We ran for a long period under the direction of our jonin escort, though I could also tell we were being surrounded by an Anbu squad as well. And one of those Anbu I could tell from her lightning chakra signature was Yoruichi.
Or maybe it was in fact Kakashi... They both had very strong lightning attributed chakra so I could be wrong.
We ran all the way up to the edge of the Land of Rain or Amegakure. And by Amegakure, I meant the very Village of Rain itself in which we could see the giant city of filled with endless drainage pipes that worked constantly to drain the endless rain.
'This rain is so heavy... I don't think this is normal rain either.' I thought as I could feel a hint of divinity in the constant rain that showered on us from the moment we entered the Land of Rain.
And it seemed that our movements were purposeful as we had obviously told Amegakure and it's leader Hanzo who was still alive that we were coming through the area to head to Kumogakure.
'Hmm that could be why I never heard anything about the Akatsuki actually... Hanzo is a literal Sage as well. Maybe Jiraiya's students left Amegakure, and this Ame isn't nearly as messed up as the canon timelines was.' I mused to myself.
Which made sense. Hanzo was also called a 'God of Shinobi' even without being a Sage in this timeline. And with a rain or water god obviously heavily favoring this land. It became clearer that the other Five Great Nations coudn't use Ame as the worlds primary battlefield.
So it wasn't as much of a shithole.
"I wonder what the people in the Rain Village eat? Think they eat alot of fish with all the water everywhere?" I asked quietly with Kiyome and Kaori snorting at my random question.
But then Kaori said with some amuesment. "Actually, I heard they have a thriving catfish population. And regularly have cooking competitions to find new ways to cook them."
I nodded and wondered if I should 'invent' BBQ sauce using my Mokuton to make herbs and the roots needed. And then I could take over Amegakure by bringing out breaded fried catfish with some bbq sauce and a side of potato salad.
My idle thoughts of world domination was taken aside as Kiyome said spoke out thoughtfully. "Akari, why do you ask? Are you hungry already?"
I shrugged and said thoughtfully. "I got to try new foods running around the Land of Fire with Jiraiya and was curious how this country ate. Not to much to it."
But even as I spoke. I idly noted distant chakra sources following us as we ran past Amegakure. 'Probably Ame's own Anbu making sure we aren't doing skeevy shit.' I mused to myself.
Then my face twitched as I considered something else. Rain country was just north of Grass Country. The country we kind just blitzed and played some ranked genocide of the people in power of that nation just literally not even a week ago.
I woudn't be suprised in the fucking slightest if Hanzo himself wasn't watching us somehow through the divine energy tainted water that was pouring on us.
And my thoughts were proven to be unfortunatly correct as we ran for another hour and several dozen chakra signatures kept popping up around us.
With a loud male voice ringing out in a way that vibrated the surrounding endless rain drops to disguise the direction of his voice. "Halt intruders! Name your allegiance and the reason you have entered Amegakure!"
The leading Jonin's face became dark as he said coldly. "Don't joke around. We told Lord Hanzo our exact route from the Land of Fire and paid for smooth entry and exit in his lands. Why are you stopping us?"
That same voice rang out from a different direction as he taunted us. "Well it looks like to us that you are Kumo ninja here to attack the Hidden Leaf's own detachment. And we only found your remains... And the wielder of the Mokuton was also lost during the attack by Kumo ninja and obviously taken back to their own land."
'Ah shit... I should have used a henge to hide my appearance besides just hiding my tails and ears.' I thought in annoyance. But my 'secret' of Mokuton wasn't that well hidden with how many spies were in the Land of Fire's capital.
The Daimyo's own people were almost certainly the ones who leaked that information. But on the other hand, it was also possible that the priests of Amaterasu also leaked it as well.
Then everyone jumped as a loud familiar crunching noise rang out. With a lazy hiss of a voice ringing out. "Tsk tsk, Hanzo is playing games again. And isn't even here to make sure his games work out?"
There was a moment of silence before I saw him. Orochimaru himself with his eye's glowing with Sage chakra as he strolled out of the dark woods with some dude and his head snapped to the side he was dragging as he walked out of the forest.
And then I stilled as all those very different chakra signatures faded away. No, they were some kind of water clone or something as I heard the splashes of them breaking apart and hitting the ground below.
Kiyome then asked the pressing question as she hissed. "What the hell was that!?"
And then it hit me. "The divine tinted water... It allows people to control their water clones alot better or something!"
A soft hiss of a chuckle rang out which drew my gaze back to Orochimaru as he said in amusement.
"Akari, you have a good mind for inference. But you are only slightly incorrect. Those water clones you sensed, are actually driven clones holding a piece of the creator's soul. Allowing them to fight and channel much more chakra then any other clone as they can themselves regenerate chakra."
'Remotely controlled much stronger clones... No wonder people don't want to invade Amegakure.' I thought helplessly before I realized this clone technique almost certainly relied on the constant rain of the land as well.
Still, I then tilted my head to the side and said in some confusion. "I expected that Master Jiraiya would be here though? Shoudn't you be busy with dealing with the last of the Grass issues."
To which Orochimaru merely chuckled and said. "Who said that Jiraiya isn't also in the Land of Rain? But either way, the Hokage asked me to make sure that you in particular, didn't die before you began the exams at least ufufu."
Yeah, his laughter was still fucking weird. But at least until I got to Kumo, according to him, I would be escorted. Not that, that bunch of chunin clones were actually a threat, honestly.
Maybe a threat to the other Genin sure. But with a cough, the leading jonin spoke out respectfully. "Lord Orochimaru. May we continue?"
All the while, Orochimaru casually sealed the corpse of the single real ninja of the group of Ame nin into a corpse scroll before he said. "Go ahead. I will be out of sight."
And so we continued on. Thankfully, Kiyome and Kaori weren't freaked out by Orochimaru as well.
But as we made our way closer to Kumo, Kiyome brought up Satsuki as she like Naruko and some others also tested out early of the Academy.
"She and the Hokage's daughter has been taking some small D rank missions around the village, last I heard... Naruko has been throwing a fit about having to catch stray animals, actually."
I chuckled at the thought of the sourpuss Satsuki throwing a fit as they had to catch the same angry cat all the time that kept escaping.
Some lighter-hearted conversation filled us out for a good while until we hit the town that would act as the checkpoint for Kumo ninja to escort us into the Land of Lightning.
But from my chakra sensing, I could feel that there were already several ninja's, mostly chunin but still a handful of jonin-level chakra signatures around... As well as one fucking massive chakra signature as well.
'Ah shit... Is that Bee? Or hell the Raikage themselves?' I wondered with a frown as honestly. The Raikage out of all the current Kage I knew of from what Jiraiya had told me about. Was by far the worst opponent for me.
Especially because of the fact that Kumo had a very strong number of priests and mikos. Along with the Sage of Six path tools that could seal my ass away regardless of my immortality.
But thankfully, that massive chakra signature remained where it was. And soon Kiyome, Kaori, and I got a nicer room at an inn for the three of us to stick together in.
"So you two... You both have noticed I can make you stronger over time as we share physical contact." I stated helplessly with both Uchiha girls flushing at how they already were sitting and pressing against me on the couch we were on.
Kaori the eldest, nodded before she said softly. "Yes, we are... Very aware, and we. I appreciate you not making this too weird."
Kiyome then backed her elder sister up with a chuckle as she said. "We both appreciate this. Our chakra growth has been noted by the clan and we haven't been bullied as much."
I nodded slowly before I took a breath and said quietly with my chakra flaring out to block any other sensory techniques with the weight of my chakra.
"I can increase both of your chakra stores by thirty to forty percent right now if you are willing to swear to keep it secret. And remain loyal to me."
And by remaining loyal... I meant all to clearly, don't fucking sell my secrets to your clan or I will cut you off.
Then I added the real sweetener. "I can increase your girls' chakra stores by that thirty to forty percent permanently every couple of months, as well as up to like five times total."
There was a heavy pause before Kiyome. The 'sweetheart' she was. Froze for a long moment before she said quietly. "I want it. Please, Akari, I want that strength more than anything. I will give you... Anything for that."
Kaori exhaled more heavily before she said helplessly. "Such a thing... Even after training hard for another decade, unless a god blessed us. We woudn't triple our chakra stores like that. In this life, dancing on the edge of a blade with our missions. That strength would change everything."
Kiyome wasn't going to bother with ruminating over it like her elder sister. She gently grabbed my cheek and looked me in the eye with those two tomoe Sharingan, she demanded, no begged me.
"What do I need to do Akari?"
I gave Kiyome a knowing look before I said. "You gotta seal it with a kiss, and as we hold each other close. Your chakra stores will be boosted."
Kiyome flushed a bit deeper as her eyes finally landed on her elder sister who was giving her a wide-eyed stare... Then Kiyome said bluntly. "Kaori, get the hell out. I am not sharing my first kiss with you on his lap as well!"
And Kaori's actually offended expression was actually a fucking sight as her Sharingan flared with her annoyance as she smiled thinly and then Kaori said in a sickly sweet tone.
"Actually, little sister. You should go wait outside first. I will make sure Akari gets to practise this. In fact, you could just go get washed up first so you can enjoy it further."
Kiyome was clearly going to argue... But Kiyome's sickly sweet smile made her pause and the younger sister looked ready to claw at her before she sniffed and then smiled and gave me a look before she said in a prideful tone.
"Saving the best for last is the better choice I suppose. I will make sure to get nice and ready for you Akari... Don't take too long." And with that, she strode out of the room with a heavy sway to her hips.
But I was only able to give that Uchiha fine ass a glance before Kaori sat fully in my lap with her happy handful-sized chest blocking my view as she cupped my jaw to meet her own Sharingan-enhanced gaze.
'This boost not only increases energy stores but also strengthens a persons special abilities as well... I wonder if this will actually make their Sharingan evolve as well?' I wondered finally as my hands fell to Kaori's fine ass.