AS Chapter 49 (Patreon)

Island of Houki

Land of Water

Basara POV

"I will inform my mother. Please stay here."

Haruki entered the cavern he had opened, his granddaughters following behind him. I kept a vigilant watch at the entrance. While Haruki seemed unlikely to attack us, I couldn't be sure about the people inside. There was a high possibility that at least some of them would be hostile to Konoha shinobi. Most importantly, I had no idea what kind of person his mother was. From Haruki's appearance, I'd estimate him to be in his late fifties. If that were the case, his mother would have to be at least sixteen to twenty years his senior.

That meant she had lived through the Warring States Period.

I would not underestimate such a person. Still, even if they harbored ill intent, I could always uproot the entire area. Pun intended. This was also why I had sent Team Kakashi away, leaving me here with my own team and Ryotaro. Despite knowing they were Minato's students, I didn't know how they fought. That was one of the major drawbacks of ad-hoc teams like this. Mayumi Uchiha had already proven herself a capable kunoichi. She should be able to keep the three in line for the time being and watch our backs in case there were other hidden grottos like this one.

While waiting for the Yuki offshoots to arrive, I asked Sayuri what she thought about the situation.

"What do you think of the situation?" I asked quietly. "They don't seem very confrontational. What are our actual options here?"

Despite me leading the operation, she had more real field experience than I did. I wanted her perspective.

"It isn't unheard of," she said. "Konoha has encountered independent forces before—groups that weren't enemies in the formal sense. Our main protocols for it are to treat them as a potential third party until the situation decides otherwise. We aim to report to command unless the situation requires immediate action."

So she's politely suggesting we leave...

I glanced at her. "Is there any kind of asylum policy?"

Her gaze snapped to me, incredulously. Everything she had just outlined had been about handling such groups, not taking them in.

Riku blinked. "You want to take them with us, Basara-san?"

"No, not really," I answered. "I just want to know all my options."

The team went a little quiet.

Ryotaro was the one who spoke next.

"You want to follow in Lord First's footsteps?"

I looked at him, trying to gauge his reaction.

"I'm just thinking through the possibilities. They're unaffiliated bloodline users who happen to be sitting in what is effectively enemy territory, opposed to Kirigakure. It's not like we can just kill them all here, can we?"

He gave me an unreadable nod.

Sayuri took another moment before answering my earlier question, now a little more uncertain after hearing our conversation.

"There are shinobi who defect and get repatriated. That does happen. But this is different. This isn't one missing-nin asking for sanctuary. This is an entire clan remnant, and we are at war... I'm not sure how this would be processed."

She finished uncertainly. I had to concede the point, at least to myself. I was getting ahead of things. It was still highly possible we would end up fighting them anyway. We were at war. I would have to make the decision on the fly if it came to that.

Then I felt movement from the cavern and signaled to the team.

Incoming.

A truly old woman came hobbling out first, one hand on a younger woman's arm for support. Age had bent her back and thinned her frame, but her eyes were sharp, filled with a cold strength. Haruki followed closely behind his mother, along with another man and several women. They all shared the same features: pale skin, delicate, refined faces, straight black hair.

Genetics were really weird in this world; normally, any amount of close marriage would cause birth abnormalities, but here, even marrying close cousins did nothing. In fact, in some cases, it strengthened bloodlines

"Guests! To our humble home. Come, sit down already. Standing around like that is an insult. Come, come," the matriarch's cranky voice called out.

One of the women behind her formed a few hand seals. The team and I tensed, ready to jump into action—then relaxed a fraction when all that happened was a low, smooth table of ice rising from the ground between us.

The old woman settled on the ground behind the table with a grunt, helped down by the younger one.

"My name is Yukihime Yuki," she said. "We have much to discuss."

Despite Sayuri-san's subtle suggestion to leave, I wanted to see where this went. Maybe it was selfish, but beneath all the blood and death I had faced and caused, I still wanted to do some good. I did not want to become a cold weapon.

Hadn't Hashirama changed the world with his power and conviction? Hadn't Asura? Hadn't Hagoromo?

I walked up to the table and settled gracefully across from Yukihime. Sayuri-san took the seat immediately to my right as the team took position behind me. I felt a wave of warmth bloom in my chest at their camaraderie.

One of the Yuki women brought out a pitcher and poured a pale drink into small glasses, setting them before us.

"A specialty of ours," Yukihime said, tapping the table with one thin finger. "The recipe has been passed down for generations. Please have a drink."

I gave a quick glance; this was nothing but a subtle power move, offering shinobi an unknown drink. Sayuri-san picked up a glass before I could, making a delighted sound as she sipped it.

"Oh my. It truly is delicious."

I sighed internally. I would have to do something nice for her later. She had just volunteered herself as the taste tester.

I took the remaining glass. Even if the drink itself wasn't a fast-acting poison, the vessel could have been. I trusted my body and my instincts enough to risk it. One sip later, my eyebrows rose. It was the best thing I had tasted in this world. As the small talk and courtesy came to a close, the elder Yuki cut off my attempt at conversation.

"So. Finally, the Senju clan has come to fulfill its promise."

What? I thought.

"I'm afraid I don't follow."

Yukihime gestured at the people behind her.

"My family and I had an agreement. A pact. With your Lord First. That we would join Konoha as a clan."

I hid the muted shock that went through me.

"And after he fought that Uchiha fellow," she continued, clicking her tongue, "it just fizzled out. Tch, tch, tch. Your Lord Second never came back to us. Neither did the current Hokage. Is that not why you are here, young Senju?" the old woman said craftily.

What is this woman playing at, I thought, taking another sip of the juice, thanking Touka Oba-san's crash course in diplomacy.

Deciding I did not have the expertise to spar with her in circles, I cut to the chase.

"I'm sure you are aware of the situation at hand, Yukihime-dono. I have no knowledge of this pact. We are here to route the Kiri shinobi on this island."

"Hm. Hm. I see, I see." She mumbled it almost to herself. "It was worth a shot."

I opened my mouth again, then probed more carefully.

"So you wish to join Konoha?"

"Yes," she said simply, as if discussing the weather. One doesn't simply join a hidden ninja village.

I stared at her, then spoke slowly.

"You do understand how difficult that would be. We are at war. A clan has not joined Konoha like this in... well, ever. Certainly not like this. Even if it succeeded, you would most likely live under surveillance for a long time. Mind-walked by the Yamanaka. Tracking seals applied to your clan, and Anbu watching your every movement."

I laid out the scenarios as plainly as I could. Haruki and a few of the others shifted at my words. Even my own squad had gone still, giving the matter serious consideration. Konoha gaining a completely new bloodline clan was no small opportunity.

Despite the harshness of it, the old woman remained unfazed.

"All of that would be our best outcome," she said. "Konoha is the softest of all the villages."

I had to stop a twitch of my mouth as I couldn't decide whether that was a compliment or an insult.

"Kiri would kill our men. Torture our children. The remaining women would be broodmares and nothing more."

I went silent at her candid reply.

What do I do? I don't think I have any authority to accept something like this.

Then, not far away from our perimeter, a flare shot up into the sky. It was meant to be a signal if anyone had encountered hostiles.

Mayumi-san's team was in active combat with the enemy...

My chakra roared through my system as I stood. The squad was already shifting into battle readiness. Ryotaro's Sharingan flared. Sayuri-san's chakra twisted into complex patterns, ready to cast her genjutsus, while Riku and Hanami prepared to strike the other side if this had all been a trap.

Seeing the situation spiral, Yukihime spoke quickly.

"It is not us. We have not lured you into a trap," she said slowly, standing up. "Kirigakure has been trying to find us for a while now."

Possible... I thought, but I could figure that out later.

I flashed through the seals.

Snake. Dog. Rat.

"Mokuton: Moku Bunshin no jutsu"

Wood peeled off the side of my body and formed into a perfect clone. The Yuki clan had gone still; after all, how could they have known who I was or what I carried?

The clone looked at Ryotaro and Riku.

"Ryotaro-san. Riku. With me."

They nodded and vanished in a burst of speed, racing toward the flare. As I sat back down across from the Yuki delegation,

"...We shall wait," I said casually. They stiffened further, understanding my intent.

The elder Yuki merely nodded calmly and sat back down.

"Of course."

I really don't want to kill you all...

A/N - We might have an extra chapter this week (separate from the normal cycle). So enjoy :)