Bab 64: Chapter 64-And So It Ends!
Chapter 64
KUSHINA UZUMAKI
Much had changed for Kushina Uzumaki in the last two years, and her life, which at one point seemed like a directionless ship, was now filled with activity once more.
The birth of her son, the learning of the truth of the bijuu, becoming a complete jinchuriki, and so forth, she could argue that she had grown more in the last few years than she had in the last decade.
And now, as she blurred through a throng of trees, silent as a whistle, her team behind him as they moved to intercept Kumo's own special team, she found herself thinking of the person who had brought this change to her life.
The Fire daimyo, the young Shogun as he was called nowadays for by now it was certain that he would become a fables shogun, given how the war had progressed. There was no question about him losing, only about when he would win.
The news of the attack on him had devastated and caused panic in all of the village, and then they were all thrust into another war, not even a year past the last one.
Yet this war had been anything but like the last one's. This had become a full-on political war, in which shinobi involvement had only lessened with every passing day as their daimyo literally squeezed the warring regions of their resources, choking them in a way.
And it had worked, as Konoha consolidated its gains from the initial days, and began to reinforce their own positions rather than overextending and putting their men in jeopardy, the other village simply found themselves entrapped in their own land, surrounded on almost all sides by Konoha and its allies and with the embargo on trade the war ate away at their resources.
And now the war was all but over, and in all of the continent, she was amongst the handful of people who knew that better than anyone.
"He is right ahead. Leave him to me," she ordered, and a chorus of affirmative reached her ears as she jumped forward.
A clash between jinchurukis was no small thing and of this team of hers was smart enough they would back off and let them settle this, as they had done so in their last two meetings.
'Are you ready?' she found herself asking the prisoner inside her.
'Yeah. That damn octopus couldn't wait another day.' She heard the retort back, and two years ago, she never would have imagined that the Kyu—no, Kurama would become a secret confidante of hers.
'Here. I have given you my chakra. Do not disgrace me.' She heard him chide her, and she found herself chuckling as she replied.
"Don't worry about that. I will teach that younger brother of yours a lesson," and with that, she jumped forward as she felt a massive influx of chakra and immediately felt her senses and surroundings change as a red-orange hue began to cover her, enhancing her senses, as Kyubi's chakra mixed with her own making her perhaps the most powerful shinobi of the continent.
She pushed it through her leg and pushed, and its forest blurred as she appeared right above the Eight tails jinchuriki.
"So, you are finally here for the dance, red Princess," he began, as a red chakra began to envelop him as she raced towards him.
BOOOM!
Their fists clashed, and their eyes met as he roared.
"Get away!" and the Kumo nin backed off as she pushed the chakra and adamantine chains erupted from her back as Kumo nin backed off, throwing his swords into the air and using them to parry away her attack as he landed on a branch a few meters back.
"You ready to dance, princess."
"Nah," she replied as she lowered herself, her chakra roaring in her body as she smirked.
"I am ready to win."
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The Third Tsuchikage Ohnoki-The Fencesitter
In hindsight, a part of him had known that he was making a mistake. Attacking not just one but two daimyos during a peace parlay not in any way concerning his own village and lands was a massive aggression that would not go unanswered.
Yet Iwa was enraged. He was enraged. Their pride wounded due to the loss suffered by them during the end of the last war, the memories of that blonde devil's devastation still fresh in their minds, so they had not rebuffed much when the order from their daimyo had come.
And now, a bit over two years later, they were suffering the consequences.
The initial attack had been a failure. They had managed to injure the Fire daimyo and had thought that the ensuing turmoil would paralyze Konoha, allowing them to make swift moves. But the boy had survived, rescued by that accursed Senju Princess, and then had begun an onslaught unlike any they had ever seen.
"Crimson Sky" is the declaration for a shogunate, one that prom used to destroy the established world order and reform a new one. And he would not back down.
Iwa had just begun recovering from the last war, which had depleted them of both men and resources, and the gamble they had taken had backfired greatly. And now, with food shortages rampant, weapons scarce, and rioting all over the capital, Iwa was in no place to continue the war.
They could not even attack Konoha, for they were simply prisoners in their own land, surrounded on all sides by Konoha and its allied forces. Their vanguard, commanded by that damned monkey summoning Sarutobi who rebuffed all their attacks living upto his name as the damned professor.
And now their time was up, the last gamble of their daimyo had failed.
"The rebellion forces have been put down. All the lords and soldiers participating in it were killed. The Fire daimyo has made a public appearance after two years, and morale in the Fire country is higher than it has ever been," his jounin commander read, as Iwa's councilmen gathered at his call to discuss the future of the war.
"So quickly?" he asked, and the man shook his head.
"We have no report on the how. But it has been confirmed that the man did not use any shinobi in the operation, that it was his own forces that helped him secure this victory," and that was another issue.
"What of our own daimyo?" he asked.
"He has secluded himself in his castle with a few loyal men as massive riots take place all over the Province. His governors have betrayed him and march towards the castle as we speak. We received one more letter from him earlier in the day calling for Iwa nin," and he could feel all the eyes turning towards him.
Accepting that request did not settle well with him. There was a reason shinobi were not to be involved in the affairs of the state, and he did not believe that a massacre was the solution.
"Have we received any word from Han?" he asked, of the two jinchuriki from Iwa, now only one remained, and even that was a stretch.
Both Han and Roshi had spoken against the war at first, and then at one point in the war, seeing the futility and the sheer loss of life for them, both had confronted him, asking him to seek peace once more. Acting as mouthpieces of the fire daimyo, and he had accused them of treason and retaliated.
Another mistake for in the aftermath Roshi would go on to defect, and Han would go into the mountains citing that he would always be there to defend his homeland but would take part on no offence.
"Tell Han that he is to return to the village tomorrow," he said and saw the heads of all the councilmen turn towards him.
"Tsuchikage-sama, but he has refused to entertain any such offer before," his jounin commander added.
"He will not refuse this one," he said as he stood up and addressed them all.
"After all, Iwagakure cannot function without a Tsuchikage," and his declaration was met with wide eyes and surprise.
"But Ohnoki-sama!" many began, but he raised his head, stopping the protests.
"Konoha and the Fire daimyo will hardly accept peace with me at the helm. And in some ways, I am just as stubborn. I know many of you in this very Hall spoke against my decision of joining hands with Kumo in attacking the daimyos, and even today many of you tire of this useless war." He began and saw many lower their heads, for they may not have denied him openly as Roshi and Han had, but indeed, he was aware of the grumblings and the dissent, for a man knew no greater loyalty than his own hunger.
And hunger was widespread right now.
"To those of you who cannot let go of the hate and anguish in their hearts, make preparations. All of you shall depart with me at dawn tomorrow as we launch the final assault on Konoha forces to the South," he roared and saw many turn towards him.
"But my lord, this will be suicide. Both the Mizukage and the retired Third Hokage man that side," came the answer and he shrugged.
"They may, but this will be it. This will be my calling. If I am victorious Iwa shall have a chance to turn the tide. And if I fall, I name Han as my successor and leave Iwa in his hands," he declared and saw everyone stare at him silently.
"You are all dismissed," he ordered, and he was left alone in his office.
If his own estimation was correct, then the daimyo's castle would fall by tomorrow, and the next daimyo would call off the war, and Ohnoki would much rather die on the battlefield than become a prisoner to his own village and province.
As he sat alone in his office contemplating his fate, suddenly, the door was blasted open.
"HEY, OLD MAN!" he heard a familiar roar and looked and found a young familiar face barging into his office.
"WHAT AM I HEARING ABOUT YOU, SENSEI?" Deidara, his only student, barged into his office.
"THEY ARE SAYING YOU ARE RETIRING!"
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