They were all S-rank criminals with a deep hatred for the major villages. Now, she was actually feeling slightly nervous. If they were faithful to Kai, then this wouldn't work.

Squeezing Ino's hand once more, Kai began the announcement, there was a seal placed on the balcony that allowed him to be heard around the entire room. He walked forward and got the attention of the waiting listeners. "People!" he said. "I have an important announcement." The entire room was completely drenched in silence, some of them thinking up what they thought he was going to say. Most of them hoping they were finally going to do something. "As you all know. The primary goal of this organization has been the destruction of the major villages."

He looked back at Ino who nodded at him with two thumbs up and a comically insane looking smile. He found it weird but ignored it and continued.

"As of recent… we've been dormant in our actions…" This statement got a wave of chuckles and giddy noises from the crowd. Everyone believing they knew where this was going. "I have a plan." He said getting the people even more excited.

Ino could see the eager body language of the seven higher ups below them and felt more reassured. They wanted to attack just as much as everyone else. His next statement caused an even greater reaction.

"My plan is to… abandon our previous objective and instead, start our own village." The people were dead silent for a moment, trying to process what he said. When they did, the room erupted into outrageous shouts of anger. Kai watched them yell their discrepancies at him silently for a moment. Flashing his highly intense killer intent, he froze the room almost instantly. Ino was actually surprised by it. She realized he was a lot stronger than she imagined.

The seven higher ups jumped up to the balcony to demand an answer. Hidan being the most vulgar began badgering him immediately. "Kai! What the hell are you talking about!?" he yelled incredulously. "I didn't waste three years of my fucking life to be pulled back into another fucking village!"

"You're immortal jackass, but he's right!" yelled Deidara. "The hell is wrong with you!?"

Kai stared at them indifferently with his hands behind his back. "We won't be a regular village." He tried to explain

"Yeah, no shit. We're made up of missing ninja." Aoi said casually as if he were speaking to an idiot.

Zabuza pulled his sword from his back. "The only reason we are here is because of the mission" he said pointing his blade at him. Kai stared at him unintimidated.

"Oh, Zabuza is gonna challenge him?" Kisame said with an amused tone. "This is making shark skin tremble."

Kai walked forward and stared him in the eyes. "That mission was started by my grandfather. He was a fool to believe he could take on the likes of the five Kage." He said in a threatening way. "If you wish to try and take my place, then by all means." He said threateningly.

Zabuza couldn't even maintain the eye contact with him. The others could see his sword slowly sinking down out of Kai's face. It was a strange sight for Ino to see, the demon of the mist shying away from an enemy. In front of a fellow swordsman no less.

"Know your place, Momochi." Kai said casually stepping pass them to continue his speech. The seven of them turned along with him, seemingly going along with him. "I understand the issue with this, but I urge you to allow me to explain." He said waiting for someone to say something. When they didn't he continued. "The qualms of my grandfather do not extend to me… I have no hatred for the hidden villages, and I understand that you may. If so, I urge you to take it upon yourself to take action in your own way. If you're hate is pure, then you will have no issue doing so."

"Well, if that's not cowardice, then I don't know what is." Said a new voice from behind him. The group upon the balcony turned around in surprise at the man brave enough to disrespect this monster before them. Naruto stepped around the thrones with his mask on and his hands behind his back. Ino, who was still behind the group smirked at Kai who looked at her in suspicion. She slyly placed her mask back on her head and when Naruto got next to her, she leaned on his shoulder. "Kai Okutaka" he said slowly.