Naruto - Azure Awakening

The sun shone mercilessly outside, heating the moisture-rich air created by the cascading waterfall. But inside Suiren's office, the temperature was even higher, thanks to the heated argument taking place between the elders and their fiery successors.

Maki and Mei stood side by side, frustration etched into their faces. Both girls had lost their patience after days of careful diplomacy, and now their tempers were flaring.

"What's there to even discuss?!" Mei's voice rang out, her usual composed demeanor cracking. She took a step forward, her fists clenched. "We both have a common enemy. We both want to help our people and overthrow that tyrant Mizukage. Why are we wasting time?! Every second we delay, more potential allies are killed, and more children are brainwashed into his ranks!"

Maki stood silently next to her, grinding her teeth in frustration. Akura, who was seated near Suiren, kept his gaze fixed on the table. He had made it clear from the start that he wouldn't step in to help Suiren or Meruem in this debate. His expression said it all: This is their fight.

Meruem, however, remained calm. His long beard swayed slightly as he slowly shook his head. His deep voice was steady and authoritative, yet gentle in its rebuke. "Mei, you're too young. You don't yet understand the full weight of responsibility a leader carries. It's not about rushing into battle—it's about ensuring the survival of our people." His eyes softened as he looked at her, though his words remained firm. "Yes, Kiri is dying. Yes, Mizukage is a tyrant. But if I fail to protect the Terumi clan in my haste, there won't be a clan left to save."

Mei's face twisted in frustration, and her lips parted to argue, but Maki beat her to it.

"You keep saying we're too young! That we don't understand responsibility!" Maki's voice cracked as she struggled to keep her composure. "But you're forgetting something—by stalling, you're pushing that responsibility onto us! It'll be us fighting stronger enemies tomorrow, with worse odds. And when that time comes, will you be able to live with the consequences of doing nothing?!"

Akura's brow twitched. He was watching Maki closely now, his respect for her growing. She's got a point… even if she's yelling it.

Suiren, sitting silently at her desk, sighed deeply. Her fingers tapped rhythmically on the wood as she contemplated the weight of the conversation. 

Finally, She spoke.

"Do you both think we haven't considered that?" Her gaze fell on Maki. "Do you think I want to leave this burden to you and Kaoru? To your children after you? But there's more to war than charging forward with passion. You need allies. You need strategy. And most importantly, you need time."

Maki crossed her arms and looked away, refusing to meet her grandmother's gaze. Mei, however, stood her ground.

"Time isn't on our side," Mei said quietly, her tone sharp but measured now. "Every moment we wait, more clans fall. More children die. And if we wait too long, there won't be anyone left to stand with us."

Suiren was about to say something but mei was faster.

"You saw the younger generation prove that they are not pushovers. Takime even has an eight-year-old who is stronger than any twelve-year-old I've ever seen. We owe it to them to at least start strengthening our clans instead of making small, cautious moves like we've been doing." Mei's voice carried both passion and frustration, her blue eyes locked onto the two clan heads.

"Alright," Meruem said calmly. "Let's hear it, then. What would you do if you were the clan heads? Lay it out—no vague ideas. Give us specifics."

Both girls blinked in surprise. They hadn't expected such a direct challenge, but they were prepared.

Mei took the lead, her tone steady but confident. "For starters, we should consolidate our strength. Terumi clan should relocate to this valley. The Takime outpost is the safest place we can find. If we want to survive, we need to put our people in the best possible position."

Suiren raised a brow at that, but Mei's choice of words was careful, respectful. She avoided making it sound like the Terumi clan would be hiding or that Takime was stronger—just that it was a practical, strategic move.

Maki took over, her voice more intense, brimming with passion. "Once we're settled, we'll start reaching out to surrounding villages. We'll offer our protection and services—we need commissions to support ourselves. But we'll also rescue orphaned children. There are so many who've lost everything to Mizukage's tyranny or Rogue Ninjas' atrocities. We can give them a home, train them, and raise them to become loyal shinobi who believe in our cause."

Unlike Mei, Maki wasn't polished when it came to diplomacy. Her words were blunt and direct, but everyone in the room could feel her sincerity. She truly believed in what she was saying, and that made her words carry weight.

Mei nodded and continued, "Once we've secured our immediate surroundings, we'll start reaching out to other clans who oppose Mizukage. But we need to be careful. Every clan we contact must be thoroughly vetted. We'll only approach those we're certain are against Mizukage's faction."

Meruem listened quietly, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You're talking about building an alliance… but you understand that any sign of us consolidating forces will attract attention from Kirigakure. How will you handle that?"

Maki frowned, her fists clenched. She hadn't considered that. Luckily, Mei stepped in.

"That's why we need to act quietly at first. We don't want to create an obvious target. We'll start small—building trust with local villages and other oppressed clans. We'll expand gradually, avoiding big movements until we're ready to strike."

Akura, who had been sitting quietly throughout the conversation, finally spoke. "It's risky." His gaze flickered to Maki. "But not impossible. And we've already seen that we can't survive in isolation forever."

Meruem sighed deeply, leaning back in his chair. "Your plan is bold. Maybe even reckless. But…" He glanced at Suiren. "I will concede and trust your judgment."

Suiren finally spoke. "The young ones are right. We can't delay any longer. But we move on our terms. Carefully. No unnecessary risks." Her gaze sharpened as it landed on Maki and Mei. "And you two will need to prove that you can lead without letting your emotions cloud your judgment."

As the meeting ended, Mei and Maki exchanged triumphant smiles.

"I told you we'd convince them," Mei whispered, nudging Maki.

Maki smirked. "Yeah, yeah. Just wait—soon enough, they'll see things our way completely."

From the corner, Akura sighed. "I hope you two are ready for the responsibility that comes with this."

Kaoru, who had been quietly listening from outside the office, grinned.

"An alliance, huh? Sounds like I'll be getting more scrolls to study, hehe"

<<<>>>

In the evening, it was officially announced to both the Takime and Terumi clan members that an alliance had been established between their clans. The news was met with excitement, curiosity, and even some cautious optimism. It was also disclosed that the Terumi clan would be relocating to the Takime outpost in five months. While the idea of two clans living together in one settlement was promising, it also posed a significant challenge. The current outpost was too small to accommodate everyone comfortably, so a complete remodelling of the settlement was necessary.

New living quarters needed to be built to house the incoming Terumi members. In addition, the clans recognized that they would need new communal facilities, such as larger training grounds, storage buildings, and a new medical center. There were also discussions about establishing a joint school to teach children from both clans, not just in combat techniques but also in history, culture, and rules.

The practicalities of merging two clans went beyond infrastructure. The leaders realized they needed a unified system of governance. They couldn't function effectively if each clan continued to operate under its own rules and traditions. Both Suiren and Meruem agreed that a single governing body would be necessary to oversee the joint settlement. However, there were differing views on how to achieve this.

It was Akura who proposed the idea that resonated with both sides—a council made up of representatives from both clans.

"The council should have eleven members," Akura had suggested during the meeting. "Five from each clan, chosen by their respective leaders. The eleventh member will be elected by both clans. If we can't agree on the eleventh member, then the council will simply remain at ten members until a unanimous choice is made."

The process was long and tiresome threatening clan heads and the other higher up with many sleepless nights.

<<<>>>

Kaoru's eyes sparkled with excitement as he practically bounced in front of Maki. "Maki, have you finished working on my new training regimen?"

Maki smiled weakly, rubbing her temples. "Yes, Ru, I have."

She looked exhausted—dark circles under her eyes and her posture heavier than usual. Since the alliance between the Takime and Terumi clans was her and Mei's brainchild, Maki had been working tirelessly. Between overseeing building projects and acting as the go-to council member for questions about the alliance, she barely had time to sleep.

Mei had been steadily bringing more Terumi members to help with construction, but Maki's duties didn't let up. Kaoru noticed the fatigue on her face but decided not to mention it.

"Remember when I told you that you needed to master walking on water for my training regimen?" Maki asked, crossing her arms.

Kaoru nodded eagerly. "Of course! And I did it!"

"Well, now you're ready to train outside. You'll be practicing near the waterfall."

Kaoru's grin grew even wider, but Maki's expression turned serious as she stepped closer, locking eyes with him.

"I've already asked Grandma for permission, but listen carefully—you're allowed to go to the waterfall and no further. If you see any outsiders, no matter who they are, you flicker back to the outpost immediately. Got it?"

Kaoru swallowed, sensing her protective concern. "I promise, Maki. You're the best!"

Before she could respond, he threw his arms around her in a tight hug. Maki chuckled softly, hugging him back.

"I kept sneaking out before, but now I won't have to," Kaoru said with a cheeky grin. "Finally, freedom!"

"Yeah, yeah," Maki teased. "Just don't get yourself in trouble. Now, let me explain the training regimen."

Maki knelt next to Kaoru, pulling out a scroll with carefully written instructions and diagrams.

"First," Maki pointed to a sketch of a person standing under a waterfall, "you'll be spending a lot of time under the waterfall. But it's not just standing there."

Kaoru tilted his head. "What's the point of standing under water?"

Maki smirked. "You're not just standing, Ru. You'll be focusing on keeping your chakra steady to stay balanced on the water's surface while the waterfall hits you. The force of the water will try to knock you down. Your job is to hold your ground. You'll start by just standing, but eventually, I expect you to be able to perform hand signs and maintain jutsu while under the pressure."

Kaoru's eyes widened. "That's… brilliant! It'll improve chakra control and physical endurance at the same time."

"Next, you'll be walking on water with weights strapped to your body. I've prepared a set of adjustable weights. You'll start light, but we'll increase them over time."

Kaoru groaned. "Weights? Really?"

Maki flicked his forehead. "Yes. It's not just about walking. You'll run laps around the waterfall pool with those weights on. At first, your chakra will help you stay balanced, but as you get tired, your physical strength will be tested too."

"Your water manipulation is already advanced for your age, but we'll take it further. I want you to practice shaping the water into different forms while keeping it steady."

Maki pointed to the sketches of water shapes on the scroll. "Droplets, whips, walls, and—this one's important—a sphere. The goal is to create a water sphere with no leaks. If you can maintain it for more than ten minutes, we'll move to the next phase."

Kaoru's face lit up. "I think I can already do these!"

Maki chuckled. "It's harder than it looks. But if you can actually do these then we will simply move to the next phase. Anyway the last two exercises will be the most important for you"

"The next is body flicker training."

Kaoru's grin stretched ear to ear.

"You're already good with body flicker, but You're not stealthy enough. Remember how Mei predicted your moves a few times? The goal is to flicker without making a sound. You'll be practicing near the waterfall, using the mist to conceal your movements. At first, you'll flicker from one side of the pool to the other, but eventually, I want you to be able to flicker between trees without anyone hearing or seeing you."

"Lastly, you'll be meditating, but with a twist."

Kaoru raised a brow. "A twist?"

"You'll meditate while walking near the waterfall and once you do that then you will be walking on water. The goal is to focus your mind while your body balances itself. This will help with chakra recovery and concentration during battle. Eventually, you'll be able to regain your chakra reserves even during intense combat."

Kaoru scratched his head. "Meditating while walking sounds… hard."

Maki smirked. "It is. But If my hypothesis is correct you will be able to pull it off, besides, you're the one who wanted a tougher regimen."

Kaoru stared at the scroll, his excitement growing with each line.

"This… is perfect. I'll be unstoppable after this!"

Maki chuckled. "If you survive, Ru."

Kaoru grinned mischievously. "I'll be fine. Just make sure you're ready for when I surpass you!"

Maki rolled her eyes. "Sure, sure. But remember, Ru—no wandering beyond the waterfall."

Kaoru hugged her again, his excitement overflowing. "Thanks, Maki. I won't let you down!"

As Kaoru ran off to prepare, Maki watched him with a mix of pride and concern.

"He really is growing too fast…" she whispered to herself. "I just hope he doesn't lose that spark."

**

A/N - If you are enjoying the novel please give it a review, it will help me a lot.

I hope this chapter was fun and entertaining for you! I know not everyone loves training arcs, but they're necessary to show how Kaoru grows stronger and how his personality is developing.

There will be a few time skips soon, and Kaoru will probably be ready to go on his first mission. He's already stronger than most 12-year-old genin, and those freshman genins go on missions all the time. So yeah, he'll be fine… probably. xD

Let me know what you think in the comments! Suggestions are always welcome.

Character Notes:

Maki – Overworked and sleep-deprived - "I need sleep… but Ru's progress is worth it. Still, he better not go beyond that waterfall!"

Kaoru – Excited rebel - "I got permission! No more sneaking out! Wait… what else can I sneak out for?"

Mei – Alliance manager in training - "Honestly, I'm doing half the work here. Can I get a break? No? Fine."

Meruem – Wise but wary - "These kids are moving fast. I need to make sure they don't outrun their common sense."