Path Of War-Chapter 335: Ashina

After being told how Fugaku handles his units, Diana couldn't deny his solid leadership as the Torikage.

Fugaku, however, humbled himself and said, "We have to credit lord Arthur for disapproving of smuggling, money laundering, and trafficking." Even though he said this, she could tell he was being modest. "With lord Arthur's political strategies, we've successfully drawn neighbours to ally rather than threaten us, despite our revival."

Arthur's demonstrated far more insight and foresight than anyone had expected. In addition to the connections being made, there was a high chance the Five Great Ninja Nations would take notice.

Nonetheless, Diana found resonance in things so far. She was excited by the implications of it all; given their stable economy, her investment portfolio could double or even quadruple over time.

At the thought of money, her greed got the best of her. "Who exactly manages the village's funds?"

"First and foremost," he clarified, "of the four lords above me, it's a lord named John Belfort who oversees our finances..." She more than recognized that name. "Under his leadership, investments have been made to support our academy, outfit our shinobi, construct homes, and offer recreation for entertainment."

The idea of such a meticulously planned economic strategy filled Diana with amazement.

But because of a supernatural involvement for an entire clan, she asked, "How are new residents accepted into the village?"

Fugaku was so amused that he almost laughed. It was indeed a good question, for if someone outside their clan leaked important information, it could be disastrous.

"It's not easy to get into our village," he smirked. "We don't allow just anyone to enter our land and start anew. We have a rigorous verification procedure in place."

"What's involved in that?"

"In order to determine whether or not applicants are defectors, we first look into their backgrounds. Although each case is different, rogues may be taken into consideration. We evaluate why they came here and why they decided to go rogue. After being granted entry, a person is closely watched to determine whether they have the potential to become a permanent resident."

"And if they want to be a ninja?" she pushed.

He solemnly answered, "There are then ceremonies to affirm their allegiance. Almost anyone can become a ninja these days, but we look to see if they can show dedication to the village and its principles."

Diana thought about what he had said, picturing this apparently organized system as a syndicate of criminals with a slew of moral revolt encircling it. Yet what she also understood was that it was Arthur who removed any potential acts of rebellion without the use of force.

"Even though I haven't seen lord Arthur in a while," he announced, "I can tell he's been hard at work for a long time to bring back the Uchiha's heyday."

"Do you know where he's at now?" she wondered. "I'm satisfied with what I've seen so far, but an audience with him is what I desired."

"Unfortunately," he said, looking at the letter, "lord Ryugetsu's stated that lord Arthur's been constructing another village in private... We won't hear anything about it until he's finished."

What insane schemes might Arthur be up to? Like bees, the questions flitted about Diana's head, demanding answers.

"I get it," she said, "but if I've come this far... I intend to remain until I can meet him."

Fugaku gave her a confident look upon seeing her commitment to Arthur.

"You can stay here as long as you need to," he said. "Don't expect a royal treatment, though, despite your contributions."

She wouldn't have it any other way. In her country, she was already a celebrity. But after meeting Arthur, she needed security twenty-four seven.

Following a quick conversation about logistics, Fugaku made arrangements for her lodging. She was shown the village's most expensive hotel tucked away in a bustling area of the village, rather than a humble inn.

Of course, her carriage escorts were allowed entry and permitted to dwell inside.

In her lavish room, she sat by the window and let the breeze play with her hair till nightfall. For a moment, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of possibility all around her. So many new discoveries were already at play, and she was more resolved than ever to take advantage of what this whole country presented.

The next morning began with a jarring knock on Diana's door.

She threw on a robe and opened it, surprised to see that it was Fugaku, standing composedly with four figures wearing white cloaks on either side of him—two of whom were clearly women.

Something significant was obviously taking place.

Good morning, Lady Diana," said Fugaku. "It seems as if our lord works fast; lord Arthur has asked to visit us at the new village."

'That was fast,' she thought to herself.

She moved aside to allow them entry, intrigued as she prepared herself.

When she was ready, her own escorts were not allowed to come—to no surprise.

The group soon left the hotel and were escorted by the silent figures in white to a carriage outside the village gates. The bodyguards themselves would be walking on foot till they arrived at their destinations.

Diana had many questions as they were en route. She looked at Fugaku and asked, "Should I know anything beforehand?"

He answered cryptically, "Yes, lord Arthur wishes for us to meet someone important in the village."

"I see..." she said, observing out the windows. She was quite intrigued by the authority the figures were emanating. The two were traveling with two horses, yet the four on foot were easily keeping pace. "Who are they exactly?"

Fugaku gave a small shrug and said, "I don't know a lot about them myself, except that the four lords we talked about yesterday and lord Arthur wear them, too."

She continued to eye them but couldn't make out their faces. "So any one of them could be lord Arthur?"

"Not likely," he smirked. "It almost sounds like you haven't seen lord Arthur's true form yet."

"True form?"

"Just be aware that they are similar to the Anbu Black Ops, which you may have heard about. Highly skilled, deadly, and taciturn."

Diana could only nod at him as she took in the details.

As the carriage continued its roll, the village rapidly disappeared behind it, and the scenery eventually changed to the unknown lands beyond.

Some hours later, the carriage suddenly stopped. Diana looked out to wonder if they had been ambushed. Yet beside her, Fugaku stayed composed, casually crossing his arms.

"Think it might be enemies?" she wondered.

"Not possible," he resolutely said. "Our borders are free of crime. There's probably a wild animal in our way."

When she looked, she was surprised to see that he was right. A large grizzly bear lumbered into view.

As such, one of the white-cloaked figures moved forward and lowered his hood. Diana was shocked to see that it was the advisor she had seen the previous day.

The advisor took off his blindfold, and to her surprise, a red laser beam blasted out of his eyes and hit the bear. The creature was instantly burned and turned to ash in a matter of seconds!

Diana's mouth fell open. It was unlike anything she had ever seen.

With deliberate care, the advisor then put his blindfold back on and covered his head again. Throughout the whole ordeal, his face had shown no signs of emotion.

As the carriage continued on its way, leaving the remains of the spectacle in its wake, Fugaku remarked casually, "You'll get used to it."

Diana was at a loss for words. Instead, aware that her world had changed significantly over the past few months, she absorbed the awe and absurdity of her experiences.

They reached their destination shortly after.

The carriage came to a stop in front of incomplete, open gates that marked the entrance to another village. Just outside the carriage door, a different lone figure in that same white cloak was waiting for them as they disembarked.

"Welcome," he said with authority.

It wasn't long until they were permitted entry, while the other four departed.

The three moved through the partially built space, following their white-robed guide. There was an electric, almost crackling, anticipation in the air.

Diana could see a lot of red-headed individuals moving around everywhere she looked, which stood in sharp contrast to the nearby buildings, which were still in various states of construction.

An elder stood in the middle of the village square, his hair pallid and his expression composed in the face of the mayhem. With a faint smile, he walked over and held out his hand to Fugaku.

He warmly introduced himself, saying, "You must be the Torikage of the Hidden Light Village." He then turned to look at Diana. "And you are?"

"Diana," she answered. "This nation's top investor."

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"I understand," he said, thoughtfully stroking his beard. "There was someone like you mentioned by lord Arthur."

"Wait," said Fugaku, intrigued. "Have you met lord Arthur?"

"Yes, I have... He told me about your clan and what has happened. Allow me to introduce myself: I am Ashina Uzumaki, the head of the Uzumaki clan and this new village."

It wasn't long until the group moved to a more private area and sat at a table.

Fugaku remained even more focused than before. The weight of their meeting started to grow, giving this fledgling alliance more substance.

Diana herself stood silently as the conversations went on, taking in bits and pieces of what they were saying.

The two clan heads started talking about their past and the recent events after they were brought back from the dead. They also discussed how Arthur had given them another chance and helped them come out of their desperation as a single, cohesive force.

Of course, like the Uchiha clan, the Uzumakis were still in shock from the past, no matter how well they recovered.

According to Ashina, who spoke thoughtfully, it had only been a day since their revival, and many have started to accept the tragic events that led to the Eddy Village.

"Not too long ago," Fugaku confirmed, "we were in the same boat. But don't worry, with lord Arthur's leadership, my clan kept growing without alarming the rest of the world."

Ashina's face softened in relief.

"Restoring the Hidden Eddy Village was my initial goal after returning," he admitted. "Unfortunately, we were limited to starting over in this village and reclaiming what we had lost due to a lack of resources."

"May I ask what the name of this village is?" Diana wondered.

"It was named after our fallen home," Ashina answered.

Diana thought about their predicament, intrigued. "What did lord Arthur want in exchange for bringing your clan back?"

Ashina shook his head and quietly laughed.

"We were unable to accept any particular deal that lord Arthur offered," he said. "He didn't kidnap us or threaten to harm us. We made a straightforward agreement: we would follow him, but with one request."

"And that was?" Fugaku asked.

With a fierce determination illuminating his features, Ashina disclosed, "To take our revenge against the Five Ninja Nations in a campaign of conquest."

Fugaku's forehead wrinkled in acceptance, as his clan had also accepted the promise of retribution against the Hidden Leaf Village.

As Diana considered the ramifications, her heart fell. The entire shinobi world might be engulfed in a storm if two resurrected clans sought revenge, thus leading to an impending war.

Ashina continued, drawing their attention once more, "There's one more thing."

"Hmm?" Fugaku leaned in to ask.

"The Nine-Tailed Fox was once under the care of our clan," Ashina solemnly stated. "We were informed that it currently resides in Naruto Uzumaki from the Leaf, one of our own."

Fugaku's eyes grew wide as he experienced a new level of comprehension. Was this not the same Naruto he'd heard about that was once a teammate of his son, Sasuke?

"How do you intend to handle him?" he asked.

Ashina sighed, and his answer lingered. "Whether the boy agrees or not, we will reclaim what is rightfully ours. We'll then use the Nine-Tails' tremendous strength to get even."

Fugaku grinned because that was once their clan's goal in the past. So he said, "It seems we share a common goal then."

"Is that so?" Ashina grinned, as if that possibility pleased him.

Diana understood that their interaction was a result of Arthur's doing. These two clans had similar ambitions and a similar past. To think that her benefactor was trying to create a strong alliance from two clans that couldn't be more different.

Despite the risks, a promising understanding between the clan heads developed.

The white-clad figure next to them finally moved forward and pulled a packet out of his robe. Fugaku arched an eyebrow in inquiry as he set it on the table between them.

Ashina narrowed his eyes at the document and said, "Ah, yes. We need to find the members of our clan who were dispersed around the world and managed to escape the initial downfall before we can apprehend the Nine-Tails. It's crucial we recruit them."

As Diana read the names on the paper, she hadn't recognized their faces. She whispered their names, "Karin... and Nagato Uzumaki?"