A/N - Thank you, Tyler Lambert for supporting Azure Awakening!

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Brok picked up a wooden box and placed it on the table in front of Kaoru.

The box itself was a piece of art. Its surface was adorned with intricate engravings resembling flowing water and the lock had the tiny emblem of the Durinu Clan.

But Kaoru barely spared it a glance. His impatience got the better of him as he hurriedly opened the lock and lifted the lid.

The moment he saw what was inside, his breath hitched.

‘I shouldn’t expect anything too impressive… its main trait is durability after all,’ he had told himself earlier, trying to lower his expectations.

But he had not expected this.

The metal rod inside had a dark blue hue, almost like tempered steel dipped in the deepest ocean. The same water-pattern engravings from the box stretched all the way from base to tip, seamlessly flowing along the weapon’s length. It wasn’t thick, just the right width for a strong grip, and its length was perfect for his height.

Brok grinned as he saw Kaoru’s stunned expression.

“I designed this to be a perfect fit for you right now,” he explained, his voice was brimming with excitement and pride. “Later on, as you grow, we can modify it or forge an entirely new one. But for this upcoming war, you need a weapon that suits you now.”

Kaoru traced his fingers along the engravings as still observed the craftsmanship.

Both ends of the rod had small, rounded caps. Almost like metal spheres. Each one had an extremely narrow hole at its center.

“I left those openings for you to store your high-density water inside,” Brok continued, nodding toward the weapon. “That way, you can immediately shape the tip of the weapon without needing to gather water from somewhere else.”

Kaoru’s fingers paused over the spheres, he was truly speechless.

‘I did not even ask for any of this’ he shot a look of admiration at the blacksmith, who was not done explaining.

“Normally, having empty space inside the weapon would ruin its durability,” Brok admitted. “But this one is forged from a special alloy that guarantees it won’t break. It wouldn’t work for a blade or spear, but for blunt weapons, it’s perfect. We usually use this metal for hammers.”

He was clearly excited, launching into an explanation of the materials used, but Kaoru’s mind was still fixed on the weapon itself.

It was refined. Elegant.

When he had first imagined a steel rod, he had pictured something rough and practical, a weapon meant for durability alone.

But this was different.

It was unnaturally light in his hands, almost like an extension of himself.

“There are a lot of seals embedded into it,” Brok added. “Some of them are designed to reduce the weight. The alloy we used is incredibly heavy. Without those seals, you wouldn’t be able to lift it, let alone fight with it.”

He took a step back as his grin widened.

“So, why don’t you give it a try?”

Kaoru approached the bucket of water, his eyes beginning to glow as he activated his Suijingan.

Brok’s excitement grew. He had only seen the Takime Clan’s Dojutsu in action three times - first when Maki and Akura had helped the Durinu Clan, the second while observing Kaoru’s fighting style, and now, for the third time.

‘So beautiful… like two shining turquoises.’

Kaoru carefully altered the water’s density and then stored it inside the weapon. He expected it to spill out the moment he stopped controlling it, but to his surprise, it remained securely inside.

Brok chuckled. “I used a small amount of Leviathan Glass. It repels water, so once you store it inside, it won’t spill out… unless you start swinging it too much.” He let out a laugh at his own joke before continuing, “Hehe, just kidding. The water won’t move unless you pump a tiny amount of chakra into the tip. That’s when the Leviathan Glass stops affecting it. It’s a fragile material, but in small amounts, it can add great properties to weapons.”

Kaoru listened as the master blacksmith continued explaining how the Leviathan Glass worked, but his mind was already racing with possibilities.

‘First, I need to test which shapes the stored water is enough for.’

He moved toward the wooden dummies, adjusting the weapon as he walked.

The first transformation he tried was a spear tip.

The steel rod was roughly the same height as Kaoru, making this shape ideal. A spear would give him reach without sacrificing speed.

Next, he tried a glaive and then a trident.

Both worked, but the tips were thinner than he would have liked. The amount of stored water wasn’t quite enough for broader shapes. However, since he could quickly pull in more from particles in the air, this wasn’t a major problem. Unlike forming a full blade from scratch, he only needed small amounts to modify the weapon’s form.

Physical strength wasn’t Kaoru’s greatest asset, so he ruled out a hammer and other blunt forms. But the glaive… that one felt right. The balance, the motion, it just felt natural.

He tested it further, slicing through the dummies with rapid, precise movements, chaining together different attack combinations.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Brok watched with a grin.

“So, you like it, huh?”

Then he added, “Oh, by the way, did you check the side of the weapon?”

Kaoru lifted the steel rod closer to his face.

There was its name engraved on the side:

Nagizume (凪爪) - Water Claw.

<<<>>>

Takimura had been preparing for war for over a month. They had gathered all the supplies they could, refined strategies and analyzed countless battle scenarios. They had done everything possible with their limited resources and manpower.

And now, the time had finally come.

“Kiri’s army is on the move. They’ve gathered five thousand shinobi,” Tenma reported to the council.

Akura’s eyes widened. Not because the number was large, but because it was small for a Great Village.

‘Are they not taking us seriously? No… that can’t be it. Since Yagura has decided to attack, he won’t hold back. Then why?’

He couldn’t understand it.

The intel they had gathered offered no clear explanation.

“Has Zabuza made his move yet?” Akura asked.

Tenma simply shook his head in response.

This was a puzzle Akura was unable to solve.

“There’s another piece of intel,” Tenma continued. “But I can’t confirm its accuracy. The one leading the army isn’t Yagura… nor Mangetsu Hozuki. It’s Fuguki Suikazan.”

Silence fell over the room.

Tenma went on. “There are also reports that Mangetsu is still missing. No one has seen him since the negotiations on Sunny Island.”

All eyes turned to Maki, but she simply shrugged in response.

If it had been up to her, she would have gladly killed Mangetsu. But that hadn’t been an option, not without creating a conflict with the Kage after A declared the duel over.

“Something feels off.”

Akura spoke loudly as he started analyzing the information they had.

“First, Kiri sends only five thousand shinobi against us. Then, their two strongest shinobi don’t show up. And one of them has been missing for over a month.”

His fingers tapped against the table.

“This feels wrong. Either we’ve missed their movements and a second army is marching from a different location… or we’ve overlooked something crucial.”

His gaze swept across the council, searching for answers.

But no one spoke.

None of them knew but Akura was right.

Takimura had missed something important.

They simply didn’t have the resources to track everything happening across the Land of Water, let alone beyond it.

<<<>>>

“Lord Mizukage, Mangetsu is still missing. We need to investigate what happened.”

Hakare Hozuki’s voice was rather demanding. Yagura narrowed his eyes. He was not as untouchable as he once had been as his support had crumbled. Well… almost all of it.

“And how do you propose we do that?” Yagura sneered. For a brief moment, he considered killing Hakare right then and there.

“We checked,” he continued, his voice was laced with irritation. “Not a single member of the delegation survived. We confirmed they left the island safely, which means someone in the Land of Water killed them.”

His grip tightened on the armrest of his chair.

“There’s only one faction strong enough to pull that off.” His gaze darkened. “And we’re already fighting them.”

His fury simmered just beneath the surface. The past month had been a disaster. He had lost his strongest and most loyal shinobi. One of the Seven Swordsmen had defected to the rebels, and in the chaos, three of the legendary swords had vanished from his grasp. And if he counted the Kiba twin blades then four.

But the worst part was that Konoha and Kumo had begun training their armies near the border with Kirigakure.

‘They’re clearly trying to put pressure on us… but I can’t risk deploying my full army against Takimura now. Otherwise, if they invade I wont be able to stop them in time.’

His original plan had been to launch an overwhelming offensive.

Now, he had to adjust.

He would send two smaller armies each one near the border to keep Konoha and Kumo in check. The other, main army would march to Takimura.

Yagura himself would lead one smaller force personally and then, once the main army reached Takimura, he would join them.

‘Even with all the setbacks, this should be enough. Takimura should not have much more than a thousand people, let alone shinobi. Their army will be four, maybe five hundred at best. We’ll have an overwhelming advantage.’

Things hadn’t been going his way lately, but he was planning to turn everything around.

<<<>>>

Tsunade had been gathering information, trying to confirm without a doubt that Orochimaru was behind the Arasami Clan.

The Kaiketsu Village they represented during the Chunin Exams was nothing but a front. A small, insignificant settlement that clearly wasn’t what it claimed to be. But that raised the question, why had Orochimaru revealed them in the first place?

What was he trying to gain by bringing them to the Chunin Exams?

Orochimaru wasn’t the type to take unnecessary risks for the thrill of it. There had to be a reason. A calculated move hidden beneath layers of deception.

And that was what Tsunade had been trying to uncover.

However, so far, she had no success.

But one detail stood out - the clan leader left for a few days every month. Tsunade had a hunch that it was connected to her old friend.

“Lady Tsunade, are we going to do anything about them? Or is gathering information the only plan?”

Nora asked as she placed her freshly washed clothes on nearby stones to dry under the sun.

They had been staying in a cave near the Arasami Clan’s settlement. It was cold, damp, and miserable. Bugs and mosquitoes were annoying, making it even harder to rest.

But they had no choice.

“For now, we keep gathering information,” Tsunade replied, watching the flames of their small fire flicker.

“Wiping them out wouldn’t be a problem. They aren’t strong enough to stand against me.” She took a grilled fish from the fire and took a bite. “But the person I’m looking for is difficult to find. If I make the wrong move, I could destroy everything that might lead me to him.”

The fish wasn’t anything special, but it was enough to keep them going.

Tsunade exhaled softly, staring into the fire.

‘I miss gambling… and alcohol.’

A small smirk crossed her lips.

‘I feel particularly lucky today. I’d have definitely won.’

She sighed and took another bite. For now, all she could do was wait.

<<<>>>

The shinobi of Takimura gathered at the village center, their faces showed a mix of emotions.

Akura was ready to give a speech as he stood on a platform before the gathered people.

“Kiri’s forces will enter the valley in about a week. We must begin setting up the battlefield to favor us. That means traps, explosives, and terrain modifications.”

Some of Takimura’s forces, those who could keep their mouths shut, had already been working on preparations for weeks. But now, the entire army had to move.

“We leave in a few hours and won’t return until we are victorious. Prepare everything you might need - except for food and tents. The village will provide those.”

With that, Akura ended his speech, waiting as the crowd began to disperse.

Most of the shinobi had determined expressions, but a few couldn’t hide their unease.

Fear was natural, only a madman wouldn’t be afraid of dying.

But fear had to remain controlled. If it became unmanageable, it could decide the outcome of the battle. That was Akura’s responsibility, to keep their morale high.

Despite his young age, Kaoru was among the fighters.

Actually, not just any fighter, he and Mizuki were two of the most crucial shinobi as their techniques were perfect for fighting against large numbers.

They would be Takimura’s slaughterers.

Kaoru had stocked up on soldier pills, including premium ones, allowing him to fight for three days straight without stopping. But instead of hoarding them, he gave nearly all of them to the village, keeping only two of each for himself and Mizuki.

They would need tons of chakra in upcoming battle.

‘This war will decide Takimura’s future… and my own. If we lose, I’ll most likely die.’

The thought sent a chill through him.

But beneath that fear, there was something else, excitement. He had trained with his new weapon for over a month and felt comfortable wielding it now. He hadn’t managed to finish perfecting the Third Eye technique as it required too much focus, making it nearly useless in the chaos of battle. But even without it, Kaoru felt ready.

He was ready for his first war.