Gnomes do exist

[Taiga]

It had been a stormy few days, but one advantage to living on the mountain was avoiding the risk of flood- that was the reason their ancestors had chosen the mountain tops. On the other hand, mud slides and other risks existed. For Kumogakure, a city off shinobi, technological, and architecture prowess, that was no issue. Hayate paused for a moment as a flash of light filled his office, followed by the rippling of thunder. Another bolt of lightning struck the Raikage tower. The tower itself acted as a lightning rod for the village, as it's highest point. The fact lightning eternally spun around inside the tower made it only cooler. In a way, it harvested the storm. That electricity would be distributed to the rest of the village when needed.

The quality of life has been sharply increasing since the rise of the new government, but some things still troubled the man. Things like the group of "rebels" who had been causing issue after issue for his construction efforts. He had to wonder if someone had put them up to it not for the interest of the Lightning country, but also his mind had grown quite dull wondering such things.

Rolling up his scroll and shoving it in his desk he leaned back further in his chair and let out a sigh. The problems never ended it in the end it always fell on him to solve or fix them... Syaoran and Banri were no longer anyone he could trust and with Hayasu on hiatus he lacked any shinobi powerful or smart enough to be entrusted with matters of the countries utmost important. He needed champions or Jounin he could give the most important missions to- people like him or Sou or others had been.

Reliable folk.

He also had an unsealed Genma still to put in one more host- one more poor soul who would likely do soon after... This kind of thing always hurt him.

[Nafan~]

There was a polite knock at the Raikage's door, followed by an attendant asking to be let in. As always, they waited for permission before stepping in. As always, they had perfectly mimicked the sounds of his staff. It was only the order of the knock that betrayed this as a member of the elusive StratOs devision. After tentatively opening the door a crack to check there were no outsiders, as they always did, two cowled figures entered the room. One wore an ivory mask in the shape of a rabbit, complete with long ears, the other's was more vaguely canine in nature. "Raikage-sama, we bring a message of great importance" spoke the female voice of the rabbit. From beneath her cloak she produced a scroll, and unwound it before the hokage so that he could see the Fuuinjutsu formula within.

There was a moments pause. The Raikage presented with nothing more than what was obviously some kind of Fuuinjutsu. The moment drew out into an awkward silence. Clearly the pair expected something to happen, and yet neither were making any move to activate the seal. Then, in a flash of blue light, a slightly dishevelled young man in a blue robe with a fur-lined hood appeared before the Raikage. Likely, not the man that Hayate had been expecting to speak to. In his left gloved hand he held a long staff not dissimilar to a two-pronged pitchfork, but with all the wrong proportions. "Raikage-sama, I apologise for the unorthodox method of arrival..." The man began, before placing a hand on his chest as if to catch his breath for a moment. After clearing his throat, he moved on, "But I thought it best if nobody saw me enter or leave as this concerns someone that I think we both mutually consider to be.. somewhat problematic."

With that, Senji proferred his hand, "Ryakketsu, Senji, my lord." he provided with a sheepish grin.

[Taiga]

Hayate was still leaned back in his chair- in fact his feet up on his desk when the knocks on the door came and the sound of people shuffling into his office followed. He neither looked up nor stirred from his position only letting out another sigh. Today was really just not his day and he was really not feeling it. Part of him wished he had become Raikage in his twenties back when he had more energy... but then again he probably just would have become an old man that much sooner. Like always, these folks claimed they had a "great message" of "great importance". He'd heard that line at least four times today. Slowly he took his feet of his desk- a huge cultural faux pas but one he did nonetheless, and let them hit the ground with loud thuds.

"Yes?! he said with almost a sarcastically enthused tone, his annoyance seeping out of his voice without even the slightest attempt to hide it. Performing a sit up like maneuver he returned his torso to a vertical position sitting upright in his hair and then took his hat from his lap and placed it back on his head. When the hat was on he was in Raikage mode after all.

"I suppose you are here for- actually what are you hear for?" he said tilting his head as the pair unrolled the scroll which then released a flash of blue light. He felt a surge of chakra, but did not feel very threatened or excited to do anything about it. When all settled, one formerly annoying little boy who was now a probably still annoying young man remained. Looking at his shit-eating grin- or how Hayate interpreted anyways, he ignored the outstretched hand and leaned back in his chair again.

"It better be good this time, Senji. My shift was almost over." he said in a monotone voice.

[Nafan~]

Senji honestly hadn't expected such a cold reception. Regardless, he shrugged it off and powered on, excited to get his proposal out. "Well, Raikage-sama, I have a proposal for you regarding removing a certain thorn in your side. Naturally I expect it will be mutually beneficial." Senji began as he reached into his pockets and produced a map of the village, unfolding it onto the Raikage's desk. On the map, which displayed each of the inhabited layers of Kumogakure, were a large number of markings. "First of all, I've been training under Banri for the past eight years or so. Not entirely of my own volition, but that's neither here nor there at this point. In that time I've developed something of equal parts respect for his ability and an absolute loathing for the method he chooses to apply that ability. I don't believe that black operations should be undertaken against our own people, it undermines the very fabric of the democratic society that Kumogakure operates under. So, I think it would be best to get rid of him." with that, Senji flicked his staff behind him and a tear in the fabric of reality appeared to catch it and whisk it away to Senji's personal realm. It was done casually, with barely a thought as if it were a simple habit. "Understand that I don't mean to brag when I say this, but I am currently his best pupil by a fair margin. His tactics, his methods, and even a few of the people he has in his pocket, I know very intimately. What I don't have is enough support to properly supplant him so that we can stop using scare tactics to coerce our own people and focus StratOs operations purely on the exterior of the lightning country. And perhaps legitimate rebel cells. But if you and I were to work together, it would go a long way into... well, removing Banri in the first place, and assisting me in smoothly succeeding him in the second." Senji finished. He had completely forgotten to explain about the map he had unfurled in front of him, but that had done nothing to curb his enthusiasm in relaying this plan to the Raikage. He had the utmost confidence in his own, and his team's, ability. All he needed was Hayate's assistance and he could finally throw a rench into the old man's insidious plans.

[Taiga]

Senji was not a bad kid- but honestly Hayate was really not a fan of his overly... dramatic? That was not the right word... flamboyant??? Nope not that either... showman??? He couldn't put a line on it, but the staff, the robes, the very grand gestures... it had always been to over the top for his tastes. Sighing he sat up more straight and continued to listen to the boy- who he had known to be serving under Banri for quite some time something he honestly felt made him like the boy even less. Regardless, he was a shinobi of Kumogakure, and by that, somehow like one of Hayate's own children. He stood from his chair and made way around his desk, leaning aside at as he continued to listen to Senji go on about how Banri had a bad boy and how he was not able to agree with the ways of Banri.

The boy had earned the most points adding in that it was not of his own desire entirely to serve Banri and indeed the Raikage was slightly intrigued to find out not all who served the Lord felt he was the "best" or felt even loyalty to him. Seemed Banri had been slipping these days.

Democracy had always been an ideal in Kumogakure- but bar some of the Black Ops and Hayate, very few knew that most of that democracy was fake. Banri twisted arms- hurt people- bent them to the parties or votes he wanted to win. Likely most of the society they had knew for at least thirty decades was shaped by one man- Banri- though whether or not Senji knew of his exploits to that level was uncertain.


When the lecture ended he found something particularly disgusting. Though Senju supported a more idealistic version of BlackOps, StratOS, and wanted to redo things- the last line... his motive was clear and out on the table in that line. He wanted to succeed Banri. The Raikage ignored the map, which had otherwise been unexplained anyways.

"Clandestine operations to get rid of a clandestine operation running old fool just make you pretty dirty too, whelp." the Raikage said crossing his arms. "I do not want to "supplant" Banri." he said peering across the table to the boy. "I don't care about that- what I want is Banri tried for his crimes in a peoples court- crimes dating back to the Nakajima Revolt if not earlier... even to the death of Lord Akino." he paused as his eyes widened.

"I do not give a damn what succeeds him- but I also am weary of someone who plots to take out their own teacher." Hayate was being a bit hostile, but he hated the disloyal more than he hated Banri.

"Maybe someday you will supplant him, but that is very low on my list of priorities, Senji." he said finally calling the young man by name.

[Nafan~]

Senji had come into the room too enthusiastic. He had been filled with hope, was giddy with anticipation, and had been on a high from the adrenaline pumping through his veins for doing something as daring as this. As borderline suicidal. But now that was all gone. Senji had been taunted by the spec of light on the horizon, shining dimly from the end of the very dark and very long tunnel he had found himself trapped in. As Hayate spoke, he came back to himself. He realised the gravity of the situation and his suggestion, and the smile dropped from his face. There was still a long path ahead.

"Ah. I see." Senji began after a pause, taking in Hayate's words. "I apologise. I seem to have given the impression that this was nothing more than an impatient student greedily and arrogantly assuming he'd surpassed his master. Allow me to avail you of that assumption." Senji's voice had grown cold to reflect Hayate's own. The disdain in his eyes began to transform into hatred as he continued, "While I have learned many things from Tada Banri, I am not his student. That man is a teacher to no one. I suffered his torture and his experimentation for four years hidden away in a dark hole after he kidnapped me. While I bear the scars upon my body I will not trouble you with their unsightly appearance. After his attentive 'tutelage' he finally let me free, with the usual threats and assurances I'm sure you're used to experiencing from that man. I was to serve him because the alternative was to be unthinkable, a notion I'm sure you're familiar with." Senji remarked pointedly, "I owe that man nothing, in fact I believe he owes me at least four years of my life and two of my closest friends."

At this point Senji needed to stop to collect himself. He took a deep breath, and refocussed his thoughts. He did not want Hayate to get the wrong idea and think his aggression was levelled at the Raikage. His demeanour softened slightly before he continued, "This is not a grab for power, Raikage-sama, but a mad dash to freedom. Even now I have a sword hanging over my head and I do not know when it will strike. The main reason I mean to succeed him is because his network must be dismantled carefully so as to not trigger the same catastrophic events that would occur should you have simply killed him as I'm sure you have desired to do before, and I believe I've figured out how to do that."

Senji was standing straight now, and gestured to the map as he mentioned figuring something out. While Senji had suppressed the seething hatred he held for the man they were discussing, he still felt frustrated that he may have come so far only to stumble at the final hurdle. Hayate was correct in assuming that Senji knew many of Banri's crimes, after all he'd been forced to learn about many of them intimately as a form of strategy study. But he did not know all of them, only the ones involved with the civil war to be precise. He needed Hayate's support to effectively remove Banri with the least amount of damage to the village and the country, and to deliver retribution upon his captor. If he couldn't convince the Raikage, he'd be stuck underneath the man's black heel forever, and he didn't know how much more he could take of a life like that.

[Taiga]

Hayate quietly sat back patiently as he let the boy talk. Despite his dislike of Senji at times he was an intelligent young mand and Hayate had little doubt that his character was pure- that was to say that he believed the boy had the villages best interest in heart. He disliked the way he had been speaking and it having been made clear, it was his time as a teacher to sit back and guide. Noting somewhat a striking similarity between his and Senji's own experience with Banri, the Raikage merely responded with a solemn nod. The boy still seemed convinced his map meant something.

Breaking his silence he spoke up.

"And the significance of the map? Though I must I suggest we move somewhere else for any further conversation though."

[Nafan~]

Senji nodded to Hayate after his comment. "The map shows the location of my various sensory nodes and key person's movements. As for a secure location, we can talk in my tower." He replied, turning towards a free space on the office. A shroud of blue wrapped around his body, extending out in a tendril as Senji drew slow circles in the air with his hand. The chakra formed the outline of a door, which quickly filled in with solid gold metal. Two golden knockers lifted and slammed into the surface of the door, pushing it open into an ornate drawing room flanked on all sides by bookshelves. Senji stepped through with his two followers, and he sat quickly in a plush armchair, placing the map upon the coffee table. "Please, do come in."

[Taiga]

Moving to lock the doors of his office but leaving the lights on Hayate pressed his hands together releasing a small bit of chakra as a suiton flowed off his body into a viscous, vaguely human form. The shape made way to his desk, leaving a slight trail of water on it's way. As it made its way towards the desk the water churned and became opaque with colors, until it solidified and once it had sat in the chair, would be indistinguishable from the Raikage himself. He saluted the Raikage and let him know he had it from here. With that the Raikage moved towards the portal and through it into the realm of Senji. He was not a big fan of space time, but he was happy to know many of his country men were on the cutting edge for the techniques... and pleasantly surprised Senji was too. Though a brat, he had grown a lot.

"Right." he said as he made it through to the other side noting they were in some kind of study or something. Taking a seat near the coffee table and in front of the map he would await whatever else the boy had to tell him.

[Nafan~]

Senji gestured grandly toward the map before them and began to explain, “If you look at the map, each ‘x’ marks a sensory node that I’ve place around the village. The range isn’t super far, but by placing them in strategic locations I basically have coverage of the entire village. Thanks to the fuuinjutsu I’ve placed on my back, I’m constantly aware of all of these areas at the same time.” While he spoke he tapped a few spots on the map marked with an ‘x’, and turned to pull his collar down to show a part of the fuuinjutsu formula tattooed across his shoulders, pulsing with a dull blue light beneath his clothes. “What I’ve discovered is that whenever a member of Stratos enters one of the hideouts, they disappear after the first room. Now I know you’re thinking ‘sensory blocking’, but there’d be no reason to leave out the front room. No, I think that the second doors are portals to somewhere else, using space-time manipulation” He posited.

Senji leaned over and circled one of the locations where he knew there was an entrance to the StratOs hideout while he spoke. “The reason why this matters is because that means whenever Banri is in the hideout, we know he’s not in the city. And if he’s not in the city, he’ll be slower to react to whatever we try.” Senji looked up meaningfully at Hayate, now touching a red circle he had placed at the Raikage's tower on the map, "Which is why step one of our plan must be to capture the man in the red mask, and hide him here in the Raikage's tower. The ring of lightning and concentration of people in the tower will provide enough chakra interference that it will take time to identify his location there. While Banri is a fuuinjutsu master, he's not capable of space-time manipulation himself, he relies on his subordinate for that. If we work together to capture him, you could have resources on standby to neutralise the doorways from the hideout. Banri would be stranded, either on another plane or a great distance away, and we could use the time that buys us to work on the weak links in his web of lies that I've identified. By the time he makes it back, if we're successful, we should have him weakened enough that you can capture him without risking everything. I'm sure we'll still take a hit, Banri's sure to have contingencies that I've never even dreamed of, but this at least will make it very much survivable." As he spoke his voice picked up pace and began to get a little of the excitement back that he had started with. He would never reach the same levels of excitement as when he was a child, but it was clear that he was still quite eager.

[Taiga]

The Raikage gently stroked his chin as he looked as he inspected the a map a bit further than Senji's explanation, trying to quickly judge whether or not any patterns or links came to mind. If any of these were locations he had maybe been or if any of this had meaning. Coming to very little conclusions, he made note of the fact that Banri's hideouts had been chosen quite cleverly in that regard- finding one would in know way help you find another. Senji's surveillance however was a holistic searching method and it had proved fruitful. Still, the Raikage was skeptical.

"I don't for a second doubt that you are right and they are merely portals to elsewhere, but I have to question the ease of this discovery. For a man who has been so utterly careful- to be unfound by a few sensory fuuinjutsu station throughout the city seems to be far too simple. This is the commander of the fabled Black Ops mind you." The Raikage said as he leaned back in the chair giving no further attention to the map.

"This stinks- Senji. I say it's a trap" he said as he began to fiddle with his hands, sparks of lightning dancing around his fingers much like schoolboys spun pencils. "If this is what we see- think of what we do not." The lightning stopped sputtering about his fingers as the Raikage shifted his position in the chair and leaned forward once again.

"Sometimes I think the best way to handle this is to sacrifice myself and kill the man by my own hand. I know in a fight I'd kill Banri... he knows it... the reason I don't is if I do, I can kiss the Raikage position goodbye and this country will fall into the hands of a new puppet... And though the war ended a few years ago, to change rulers so quickly would destabilize the country." he said leaning back as the lightning continued once more to spin around his fingers- much like the lightning of the Raikage tower.

"Suppose this is not a trap- we lock Banri away for some time, but how exactly do we "find the weak links" or get dirt... what exactly can we accomplish? And even then why do we need a man in a red mask? If fuuin is acting as the anchor we can simply destroy the fuuin." The Raikage said with a look in his eyes that seethed with rage.

His father. His uncle. Akino... they had all died because of Banri... and he himself had been manipulated into starting the civil war. He hated Banri- but he feared him... he feared politically what the man could accomplish.

[Nafan~]

Senji nodded solemnly as the Raikage expressed his doubt. "Forgive me, my explanation was inadequate. There are only two StratOs members capable of space-time manipulation, and that's myself and Banri's lieutenant, the man in the red mask. Even if we eliminate every door that I suspect of being a portal, the man in the mask will simply be able to teleport Banri directly into the village, much as I could teleport you to any of the crosses here on the map." Senji explained honestly.

He straightened in his armchar as he cleared his throat for the next part. "I understand that even though I'm adept at strategy, I'm nowhere near Banri's equal as a political mastermind. However, I've already found a number of weak links to push on. I estimate that if we bar Banri from the village through space-time movements, we buy ourselves four days. I believe we can weaken his network sufficiently in that time that by the time he arrives, you'll maintain your position. There will still be a lot of damage, but nowhere near the landslide that Banri had set up." Senji gestured and a small blue hole opened and dropped two cups and a bottle into his hand. He placed the jug and the chalices of gold on the table, and poured water into each as he spoke. He took a sip before continuing. "You see, Banri's method is so effective because he doesn't actually directly threaten or bribe each of his agents. He influences others into doing something that would achieve a similar result. In many cases, there may even be two or three degrees of separation. So many of the people that Banri can influence don't even know that he touches their lives. But I know where a few of those knots can be unwound without killing any innocents. On top of that, there are three critical ways we can stop Banri from moving.

The first I've already begun. We've managed to set it up so that a majority of Banri's agents in the courts of one of his noble allies are our friends in StatOs, meaning once we strike we can prevent his message from reaching them. Secondly, Banri never actually released Murakami-kyo's children after the lady sacrificed herself for their release. He's placed two operatives in their place to assume their identities. I have a marking in the city, and once we've isolated Banri I intend to go there, expose them, and imprison them. From there, Banri will take a huge credibility hit. Once that's done, we can turn the merchants he's bought against him by offering them more money than him, but telling them they'll only be asked for help if we get more support. Once we have their tentative support, we can use that to give more confidence to those he controls by fear rather than money. We have the merchants, we've paralysed his noble allies, and we've shown his own organisation to be fractured against him. This should take the first two days to accomplish.

On the third day, we convince Syaoran that this is possible, because we've made him look weak and he's not even been able to move yet. So long as he's on board by day four, once Banri arrives, we'll win. The reason I believe this isn't a trap, is because so much of his strength comes from secrecy and shadow. Our advantage is that we in his organisation are privy to many of his secrets, and while I'm sure we're not even close to a majority of them, it'll be enough to slow him down. Perhaps a normal shinobi utilising sensory techniques couldn't figure out the secret of the doors, but when I've already been on the inside of his organisation the pieces fall into place so much neater. Also, all the political acumen in the world won't help him if he can't get into a position to use it. " He finished.

That was the main outline of Senji's plan, and his heart fluttered nervously as he peered at Hayate across from him. The water he'd poured was as much for his nerves as for his throat, and he sipped liberally to try and calm himself. This was his big pitch, and if Hayate was too afraid to take the leap, Senji knew there would be no second try. This was his one chance to get free, to get them all free, of the spider that had caught them all in his web.

[Taiga]

"Forgiven- but I am too skeptical of this detail in particular. It's just too convenient... and too ill thought. I don't see why through fuuinjutsu binding with items or something Banri would not have a contingency plan back into the village- or a summon that could be here in less than 4 days easily..." the Raikage said as he fidgeted with his fingers in his seat. Nothing he had said had been out of fear- but out of a caution that ran so deep the Raikage was paralyzed to act... Leaning forward from his chair he closed his eyes and let out a sigh before continuing... The next line hurt to say, but he had to... He disagreed with his own mind in his heart and wanted to fight Banri to no end, but being a leader taught him sometimes that it was better to follow his head.

"I am ashamed to admit it but anything that will cause damage to the village or country- even if minimized as you say... I cannot allow it. We have just begun to heal the wounds of our civil war- to risk that now... I'd rather be stuck dealing with Banri for another decade." He nearly winced at the last part. It truly did pain him but the fact of the matter was his government needed to provide stability in a time like this and picking a destabilizing fight with Banri was potentially the worst thing they could do. While he hated Banri, Banri did truly have Kumo's best interests in heart and that allowed him to somehow live with it. He reached and took a cup of water from Senji drinking it.

Still he let the boy go on and listened to his master plans and schemes and whlie he did agree with systematically dismantling Banri's major contacts and exposing some of his lies, this all seemed to lead to direct conflict with Banri to soon and in too dangerous a condition. For Hayate there had to be another way to subtly get the cards in place before doing something of that calibre.

"I am sorry but I do not subscribe to your plan. If we are to do anything against him we will due it with the courts of our people already having reached a verdict and the final battle and Banri's arrest happening outside of the village- hell outside of any populous zone... I think either we should be indirect, or direct from day 1. If we expose enough truths of Banri... he will have no chance."

The Raikage cleared his throat.

"The Nakajima revolt was Banri's doing... but I figure you may know this, but the next... thing to you he would never tell- I am certain only 3 souls know the truth and one of them is me- and the power he held over me was that by telling it I risk it all including my position." the Raikage said with a gulp.

"I move that in addition to destabilizing his power we unmask the children and then Syaoran and I step forward to tell the truth... of Kyoukan Akino, 8th Raikage." Hayate's eyes locked dead on Senjis.

"Was not it odd that both Banri and Syaoran were not present on the day Kumogakure's star fell from the sky? Syaoran knew the attack would come- he knew because he was coerced by Banri to leave the village. Long before this I fought Raijin before, albeit weaker in a cave on a mission with Black OPS agents... beyond me, only Black OPS knew. Banri summoned Raijin to do one thing: kill a Raikage he viewed as isolationist and complacent.Syaoran in his in-action was complicit in the murder of Akino. I had always had a rising suspicion but this was made very clear to me the day I became Raikage.

The day Banri told me."

He set his glass down.

"Perhaps there will still be some sort of a fight- but with this... if the public knew... Banri would have no where to go."

[Nafan~]

Sand billowing over the dunes in the great deserts of the Wind Country could not have been drier than Senji's mouth. He'd just drank, but the moisture evaporated with the shock and horror of the truth that Hayate had just dropped on him. Somehow it had found it's way onto the magician's brow as beads of sweat, thankfully hidden behind the wide brim of his hat. Senji remembered that night, the screams, the howling winds and the roar of lightning. The crashes of debris slamming into the street as Senji, then a mere boy, ran through the village in his night clothes. The morning after when he and Tadashi saw the aftermath, three hundred meters of mountain collapsed, with who knew how many casualties.

The pure horror of the incident brought a chill to his spine even now, as it had back then. The thought that somehow Banri had been responsible for that, for the murder of the most loved Raikage in living memory, was almost incomprehensible to Senji. How could the blame for the death of such a great man possibly lay at the feet of a mere mortal man? He felt the chill in his spine settle in deep, and recognised that familiar pit opening in his stomach. The almost intoxicating fear of Tada, Banri, the man who had an answer for everything. The man that was always a step ahead. And he'd even managed to slay Akino.

The magician drank deeply from his cup, draining it of all its water. "Raikage-sama... If you release that information to the public at anything other than the right, no, the absolute perfect time... It will have the exact opposite of the effect that you're hoping for. He controls people through fear, and unless we've already exposed his weakness, this will only turn people from terrified to absolutely inconsolable. They'll galvanise out of fear of his retribution if they hear he's capable of ending your predecessor. This can only come out after we've executed the first half of my plan and his allies have already started to leave him. Also, I doubt Banri would fight if he found himself beat. He's not the 'blaze of glory' type. He'd be more likely to kill himself to deny you the satisfaction." Senji finished. He poured more water. Even after accessing that cold, logical part of his mind he still felt the aftershock of that deep, unsettling fear that had taken a hold of him. They were dealing with nothing short of a monster.

[Taiga]

Hayate's eyes looked coldly upon Senji as he had finished delivering the truth. For years it had been hidden deep down inside of Hayate- locked away so tightly that he could have never dreamed of the words escaping his lips... and yet here they were. Taking a deep breath he looked again at the young man before him who was visibly flustered and shocked. He was unnerved. Though Senji had matured quite a bit and become a cunning little tactician, Hayate could still see a feint trace of his boyhood still in him- an innocence that was being violated by the mere knowledge of the truth- by the burden of it, by the darkness of it.

Even the Raikage, a man who had slain lords, entire battlefields, and had become infamous throughout the world, was uneasy... which in of itself was likely shocking to Senji. Still, with a commendable spirit and through the shock, Senji gave an assessment. Half-listening to it, the Raikage's face would be stricken with remorse.

For Senji, the truth was world changing. For Hayate, it held even more meaning... because beyond why it had happened, he knew that Akino had died because he had been too weak. Slowly losing sight of the conversation before him imagery of that night played out in his head. The flashes of lightning... the sound of the thunder... it all whirled in his head and with each recurrence would cause the Raikage to close his eyes briefly.

He had been an elite jounin- but only just a jounin... though it was due to Banri's meddling that no one stronger than him was left to assist the Kage, the thought still echoed in his had that had he trained 30% harder before the attack... had he been just 10% more powerful... had he been quick enough to dodge on his own... Hell, had he mastered lightning like he did now... that Akino wouldn't have died.

A physical pit in his stomach signaled the physical manifestation of his guilt had once more taken root. The only thought in his head the imagery of Akino's death, replaying again and again. Each time Akino sacrificed his strength for the Hayate and the other jounin at the top of that peak... another wince. This guilt had been such a large part of his identity, and whether he admitted or not had even made him master Lightning and Wind... it was so scarring it caused him to rewrite who he was as a shinobi.

Snapping out of his despair he slammed his hand down on the table.

"The people need not fear Banri as long as I live though. While I will never shine as bright as the star, Akino- but in his absence I have become the moon that brings light through the blackness of night." standing the Rakage looked down at the boy.

"Do your plan if you wish but we must not let Banri back into this village." Hayate said authoritatively.

"A dogs death- one fit of a murderous traitor will meet him." Hayate said as lightning sparked up his left arm momentarily, the sparks leaping off into the air and ceasing to exist.

For Akino. For the Nakajima.

Hayate would bring justice to Banri.

[Nafan~]

Senji found the strength to breathe. Just. The Raikage had approved his plan to take down the many-faced man Banri, which the magician had been excited about for some time. But all of that excitement was now gone, replaced with determination and a seed of dread. While Hayate had finally come around to seeing Senji's point of view, it seemed Senji had far underestimated the man he was trying to topple. His plan remained sound, and he was confident in it, but now he knew that timing would be absolutely paramount. A single misstep would be fatal, not just for the magician, but for countless others.

"If my plan is successful, we'll confront him outside the city." Senji replied in confirmation. He drained his water goblet and stood. "Thank you for supporting my plan, Raikage-sama. I'm grateful for your assistance, and I hope that we can succeed in ridding ourselves of this dark threat." With a flick of his hand his chakra spiralled to the side and recreated the same doorway through which Hayate had entered. Slowly the golden edifice filled itself in before the grand gates opened outwards to reveal the interior of the Raikage's office. "I will prepare the operation immediately and let you know when everything is in place." He finished with a shallow bow.

Despite the gnawing of anxiety, Senji smiled to himself after Hayate had left. He was one step closer to freedom.