The Grand Auction Begins!

Okane would finish selling a third item. No one besides the three with a reputation and each in their own way representing a major nation. His eyes scanned the room for a representative from Iwa once more but to no avail. It seemed either they weren't present or his comments towards them had them hiding their identity. Still he had expected more. Was this world really so limited on funds or interest in the future? He had hoped to see how he could interact with the world to prepare them. However only three interested parties? He wouldn't bother carrying on with this charade for the fourth category. Still his emerald gaze shifted to Kit as she bid one million. At least someone he knew was capable and interested. Kitsuki...the princess from Kiri he had dined with long ago. He had heard the reason she had not helped save him wasn't negligence but illness. He would nod to her once with a smile before Ryuko would speak up. His eyes shifting to her. She was brazen for interrupting the auction but he was about to finish it anyway. He supposed he could share the light for now. A coy smile crossing his features.

"My my aren't you the clever one lady Ryuko? You caught me in my ploy. That said.. For those of you who didn't bid, The auction is over. Leave. I have no use for complacency. History will be witnessed by you but you are not ready to be a part of it."

Okane would clap his hands once. The clap echoing across the chamber before all the guards except the ones behind the three parties who bid would step forward. Indicating they would escort out their guests. There would be no chance to argue or shout angry remarks at Okane. Okane himself would fold his hands behind his back. Waiting for the people to filter out. The guards behind each of the remaining three parties would be more polite. Bowing and indicating to exit their booths but in the direction of the stage. The microphone would lower into the stage creating a plain flat surface. Steps leading up to the stage for the three to approach. Okane would lift his right hand to collect an item being handed to him that at the very least Kitsumi would recognize. The Nuibari. His scout was likely dropping off the comatose man who brought it there along with his personal order of an S grade weapon. However he thought it inappropriate to send such an item with a messenger. Instead he would hold it out by the center of the perfectly balanced weapon and offer the handle to her.

"This belongs to you already princess. The man who brought it here is unharmed but fell to an illness you yourself are familiar with. Unfortunately. I thought it best to either deliver a national treasure in person or to someone from Kirigakure. Your man has already been set to be delivered back to kiri before you arrive home. I do hope he gets the care he needs there.

Aside from that little bit of business and before we continue, I would like the two princesses to share with me an idea of what they are looking for with their prizes. You will be able to hand off your ryo to your guard when you are ready. Mr. Kiyoshi, I understand you are representing Konoha and likely not in a position to choose your prize at this time. You too will be free to leave the ryo with your guard. I trust Konoha will reach out to me when they decide what they desire. "

After Kitsuki's bid for the Armor, Kiyoshi would be surprised by the small outburst of Ryuko. He was more than happy to play along with the little game Okane had going, as he was interested in seeing how it would turn out. Though it seemed that the Queen was not as entertained by it as he was, Okane would then respond by telling everyone else to leave with the exception of those that had actually bid on items. The crowd would quickly disperse, all these people here and still none of them even tried to bid on an item, it was truly dissapointing. Once the onlookers were gone, Kiyoshi and the other two would be ushered to the stage. Kiyoshi's eyes would instantly fall upon that of the Nabari, he never thought he would see one of the legendary swords of the mist village. Oh, what he would give for a chance to examine it, to learn what it was made of as it could help him on his track to become the world's greatest craftsman. He was not foolish enough to try and touch the blade, settling for simply admiring it from afar, or as far away as right next to it would allow. His eyes wouldn't leave the blade until Kitsuki would take it from Okane and Okane would speak to the three of them.

As Okane mentioned paying the guard and Konoha reaching out to him, Kiyoshi would nod. "Yes, I am sure the Lady Hokage will be in contact with you once I report back. That shouldn't take long either, as you have her seal." He would hand the pouch containing the 1 million Ryo to the guard as instructed, he had no reason to mistrust Okane or think that he would not hold up his end of the bargain and so he had no problem handing the ryo over before he saw the product. Though normally he would not do such a thing, it was acceptable to him because that was the deal that he was sent to make, it was now up to the Hokage to determine what is done with their prize.

Kit smiled to herself as the bid was accepted and finalized. It was true the auction was rather unorthodox. Everyone else appeared to be too stingy to outbid a mere 1 million ryo leaving the winners to be those who were known to be connected to village leadership. Kitsuki wasn't particularly bothered by this. She knew Okane preferred to work with villages and perhaps those at the auction didn't want to raise the ire of the Great Powers by trying to deprive them of the Iron Prince's crafts. When he acknowledged her with a smile, Kit nearly melted in her seat. Thankfully, years of training at the WASP had taught her to maintain perfect posture even when flustered. Kitsuki sat upright and acknowledged him with a smile of her own. A bit wider than she'd have liked, but still restrained enough not to embaress herself. The whole event was interesting and she was content to let the game play out but her neighbor wasn't. Ryuko brashly asked what game Okane was playing. This caused Kit to frown and look at the Queen with furrowed eyes.

Extremely rude! Kit thought. Kit was obviously biased towards her crush but that notwithstanding they were guests who enjoyed the Emporium at Okane's pleasure. It was true this wasn't exactly what they probably had in mind, but she wasn't sure he was to blame. And even if he was, calling him out on his name in front of the crowd was rather aggressive. Okane was amused though. He announced that there was more to this auction than just bidding. However, the others were not to be privy to it. Kitsuki watched as his men ushered everyone out. She stood from her seat and walked towards Okane as the stage shifted around them. He mentioned that he had an artifact that belonged to Kirigakure and produced Nuibari, one of the Seven Swords of the Mist. The Princess accepted the blade and studied it carefully. She could not recall who from Kiri now possessed it but it sounded like the individual had fallen from the plague and had been returned to the Mist.

"Thank you Lord Okane." she offered politely. She stored the weapon on her person. She'd hand the Ryo for the armour over later and not in the Prince's presence. She thought it might be uncouth to handle something as common as money in front of of two high ranking nobles. Speaking of which, she spared a glance at Kiyoshi. She did not recognize this young man. He must have made a name for himself while she was in her coma. Presumably he represented Konoha as why else would he still be sticking around? Kitsuki didn't speak to him though as he could not hold her attention. She only had eyes for the man standing in front of her. She claspsed her hands behind her back and spoke calmly and authoritatively. There was a time where she could hardly be in his presence without turning weak kneed and while he still commanded her attention, she was a bit more relaxed than she expected.

The War had changed her.

"I want to upgrade a piece of armour that I own. The changes I have in mind aren't groundbreaking but I want it to interface with my Time Release abilities better." Kitsuki said. "Perhaps we could discuss more in private?" She did not want to insult Okane by being coy but she couldn't ascertain the intentions of the stranger nearby. He didn't seem like a bad man but the armour specs of one of Kiri's Princesses could be considered a classified secret. She wouldn't share the details of her plans until she got some time alone with Okane.

Crap!

The thought had turned her brown cheeks into a honey hue indicating that she was now blushing. The words that had come out of her mouth were...poorly chosen she decided.

ⴰⵏⴷ ⵢoⵓ ⵡⴻⵔⴻ ⴷoⵉⵏⴳ ⵙo ⵡⴻⵍⵍ... Zizz teased.

Okane would fold his hands behind his back and listen to each of them as they spoke. His eyes focusing on them as they did as if those emerald eyes could see more than just simple truths and lies. As if he viewed the world differently. Each of them would have an idea of what they were after and lofty goals to accomplish. He would not deny they were each capable in their own right. Kiyoshi simply accepted that the Hokage would be the one to see him shortly and her arrow was settled on the floor of her apartment. An open space for her to teleport to as she saw freely that wasn't directly next to him. He would need to keep a guard on that door to escort her when she arrived. A job he was sure his staff would find demeaning to simply stand in front of an empty apartment. Still they would obey. Kitsuki would mention modifications to her armor involving a unique release of hers. He would smile at the idea of toying with something beyond the norm. Bending time itself. How exciting that would be. As for Ryuko she was differing between two different effects. Of which he was curious which she would prefer.

"Both of you are very unique in your desires. Of course each of you will be granted a private audience for privacy should you need it to be accommodated. I will accept a check of course Lady Ryuko however I will not release your purchase into your custody until it clears. I am sure you understand. That said I have a great deal to show you. Keep yourselves clear of the edges of the stage please."

Okane would reach a hand up and snap his fingers. As he did the entire stage would begin to shift and lower slowly. A large elevator taking them to the insides of the island. Parts he was sure would fascinate. For a moment it would be just metal walls with lights lined along it. The floor of the diplomatic center closing as a roof above them as they lowered. The hum of the emporium more prevalent as they got lower. Finally it would open up into a large open floor like an underground warehouse. Here a large warship was being studied by scientists with guards at the doors watching. The airship was an artifact of his. Five smaller personal devices were also hovering in place attached to cable tethers and being studied. In a room with durable glass the floor was filled with soil and a clearly dead person was shuffling about within it. In another room a seed was in a large glass tube filled with green bubbling liquid and attached to a computer. Taking readings off of it. For anyone who could read the monitor it was incredibly powerful as far as chakra went. The stage would settle and Okane would step off. Expecting them to follow.

"What I have here my friends is a research division for the artifacts and exclusive techniques I have uncovered while expanding my empire. I seek to gain knowledge over my dominion to better rule it. Almost half this continent is owned by the Stag. And within it I have built cities and improved the living situations of thousands. Creating the closest thing to a Utopia I could over miles of land. One might swear that no major nation would threaten it and claim to protect it...but there is another threat."

Okane would stop near the warship. An attendant would move to stand next to him as he would begin to undo his vest and then his tie and finally his shirt. Removing his top layers of clothing and exposing himself from the waist up. His body was covered in hideous scars as if he had been torn apart repeatedly and put back together. Purposefully improperly healed and kept alive. As he had been. Not a piece of his flesh was perfect anymore and it ran up to his face. He would take a wet cloth and wash off the make up on his face to reveal a scar that ran up his neck and his jaw and up his face.

"The ones who took me. The place I was kept and tortured for two years was not of the major nations. It wasn't even of this plain. The reason I discouraged working with portals Lady Ryuko is because I have been to the mirror world. Some of you have met Otsutsuki. From what I understand one even runs a country with you Lady Kitsuki. Perhaps they are the kind ones without fervor to conquer. However these aliens are not alone. A man named Menza and his stooges took me through a portal to the mirror world and I saw an Otsutsuki empire there. Make no mistake those Otsutsuki are conquerors. They tormented me into building siege engines for them. Tools for war....tools to conquer. I escaped when they thought they had broken my mind through a portal of their design. However their preparations are already laid in place. Make no mistake that war is coming. If we are not unified and prepared for it....our world will burn."

As Okane lifted his hand and snapped his fingers, Kiyoshi felt the ground shift beneath him. So, a platform elevator he should have guessed as much, Kiyoshi would already be taking notes in his notebook. If he ever had his own building, he would be sure to have one of these type lifts as well. As the darken view of the elevator would give way to the brightly lit large hanger underneath, Kiyoshi's eyes would widen and small stars would shine in them as he looked down upon all the wonder within the large hanger, mainly the large floating warships and the smaller devices next to it. His thoughts instantly wondering if they would be compatible enough that he could integrate one of them into his puppet armor, it was something he would have to speak with Okane about later of course, but it was something that he couldn't help thinking about. Something like that would definitely come in handy for him, at least then he wouldn't have to worry about an attack from underground like he suffered from with his spar with Ayame.

His eyes would briefly wander to that of the dead man surrounded by soil, he had heard of resurrection techniques before, but never seen one in person. It was both fascinating and creepy all at the same time, but it was nothing compared to what Kiyoshi saw next. Looking into the next room, Kiyoshi's notebook would fall to the platform they stood on as his eyes fell upon the Demon Shinki. He didn't know much about it other than that it was a legendary item that was said to grant power to those that wield it, to think that the Iron Prince had it was something that he had not considered but considering how much land the man owned it was not impossible to believe that he had uncovered such an item. As the platform settled and Okane stepped off, Kiyoshi started to follow only to divert to the glass window to observe the Demon Shinki, looking at the read outs of the monitor for several minutes before fumbling to find his notebook only to have to quickly move back to the platform to grab the fallen notebook. Once he got his notebook back Kiyoshi would give one last look at the seed before moving to join the others, though rather than standing next to Okane he would be looking at the smaller winged devises and speaking in a hushed tone to one of the workers about what they had discovered about the devices so far.

Kiyoshi fell as though he had died and gone to heaven, surrounded by some of the most brilliant minds he had ever had the pleasure of meeting, however this thought came to a crashing hault when he heard Okane mention the word War. Turning away from the small flying device, Kiyoshi would look to Okane to see that he had taken off his shirt. The scars he had seen on the man's face before, turned out not to be the end of the man's suffering, much more covered his body. Was he talking about who had kidnapped him, did he think that they were going to invade. "War?" Kiyoshi suddenly wished that Tengoku had chosen another representative for Konoha to speak with Okane, as he knew not the talk of war. It wasn't like he could promise Okane any of Konoha's help if it did come to a war, and at this moment he wished the Hokage was actually here so that she could hear what it was that Okane was talking about. He had been so distracted by the wonders within the hanger that he had not really been listening to the whole thing, he heard something about Otsutsuki's and tools of war, but beyond that he was lost. Putting his notebook back into his pouch and quieting his thoughts that still want to learn about the artifacts Okane had, Kiyoshi would move closer to Okane so that he could hear what the others were saying about it.

Okane seemed unbothered by her awkward phrasing. He wasn't the sort to be easily rattled by social dynamics. It was a trait that made Kitsuki even more attracted to the man. Ryuko's ideas for her Chemistry Implement were quite fascinating. Kit didn't think such things were possible but given who they were speaking to, it couldn't be ruled out. Okane promised them a private audience, but for now he had something to show them. Kit assumed that this was the matter that required representatives from each of the remaining world powers. Iwa being conspicuously absent. With a snap of his fingers, they descended into the bowels of his crafting operation. When the full view of the Emporium's secret wonders came into focus, Kit had to keep herself from gasping.

There was a warship of tremendous size, reminscint of those that flew in the early days of the war. There was some kind of zombie embedded in a soil enclosure and a mysterious seed bubbling in a tube of green liquid. So this is what he's been up to since he got back... Okane had been building an empire of his own. He had acquired several Minor Nations and were using their resources to create some kind of quasi-utopia. Kit didn't have a problem with this from a geopolitical perspective. Despite his trade, Okane was a man of peace. The worse thing you could say about him was that he had a very large ego but rather than it driving him to do evil, it compelled him to do great works of charity. Kiri would welcome such a new polity to the world scene with open arms. Unfortunately, all was not well in this new kingdom. Kit's eyes shifted from the miracles that were being studied to the man in question. Okane mentioned a threat and deep down inside, Kit already knew to what he was referring without him saying it. It was the threat she had been waiting for her whole life. The reason Zizz had come to Earth and chosen her as its host. This was the endgame.

Okane then began to disrobe in front of them. The act caused her to immediately look away in embarrassment, but her attention was drawn back to him as she realized the purpose of his action. He wanted to show them the scars he had received from his captors. Kit put her hand to her mouth as she took in the full horror of the damage. They had mutilated him. Okane went on to recount that those who had taken him were not of this world. They were Ōtsutsuki working with Menza and they were on a mission to conquer their planet.

ⵙⴻⴻ? ⵉ ⵜoⵍⴷ ⵢoⵓ. ⵜⵀⴻⵢ'ⵔⴻ ⵛoⵎⵉⵏⴳ. ⵊⵓⵙⵜ ⵍⵉⴽⴻ ⵜⵀⴻⵢ ⴷⵉⴷ ⴼoⵔ ⵎⵢ ⵡoⵔⵍⴷ....

Kitsuki lowered her hand from her lips and a serious expression settled on her face. If they had forced Okane into building weapons for them in the years since his disappearance, they'd be well-equipped to attack. This on top of their already superior firepower meant that unity was no longer a lofty goal, it was a necessity as a matter of survival. Several things also occured to the Princess as she reflected on Okane's news. The first was that he had to be telling the truth. She had only interacted with him a handful of times but each time there was one element to his personality that stuck with her. It was also evident in the way he interacted with the public at large. The Iron Prince thought quite highly of himself. He was vain and deeply invested in crafting an image of perfection. He was a larger-than-life hero that thought himself to be more akin to a God than a Royal. For him to strip bare and show just how vulnerable and scarred he was, the threat had to be real. Not just real....terrifying..

The second thing she realized was that Okane might have ran the auction in a non-competitive format specifically so that the Great Powers would not fall back into the habit of needless competition. By limiting the number of items a person could bid on, he had in effect ensured his ability to arm each person with a valuable piece of equipment in the war to come. Okane had more money than anyone else in the world but the one thing he could not buy was the security of his planet. That was something that could only be maintained through the cooperation of global leadership. Kit felt she now understood the situation and now she'd spend her time accordingly. Chen was still an issue of course, but even he would need to take a backseat to this new threat.

"How long do we have?" Kitsuki asked. Okane may not know but any insight would be valuable to their new war effort. "The weapons you built for them...I know its not your fault but we need to know what they can do. What we're up against. All of us." Kitsuki looked both Ryuko and Kiyoshi in the eye. Whatever differences they had in the past, the nations would need to work together now. It was of vital importance. Kit would end by adding:

"The co-leader of Kirigakure is indeed an Ōtsutsuki. She has expertise when it comes to traveling to other worlds....I'll ask her about this 'mirror world' and if she's ever heard of it. Mr. Kiyoshi please inform the Hokage that Kiri stands ready to fight alongside the Leaf village. The Alliance remains as strong as ever. Queen Ryuko, I know you have no allegiance to the Alliance, but your support in this would mean everything. If there's anything I can do to better facilitate your cooperation please let me know"

Right now only the people in this room knew about what they faced. Kit would need to make sure they were all on the same page about what needed to happen next.

Okane watched as his words and demonstrations hit home for all present. Kiyoshi had but uttered one word. A word that held more meaning than perhaps any other. More fear and tragedy and the most common event in human history on a larger scale. There were wars over territory and belief....resources and precious metals. Humankind had a history of going to war over love won and lost. How war held such sway and importance. Even economically war was beneficial. However something most precious was lost each time for those present. Their humanity and precious innocence lost. Life was lost. Until entire exterminations were made. As it had been with Suna when something non human did as he wished. Some alien claiming Okanes roots and Okane himself...he couldn't help but draw a connection to his escape. The elderly had been dealt with right around the time of his capture to. For him this had turned personal. He refused to lose this. He would prepare for the alien scum. He would show them that they made a horrendous mistake. Okane's eyes would glow green with the hate within him boiling behind them. They took it all.....they took his home....they took his family...for gods sakes they took his pride....They would SUFFER.

Still he would turn his eyes to Kitsuki as she spoke up. He could feel a dedication there as he felt a ping of guilt. She was a kind girl with good morals. A warrior certainly. More so than he was by far. However he did not like sending young ladies to battle for him. He knew it was misogynistic but he couldn't help but prefer to call it chivalry. Still it was good to know an alliance had survived while he was away. The two most powerful nations united in military purpose? Perhaps they would be strong enough. No , that thought would not do. He disliked the word perhaps. As if he couldn't thwart that nightmare. As if he could not build his vengeance. As if he could not buy it. He would stand with them but he needed to learn how first. For now he would prepare them. He would arm them and unify them and when the enemy came...they would fail. He could rely on her. Still even as she finished speaking a beautiful robe was brought out. Purple spider silk lined with an inside of mountain fur with peacock feathers hanging from the back and the shoulders and fabric lining the arms and down the back were woven gold.

Ryuko would speak about a great many things. Offering her help to the union of nations as well. Perhaps the most potent person Kumo could offer. He would be receiving training from her he hoped sooner than later. He was not strong himself but with her near him...he could ask for no better body guard. If they dared try and reclaim him he would fight as savagely as he must. Choosing death over returning. However if she stood with him he would be certain at least whoever came for him would lose something trying. Even that old man with his ice. However the talk of Chen drew his attention back from his thoughts of vengeance. She was going to hunt Chen. She was putting together an effort for speed and purpose. A good first step. He too wondered if Chen was in league with those who captured him. If so that one needed to die first. For the personal insult against Okane. His eyes shadowed a little as he let the green glow flow out the sides of his eyes. Like a tracer light.

"I will facilitate my maps of course. However soon I also need to go to Suna. I need to see what has become of Suna. It is too personal to send an assistant to investigate.  If we could do this while you prepare with Konoha to locate Chen I would prefer your company lady Ryuko. Even though I will be taking my warship on its maiden flight I prefer not to utilize its firepower. Aside from that you may also borrow an artifact for your control fight.

Master Kiyoshi.....I know you have plans in Kirigakure. From what I understand their Jounin commander agreed with a representative of mine named Gyo to build our tower of education there. With a donation of one million to the project. As CFO of my company you are free to access the vault for whatever resources you require to build the tower with any additions we can muster. I would as a reminder ask you to negotiate the same with Konoha. Along with that as a hiring bonus you may utilize anything in this room. However the warship will remain near me....always.

Lady Kitsuki, you have the strongest position here. A direct leader who inspires wherever she walks. I can not implore enough how much preparation you need for this war. I assure you their power rivals bijuu. If there are allies to be won...you must unite them. If there are old quarrels they must be put aside. If we merely hope that Nozomi Himitsu handles our enemies again...we will falter. I believe in you to lead all this and whatever you need of me...I will do my best to accomplish building your dreams for the future. Simply put your faith in me as I have you. As for how long we have I do not truly know. Maybe as little as a year."

Listening to Kitsuki, Kiyoshi would nod at her statement about their alliance standing strong. It was good to have allies, and that would be a least some good news to break to the Hokage with everything considering the talk of war. When Ryuko would speak about maps and informing the Hokage, Kiyoshi would consider the question for a minute before answering. "Well, it took us about two days to reach here, so probably that long to get back and inform her of the situation. After that she could be here instantly, I could send Suguru back immediately with word for Airi to come here and then she can be a part of this discussion, as she would be the one you need for access to the maps Konohagakure has. As far as your control fight, I do not know if I could be of any assistance, but the Hokage would definitely have the power to help you. However, barring that, if it is important to do it immediately, I will give you whatever assistance I can manage." Kiyoshi would then turn to Okane, "I appreciate the hiring bonus, I would like to study one of those small flyers, I believe that they could provide me with some much needed maneuverability for myself. As far as the tower in Konoha, I will do everything that I can to negotiate such a deal." Though the seed full of chakra was interesting, he wasn't sure what if anything he could do with it. Despite the man saying that he could use anything in the room other than the warship, it was possible Okane had plans for it as well, not to mention the fact that it might prove too much for a hiring bonus. Kiyoshi however wasn't a hard man to please, and the thought of being able to integrate one of those contraptions into his puppet armor then he could control his puppets from the safety of the air, and not have to worry about unseen attacks from underground.

Kiyoshi would then turn to Kitsuki, "My Lady, as you might have guessed from what Okane has stated. I have business in Kirigakure, I would like to accompany you back there if you would allow me when you go to rally your troops. Aside from the business, I would like to ensure that both sides of the alliance have everything that they would need as far as armor and weapons as well as some other gadgets. I can send word back with Suguru to my shop in Konoha to start production of weapons and armor, and I will see to it that every shinobi in Kirigakure has proper gear as well. Though I am second rate compared to Okane himself, my craftsmanship is of the highest quality. I am not a strong fighter, but my mind is my biggest weapon, I would like it to be used to help our village's alliance and ensure that you and your village are prepared for the days to come." Kiyoshi would then look back to Okane, "My shop here can do the same for you as well, if you need them too. I have many different poisons as well as medicines that can be provided, as well as some experimental explosives if they are needed."

Kitsuki had always wondered how was it that Shimiko Chinoike and Ryuko Shizu von Rose could have been friends. She had dismissed such rumors as wistful political fantasy. How could someone so renown for their bloodthirst accept her leadership? How could they have been so closed as to be called sisters? Now Kit understood. Ryuko had that once-in-a-generation talent. The ability to inspire with just a few words. It made you want to fall to one knee, set your weapon of choice on your thigh and swear loyalty to her and her vision for a better tomorrow. Fortunately, Kitsuki wouldn't have to do anything that drastic or servile but had she been asked, she would have needed to fight the urge to do it.

Instead, she reached out and tapped Ryuko's fist with a gentle bump. "And I Princess Kitsuki Kurahasa will stand beside you with great honor." Kit now considered the woman standing before her to be an ally. She had always respected her from afar but now she had the opportunity to actually work alongside her to counter a planetary threat.  I wish it could have been under better circumstances... she thought ruefully.

Ryuko's plan was to get to Chen first. Ryuko declared that he was an Ōtsutsuki and that she suspected that he was in cahoots with Okane's captors. She further argued that interrogating him might prove useful in getting information about their collective enemy. Kit wasn't sure this was true but it was the best lead they had at present. It was a bit strange how a former leader of Iwa suddenly decided to start destabilizing his own country. Even if he wasn't part of the invasion, Chen was a liability towards global unity. He needed to be removed as quickly as possible, especially if he was a wielder of the Rinnegan.

"Kirigakure would be willing to grant you whatever map data you needed to bring him to justice" Kitsuki said. She trusted that her new ally would not use such sensitive data to hurt the Mist Empire. Despite the recent and historic strife between their nations, Kit felt that Ryuko was a woman of her word. There was something about her character and reputation that spoke volumes. There would be no need to deny her what she needed to arrest Chen. Ryuko also requested help with taming her entity. Kitsuki was vaguely aware of these contests. Generally, lesser gods, Angels, Demons and other spirit beings had selected champions whom they would grant power and favor. However the most potent of these abilities remained locked away until such time as the champion proved themself worthy. "I would be willing to assist you." Kit said. She wasn't concerned about the entity in question. It would fall to her might as would any obstacle to their goal.

Kit's attention was pulled back to her Prince. It was the first time she saw him with any real sense of urgency or anxiety. The aloof and playful attitude that he donned as part of his public persona had been torn away. He was now just a man who wanted to save his world. He addressed her formally and asked her to throw everything she had at preparing for this conflict. Kitsuki didn't need to be told twice. She had seen the carnage of a World War with her own eyes and this was what humanity was capable. According to Zizz, the Ōtsutsuki were capable of far greater devastation and cruelty. There could be no room for error here.

Just under a year....

Their time would be over in the blink of an eye. They needed to move now. Kitsuki was beginning to think there was a reason as to why she had woken up from her coma. It couldn't have been mere chance that she had arose right around the same time as Okane's re-appearance. It was fate. She was destined to lead her people in the fight to come and hearing the man she adored give her a direct vote of confidence was just the push that she needed.

Its time I step up. Kiri needs more than just a Princess.

"You have my trust" Kitsuki said as she gazed into Okane's eyes. "You've always had it. And I will do everything in my power to prepare us. We will proceed under the worst case scenario and assume that an attack will occur within 9 months from now. I'll speak to Arisu and we will begin transitioning Kiri to a war economy. I think we need to be careful about how we break this to the public. It'd be best if we prepared silently for now and release updates on the situation at a controlled pace. The destruction of Suna has probably already hurt global morale and its difficult to organize people when they are scared and suspicious."

Kitsuki now turned Kiyoshi. She regarded the young man seriously for the first time. He was a crafter by the sound of it and one with close ties to both the Hokage and Okane. It'd be nice to have another genius on their side as they would need to arm themselves to the teeth if they were to fend off this enemy. The new Hokage wasn't someone that Kitsuki had heard of but it sounded like she had a Space-Time Jutsu of some kind that would allow her to teleport to the Emporium at short notice. ⴻⵠⴻⵔⵢoⵏⴻ ⵀⴰⵙ oⵏⴻ oⴼ ⵜⵀoⵙⴻ ⵏoⵡ Zizz complained.

Kiyoshi wasn't a fighter but he enthusiastically offered his ingenuity and innovativeness. Kitsuki would have been a fool to reject his offer.

"You are absolutely welcome to accompany me back to Kirigakure. Your talents are always welcome on the Isles and I will set you up with everything you need to arm the Alliance. Some colleagues of mine have a few ideas for a defense system....I wanted to wait a few more years before approaching a craft with the idea but I'm afraid that's not a luxury that we can afford right now. I'll meet you separately to discuss."

They definitely had a lot to talk about. His offer of helping her with explosives was tempting. Shibuki had recently been reforged back into its original state. This didn't bother her but it meant there was a gap in her Kyujutsu arsenal. Explosive arrows had been her trademark and they had proven invaluable during the War in Heaven. She would need to see if she could get him to replicate the power of Amicus Curiae. Now that she knew she was among friends and allies, Kit saw no harm in getting down to business. She retrieved a rucksack of Ryo and handed it to a guard. She wanted to avoid the appearance of being to common but given what they had been told, she didn't want to waste any time. She also handed Okane a small scroll that included the notes of what she wanted the armour to have. She was glad that Okane thought so highly of her and under ordinary circumstances, she'd be too nervous to even engage with him but now that the safety of millions was at risk....she was all business.

"That's for my Armour. I'd like to begin the process right away. While its being crafted, I'll alert Arisu to the situation and have her prepare Kiri. I'd also like to speak with the Hokage so that we can begin coordinating a joint war effort."


[-1,000,000 Ryo to Okane]

Tengoku would place one hand on his hip and let the other dangle at his side as he listened to them each in turn. Map data being shared freely and along with that talk of a transportation jutsu for items he had previously been unaware of. Such a technique would allow for a great deal in a war. Moving supplies in war was often the target of the enemy team. Cut off supply lines and communication and you secluded an enemy from their resources. Often preventing a drawn out battle by targeting what was needed to continue. Such a technique would provide uninterruptable supply lines. This gave them a series of bonuses including freedom of movement. Aside from that a new defense system was interesting...if the enemy came from outside. He was curious on how it would work but the enemy creating portals meant they could appear virtually anywhere they wished. Much like the heavenly transfer jutsu they could pick coordinates and open a portal where they saw fit. He had selected the office for his escape. It was the best chance he had at success. Still he would address it so that they knew what to prioritize.

"His name is Jakkon. He is a scientist among them and created the technology for their dimensional portal. However he won't come to this side of the portal until we are conquered. He won't risk himself. His ability is to manipulate and create technology somehow. I utilized it to escape so I know you put in specific coordinates. When they come they will likely do so from within."

His attention shifted away from the conversation Ryuko was trying to convince Kitsuki of. Sero he had heard of but had no interest in ever meeting the being. Something about the crazies made him uncomfortable. Instead his emerald gaze shifted to the smaller winged devices. So the ability to remain airborne for a puppeteer. It certainly took away most close combat situations and made earth jutsu almost impossible to utilize against Kiyoshi. He would only have to defend against ranged attacks. While keeping a Birdseye view on a battlefield to get full advantage of positioning. One lost something in having to look through enemies and terrain in a battle. If they were to have such an advantage they could ideally dominate enemies as a high altitude strike unit. It was an impressive assessment of what he could use. Still Okane would value ingenuity like that.

"Are you certain that's all? That seed over there could help you to the next level of power. Our research suggests its connected essentially to the life of the planet. Granting your powers granted by the earth itself. Initial data suggests regeneration, drastically increased longevity and increased chakra levels. It could mean a whole new something for your combat abilities. Think on it before you fully leave. I would suggest Sending Suguru quickly though. If the Lady Hokage is to join us."

He would reach up his hand and collect the scroll handed to him as his emerald gaze shifted to Kitsuki once more. Her request was more ideal since she already knew what she wanted. In comparison to an absentee buyer and one that would require some research. He would let his gaze shift down to the scroll before slowly shifting back up to meet her gaze. All he had aimed for was accomplished aside from Konoha's immediate alliance. Kiyoshi, Kitsuki and Ryuko were his. He was building up his side of the board with two queen pieces and a bishop. The enemy had a lot of pawns too but those would come in time. Still he would smile softly at this volatile homicidal game. Who would win this bloody farce? Hopefully humans united under Okane. Just you wait Jakkon he would think to himself. He would prove that bastard inept. Still he would speak in his almost melodically pleasing voice.

"Of course. I will begin on it immediately as the others are yet to fully choose what they wish for. I will try and have it ready for you tomorrow. Please when you are ready your escorts will see you out. Escorting you back to your rooms or where ever else you wish to go. Farewell my comrades and may this end favorably for us."

Okane would bow a moment before he was suddenly just gone. Chakra activating for flying thunder god and all that was left was a series of golden petals falling where he had stood. Fading away as they touched the ground to nothing. Okane would immediately look over the scrolls before ordering the required materials via sending an employee to the market. He would spend the night in his forge hammering out this new armor. Hopefully it would serve Kitsuki in what was to come. Superior to anything he had made for the enemy. He would not relent now. Jakkun was less than him....less than human. He would be sure to prove it.

11x20 = 220 exp
exit thread

Listening to the three before him, Kiyoshi could tell that they were developing a plan. Whether Chen was apart of this invasion from another world or not, the truth was that he was a danger to the peace that they all sought. Kiyoshi agreed that Chen needed to be taken down but trying to find the man might be more difficult than they know. The best tracker in Konohagakure was likely the former Hokage Tengoku, so Kiyoshi would make sure to include a request for him to come with the Hokage when she comes, unless the Hokage knew of a better tracker. Still, it would seem like everything was in order, now it was just a matter of getting the Hokage and the other princess here.

Kiyoshi was actually shocked by the fact that Okane would offer up the strange seed as part of his hiring bonus. It was something that he had considered, but was afraid of asking for too much still, as the other man suggested he would begin considering it. "Yes, sir. I will head to find Suguru at once and tell him what is going on and what he needs to do, we will get the Hokage here as soon as possible." Though he knew that Ryuko had offered to send the message with her teleporter, it seemed to Kiyoshi that unless Ryuko knew the exact location of Airi's desk there was no guarantee that she would receive it as it could just appear in the middle of a street somewhere. Or worst it actually show up on her desk but she doesn't see it because of all the other paperwork she has there, no it was better for a messenger to go to ensure that she actually received the message, at least in his mind.

"Lady Kitsuki, I will await word from you." Kiyoshi stated with a small bow to the princess, "Lady Ryuko, I leave you to strategies and get the security ready." He would add with a bow to the Queen before beginning to leave, stopping briefly at the flying devices. "Send one of these to my workshop, there is somethings I wish to look into about it," Kiyoshi stated to one of the workers there before moving to the seed containment and observing it one last time before taking his leave and exiting the building.

Exit Thread

[skipping Kitsuki due to inactivity]


How long had it been while Ryuko waited for Kitsuki to reply to her proposal after the others had already left?  It felt like ages but surely had only been a hot minute.  Regardless The Queen and now warden of the Stag Emporium had things to do and places to be.  She couldn’t wait around forever, even for a friend. 

“Guess you have other stuff on your mind.  Well please just make sure to keep me up to date on the situation. Later” Ryuko said with a friendly wave before turning and walking away.  It was infuriating after laying her cards on the table that her suggestion to send a letter to Konoha to inform the new Hokage Airi had been ignored.   If the alliance wouldn’t listen to her advice perhaps she needed to make her own preparations for the incoming alien invasion.   

Hopefully they would at least come though on her with the aid they had promised for the test to gain control of her entity but she wasn’t about to hold her breath at this point.  She’d been let down too one too many times already in that regard.  Still at this point she’d already done everything she could on her own so she had little choice but to hope someone would actually help her this time or simply face Hakkin on her own which would reduce the odds of victory.

She had a feeling that she’d once owned something that would have clenched things, but she couldn’t remember what.  It was almost as if something precious had been removed out of existence by a higher power.   Well if nothing else at least she’d come out of this with a powerful X-rank chemical.  The question now remained, what would she do with it?  Without anything to implant, putting it towards getting further implants seemed kind of silly.


[8]



Exit thread

Whatever the hell Ryuko had planned, it went over Kit's head. She was a strong fighter and had a great heart but she wasn't anything which ressembled a tactical genius. Kit was only half-listening to the rest of the conversation as it proceed. In truth, her focus was on Zizz. She had instructed her Angel to fly all the way to Kirigakure and inform one of her most trusted strategists of what Okane had told them. She'd trust Zizz to then return with whatever correspondence her defense ministers saw fit to give her. The back and forth continued for some time, taking up much of Kit's attention although she apprehended bits and pieces of the conversation. It sounded like Ryuko had ideas on how to revolutionize long-distance communication. It was an idea that would certainly prove useful in the war to come.

Kit, however, was no longer in any position to respond to Ryuko's war-making. For she had just received dire news from her ministers via Zizz. Things were indeed getting dire for the peace of their planet. A screw up of colossal proportions had occurred while she had made her way to the Emporium and now the Alliance which she had just been boasting about was in jeopardy. Kit wasn't a war wunderkind like Ryuko but she knew enough not to demoralize her allies. They had just left things on a optimistic note. There was no use in ruining it now with news they'd all hear once they retired to her quarters. Kit was left with her thoughts once everyone had exited. She thought over her options and past conversations before settling on a course of action.

She'd need to speak to Arisu but likely for the last time. Kiri had gone long enough without a Mizukage.

The Princess walked back to her roomswith her escort intent on preparing herself to face the Hokage.