Chapitre 29: Fame
The Battle of Kikyoyama
The Battle of Kikyoyama stood as a crucial milestone in the conflict between Konoha and Sunagakure, marking the first large-scale confrontation of this war.
Its magnitude and implications attracted the attention of the entire world, from small villages to great powers.
The outcome of this battle was as shocking as it was unexpected. On the afternoon of that fateful day, news of Sunagakure's crushing defeat spread throughout the world.
Although the specific details of Sunagakure's casualties were not known precisely, one fact became clear: more than 3,000 Sand ninjas had been defeated by a Konoha force that barely exceeded 1,000 troops.
Among the most shocking news was the fall of two legendary figures from Sunagakure: Chiyo, the superior class puppet master, recognized for her mastery of Taijutsu, medical jutsu, and sealing techniques; and Ebizō, high-ranking advisor to the village. Both had perished at the hands of a single man: Luo Lei.
This event marked Luo Lei's official entry onto the world stage. Although his name had already begun to circulate before the war, when as Konoha's ANBU vice-captain he eliminated an elite Sunagakure squad and was named deputy commander of the Kikyoyama unit, no one was prepared for the ferocity he would demonstrate on the battlefield.
The revelation of Luo Lei's feats triggered a frantic search for information by the major villages. Soon, a profile of the ninja emerged:
Luo Lei, Konoha's genius, had been a promising figure in his youth, even compared to Namikaze Minato.
He stood out for his mastery of Water and Lightning styles. However, after joining ANBU and becoming Sakumo Hatake's apprentice, his public profile became discreet. Even his rise to ANBU vice-captain was not marked by outstanding feats, until his assignment to Kikyoyama.
Rumors spoke of the awakening of a mysterious Kekkei Genkai, a radical transformation in his strength, and the ability to shoot laser beams from his eyes. These abilities, it was said, had allowed him to devastatingly defeat the veterans Chiyo and Ebizō, and lead Konoha's forces to a crushing victory.
The true magnitude of Luo Lei's actions was revealed when Orochimaru, commander-in-chief of Konoha's Kikyoyama Corps, published a detailed report.
The figures were staggering: Luo Lei had personally eliminated more than 100 Jōnin, 628 Chūnin, and 1,035 Genin from Sunagakure, in addition to finishing off Chiyo and Ebizō.
These overwhelming data shook the world to its foundations. Many were momentarily paralyzed, unable to process the scale of destruction caused by a single individual.
Sunagakure's defeat no longer seemed like a simple military setback, but an almost total annihilation at the hands of Luo Lei.
Amidst the commotion, darker rumors emerged. Some whispered that Luo Lei was a violent and unscrupulous maniac, willing to do anything for victory. There was talk of the execution of Sunagakure prisoners and even attacks against Konoha ninjas.
However, these accusations went unanswered officially by Orochimaru or Konoha's high command.
Despite —or perhaps because of— these rumors, a new epithet began to circulate among ninjas worldwide: Luo Lei, Konoha's "God of slaughter". This title spread quickly, resonating in every corner of the world.
Thus, in a single day of battle, Luo Lei went from being a promising but discreet ninja to becoming a living legend, a "God of slaughter" whose name inspired fear and awe in equal parts throughout the world.
________
In the heart of Sunagakure, the Kazekage's dome over the sand city.
Inside, in the office of the now unquestionable leader, a heavy atmosphere filled every corner.
Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, was seated behind his desk. His face showed subtle signs of tension: clenched jaw, narrowed eyes, rigid shoulders.
The silence in the room was almost tangible, broken only by the occasional crunch of sand dragged by the wind against the windows.
'Defeat'. The word resonated in his mind like a hammer. No, more than a defeat: a disaster of catastrophic proportions. Even now, after fleeing the battlefield, he struggled to assimilate the magnitude of the failure. Over 3000 Sunagakure ninjas, the cream of the crop of their forces, crushed like insects. Chiyo and Ebizō, pillars of the village, dead. Decades of reconstruction and strengthening, erased in a matter of hours.
A muscle tensed in his cheek as he reflected on the only "advantage" of this disaster: his position as Kazekage was now more secure than ever. No one in Sunagakure would dare challenge his leadership at such a critical time.
But this security had a bitter taste, far from the vision he had had for his village.
Finally, he broke the silence, "I never imagined that Konoha could spawn a monster that would make the White Fang look like a mere puppy," he murmured, his eyes fixed on an indefinite point beyond the windows. "That Kekkei Genkai... what kind of aberration is it? It makes a Jinchūriki look like a child."
The admission hurt, but he couldn't deny it: it was preferable to say that Sunagakure's army had fallen to Konoha than to admit it was to a single man.
Turning in his chair, he contemplated the village that spread out below him. Sunagakure, once bustling and full of life, now seemed an empty shell. Its best ninjas, dead or captured. Its reserves, depleted. Its pride, shattered.
With a sigh, he faced the harsh reality:
"We have no choice," he said with bitterness and resignation. "We'll have to withdraw from this damned war. And then..." He paused, as if the words burned his throat. "Then we'll have to crawl before Konoha to negotiate the release of our captured ninjas."
"This war..." he murmured, his voice barely a whisper. "Sunagakure is the first to fall....What humiliation."
_____
At that same moment…
On the outskirts of Sunagakure, where the desert stretched out, a solitary figure was silhouetted against the horizon.
A young man of delicate appearance and red hair, contemplated his masterpiece with pride.
Before him lay the body of the Third Kazekage, now transformed into a puppet.
A smile of satisfaction drew on Sasori's lips. "At last," he murmured.
"After months of work, I've done it." His eyes, a reddish brown, shone with pride.
"Chiyo..." he continued happily. "I've finally surpassed you." Turning towards the direction of Sunagakure, his expression became thoughtful. "I wonder how they're managing without the Third Kazekage. Perhaps it's time for a little visit."
With curiosity piquing him, Sasori infiltrated the village. However, what he discovered left him stunned.
An hour later, Sasori found himself sitting on a wind-eroded rock, his mind trying to process the information.
The world had changed drastically in his absence. The Third Ninja World War had broken out, Rasa had become the Fourth Kazekage, and Sunagakure had suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Konoha.
But what impacted him most was the news of the deaths of Chiyo and Ebizō, killed by a Konoha ninja named Luo Lei. Despite his determination to feel nothing, Sasori couldn't help but feel a pang of pain pierce his heart.
"My parents killed by the White Fang," he murmured, his voice laden with an emotion he thought he had left behind. "And now Granny Chiyo and Uncle Ebizō... by the White Fang's apprentice." The irony of the situation didn't escape him. "I'm truly alone now."
The desert wind howled around him, as if sharing his pain.
Sasori closed his eyes, letting the sand caress his face. When he opened them again, a cold determination shone in them.
"True art is the only truth," he declared firmly. "I must find a way to transform myself into a perfect puppet."
His fists clenched tightly. The death of the Third Kazekage was no longer enough. A new obsession began to form in his mind.
"Luo Lei," the name came out as a hiss between his teeth. "I must become stronger. And then... then I'll turn him into my most beautiful puppet. Only then can I appease this hatred that consumes me."
With a last glance towards Sunagakure, he ventured into the desert, carrying with him his ambitions and his thirst for revenge.
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