The dim lighting, the crowded atmosphere, the soft music in the background, the smell of tobacco drifting through the air... It all made her feel at home. In earlier years, bars and pubs like this one had offered her a sense of comfort in their drinks and concoctions - her personal choice poison often involved vodka, but back then she settled for just about anything the bartender could offer her. As time went by, she learned to replace her bad habit with something that wouldn't get her killed quite as quickly. She learned to simply enjoy the environment around her, to observe people. Of course, the alcohol was still the main event that attracted her to these kinds of places. However, she no longer depended on it like she used to.

Sitting in a booth by herself in the corner of the bar, she had an ample view of everything that was around her. She could see the man a few tables away meeting his mistress, the under-aged girl sitting on her own at the bar, the group of men out celebrating for one reason or another. It was interesting, what one could see and learn in a place like this. Of course, her purpose for being in that place was nothing close to leisure. In a way, she was hiding in plain sight, blending in with the people that seemed most like her. Places like this tended to attract the lowest of the low in society. Thieves, criminals and the like loved these sorts of locations. Moreover, the authorities usually stayed far away. Here, she could hide in plain sight. Here, she could meet her employer discretely.

Of course, hiding wasn't something she was too fond of. In fact, it pissed her off to have to do it. Nevertheless, she knew that she was behind enemy lines. She was stubborn, but she wasn't a fool. She knew that she was at a huge disadvantage here. And until she could get Ren out of the village, she was pretty much stuck in Konohagakure no Sato. Oh the joy. She wondered how many people were looking for her right now. Maybe taunting Sousetsu Senju like that wasn't the smartest thing she had done in her lifetime. Then again, in the heat of battle, minding what she said wasn't really in her list of priorities.

Gin tapped her fingers on the wooden surface of the table. She was growing impatient. If it weren't for the fact that she was about to receive a great sum of money, she would have left half an hour ago. Behind the bandages that covered her face, she frowned. This was bound to be a long night, for one reason or another. All the young woman could really do was wait it out - not one of her known talents.

He had been sitting there, silent and serene unlike his surroundings, being probably the only person who did not drink any alcohol, yet rather seemed to favor the taste and refinement of an enjoyable and soothing cup of tea. It was one of those things in which he really showed his aptitude of blending in the crowd, never drawing any attention, even to such a point that the most skilled observer would merely look at him as yet another shadow casted upon the atmosphere of the dim-lit tavern. A soft, gentle smile appeared on his face, while looking at the bandage covered person at the other end of the tavern, knowing fully well who she was and why she was there, she was there for him.

That night, few hours earlier at the Senju Compound

The time was at hand, the time on which he would finally witness the strength of his mercenary. She wasn't easy to find and to contact, but his efforts of years to create an unfaltering network of spies and contacts to have the knowledge on every tiny deal, every bargain which was struck in the entire Shinobi world, finally did pay of on numerous accounts and this was not different.

As he awaited from within the shadows, he heard the muffled scream of a woman and child, making it easy to pinpoint the location of his new asset. There she was, in all her beautiful splendor and pure addiction to carnage, wrecking the lives of innocent people in such a fatal, yet mesmerizing way, that Enaka did not have any other option than silently applaud for her craftsmanship, her expertise on how to make every single swing of her arm, every flick of her wrist a visual masterpiece.

And then it happened: the main target, the test of this new mercinary arrived in all his despicable glory. Oh, he hated that man; Senju Sousetsu like no other. He hated him for being so stubborn, so damn pacifistic and so defiant against the changes his numerous predecessors had been making. Now was the time for Enaka to see the depth of not only his mercenary's skills, but also the new hokage's, keen on knowing how far this man was able to go.

The reverberating sounds of the two's jutsu clashing, the pressure and force of their chakra almost tangible in the night's sky, making the once most powerful ANBU captain shiver in enjoyment and extasy as he witnessed the fight first hand. "Most astonishing indeed, that woman."

His peace and enjoyment was short-lived however, as he had already sensed the approaching ANBU from afar and he could not let them interfere with this enjoyable display of power. Hiding his chakra completely, the man awaited the two targets to come near him and when the two ANBU arrived, Enaka slid out of the shadows, like a snake that had been laying in wait for its prey. Without hesitation, he drew his two signature scalpels, shooting from one side of the street to the other in a blur, after which the first of the two ANBU fell down, gurgling and drowning in his own blood running into its windpipe thanks to the precisely cut open throat. The second ANBU, turning towards his partner, wondering what could've happened, had no more life in him when his eyes finally gazed upon his comrades lifeless corpse, as a hand had already pierced through his back, severing the connection between the heart and the aorta, ending his life in a fast and pratically painless way.

Two seconds later, there was no more trace of the ANBU and Enaka was certain that his team had finished off the other invaders to his own personal, private spectacle.

The tavern: present

Placing some money on the counter, in front of the bartender, Enaka asked him to bring the appointed person in the far off booth some good sake and another cup of tea for himself. With one simple look at the bartender, the usually loudmouthed man simply swallowed his pride and nodded that the beverages would be brought to the table immediately.

Walking up to the table with the woman sitting there, her face covered in bandages, Enaka squinted his eyes and showed his usual friendly, goodnatured smile, the mask he had word for more than a decade in the presence of family, so-called friends and people that had no business with the reality within the man's mind.

"Would you mind if I take a seat here?" The Orochi Lord spoke with a calm, friendly sounding voice, taking a seat even before being answered, nor expecting an answer in the first place. "Aweful lot of bandages around your face, are you maybe ill?"

The bartender quickly brought the beverages to the table, placing the cup of tea in front of Enaka with trembling hands, before giving a slight bow and taking his leave. "Or perhaps you dont want people to recognise you…Kuroka Gin?"

Gin watched as a silent figure approached her table. The man seemed overall unremarkable - he was good looking, but nothing special. He didn't seem particularly strong, nor did he have any features that really made him stand out. Maybe he was the kind of person that preferred to blend into the background, to observe the people around him. Gin's instincts told her to flag the man as a potential danger, but her conscious mind couldn't really tell why. It was rather unnerving.

On the outside, however, the young woman remained calm and composed. She could only guess that this was the person that she was waiting for. She stared at him intently, with a mild hint of curiosity. She motioned for him to sit in front of her as soon as he asked whether or not he could. She tensed slightly when he mentioned her bandages. This wasn't a third party sent t just hand the money over. No, if this person was inquiring about her looks, if this person knew her name, it only meant that this was the man that hired her.

Realizing this, Gin took a closer look at the man. His skin was pale, his eyes were a cold shade of black outlines by purple make up. One thing was clear: This man was no Senju. She had been played. Anger shot through her suddenly. She fought to suppress it and remain calm. Despite how she felt, the young woman still looked relaxed and nonchalant. "Maybe so. Some people seem to think I wear these because my face was scarred beyond recognition. Or maybe you're right and I am hiding my identity," she began, keeping her tone sly, as if there was something that he didn't know, something that gave her the upper had in this little meeting.

"Hypothetically speaking, of course, if I were this Kuroka Gin, then you would have reason enough to fear me and keep your distance. The fact that you're still sitting in front of me means that there's something you want very very badly," she went on. She didn't turn to look at the nervous bartender that had just placed the drinks on the table. Her attention was much too focused on this man and what his intentions were. "But of course, an introduction from yourself would be nice before we get to business. What do you say? Do I get to know your name?" She asked. For the most part, Gin expected the answer to her question to be a no.

This man seemed like the type of person that kept most information regarding himself as secret as possible. This only grabbed the young woman's attention and curiosity. Why go through such lengths to contact her? Why come himself? Why attack the Senju, of all people? Yes, they were a powerful clan, but why target one family that he likely had no connection to? There were so many questions going through Gin's mind. Well, she would get her answers one way or another.

Hearing the woman's replies, the man only gave a soft grin, calmly taking a sip from the tea he had ordered and was brought by the bartender. He no longer squinted, now showing the woman the full extend of the emptiness within his black, dark eyes, eyes so sinister that the very sight into them made the bartender tremble in fear. With a decidated motion, the man placed his cup back on its plate, not making a single sound, not even that of porcelain touching porcelain.

"My name, oh I have many names," Enaka said, giving a sly grin, while staring straight into the woman's bandaged face. "The Shadow Reaper, the Snake…ah, but all of those don't really answer your question, do they?"

A fake, shallow chuckle left the man's lips, followed by him taking another sip of his tea, giving a vibe of enjoyement, though it wouldn't be clear if this was because of the tea or because of the conversation.

"Since I know your name, it should be more than fitting for me to give you myreal name as well, though given your age, I do not know if it would even matter," The man spoke calmly, giving a pleasant grin towards Gin, licking his lips with the tip of his tongue to retaste his last sip of tea a bit, yet at the same time making him look like a snake ready to devour his prey, savoring the very scent of it before opening its maw and swallowing it whole. "I am Orochi Enaka, current Regent of the Ouroboros clan and part of the Hokage's advisaory council."

For a moment he kept silent, reaching for a black envelope inside his purple haori, taking it out and placing it on the table right next to Gin's sake. The envelope hada silver crest of a coiled up snake printed upon it, an emblem used for konoha's most dangerous group: the Black ANBU.

"Your fight with Senju Sousetsu was splendid and despite the fact that I had to ensure no one would meddle with it, your destructive tendencies simply made it into a visual spectacle, for that, you have my thanks," The Orochi Lord made a graceful nod with his head, gesturing his respect for Gin's way of handling things. "Before I say anything else, do you want to know how your kid is doing these days?"

This was an underhanded strike, but Enaka had no intentions of making himself look meek or uncontrolled in front of her, he was going to show her that the only reason she was sitting right there in front of him, alive and well, was simply because He allowed it. His smile vanished, a calm, stern expression now taking its place.

"This world, the shinobi system…it's all broken and it is time that something is done about it," Enaka's eyes seemed to flicker for just a moment. "I know you are a former kazekage, that you deal on regular basis with the tsuchikage and are …more than just friends with the raikage, but all that is unimportant and not really what I need you for. How would you like to be the cause, the fire that ignites a war of the likes not seen for over three centuries?"

Gin's shoulders were slumped, her hands rested on the back of her neck and the look on her one visible eye made it evident that she was smiling underneath the bandages that covered her. Upon further inspection, it was clear what had made Gin's instincts react so suddenly. The man had a chilling appearance, a terrifying glint in his eyes, and his posture and all around demeanor spoke volumes of how awful his intentions were. Nevertheless, Gin couldn't really say that she was intimidated or overwhelmed. Quite the contrary, she was... Intrigued. Why had this man sought her out? He was in Konoha, where there was likely no shortage of strong shinobi. Albeit, the village had a tendency to breed a majority of self-righteous idiots, but there was bound to be a couple of exceptions to the rule, besides the man sitting in front of her, of course.

Now she had a name to match to his face: Orochi Enaka. "Never heard of you," she said simply, shrugging and pouring some of the sake the man had brought along in a small cup. "Then again, you're probably the type of person that prefers it that way," she added. She sat back on the booth once again and made herself comfortable. She watched how his tongue lingered over his lips. It was mildly creepy, yes, but it didn't phase the young woman. She chuckled instead.

"I was wondering what took the ANBU so long to get to him. The Black Ops tend to swarm around the Hokage like puppies," she said offhandedly. She had never been fond of the organization, even when she had a faction of it serving directly underneath her. Their intentions were always difficult to guess and constantly changing. Infighting was more than common, with the organization often dividing into subsections that hated each other ninety percent of the time. Sabotage was part of their everyday routine. It was rather cowardly, to be honest, which was the main reason why she could never bring herself to look at them as little more than scum. Maybe it was because of their limited power under her leadership that they had a hand in her eventual downfall. "I have to say, though, I had fun. I expect young Sousetsu doesn't feel the same way, though. Even so, I'm sure he'll eventually find me and demand a rematch."

Gin took a sip from the cup she had poured herself just as Enaka set an envelope beside it. For the moment, she paid little attention to it. The sake was taking her attention for the moment. She tasted it and waited a few seconds before deciding whether or not she liked it. The taste was crisp and bittersweet. Not bad. "Ah, a memo, I take it? Details on a next assignment? If you know so much about me, you should also know I hate anything remotely akin to paperwork," she said, setting down the cup.

The former Kazekage stared intently at Enaka as he elaborated, explained further. The current system... Yes, it was broken, to put it lightly. It had been for a long time. It was corrupt and dirty while hiding under a guise of peace - a peace that was slowly killing the need for change and progress. It was nothing but a lie acting like a pathogen among the people, infecting them and lulling them into a false sense of security. She had realized that long ago.

"Thinking you can change things as they are is nothing more than a naive delusion,"Gin's voice suddenly turned solemn, yet still completely calm, maybe even somewhat cold. "I've tried and failed. In that, I realized that trying to work for others and the so called greater good is a waste of time. I care for me and my own now. And yes, I deal with Akira every once in a while and Sanosuke's been getting closer to me as of late. So tell me, why would I start a war that could put my family in danger and potentially get my strongest allies killed?" She asked, genuinely curious to know what the man would say in return.

"Paperwork, no my dear," Enaka laughed on a rather sinister tone, taking a sip from his cup of tea like only someone with a decent upbringing could do, flawlessly exhuming authority even in the most base of actions."This is merely a scrap of paper which lets you go in and out of konoha in broad daylight without the hokage ever knowing it. It's the same thing your dear Yuzu has been granted by my niece: a simple document with a false name claiming you to be a guest of my House and thus diplomatically immune."

Leaning back a bit, the man listened to Gin's explanation on her thoughts towards an all-consuming war. Sure, she had decisive reasons not to want a war and seemed quite sceptical about the so-called greater good, but Enaka didn't believe in the greater good, for there was none. There was only the progress of all shinobi through war or the dullness of peace, which evidently made people weak and softhearted, draining them of every ounce of strength and willpower along the way.

A naive delusion, hmm…" The Orochi lord hummed slightly, closing his eyes for a moment, while smiling contently. He seemed completely at ease in company of Gin, despite knowing her capabilities and connections. "It would be a naive delusion for those who do not have the perceverance to go through with their beliefs when the tide is against them. However, do not put me in the same boat with people like that, I implore you. The hokage, the kazekage, the raikage,the tsuchikage and the mizukage are all just pawns waiting to be used and changing positions on the board. War is inevitable and it will happen sooner than anyone would ever expect."

Opening his eyes again, the man gave a swift glare at the bartender for a moment, who quickly seemed to understand what Enaka meant, suddenly telling the remaining customers in the establishment that it was closing time and that they had to drink up their last beers or sakes so that he could close off.

"I know exactly what all the kage's plans are, I manipulate these plans to my own advantage and even when they think they're in control, they are still nothing more than mindless pawns on the board," The man quietly and calmly continued his explanation, no longer giving any notice to Gin's expressions or movements. "If you were to be given the ability to chose one person you do not want to lose, who would it be?"

Gin examimned the envelope carefully. A pass to freely roam through Konoha as his guest, eh? She smirked, as an unidentifiable glint appeared in her eyes. On the surface, it sounded like a wonderful opportunity, a kind gesture. A few years back, she might have been glad to see the offer even placed on the table, flattered even. But if there was something that a long career as a kunoichi had taught her, it was that actions were never as straightforward as they seemed. Holding the envelope in her hand for a moment, she tore it in half before setting it back on the table.

"I like the risk better,"[/color] she said calmly. She was no one's pawn. She could survive on her own.

She took a sip from the bottle of sake, not bothering to pour it into the cup in front of her. She listened to the man carefully. "I do agree that war is necessary. Everything's come to a standstill - peace has decayed progress and allowed the weak to become complacent. As for the Kage... I wouldn't underestimate how unpredictable they may come to be, regardless of you keeping tabs on them," she said, the smirk still placed upon her features. This conversation, everything they did - it was a secret and subtle struggle for power and dominance.

Every movement had a purpose, every word was carefully calculated. There was a sort of tension in the air that could explode at any moment. It was thrilling. Though not what usually made adrenaline course through the young woman's veins, this was still intriguing enough to capture her full attention. However, she would still seem aloof, uncaring and distracted. His question... It was something that didn't really have an answer to it.

"Everyone - my children, my students, my friends, my lover. Call me greedy, but I can't choose. I'd sooner die. And if I had to watch them die, whoever's behind the blade that cuts them down will know pain like no other, that I can assure you. I have standards - a code of honor - but if any of them are threatened in the slightest, it can be damned to hell."

Enaka started laughing when Gin ripped the envelope apart, a dark and cold laughter which would terrify anyone who was weaker of spirit than he was and ofcourse most of the people in the tavern were like this, some running out of the tavern, others cringing and even starting to sweat beads when hearing the sound.

"You like the risk better," The man said while laughing, obviously amused by the woman's replies and answers to his statements and explanations. "Yes, yes, I can understand that, I can see it. That is perhaps what makes you strong, the resolve to protect that which you love most, that which you desire the most."

Placing his hand gently on the two pieces of the envelope, the table with everything on it, suddenly shattered into a thousand pieces, the envelope shredded into nothingness without as much as an instant having passed after he placed his hand on it. The woman in front of him would've felt it, that slight and swift use of futon, yet with remarkable control it came and went so swiftly that it was obvious that the man sitting on the chair opposite to hers was nothing like the hokage she had defeated earlier.

"I too wish to protect what I love and desire the most," Enaka said, suddenly calm and collected again, though his voice ressonated through the silence he had wrought upon the people of the tavern. "That is why I was offering you this opportunity to fully display your power, to unleash as much havoc and chaos as you desired. However, it seems your own personal desire is surpressed by the burdens of life and love. A pity to see a once so powerful kazekage and now a member of the seven swordsmen of Kirigakure revert to such a weak, pathetic and pitiful state in which she thinks she can boast to have beaten Konoha's strongest."

Standing up from his chair, the man wanted to turn around and head for the exit, having lost his interest in the woman all together. "You couldn't have been more wrong with your choices. Be sure to spend as much time as you can with your precious loved ones…for the time that remains to do so is shorter than you think."

The table shattered and collapsed into pieces after a swift application of chakra. To say the least, Gin was unimpressed. In her long years, she had seen people who could do much, much more than that. She rarely saw anything nowadays that genuinely surprised her or gained her respect. This quick display of power seemed childish, both by comparisson and through circumstance - it was only the petty reaction of a man that had not gotten exacly what he wanted.

Gin felt like it was her turn to laugh now. The look on the man's face contrasted heavily with his words. She enjoyed his disappointment, she had to admit. Someone like him was usually much to used to getting exactly what he wanted, seeing things develop exactly as he expected them to. The fact that his view of the former Kazekage was so off the mark made a spectacular end to the conversation. She had not bought into his silver tongue and tempting words of change and hope and love. Kuroka Gin knew what she wanted - changing the world was nowhere near her priorities.

If anything, she was more like a hurricane - a destructive force of nature that ripped through its surroundings with no clear destination or purpose in mind, only doing whatever she pleased, whenever she pleased.

Gin had gotten what she had come for and more. She didn't bother to look at the man as he headed towards the exit, bitter words of resentment following suit. Instead, she lit a cigarette and i haled the bitter smoke. She was grateful to this man, really. Thanks to him, she had experienced one of the most enjoyable fights she had had in the past years. She now had someone she could call a rival, someone that sparked her interest. She had a nice little paycheck to last her the coming months. But above all, she had information on this man and his intentions. Time to sell it to the highest bidder.