A tryst with destiny (Tales of a Gutsy Ninja - 2)

Chapter 18 : An unlikely truce

Aira P.O.V

'I'll let you be the kingmaker but...the one you will make into a king is me!'

Madara's statement left me stunned but I recovered quickly. However, Obito was not so quick to recover.

Obito: B-But...there is no way she'll accept-

Aira: Ok. I accept the proposition, Uchiha M-

Madara: Izuna. I am Izuna. The one you called Tobi is Madara-sama.

I couldn't help but smirk. Does Madara really think I'd fall for such a blatant lie?

Aira: You jest. Did you really think I didn't look up on Madara and Izuna's Mangekyo Sharingan? Tobi's Mangekyo has time-space manipulation properties.

Madara: And you know what Madara and Izuna's Mangekyo abilities are?

Aira : Sure I do.

The truth is, Madara and Izuna's Mangekyo individuality wasn't mentioned in the anime but...

I may or may not have convinced Itachi to show me Uchiha secret chronicles that has recorded the Uchiha secrets in detail.

Aira: Madara's Mangekyo Sharingan has flame manipulation properties...allowing the use fire style jutsus even better than other Uchiha. Izuna's Mangekyo enhanced his wind release... allowing him to merge fire and wind to create blue flames...the color of complete combustion.

Madara had an unreadable expression on his face while Obito gasped in surprise.

Aira: Surprised? Knowledge is the greatest requirement for a strategist.

Madara: I see. It is a good thing you accepted my offer. With that level of knowledge, I'd have to eliminate you if you aren't by my side.

Obito: But...is it really alright? Isn't destruction of Akatsuki an objective of her's.

Aira: But you yourself are only using the Akatsuki right? It shouldn't matter to you whether Akatsuki exists or not once you're done using them.

Madara: Meaning you're doing the clean-up for me?

I took a deep breath to keep myself from shuddering. My enemy though he might be, I felt sorry for Nagato and Konan. Madara was using their feelings for Yahiko to further his own ambition.

Clean-up...it sounded so uncanny...

I would personally have to be at my best at all times. Otherwise, I would end up meeting the same fate.

Aira: Sure!

Obito: Does it mean that you're fine with anyone becoming the king as long as you are the one who leads him?

I gave Obito an incredulous look. Who does he think I am? He makes me sound extremely unfaithful. Well... considering that I keep changing my affiliation frequently, it's only obvious he'd think so. But...from the very beginning, I've only been working towards one goal.

Aira: Of course not. I do have my standards and...ambitions...

Obito: So it's not because you fear for your life?

Aira: If I was the type to fear for my life, I wouldn't have let myself be captured for Saaya's sake.

Madara: And I wouldn't want her services.

Aira: Exactly. It's a temporary alliance built on the principle of equivalent exchange.

Obito: But what do you get by making Madara-san, the king?

Aira: Hm... let's just say... I want it to be a surprise for Tobi~kun!

Before the latter could respond, I decided to go to one of the spare rooms. It would be better not to involve with them too much.

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Madara: What are you going?

Aira: Hm? Isn't it obvious? Meditation.

Madara: Meditation?

Aira: Don't you guys use it to train your chakra and stuff?

Wait... could it be that these people do follow meditation but the methodology is different? After all, they focus more on chakra than inner peace and relaxation.

Madara: We do train chakra but...what is this practice you are following? It seems to calm down your chakra flow.

Aira: Of course my chakra would stabilize. This is to relax the mind and body. This way fatigue and stress can be reduced. I cannot afford to let my brain breakdown so... meditation is something I've been practicing for a long time. How about I teach you? It's not really a secret and...it might reduce your pain.

I saw a flicker of suspicion flash across his face when I said 'pain'.

Aira: Ah. 'Tobi-kun' slipped up during our conversation before. He addressed you as 'Madara-san'...the Gedo Mazo statue is keeping you alive through those tubes right? I can't imagine how painful it must be...

Madara: I see. Then tell me more about this 'meditation' of yours. It sounds like a useful technique...

Aira: Fine... then allow me to tell you about it...

Meditation is an activity in which the practitioner just sits and allows the mind to dissolve.

It helps develop a calm mind, good concentration, clarity of perception, improvement in communication, increase learning speed, inner strength and also speeds up the healing process when practiced regularly.

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And so, in an unexpected twist of fate, I was teaching the ghost of the Uchiha what relaxation and meditation is...

Madara sat cross-legged in front of me, eyes closed. He looked like he was full of openings but I knew better than to fall for such an obvious trap. He may be meditating but he is an elite ninja who knows how to be wary of his surroundings.

But while he was busy meditating, I had to make a new plan. After all, I had used up my last teleportation tag and... running away after forming an alliance would only lead to my death.

I didn't want to work for Madara but...it looks like I'll have to bring the 'Tsuki no me(The moon's eye)' plan from the inside.

The question was... whether or not I'll die before I fulfill the plan...