"The last living member of the Yuki Clan, she was Zabuza's apprentice, and fought against us when we came to reclaim the blade.
Luckily though, Victor, upon seeing her abilities and knowing of her pedigree decided to spare her life and bring her back to the Village for you to decide what to do with." Naruto said with a shrug.
"She is a bit battered and bruised, but is otherwise okay. She is currently in stasis though, so it may take her a few hours to adjust after being released from the scroll."
...
Mei nodded at this, pleased that one of Kiri's oldest bloodlines had not gone extinct. Yet also concerned about how the girl might react to her Master Zabuza being killed.
Picking up the scroll, Mei nodded as she gestured for a nearby ANBU to take it. Take her to the Torture and Interrogation department. Have her seen to by Medic-nins, but otherwise confined. Make sure to tell the T&I Shinobi though that she is not to be harmed, and is to be treated with the courtesy."
Mei wanted the girl to call Kiri home again, but knew that until she had spoken to the girl and assessed her trustworthiness she couldn't be allowed to wander.
Nodding the ANBU took the proffered scroll, before disappearing in a slight spray of mist.
"So overall it was a successful mission." Mei said as she turned back to her Hunter-nin team. "Or at least mostly."
"Mostly?" Naruto questioned in confusion. "I was not aware that we failed a single objective, save for the secondary objective of recruiting the two missing-nin?"
"You are correct that the mission itself was an overwhelming success, you retrieved the swords and also brought back a fortune in bloodlines and wealth" Mei said with a nod, before a slight frown crossed her face.
"Unfortunately though, your actions in Wave against the Konoha team have caused me some trouble."
"You mean the death of Kakashi Hatake?" Naruto questioned knowingly. "He and his team interfered with our legitimate mission, whilst we were on neutral territory. I would have thought there would be little backlash on Kiri. Especially since we showed no Kiri marks?"
"Yes, and you are right that official Konoha can take no actions against us, not without them being seen as the aggressors." Mei said with a nod of her head. "However if you think Minato Namikaze is going to take the death of his last student well, then you are a fool."
The words were harsh, Mei knew that. Pain was only doing his duty, still though it would have caused her a lot less trouble, if he had shown some restraint when fighting Kakashi.
"I am confused." Naruto said a scowl on his face now. "If what you said is true about Konoha being unable to do anything to Kiri is true, then what is the problem?"
"The problem is that you allowed those Konoha genin to live. This in its self was a smart thing to do, considering the amount of backlash we would have received had you murdered the Yellow Flash's daughter and the Last Uchiha it could have led to war.
But it also meant that they were able to give a report on what happened." Mei replied as she raised her hand to rub her forehead. "Namikaze has placed a high bounty on your heads, mainly yours Pain and also you now have the 'honour' of being an S-rank Shinobi.
So much so that it will make your duty as a Hunter-nin all but impossible. Seeing as almost every bounty hunter in the Elemental Nations will be coming after the head of Grimm and his team." Mei said, using Naruto's code name.
Naruto winced at that, realising why she was pissed. Due to the nature of his abilities it meant that he couldn't just adopt a new identity and carry on his duty, no his abilities were distinctive and would identify him to anyone in the know and as a Hunter-nin he would be even more vulnerable as they don't wear the symbol of their Shinobi Village, meaning that they were free game.
This meant, for the moment at least, that he would no longer be able be a Hunter-nin. With this bounty now on his head, it meant that whenever he left the village under the persona of Grimm, or as a Hunter-nin he would be a target, one that would endanger his team and whatever missions they were performing.
"Well shit…" Naruto said bluntly, absentmindedly licking his lips as he thought about the consequences of this shit situation. "What does that mean for our team?"
"It means that for the moment it will be disbanded." Mei said with a sigh. "At least until things calm down, or Konoha reduce the bounty on your head."
"Ok." Naruto said, not happy with the situation but understanding why it was necessary all the same.
"Ok? Ok? This is not fucking ok!" Clementine snapped, as she glared at both Mei and Naruto. "What the hell are we supposed to do if our team is disbanded?!"
Mei's expression darkened at the lack of respect Clementine was showing. "Keep a civil tongue Clementine; I am still your Mizukage!"
Clementine flinched at the tone of Mei's voice, before she realised just who she was swearing at and shut her mouth with a nod.
"As for what you will be doing." Mei continued shooting a glare at Clementine before catching both Naruto and Victor's eyes. "Clementine and Victor will be initiated into the newly formed Seven Swordsmen of the Mist.
Clementine will be issued with the Kubikiribocho and Victor will be given the Nuibari. They will be joining earlier than I had planned, but it matters not. They will both go into training with the other members."
Both Victor and Clementine gained looks of surprise at that statement. Though Clementine's lips did twitch upwards slightly as she realised that she would be getting the Kubikiribocho back. Victor however just looked shocked, especially as Mei placed a long needle like sword on her desk, one that had steal thread coming from the handle.
Gesturing for the two to take their respective blades, Mei continued speaking.
The two of you will report to the Seven Swordsmen's training ground at noon, where you will begin your training in the use of your respective sword. After the training is completed you will be initiated into the Seven Swordsmen along with the other four initiates.
By that point your team may be reformed again, or you might be sent after the final missing sword Samehada, depending on the circumstances at the time."
Victor nodded absentmindedly as he picked up the Nuibari reverently, his eyes shining at the thought of how he would use the needle like sword, a blade that literally was named the sewing needle.
The blade was pretty much the perfect weapon for a member of the Stein family, which was no doubt the reason Mei had given it to him in the first place.
Clementine also grabbed her sword, hefting it onto her shoulder with ease. Unlike Victor though, who was a bit overcome with the sword given to him and the honour bestowed upon him, a former Outcast, Clementine instead looked o Naruto with a frown, before she looked back at Mei.
"What about Pain? Is he going to be given the Kiba blades?" She asked a slight frown on her face.
"No, I have a different duty for Pain." Mei replied calmly.
Clementine scowled at that, before she put her sword back on the table. "Then I can't join the Seven Swordsmen." She said bluntly surprising everyone in the room with that admission.
"And why is that?" Mei asked calmly, as she stared at the blonde.
She shrugged in reply. "Pain and I are a team. Where he goes, I go."
Naruto blinked in surprise at that, having not expected such loyalty. His surprise only lasted a moment though as he saw a frown pass across Victor's face, as he made to put his own sword back on the Mizukage's desk.
Letting out a sigh, Naruto spoke up. "Pick up your sword Clementine. We will still be a team after you finish your training."
Clementine gave him a stubborn look at that. "Besides I am not exactly a sword guy. Give me a good axe any day over some fancy sword."
Clementine snorted in amusement at that.
"Go on, you two join the Swordsmen. We will talk later. Either way, just remember that the team may officially be disbanded, but that doesn't mean shit in reality." Naruto added.
Clementine nodded at that, even as she once again grabbed her sword off of Mei's desk.
"Good, now you two can leave the room. Pain, you stay behind." Mei said as she gestured for the two former Hunter-nins to leave.
Giving them a slight nod, Naruto silently told them to do as they were told.
Looking between Mei and Naruto suspiciously Clementine grabbed Victor by the arm as she dragged him out of the office.
"So they are both joining the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. What am I supposed to do?" Naruto asked, as he grabbed a nearby chair and flung himself into it, an expectant look on his face as he looked to Mei.
Mei didn't answer at first, a curious look on her face as she inspected Naruto. "You caught me by surprise you know?"
Naruto quirked an eyebrow at that comment.
"The fact that you killed Kakashi Hatake, it caught me by surprise." Mei replied still giving Naruto an assessing look.
"I always knew you were strong. Far too strong for someone your age. But I never realised just how powerful you are. Kakashi was a borderline S-class Shinobi, yet you were able to kill him one on one." Mei said a slight smile now on her face as she gave Naruto a proud look. "Very impressive."
Naruto nodded curtly at that, thanking her for her praise. "So what is it I am going to do?"
"I have a mission for you." Mei said a proud smile still on her face as she spoke. "I am making you a Jonin Sensei and am giving you a team of genin which you are to take to the upcoming chunin exams in Konoha."
Naruto blinked at that in surprise. "What about the bounty, if they find out who I am they will attempt to kill me."
"The bounty is for Grimm, a village-less Hunter-nin Not for Pain a Jonin of Kirigakure." Mei replied. "They may know who you are, but they can't do anything. Not without attacking a guest to their village and declaring war on Kirigakure. Placing a high bounty a Hunter-nin is one thing, but attack a Jonin form a neutral Village is completely another."
"Ok so I won't be attacked straight away. Why are you making me a teacher? I do not know the first thing about teaching genin." Naruto questioned, seeing the logic behind Mei's explanation.
"Well it is a good thing you won't be expected to teach them. Your team of 'genin' will all be high level chunin to low Jounin level Shinobi.
A group of well trained Shinobi, who never moved passed genin due to other commitments. You will just be expected to go to Konoha and act as their Jonin Sensei whilst there." Mei replied.
"And why are you sending such an overpowered team to a chunin exam?" Naruto questioned suspiciously, something about this just didn't seem right to him.
Mei didn't answer at first. She instead gave Naruto a searching look, as if deciding how much she could trust him.
"Whilst you were on your mission, I received a visit from the a man calling himself the Otokage, apparantly he is the leader of a newly formed Shinobi Village in the Land of Rice, a village called Otogakure." Mei said, a frown on her face as she thought back o her meeting with the mysterious man.
"The man came with a request for Kiri to join Otogakure and Sunagakure in an attack on Konoha during the chunin exams."
Naruto felt his blood freeze as he heard that.
"And what did you decide?" Naruto asked cautiously.
"I told him I would assist them. But that was a lie; I will not decide anything until I receive more information. This is why I am sending you to Konoha. You are to assess the Suna and Oto forces and find out their exact plan. You are also to assess the Konoha forces.
Once you have done this you will report it back to me. Whilst you are doing this your team will be making their way to the third round of the exams, this will give me an excuse to come to Konoha with my most powerful Shinobi as my bodyguards." Mei said, outlining her plan to Naruto, knowing as she did that she could place her absolute trust in him.
"Then what will happen, will we help Konoha or will we attack them." Naruto questioned, quite conflicted as he did so.
When it came down to it Naruto would happily die for Kiri and for the Mizukage. This was his home and he would fight for it. But he also still loved his family, his mother and father and both of his sisters. He would happily die and kill to keep them safe.
And there was the crutch as found himself caught between his loyalty to his home and his love of his family.
"That depends on you report. If it is likely that the invasion will succeed we will assist in the invasion and reap the benefits. Including taking as many of Konoha's bloodline and jutsu as we can before leaving.
As after having met the Otokage I have no doubt he will attempt to betray us. However if it is likely that Konoha will prevail, we will use our forces to assist. After which Konoha will be in our debt. It all depends on the information you provide." Mei said, revealing just how ruthless she could be when it came to the safety and security of her Village as she plotted to play both sides in this upcoming war.
"Okay." Naruto nodded his mind spinning as he thought about what he should do. He could easily fake the information and make it so Kiri assisted Konoha.
But by doing so he could put his Village in danger by being on the losing side. On the other hand he could do his duty, which could lead to the destruction of Konoha and the endangerment of his family.
"Are you okay?" Mei questioned in concern as she saw the confusion in Naruto's crimson eyes.
"Yeah I am fine, just thinking is all." Naruto muttered in reply.
"Will you accept the mission?" Mei said, her expression still showing her genuine concern as she kept a close eye on Naruto.
Coming to a resolution, Naruto looked up. His eyes once again gleaming with confidence.
"Yes, yes I will."
_____________________
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