Kapitel 108: Alone
Upon hearing Chen's cold words, everyone felt a chill run through their bodies. The wiser people chose to remain in absolute silence.
"I object! You, Chen Hyuga, act brazenly and unjustly...!" shouted one of the members of the Shimura clan.
Chen raised an eyebrow and interrupted him with a gesture of his hand. "There's no need for you to say more."
"You belong to the Shimura clan, right? I don't need to know your name because now you too will be a 'martyr'."
Standing up slowly, his eyes swept across the tent like the gaze of a predator.
"Does anyone else object?" he asked. Each word carried a deadly weight, and his eyes moved slowly, piercing into the souls of those present.
Faces began to drop one by one; no one was willing to meet Chen's gaze. Everyone understood at that moment what would happen if someone dared to challenge him: anyone who dared to stand up would become a martyr.
Who would want to embrace that dark fate?
Chen let out a smile. "It seems no one is against it..."
"Then you two, 'martyrs,' rest in peace!"
Without warning, he unsheathed the sword of a nearby ninja with a swift movement.
Without allowing the two men to even process what was happening, the blade cut through the air with a hiss, and two heads rolled on the ground, blood spurted out, painting the air dark red.
"These are Konoha's martyrs," he said with a smile. "They should be buried accordingly, with full honors."
The silence was deafening.
Seeing Chen's smile, an even greater chill invaded everyone. They silently promised never, ever to provoke Chen.
This monster was simply too cruel.
No one wanted to carry the title of "martyr."
After everything, Chen turned, and the coldness in his face disappeared.
With a gentle smile, he approached Konan, tenderly patting her head. "Konan, were you scared?"
Konan shook her head slightly. She had seen too much death already.
In the Land of Rain, death was a daily occurrence. Those who starved, those who took their own lives, those who were murdered... She had seen it all.
The scene in front of her didn't scare her any more than all the tragedies she had already witnessed.
Chen nodded, satisfied. He understood perfectly what Konan had been through, and the bloody scene he had just created wasn't just a demonstration of power; it was also a test for Konan.
Though he would always protect her, he didn't want her to become someone defenseless, someone powerless. He wanted her to be strong, capable of facing any adversity without trembling.
Casting one last glance at the tent before leaving, with Konan by his side.
No one dared to lift their heads.
Yi, who had watched the entire scene with his heart pounding in his chest, made a decision at that moment: he would never approach Chen again under any circumstances.
That boy was a true demon, someone not to be provoked under any circumstance.
If Hiruzen could be considered a gentle rabbit and Danzo a cunning, sinister fox, then Chen Hyuga was a fierce liger, a ruthless predator.
But what really terrified them wasn't just Chen's cruelty; it was the fact that he even dared to kill members of the Sarutobi and Shimura clans without showing the slightest respect for the Hokage.
Chen Hyuga was someone who followed his own rules, someone whom no one—absolutely no one—wanted to face.
…
In the next confrontation against Kumogakure, due to the Raikage's severe injury, he was still in a coma, and the atmosphere among the Cloud ninjas was grim.
Morale was at rock bottom, and everyone knew that without their leader, any confrontation could become a catastrophe.
Chen wasn't about to let this opportunity slip by.
Mercilessly, he sent the members of the Sarutobi and Shimura clans to continuously attack the Cloud ninjas, provoking constant small-scale conflicts, wearing them down little by little.
Despite the provocations, Kumogakure, without their Raikage standing, didn't dare enter into an open conflict with Konoha.
They did everything possible to avoid direct confrontations, retreating when they could, and defending when they had no other option. The battlefield with Kumogakure was at a stalemate: they neither advanced nor retreated; they were simply stuck.
But this didn't concern Chen. If he got bored, he teleported to the battlefield of the Land of Rain to meet Tsunade and the others.
It was, without a doubt, the calmest place on the front, where he could enjoy some peace before returning to the war.
Kumogakure breathed a sigh of relief when Chen disappeared. They knew his presence was the only thing keeping them on the edge of the abyss, and every time they didn't see him on the field, they felt they could live one more day.
This stalemate lasted for more than a month, during which time the Raikage finally managed to recover from his injuries. However, the situation was clear: even though he had healed, he didn't dare initiate a direct confrontation with Konoha without being sure of victory.
"No wonder Ōnoki was so generous in offering us supplies!" growled the Raikage, clenching his fists in indignation. "It's now clear that he wanted us to bear the pressure from Chen Hyuga for him! He used me as his pawn!"
The situation for Kumogakure was desperate—a trap with no way out. Attacking wasn't an option; they knew they couldn't defeat the enemy.
But retreating wasn't viable either.
Not even the Raikage was willing to admit defeat, much less accept that they should retreat, knowing that doing so would leave the door open for Konoha to invade their lands.
"Father! What are we going to do now?" asked A with frustration. "It's such a damn shame that Dodai is no longer here... he always knew how to find a way out!"
The Raikage sighed deeply. "First, we must retreat from the territory of the Land of Fire. We need to regroup and face Konoha from a more defensive position."
"You're going to give up the land we've conquered, Father?"
A asked incredulously. "All that effort, all that bloodshed... I'm not willing to leave it all behind!"
The Raikage frowned. "Listen to me, A! The front line is too long. It makes us vulnerable, don't you see? Especially for resupply."
"If Konoha decides to cut off our supply route, we'll be trapped like rats, with no options for escape or hope for success."
A gritted his teeth. He understood the logic behind his father's words, but the idea of abandoning the territory they had fought so hard to conquer filled him with anger.
The Raikage noticed his son's resistance and softened his tone. "We don't want to give back the land we've taken, A. I don't want to retreat, but we have to be smart."
"Even if we can't hold it, we can negotiate with the Land of Fire after the war and demand compensation. But maintaining such an extensive battle line puts us at enormous risk. We can't afford to lose everything out of stubbornness."
…
In the following days, the Cloud ninjas initiated a large-scale action, and Konoha was on high alert, thinking that Kumogakure was ready to face them in a decisive battle.
But unexpectedly, Kumogakure began to withdraw, leaving the Konoha ninjas puzzled, as they had already prepared for the worst.
"Are the Cloud ninjas retreating? Are they really abandoning the war?"
"No," replied another ninja seriously. "Kumogakure's ambition isn't so small. They won't retreat so easily; I'm sure they have another plan up their sleeve."
"The Kumogakure front has stretched too far. They've already penetrated deeply into our country, and their supply must have been affected," analyzed the Nara patriarch, with a thoughtful expression. "We can't defeat them quickly, so for them, retreat is the best strategic option at this moment."
Chen, who had been listening in silence, let out a sigh. "There's no need for so much chatter."
"They retreat, we attack them."
Under Chen's command, the Konoha ninjas didn't allow the Cloud ninjas to retreat just like that.
They attacked them constantly, harassing them mercilessly, preventing them from resting or regrouping. This constant pressure began to drive the Kumogakure ninjas to desperation, and the conflicts intensified.
Every time they tried to retreat, the Konoha ninjas pounced on them, and every time they tried to counterattack, the Konoha ninjas disappeared like shadows.
"Raikage-sama, we can't go on like this!" exclaimed a quasi-Kage level ninja. "Every time we counterattack, they flee like ghosts, and every time we retreat, they cling to us like a damn plague!"
"We're losing control of the situation, and our men are exhausted! What should we do?"
The Raikage remained silent for a long time.
Finally, after what seemed like an endless pause, he spoke.
"I will stay behind."
"NO, RAIKAGE-SAMA!" protested the quasi-Kage, his eyes wide open. "You can't stay behind! If something happens to you, Kumogakure will be left without a leader. You must think of the future of our village, of all those who depend on you!"
The Raikage looked at him firmly, his determination burning. "I've made my decision. I don't need any more persuasion," he said with authority.
"If we let them keep harassing us like this, we won't be able to advance or retreat. This is the only way for the others to escape safely."
"Father, then I will stay with you!" A intervened. His heart resisted the idea of leaving his father alone. "I can't just leave you here alone to face those bastards!"
"No!" roared the Raikage. "Go, A! You must lead our people to safety! Anyone who stays here will only be a burden. I will stay here alone and make sure you have enough time to escape!"
Despite the Raikage's harshness, A left, his heart heavy, leaving his father alone.
The other Kumogakure ninjas also withdrew, following their leader's orders, though worry and fear were clearly reflected on each of their faces.
Even Chen, who was always prepared for any eventuality, was surprised when he received the news.
________
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Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
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