22 Nation Free Of Borders

Just before the midday heat kicked in and started to affect them. Nohara kept his promise and let the three genin down. Not that they weren't already mentally fried. Kobaru's request for ice that didn't exist was a constant reminder that they weren't far from going completely insane.

Despite Nagisa's protest against them following the orders. She appeared to enjoy their early release. So much so that she immediately requested a sparring session.

Chusei had no idea where she found the energy after hanging off a wall for half a day. All he could think about was grabbing a big bowl of ramen and lazing off until sunset.

Maybe two big bowls of ramen if the first bowl replenished enough energy.

Predictably Nagisa's request was quickly met with the youngest genin's joyful agreement. Showing that even though he couldn't tell up from down, he would do anything for the thrill.

Chusei was hungry but he found that the meal always tasted better when he had their company. Another reason he chose to stay because neither of the could quit with grace.

So, after finding shade, Chusei had no choice but to watch them practice.

They started with a few trades, strictly boxing. Solid strikes with constant footwork and movement, that had them sprinting around the clearing in choreographed dance. Once they were each knocked one too many times, the situation would escalate. Then they moved on to actually trying to murder each other.

The mixture of Kobaru's lack of second thought and Nagisa's sun fueled irritability. It took them about three minutes to devolve, with the nine-year-old just barely avoiding a haircut by kunai.

"Boo! Finish him already," Chusei jeered his disinterest pungent in his tone. The quicker they got a loser. The quicker they'd grab a meal.

The younger genin threw a punch at Nagisa's trailing shoulder knocking her off balance. He then dodged another improvised haircut and made a quick retreat. From experience he could confirm that was the better decision. Simply put her fighting style was crafted primarily to counter counter attacks.

Nagisa found her footing and pointed her kunai at Kobaru standing several feet away. She held her stance in anticipation of whatever the boy was planning. They could practically hear the gears turning in his little head.

He formed the snake seal and blurred through hand seals. The result was a clump of smoke and chakra filling the clearing where they fought. Nagisa quickly launched her kunai into the growing cloud in hopes of maiming the child.

They couldn't see him, but the lack of a thud or the clanging of metal could only mean that he caught it. Another kunai was immediately thrown out of the smoke. The power behind it was only sufficient for two thirds of the way.

It lodged itself into the dirt a few steps ahead of Nagisa, who eyed it suspiciously. A warranted reaction considering that they had both seen Kobaru throw before and knew that he never undershot. Being right-handed, he either threw it too hard to the left or the target moved out of the way. The item thrown never dropped short, because the kid had one hell of an arm.

Chusei found himself straightening his frame also waiting for the boy's plan to unfold. Half interested in what would be the outcome of the fight and half wondering where these two idiots were getting their energy from.

Without warning five clones shot into the air. Kunai in hand ready to rain cold metal down onto Nagisa's waiting frame.

Rain it did, but Nagisa had shown many times before that she could outmaneuver raindrops if she pleased.

Kobaru had definitely closed the gap between him and Nagisa. Before he stood no chance against her one and one, even when she was barely trying. Now he could at least force her to defend, but he was still a lot closer to an untrained civilian than he was to the girl.

For one her style was focused on quick decisive movements that made it feel like the user had eight limbs. A technique like that was already difficult to defend. So opposing it with little taijutsu experience was an improvised death sentence.

Secondly, she had trained in said fighting style since she was three years old. Meaning, she had a lifetime worth of experience, and she didn't even hit puberty yet.

Finally, her innate paranoia meant that she was always four steps ahead in spars. Often leading to her considering attacks that her opponent didn't even think to use.

Chusei watched on as five copies of his friend tried sticking a knife into the body of his other friend. Who slipped, ducked and flipped out of the line of every attack. The five attackers followed her around coordinating their strikes with practiced movements.

Yet it was like watching a group of people play a game of whack a mole together... and lose.

He looked away in embarrassment for the clones only to find their progenitor smiling like some mad man. Replacing Chusei's shame with intrigue.

The nine-year-old swapped himself in with one of the clones. Who swapped with another clone. Who swapped with another.

Chusei turned his attention back to Nagisa. The onslaught of armed toddlers continued their effort. A few managing to catch her a few times on her back.

Five people were already hard to defend against. Five people that instantaneously switched positions with each other were visibly more difficult to track.

She quickly changed her stance to offense and knocked one in his teeth, which was enough to dispatch him. Trading a slice on the wrist of the offending arm.

A slight look of concern formed on her face, which could only mean that Kobaru's pace had increased since their last spar. Her shock quickly faded, and she replaced it with a narrow leer.

Once again emanating her usually annoying calm.

Nagisa threw a wide arcing roundhouse kick, resulting in uniform avoidance from the clones. With her newfound space she leapt into the air. Kobaru quickly followed by allowing a clone to jump off another's shoulder and sprung up at the girl.

Said clone was met with a solid haymaker before he even realized that he caught up to the girl. He popped out of existence leaving a smoke screen that hid Nagisa long enough to make a tactical retreat.

Kobaru and his three remaining clones regrouped and stood back-to-back waiting for Nagisa to make her drop. A persistent silence was hung in the air as everyone stood still. Kunai held up for a reflexive swipe at the first sign of danger.

The blue haired genin appeared with a blur of speed and caught a clone in the face with a solid elbow strike. Two other clones immediately went on the attack with the remaining Kobaru retreating slightly.

The first clone swiped high at Nagisa's face. She blocked the offending arm with the back of her right wrist. The second swiped at her midsection. She quickly pulled her left leg up and just barely stopped the attack with her shin. Both attacks were held still by two fluid movements.

Before any of them could complete their offensive thought Nagisa was already moving.

She smashed the first in the face with the heel of her palm and knocked the second out with a back kick. Her speed guaranteed that her attack would hit its mark, as Kobaru couldn't defend what he couldn't read.

The two clones disappeared in clouds of smoke leaving Kobaru alone. The boy realizing he threw his chance rolled his eyes in exasperation. Then sighed in an exaggerated display, "you're harder to kill than a cockroach."

Nagisa didn't wait for him to regroup mentally and quickly made her approach. Her only remaining opponent noticed her intent and readied himself for the attack.

He moved his head out of the way of the first swing and jumped back to avoid a sweep at his legs. Then immediately lunged at her once her back was turned to him. He caught the girl in her back and by the gritting of her teeth, it made her even more angry than before.

Whilst still midswipe, she quickly spun to face her opponent and wrenched his arm. Kobaru dropped the kunai in response and yanked his arm away from the girl. As expected, she held onto him and was dragged down into a monkey flip.

The girl somehow changed her composure midair and stopped the boy's attack from succeeding by punching him in the knee. Effectively throwing him off balance and leading her to land right on top of him.

She dropped with an elbow strike to the face which connected fully with Kobaru's nose bridge and Chusei heard it crack from where he was sitting.

Leading to him scrambling to his feet in an effort to remind them that they were supposed to be sparring and not actively seeking each other's demise.

She followed the elbow drop with a gut punch, that Chusei didn't even see until her arm was nestled into the boy's midsection. An action that should have winded the nine year old, but only seemed to give him an extra burst of energy. Chusei decided to slow his pace when he realized that Nagisa's elbow was still pressed against Kobaru's face.

The young boy quickly grabbed her arms and grinned at his hunched opponent. By the strained movement of her head. Chusei could tell that she was caught in a technique that left her paralyzed.

Part of him wanted to be worried for her safety but the majority was excited to see Kobaru finally record a draw.

The little boy chuckled to himself his breathing heavy and labored. Chusei had known Kobaru for quite some time but despite their very physical occupation. He had never heard the boy sound out of breath. He had heard him claim to be tired, which was mostly out of boredom, but he was yet to see the boy claim that he was out breath.

Which could only mean that whatever technique he was using took up a large amount of chakra.

Kobaru pulled Nagisa closer to him, the veins on her head was a sure sign that she was struggling, "I can't believe this worked."

"What? What did you do?" she asked with a less than welcoming glare, "Explain."

"Gladly," Kobaru continued with no attempt to hide his excitement, "you know how chakra in its purest form can't survive outside of a living body," he paused for a response he didn't get, "I thought maybe if you inject it into other people maybe it could survive inside another person. I mean that's the basis of genjutsu-"

"Kai," Nagisa bit out startling the nine year old who looked equally surprised when the dispel didn't work.

After realizing that he still had Nagisa frozen he continued to expound, " but it's not genjutsu. The illusions of genjutsu are initiated by a spark. A shot of chakra that invades the nervous system and messes with perception. Which is why dispelling can be done through a simple push of chakra. Sure you can just make them think that their moving their chakra, but I still have limited control so..."

"With this I just lay it on as thick as I could and then maintain physical contact so none of the chakra gets dispersed. Right now, you're essentially wearing a suit of chakra higher in volume than the amount I'm currently using to sustain myself. The only downside is I can't move either."

Nagisa continued to glare at the boy without saying a word.

"You can stop trying to release the technique you know. You have a river worth of me in your nervous system. Only thing you can do is let it flow."

The girl appeared to glare even harder, "All this for a draw?"

Kobaru chuckled maniacally in a tone that made Chusei feel uncomfortable. Sheer spastic excitement flowing out of his bloody face. His laughter continued for an uncomfortably long time before he sighed.

"I'm just a clone. There's no way we're losing this one."

A loud poof went off.

Chusei turned his head to find the first kunai thrown now running towards Nagisa. Whilst wearing Kobaru's clothes.

The girl in question quickly realized this was a plot from the beginning. She replaced a glare with wide eyed fear as the sound of sandals closed in on her. Thoughts of solutions definitely racing through her mind. Several silent attempts to regain control fell face flat.

Until something worked.

Right before Kobaru could get his victory swing his clone disappeared.

Poof

Nagisa without missing a beat, spun on her heel and swatted the boy out of the air with a spinning kick.

Chusei scrambled on his feet and jumped across to intercept the flying boy before he hit a tree. He landed in a squat and looked across at Nagisa with a renewed sense of fear.

"Nice catch," she said as she nursed her bloody elbow.

Chusei looked down at Kobaru's small frame cradled in his arms, "how'd she get out?"

Kobaru shook his head. His face riddled with a clear question of his own intelligence.

"Excuse me, as he said I was wearing a suit of his chakra that used mine as it's foundation," Nagisa decided to save them the stress of figuring it out, "So when I pulled my chakra inward his was pulled in as well. Collapsing the entire technique," she sighed then glared at Kobaru, "There's a reason genjutsu is just spark Kobaru."

The boy bit his lip at the sound of his name.

Nagisa sighed again then folded her arms, "It's an impressive technique but next time you're using it try to find the balance between your energy and theirs. You're chakra is really dense, so you don't need to put everything into it. One percent would have been enough to hold me in place."

Kobaru leaped out of Chusei's arm and practically flew over to Nagisa's side his disappointment already forgotten, "So all I need is a bit more work."

"Yes."

"And then I can try it on you?"

"No. Never again," she frowned then looked around for an excuse to change the topic, "Where's my kunai?"

"Ta da!" he produced the the knife from the back of his trousers.

"Thank you," she eyed the kunai suspiciously before grabbing it from the boy's hand, "My lunch is on you by the way."

"Free ramen for me too?" Chusei grinned.

"No!" they both yelled.

"You two are monsters you know that."

XxX

"Rain?" Mr. Hayazuki asked trying his best not to look surprised by the newest revelation.

"Yes," his new found leader nodded then took a sip of tea.

He looked up to the roof of the tent wondering what he had done to deserve this mortal punishment.

Hayazuki was daring. He had spoken out about the corrupt nature of the daimyo's court. He had written of the callousness of war even though he benefitted from the spoils. Yet he never imagined that anyone would have the intent necessary to support a coup... in the hidden rain.

The Land of Storms was always turbulent territory and it was like that even before the formation of hidden villages.

It was initially part of the Land of Wind, until it was seized during the first war by the Second Hokage. It was more or less forgotten about by his successor. which lead to it being claimed by Earth country. Its people, in an attempt to preserve their identity, started a revolt against the two global powers. This resulted in the second war.

A war they eventually won, mostly due to the countries unpredictable terrain, but still won.

On top of that they were led by the unbeatable fairytale character that was Hanzo the Salamander.

Mr. Hayazuki had the pleasure of never meeting the guy, but from what he heard no one ever could. He was as paranoid as they came only trusting the people of rain. A people he could identify by presence alone. So all Fire Country's attempts to negotiate or assassinate fell face flat.

Yet here was this living mummy, confidently stating that this group of young revolutionaries could take on the mad man that was Hanzo.

"With all due respect Roku," he sighed,  "this plan of theirs is doomed to fail, because Hanzo's rain is-"

"Rain belongs to the people," Roku spat turning in the direction of the disgraced noble. His head angle in a way that proved he couldn't see anything and only turned his head out of habit, "sorry."

"No need," Mr. Hayazuki held up his hand then immediately dropped it when he realized it was pointless.

"The children that were here today descend from clans of legendary status," the bandaged man smiled warmly turning his head back to its original position, "I sense in them the will of old and I see liberation in their future. Just as I saw in yours."

The man swallowed at that, "They are young."

"From my point of view everyone is," Roku chuckled to himself, "but in their souls lie a storm capable of seizing Rain. And finally they will attain the freedom they hadn't seen in five decades."

"You seem very sure that they'll win."

Roku smiled once more, "What do you know of the Whirlpool isle."

Mr. Hayazuki scoffed.

He was a historian. He had studied the people of the island and their practices for most of his adulthood. A hobby he took even more seriously after their cities fell.

They were gods amongst men, even by shinobi standards and Fire Country considered their demise their greatest loss. That alone spoke volumes of the ally they had.

"Everything," he replied with a cocky smile.

"Do you know how they select their leaders?"

"They had a monarch," Mr. Hayazuki stated quickly.

"Yes they did," the man took another sip of tea, "However their leader was whoever carried the eyes of reincarnation. An eye passed down upon the passing of the wielder. For years tradition prevailed and the royal family retained the eye for themselves. Lining death and conception perfectly to ensure that it stayed."

"Then a boy belonging to a civilian family was born premature and with his birth. He was bestowed the wisdom of every leader before him spanning back to the days of the sage. Yet with all that knowledge there was only so much an eleven year old could do to stop the death of his people. He was a civilian who gained everything but became the leader that lost his nation. During the siege he ensured that he was the only shinobi captured."

"For it he was tortured by the savages of the hidden mist. They stripped him of his flesh, broke his bones and left him to starve. Yet he lived on. They soon realized that his power came from his eyes. So they plucked it... right out of his skull. With the hilt... of a rusty kunai. Thankfully unlike other eye techniques that is activated by any chakra. The reincarnation dies the moment it leaves the skull. That was rumored to have happened twenty five years ago."

"I'm all for a good story Roku," Mr. Hayazuki interrupted him, "but you're straying from the focus of our conversation."

"I agree I do that sometimes," he nodded, "but I wanted you to understand why I'm so sure those children are quite literally the future of rain and the shinobi world," he paused to smile, "One of those shinobi you saw today, was born twenty five years ago and carries the eyes of his people."

Mr. Hayazuki looked over his shoulder in the direction what he hoped was the Land of Storms. Suddenly most things started making sense to him.

"So wait," he shook his head trying to prevent his mind from scrambling, "so the curse of whirlpool is real? They can find each other. The orange haired one with him is an Arashi. Then that means..."

"With the two soldiers I've sent with them. They have the fire power necessary to relieve Hanzo of his leadership," Roku's warmth was now replaced by a sinister cold.

Mr. Hayazuki could feel his measured calm dwindle under the focused energy. A chill washing over the spring heat. He felt a sudden pang in his chest. There was going to be a fallout greater than anything the continent had prepared seen before. Loyalist of the village system vs the angry people that saw none of its benefits. War was never something Mr. Hayazuki aspired to partake in.

Yet here he was sitting in the tent of a blind bandit, who picked his side before the first stone was thrown. He knew that Mr. Hayazuki owed him and wordlessly he anticipated his accompaniment.

He rolled his eyes freely knowing that he could not be seen. Then sighed aloud to gain the attention of his sole company.

"So be it."