Naruto - Azure Awakening

Maki stood with her eyes closed, her body frozen in place as the towering wave of water surged toward her. She had already given up, bracing for the inevitable impact.

But it never came.

Instead, a sharp swing of a blade cut through the oncoming wave, sending water crashing to the sides.

Maki's eyes shot open, and she immediately recognized the figure before her.

"Akura…"

"Maki, disrupt your chakra. You're under a Genjutsu," Akura said, his tone calm and steady.

Maki blinked in shock.

[I didn't feel anything,] she thought, her mind racing.

Still, she followed his instruction, forcing her chakra to surge, breaking the illusion. The despair she had felt moments ago vanished like mist and her senses blurred returned to normal.

She clenched her fists. [How did I fall for it?]

"This isn't your typical Genjutsu," Akura explained, his voice measured. "It's a sensory technique that dulls your awareness and plays on your emotions. It's weaker than standard illusions, but far more subtle—making it much harder to detect."

Maki's jaw tightened. She hated how easily she had been manipulated.

"When did you become a rogue, Onari?" Akura asked without taking his eyes off the man even once.

"You're even faster than before, Akura-san." Onari chuckled softly, his eyes briefly flicked to Maki before he continued. "Honestly, I thought I could finish the kid before you arrived."

Onari sighed and then added with exaggerated disappointment:

"This changes things. Unfortunately, I don't think I am strong enough to overpower both of you together."

Without skipping a bit Onari raised his hand, making a single hand sign.

"Water Release: Water Wall Jutsu."

A thick barrier of water surged up in front of him, obscuring him from view.

Maki tensed, her instinct screaming to give chase. She was already preparing to flicker forward when Akura's hand shot out, stopping her.

"Don't chase him."

Maki's eyes widened. "But—"

"If we catch him, it'll only be because he wants us to." Akura's tone left no room for argument. "He's setting a trap. We've achieved our goal. That's enough."

Maki bit her lip, frustration boiling inside her. She hated letting an enemy get away, especially after coming so close. But after being saved from such a pathetic death, she felt she had no right to argue.

With a sigh, she nodded.

"Don't worry, Maki." Akura's voice softened slightly. "Onari's one of the best at sneak attacks. You weren't ready to face him, but when we get back, I'll train you to counter him. You won't fall for his tricks again."

Maki's shoulders relaxed slightly at that. Akura sheathed his blade and turned toward Gumi, who was slumped against a tree, his face pale from blood loss.

Akura called Myo who had already taken care of her opponent, "Go get Remi. He's probably healing the others near the other entrance, but they only have minor injuries. Gumi needs help now. Hurry."

"On it!" Myo nodded and took off.

Akura crouched next to Gumi as he assessed the injuries.

Gumi managed a weak grin, wincing as he shifted slightly. "You… almost missed all the fun."

Akura shook his head and said with a smirk. "You definitely look like someone who just had fun."

Gumi chuckled softly, though the effort clearly pained him. "What can I say? I'm a party guy."

Akura placed a hand on Gumi's shoulder trying to comfort him. "Hold on a little longer. Remi will be here soon."

Maki stood a few paces away. She felt terrible but the mission was complete, the Takime shinobi had achieved their primary objective—the camp was cleared and most of the rogue shinobis were eliminated. Now, all that remained was searching the hideout for any valuable information, resources, and captives.

As they moved through the camp, Maki's mind kept circling back to one thought.

[I need to be stronger.]

<<<>>>

Kaoru sat in the dojo, his face practically glowing with excitement. It had been two months since Maki left on her mission, and he knew she'd be back any day now. He couldn't wait to show off his progress and see her shocked reaction.

Not only had he mastered tree climbing and the Water Bullet Jutsu with his own twist, but he had also learned Clone Jutsu. While it was a basic technique, Kaoru thought of it as a useful stepping stone in his training. But he wasn't sure anymore.

[This Clone Jutsu is utterly useless,] he mused with a disappointed frown. [Elemental clones are way better.]

During his training, Kaoru had asked for permission to enter the clan library and now he was allowed to check out scrolls up to C-rank techniques. He had already finished learning the Clone Jutsu when he stumbled upon a scroll for the Water Clone Jutsu.

The difference between the two was stark.

[Clone Jutsu is just an E-rank technique. It makes fake clones with no physical form—basically an illusion. But Water Clones can actually fight and defend.] Kaoru's eyes sparkled as he recalled the scroll's details.

[Even though Water Clones require slightly more chakra, they're way more useful.] He shook his head. [I totally wasted my time on the Clone Jutsu. Once I learn Water Clones—and eventually Shadow Clones—I won't need this weak technique at all.]

He let out a sigh, his mind already drifting toward Shadow Clones.

Shadow Clone Jutsu was one of the most overpowered techniques he could think of. It allowed perfect memory sharing between the user and their clones. So, once the clone is dispersed, its experiences and remaining chakra are transferred back to the user making it ideal for fast learning and multitasking.

But, sadly, It wasn't in the Takime Clan's scrolls.

[Of course, it's a Konoha-exclusive technique...] Kaoru scratched his head, He remembered how it worked, but he had no idea what the specific hand signs were.

[I'll have to ask Grandma and Maki to find it for me somehow.] His eyes narrowed in determination. [I need it to learn faster. That memory-sharing is the most broken thing in this world.]

Shaking off his disappointment, Kaoru grinned. "Alright, no time for sulking. Let's focus on this scroll."

He glanced down at the parchment in his hands, detailing the transformation Jutsu.

"I'm not particularly interested in this," Kaoru muttered to himself, flipping the scroll open, his eyes scanning the text. "But it can be really useful at times—and it's easy to master."

He paused, thinking for a moment.

"Yeah, I'll learn all the basic techniques first," he decided, his heartbeat quickening with excitement. "Better to get a solid understanding of jutsus and chakra molding. Then I can start planning my fighting style and pick the techniques that suit me best."

Just the thought of creating his own unique style made him giddy with anticipation.

Kaoru glanced down at the Transformation scroll again, his smile fading slightly as he focused.

"Let's see…"

It took him a few hours of studying and experimenting, but eventually, Kaoru felt like he had a grasp of the technique's essence—the flow of chakra, the timing, and the specific hand signs required.

He could feel his excitement building again.

[Alright… how do I practice this?] he wondered, tapping his chin thoughtfully.

That's when an idea struck him.

His eyes sparkled with mischief. "I know!"

He'd transform into one of the Takime adults—the ones who had gone out into the forest to gather fruits and berries—and sneak out of the outpost.

Kaoru's curiosity had been eating at him for weeks. He was dying to see more of the world outside the settlement, especially the majestic waterfall he could only glimpse from afar.

The thought of seeing it up close made his heart race.

"I'll be back before anyone even notices," he whispered with a grin, already imagining the view from the waterfall.

Without a second thought, Kaoru rolled up the scroll, tucked it away, and started forming the hand signs for Transformation Jutsu.

"Let's do this."

Kaoru transformed into a man in his forties—Siba, his next-door neighbor. He knew that Siba was on gathering duty today, so it was the perfect disguise.

With his appearance altered, Kaoru left the dojo and started walking toward the gate. His heart was pounding in his chest, a mix of nerves and excitement making his hands clammy.

[Okay, just act natural. You've got this.]

But as he approached the gate, he noticed that one of the shinobi guards was watching him closely.

Kaoru's heart skipped a beat.

He tried to stay calm, but his mind raced with worst-case scenarios. [What if they find out? I won't get in serious trouble… right?] Still, he couldn't shake the thought of Suiren grounding him and, worse, losing access to the library scrolls he'd just gained permission to read.

For a moment, Kaoru considered turning back, but his legs betrayed him and kept moving forward.

Before he could stop himself, he was already face to face with the guard.

"Hey, Siba! When did you get back?" the guard asked with a friendly smile. "I thought you were out gathering berries with your wife."

Kaoru's stomach twisted in knots.

[Shit. I don't even know this guy's name.]

He forced a grin, trying to keep his voice steady. "Clan Head called me back," Kaoru said quickly, scrambling for an excuse. "Apparently Kaoru's birthday is coming up, and she wants to make him a strawberry pie. She asked me to pick fresh ones if I find them."

Kaoru cursed internally. His confidence and self-belief took a serious hit—that excuse sounded terrible.

But the guard laughed, seemingly buying the story.

"A strawberry pie, huh?" the guard said with a chuckle. "That sounds just like Suiren. I wonder if Maki will make it back in time for Kaoru's birthday. Do you remember how much she sulked when she was sent on a mission and missed it last year?"

Kaoru nodded, laughing nervously to keep up the act. "Yeah… she was really upset about that."

The guard grinned. "Well, give Kaoru my best wishes when you see him. He's a good kid."

Kaoru's smile stiffened, and he patted the guard's shoulder awkwardly. "Will do. Anyway, gotta get back to work—time won't wait."

With that, he turned and walked away, trying to appear calm and collected.

But his steps were awkward and stiff, and anyone watching would think something was definitely off.

Once he was out of sight, Kaoru let out a heavy sigh of relief.

"That was way too close…" Kaoru whispered to himself, wiping his brow as he continued down the path. If he'd known it would be this nerve-wracking, he would have stayed in the dojo.

"Let's see the waterfall and head back quickly." His voice was barely a whisper now, tinged with guilt. "Especially after making such a terrible lie… Grandma's going to be really mad if I'm caught."

Despite his worries, Kaoru's excitement soon took over. As he walked further down the forest path, the beauty of nature slowly melted away his anxiety.

The Takime Clan had truly found a hidden gem for their new home. The dense trees, wildflowers, and moss-covered rocks were untouched by outsiders, and in the distance, he could hear the thunderous roar of the waterfall growing louder with each step.

Kaoru's pace quickened, his childlike curiosity driving him forward.

"Almost there…" he murmured, a grin spreading across his face.

<<<>>>

Somewhere in the Land of Water, a man sat alone in an abandoned house, his dark eyes locked on a small hole in the wooden floorboards.

But his thoughts were far away.

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and a shinobi dressed in black entered the room, his movements silent. His face was hidden behind a white mask, painted with the red markings of a tiger.

The sitting man didn't look up.

"Report," he said, his commanding voice cutting through the silence.

The masked shinobi knelt on one knee, his gaze lowered to the floor as he spoke.

"The children were not delivered to Point F." His tone was calm and formal. "We investigated the source. The hideout was destroyed. Signs of a brutal fight were found, but we couldn't identify the attacking party."

The sitting man's brow furrowed, but his expression remained impassive.

"And the alternative source?" he asked, tapping his chin thoughtfully.

"We're working on it," the shinobi replied. "We'll relocate Point F to a more secure location. Our men are scouting possible spots."

The sitting man was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Good. Don't waste time investigating the attackers. There are too many groups it could have been. We can't afford to attract unnecessary attention." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Secure the new source quickly. I need those children to grow my forces as soon as possible."

The masked shinobi bowed his head. "Understood."

Without another word, he vanished, leaving no trace of his presence, as if he'd never been there to begin with.

The room fell into silence once more, save for the faint creak of the chair.

The sitting man continued to stare at the hole in the floorboards, His eyes darkened.

"It's only a matter of time," he muttered to himself and the room was once again filled with silence.

**

A/N - I've made a slight change to the writing style in this chapter. I focused on being more direct and on point. I've also cut down on atmosphere descriptions to let your imaginations fill in the blanks. I feel like this approach will keep the plot moving smoothly without getting bogged down in too many details.

Let me know if you prefer this faster pacing, or if you'd rather I bring back more of the scene-setting details from previous chapters!

Character notes:

Kaoru - Embarrassed - "Why did I even lie about the pie? I could've just said 'I came to take a shit' Ugh… I feel stupid."

Gumi - Nearly Died - "Hey, I almost had it under control. No need to send Remi running."

The Sitting Man – NOT a new villain– "Just sitting here, staring at this hole in the floor… totally not plotting anything evil."

**