Chapitre 70: Iwagakure
On the forty-third anniversary of Konoha, a momentous event occurred.
In the vast plains of the Land of Grass, the forces of Konoha and Iwagakure clashed in a battle that would define the course of the war.
That same afternoon, Konoha announced the result of this decisive encounter: a crushing victory over the forces of Iwagakure.
What made this victory truly extraordinary was the feat of a single man. Luo Lei, acclaimed as the SuperHero of Konoha, had single-handedly annihilated more than 2,000 Iwagakure troops.
Among his victims were figures of great power: Rōshi, the Four-Tails Jinchūriki; Han, the Five-Tails Jinchūriki; and Shibito, the captain and commander-in-chief of Iwagakure's ANBU, along with other high-ranking shinobi.
The news spread like wildfire, unleashing a whirlwind of reactions across the world. It was as if a category five hurricane had struck the status quo, leaving everyone stunned and speechless.
No one could believe it.
The same "God of Death" who had recently eliminated the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist and provoked the Third Mizukage's declaration of war against Konoha, had now reappeared in the Land of Grass to devastatingly decimate the forces of Iwagakure.
The magnitude of this feat was simply overwhelming. Many villages, upon receiving the news, initially refused to believe it, considering it an exaggeration or an unfounded rumor. However, after sending their own ninja to verify the authenticity of the reports, they were forced to accept this seemingly impossible reality.
This event, comparable in its impact to the battle of Kikyoyama where Sunagakure had been defeated, consolidated Luo Lei's reputation as an unstoppable force.
Within hours, the name of Luo Lei resonated in every corner of the world. His fame and prestige rose to new heights, eclipsing even the Kages of the five great villages.
___
Iwagakure, the Hidden Village among the Rocks.
The impact of the events on the battlefield of the Land of Grass fell upon the village like a stone slab.
Silence!
A silence enveloped every corner of Iwagakure.
Without warning, an oppressive and chilling atmosphere took over the village. The sky, normally clear over Iwagakure, now seemed covered by a black cloud of imminent destruction.
At that moment, any outsider who ventured into Iwagakure would have noticed something unsettling: the eyes of every ninja in the village burned with fierce hatred. They looked like caged beasts, eager to pounce on Luo Lei, the man who had decimated their forces and humiliated their pride.
When the news first arrived, disbelief seized the inhabitants of Iwagakure.
"Is this some kind of macabre joke?" they wondered.
How was it possible that an army of more than 2,000 troops had been annihilated? Among the fallen were legendary figures: Shibito, the ANBU captain and commander-in-chief; Rōshi, the fearsome Four-Tails Jinchūriki; the Elite Jōnin Sumashi; Akatsuchi, known as the "Unbreakable Shield of the Tsuchikage"; Gari and other renowned shinobi.
How could they all have fallen?
But the cruel reality was soon confirmed.
They had all perished.
Even those who had surrendered and begged for mercy did not escape the massacre.
This revelation unleashed a storm of emotions in them. Civilians and ninja alike were consumed by burning rage, a desire for revenge.
It was evident: everyone in Iwagakure clamored for Luo Lei's head.
"An eye for an eye," they muttered through gritted teeth.
The thirst for revenge had become the only coherent thought. Washing away Iwagakure's shame had become the primary mission of every inhabitant.
....
In the heart of the village, the imposing Tsuchikage Mansion stood. However, inside, a scene of desolation unfolded.
The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, floated motionless above his chair, his face emotionless.
For day and night, he had remained suspended there, in a state of deep and anguished meditation. He had not tasted food, nor drunk a drop of water, nor allowed sleep to ease his tormented mind.
"Father...," murmured Kitsuchi, his voice barely audible in the oppressive silence of the room.
The Tsuchikage's son opened his mouth, words of comfort or concern struggling to come out, but in the end, silence prevailed.
What could he say in the face of such catastrophe?
Kitsuchi remembered the moment he received the news. The initial disbelief gave way to a state of deep shock when the terrible truth was confirmed. Since then, he had wandered in a daze, unable to fully process the magnitude of the defeat.
Never in his worst nightmares would he have imagined that their powerful army in the Land of Grass could be annihilated so absolutely. And all at the hands of a single man: Luo Lei.
Suddenly, the silence was broken by a harrowing sound.
"Pfff..."
Perhaps it was the accumulated tension, or maybe the resurgence of an old ailment, but at that instant, Ōnoki's face turned alarmingly pale.
A torrent of blood gushed from his lips, splattering the desk in front of him and staining the scattered documents red.
"Father!" he exclaimed. Instinctively, he stepped forward, ready to help his progenitor.
"Don't come closer..." Ōnoki's voice, though weak, resonated with authority.
With a trembling gesture, he stopped his son's advance. "More than 2,000 ninja, Shibito, Rōshi, Han, Gari... all have perished. What kind of Tsuchikage am I if I couldn't protect them?"
The question hung in the air, laden with anguish and self-contempt. "How can Luo Lei possess such power? Is he even human?"
A solitary tear, unusual on the strong leader's face, slid down his cheek.
Not even during the previous world war had Iwagakure suffered such a devastating blow. The fact that a single Konoha shinobi had inflicted the worst defeat in decades on his village shook Ōnoki's belief in himself and in Iwagakure's power.
"Pfft..." Another violent coughing fit shook the Tsuchikage's body, staining the floor with more blood.
His face, already pale, took on a cadaverous tone.
"Father!!"
"If you continue like this, you will never be able to obtain your revenge," Kitsuchi declared with determination. "We still have more than 8,000 ninja in Iwagakure, all waiting for your orders. With a single word from you, we will march on the Land of Fire and paint the streets of Konoha red."
Tic!
His son's words seemed to awaken something in him. "Yes... not only will I seek revenge, but I will find a way to win this World War. It's the least I can do to honor the more than 2,000 spirits who now watch us from beyond."
A spark of determination lit up the Tsuchikage's eyes, replacing despair with cold, calculated hatred.
"No, we are not defeated," he told himself. "As long as I breathe, Iwagakure will not fall. We have lost 2,000, but we still have 8,000 warriors left. Originally, they were destined to face the Third Raikage, but now... now I will use them against you, Luo Lei."
At that precise moment, a growl from Ōnoki's stomach broke the tension of the moment, a crude reminder of his humanity.
Without wasting another second, he ordered in a cold and determined voice: "Call a high-level meeting. Now."
"Yes, father!" Kitsuchi responded, nodding quickly and leaving the room to fulfill the order.
________
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