The Red Scare &
The White Protector

After the assassination of Kaminari no Kuni's Daimyo by Kanji Senju under the command of the Yondaime Raikage, Hikaru Mezamashii tensions would heighten between the Feudal Lords associates and the shinobi country occupying Lightning Country: Kumogakure no Sato also known as the village hidden in the clouds. Hikaru only a few years into his reign had been secretly amassing an army of shinobi, aligning himself with those in the shinobi world who had similar ideals as he prepared for the invasions of other shinobi villages. Knowing that the Daimyo would not support Hikaru's ambitions to expand the devious Yondaime would stand true to his beliefs and eliminate the threats around him, domestic or otherwise. The assassination rose suspicion with the Feudal Lords colleagues, which caused them to go to a third party for assistance in revealing the truth behind the Daimyo's death. Turning to Kumogakure's biggest competitor, Konohagakure no Sato, and their newly appointed Fourth Hokage, Mitsu Ridori, who was a mere year younger than his Cloud Village counterpart and had just as much ambition, he just had a much more respectable approach than Hikaru's. Entrusting the Leaf Village with this top secret mission was a smart move for the Daimyo’s colleagues, as evidence would start to unravel during the months that went by and Mitsu put a number of Konohagakure's greatest minds and most skilled shinobi to task in order to solve the case. Once they found a discarded mask with blood of the Daimyo on it, they zeroed in on their target until finding out it was a notable Kumogakure Jounin named Kanji Senju. Senju, a clan once noted for their unquestionable honour now had one of their clansmen involved in one of the biggest conspiracies the shinobi world had ever seen. Instead of informing his clientele immediately, fearing they would move with haste, Mitsu pressed on with the mission to see if Kanji was tied to the Raikage. The Raikage was no push over though, no evidence was found that could tie Hikaru to the Daimyo's assassination yet Mitsu couldn't shake the feeling.

The Yondaime Hokage set up a meeting with the Yondaime Raikage under the prospect of an inter-village Chuunin Examinations, however this was just a front. Each of the kage bringing two bodyguards: Mitsu bringing his ring-hand man, adviser and Fuuinjutsu specialist Sadao Maboroshi and Taijutsu specialist Kanon Shiryō. Hikaru brought Genjutsu specialist Ame Kioku and none other than Kanji Senju, the very man that Mitsu wanted to approach Hikaru about. Upon discovering this, Mitsu refused to sway from his objective and pushed the clearly controversial topic, each question being as barbed as the next. Finally the loaded question, Mitsu confronted Hikaru about Kanji's involvement and before he could ask if Hikaru too was involved, Kanji practically disappearing from his position and onto the large round table that the two Kage sat at, demonstrating his speed as he hammered down his fist towards the Hokage now in an attempt to demonstrate his strength. Despite his speed, Mitsu managed to keep up with his movements and not be caught off guard, still he didn't move, not knowing just how strong Kanji physically was. He still had faith in his Taijutsu expert Kanon however, who evenly matched Kanji's speed and strength and appeared before the Hokage and blocked Kanji's fist with his own hands. A brief stalemate until Hikaru reacted to what was transpiring before him by leaping from the table himself and throwing a fist of his own at Kanon, who while still blocking Kanji would use his spare hand to block the Raikage's; essentially holding them both at bay by himself. Hikaru's Taijutsu did not compare to Kanon or Kanji's but he wasn't actually trying to inflict damage with the punch. "Slumber" Hikaru muttered as Kanon's grip loosened, allowing Kanji to jump back as Hikaru unsheathed his katana and cutting down the Konoha Jounin, mortally wounding him as he fell back onto the seat that Mitsu was once sitting in.

The Hokage by now had flanked the Hikaru who still stood on the table with Sadao. But with what had just happened within mere seconds Hikaru gestured with his hand as a dozen more Kumo ninja appeared around him. Not honouring the agreement they had made to only bring two guards each, the Konoha shinobi outnumbered pushed forward as they fought against the numbers. Sadao managing to hold his own against half a dozen of Kumogakure shinobi while Mitsu effortlessly dispatched a fair amount of them himself. Hikaru regrouping with his actual bodyguards at this stage, Ame who had not known of Hikaru and Kanji's involvement went to question her Raikage. Hikaru without hesitation attempted to strike down his own guard before she could question his involvement Ame not being caught off guard ducking the strike before receiving a devastating kick by her comrade Kanji effectively shattering her shoulder and sending her flying into the dirt metres back. Hikaru and Kanji driven to protect their secrets would kill everybody here to make it so.

Kanji would go aide his two remaining comrades in finishing off Sadao while Mitsu would engage Hikaru head on. Konohagakure's famous White Protector versus Kumogakure's notorious Red Scare, a battle for the ages. Sadao managing to fend off and dispose of the remaining two opponents meant that only Kanji stood before him assisting his Hokage in battle. Knowing that the Senju was the one responsible for killing the Daimyo caused Sadao to approach with caution. This guy had many physical advantages over him so the master of traps would use the advantages he still had and start to strategize on how he could outsmart this assassin. Until then Sadao had little to no choice but to engage him physically, each time Kanji pressing towards suspected advantage as a Taijutsu specialist and landing blow after blow. The Taijutsu prowess of Kanji shadowing Sadao's at every opportunity, but every movement gave Sadao more to work with. Meanwhile, the two Kage mid battle had already begun to eclipse the fight of their Jounin comrades, destroying the building and landscape around them in attempts to take each other’s lives. The two fights would last a little over twenty minutes in which none of the foursome would slow down for a minute. Each of them pushing their opponents to levels they had never been pushed. Stalemate and stalemate finally reaching a conclusion when Sadao allowed himself to be struck hard in the chest, breaking ribs and thrusting him hard and fast into the ground. Kanji advancing with a Ninjato in hand as Sadao stringed together some hand seals and slammed his hand on the ground Kanji struck down plunging his blade into Sadao's left shoulder from the back. With the opportunity to finish the job right now to the seemingly fallen Konoha Jounin, Kanji Senju felt himself unable to control his limbs to desired purpose. Frozen in place, hands wrapped around a blade pinning Sadao down by the shoulder, looking around his feet, Sadao had utilized a Fuuinjutsu technique to paralyze Kanji, revealing his plan to be hit all along deeming the sacrifice more than enough to get the chance to be the victor. Sadao proceeding to push all of his weight up against the blade and into Kanji's hands managing to remove the blade from his flesh and roll out of position; leaving Kanji standing and unable to move. Sadao still lying on the ground performed a few more hand seals as he shot a spear of lightning out of his mouth, which pierced through Kanji's abdomen mortally wounding him. Still unable to move, or even fall Kanji stood there and started to bleed out and Sadao struggled to his feet, the wounds Kanji inflicting taking their toll. Sadao removed a single senbon from his pouch, telling Kanji it was over. Sadao throwing the senbon right at Kanji's throat piercing and killing the Jounin instantly and putting his suffering to an end, Sadao released the seal from below their feet as Kanji's lifeless body collapsed to the ground. Sadao ready to go assist his Hokage could only take a handful of steps before succumbing to his own wounds and falling into the ground, clinging to life.

Mitsu and Hikaru by now had utilized just every technique in their respective arsenals and had only managed to inflict minor wounds onto each other. Hikaru knowing his chakra was running low began preparing his final trump card. He strung together handseals only to be interrupted by Mitsu who pressed forward, one last Kumogakure shinobi stepped in front of his Raikage to guard him from the oncoming onslaught, Mitsu prepared one of his White Lightning techniques break through the defense and push onward to stopping the Raikage. Hikaru quickly stopped the handseals knowing he didn't have enough time yet and instead withdrew his katana once more charging towards Mitsu too. Mitsu running into the blockade of the Kumogakure shinobi ready to strike but not before Hikaru's katana would pierce through his own shinobi's chest and find itself into Mitsu's. The Hokage's momentum was used against him as he did not expect Hikaru to sacrifice his shinobi so carelessly and now the Hokage had paid for it. Without any available medical attention immediately on hand Mitsu knew that this blade had just killed him. Without hesitation from the stabbing Mitsu now hand the Raikage at arm’s length, he reached around the body of the impaled Kumo ninja before him and connected with an attack of his own to the same spot Hikaru had hit him. All three shinobi falling back, Mitsu would remove the sword from his body and regain footing. Hikaru clearly shaken by the wound, knowing that the only medic he had in his unit, Ame had been 'handled' by Kanji earlier at Hikaru's command things seemed bleak. Hikaru prepared his trump card one more time, successfully performing the fifteen required hand seals and raising his blood soaked hands in the air essentially began to tear open. He initially was planning on forcing Mitsu into this rift but he was now utilizing it for its actual purpose, retreat.

Just before he could however, the very person he had betrayed Ame Kioku had appeared behind her Raikage, left hand firmly grasping Hikaru's shoulder and in her right the very katana he had used on Kanon and The Hokage. Ame used her leverage to thrust Hikaru's own sword into his already injured body effectively negating his attempt to flee. "You are not a true leader, you have failed our village." Ame coldly said into the Yondaime's ear only to receive a head butt from the Emperor of Lightning. Hikaru with blade still in chest staggered towards his rift once more when Mitsu dived and tackled Hikaru into his desired location. As he did this, Mitsu's body lit up a blinding white aura his ultimate white lightning technique which was essentially his Kamikaze technique, was now being used on the Fourth Raikage to ensure that he would definitely be ridden from this world for good. As Mitsu lit up he basically disintegrated both Hikaru and himself. The rift closed, stopping Mitsu's technique from causing any damage to the real world. The black rift closing shut, sealing the tomb for the Yondaime's of Konohagakure and Kumogakure as Ame Kioku broken shoulder and nose stood before a glistening light that faded to nothingness.

Falling to her knees, the Kumogakure Jounin hadn't participated in the battle as much as she had liked due to the blind-siding of her so-called comrades but she played a pivotal role in its outcome. Ame thinking she was the sole survivor of this monstrous encounter was in disbelief when she heard movement from behind turning her head to see one of the Konohagakure Jounin, Sadao Maboroshi on his hands and knees in an attempt to force himself to his feet. Eventually achieving such a feat, Sadao looked down at the girl before him each of them knowing full well that she had no involvement in what the Raikage had orchestrated. "Where is the Hokage?" Sadao asked fearing that he already knew the answer. "The Hokage sacrificed himself in order to kill the Raikage." the girl responded. Sadao had no words, his legs shook before him not sure if it was because of what the girl had just told him or because of the amount of blood he had lost thus far. He didn't even have enough arm strength left to perform a handseal and attempt to seal his wound. "Mission accomplished, right?" Ame said with no emotion in her voice, suggesting that this was the intention of the Leaf's shinobi all along. She was half right, if Hikaru was involved then Mitsu, Sadao and Kanon had every intention to arrest him. "Where's his body?" were the only words Sadao could muster. "Destroyed with his technique, along with Hikaru's."

Ame noticed Sadao's wound offered to use her Medical Ninjutsu to heal Sadao's shoulder just as Kumogakure reinforcements arrived. Sadao did not want to risk losing his life when he was the only person with such vital information in regards to the assassination, Hikaru and the Fourth Hokage’s death. Sadao refused with haste as he gained an imaginable adrenaline rush and flickered away from the crater filled valleys that he had just shed blood on. This adrenaline rush was fuelled by the need to reach his home village and inform everybody of what has happened. Ame had been treated by a fellow medical ninja and escorted back to the village along with all of her fallen comrades, including Kanji Senju.

The Yondaime Era came to a close, Hikaru Mezamashii a Raikage who would give anything to see his village become the most feared and overwhelming force the world has ever seen and Mitsu Ridori a Hokage who held title for no longer than a year and achieved so much greatness in taking Konohagakure's economy to new levels, righting wrongs in the political structure of the Leaf and essentially saving the shinobi world from the potential threat of Hikaru. The greatness and potential these two polar opposites could have achieved was immeasurable had they not crossed each other’s paths, how fate would not have it so.

Following this event, both villages would be left with an important and empty spot to fill, the roll of Kage. For Kumogakure the choice was easy, The Winter Rose: Ame Kioku had been appointed the trusted position after assisting in the fall of the Red Scare and proving her undying loyalty not to her leader but the village and countries well-being. As for Konohagakure, a handful of names were thrown around but no decision had yet been made, for the week or two since Mitsu's passing the retired Third Hokage Robin Uzumaki had assumed Hokage duties once more with Sadao assisting, but the Godaime of the Hidden Leaf Village would soon be named.