Thank you for the overwhelming support last chapter! Guess you guys enjoyed the chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Music Recommendation: Attack on Titan Season 4 OST - Ashes on The Fire『Main Theme』(Available on Youtube- For first half of chapter)
Born from Ashes - Eternal Eclipse (Available on Youtube- For Second half of chapter)
Chapter 54
Declaration of War
Mu and every Kage inside the room had gone deathly pale upon hearing the Fourth Mizukage's words, before they could even react a regretful look arrived on Naruto's face as he glanced at Mei, Mito, Yagura, Fukai, Yugito and every last Jinchuuriki even as Ohnoki finally got out of his stupor to order the Iwa Anbu squads to arrest the rogue Mizukage.
Yagura had a knowing bittersweet smile upon his face unlike the other confused and shocked Jinchuuriki's. He merely offered a solemn nod even as the Fourth Mizukage said something to them all...
"I'm truly sorry...but I must do what's necessary"
His murderous gaze then landed upon the advancing Iwa Anbu squads and the Kage's surrounding him.
"Until I've destroyed every last one of these cowards!"
Hiruzen blanched when horrified screams were unleashed by all nine Jinchuuriki from different nations as strange markings spread across their bodies. Tobirama however knew exactly what was happening as did Inoue Namikaze who grabbed Commander Reika and Kushina swiftly before literally bursting out of the castle's walls.
The other Kage's didn't have that option as some of them tried to restrain their Jinchuuriki's but were blasted back when everyone of them unleashed Biju chakra from their body and started developing tails of that same twisted energy from their backs.
Mu and Ohnoki's eyes widened in horror when Naruto raised his left hand holding the Ram Sign making the transformed Jinchuuriki's roar in fury before jumping at the Iwa Anbu squads to tear them apart limb from limb.
The Tsuchikage swiftly jumped back to get some distance from the madman before him making Ohnoki follow his lead.
"So that's why he was shaking hands before the meeting's start with all Kage's and their escorts. In reality, he was marking their Jinchuuriki who were his real target while he had already marked the four Jinchuuriki under his command. He was prepared for any form of betrayal of us" thought Mu bitterly,
He couldn't help but curse when Naruto clenched his fist making all Jinchuuriki's unleash a brutal shockwave that destroyed the upper half of the entire castle in an instant sending the Kage's, their supporters and many of the castle's inhabitants flying in various directions like rag dolls.
Ohnoki and Mu however regained their balance quite easily and started flying in the air, a unique power which none of their fellow Kages or their escorts now lying painfully over the ruins of the destroyed castle could boast about.
Mu clenched his fist when he saw all nine fully transformed Jinchuuriki standing beside the Fourth Mizukage defiantly. Only now when the man had entered battle and started using his chakra truly, Mu could sense even more disturbing hidden truth
"His entire arm and body are made up of Hashirama Senju's cells. That is allowing him to control the Jinchuuriki's" thought Mu in shock, even if they were enemies...such a power would be desired by any Kage.
A ruthless smile arrived on Naruto's face once again as he looked at the Tsuchikage.
"Since we are being so hell bent on being honest, then I'll let you in on another secret which your dear Hiruzen kept from you. It's true that I am a descendant of the Namikaze clan through my mother, but I also am an heir to another clan that's far more feared. Isn't that right, father?" asked Naruto without a flinch as he looked at a stunned Tobirama.
"You're Tobirama Senju's son? Nephew to Hashirama Senju himself- don't be ridiculous!" refuted Ohnoki instantly, however the rest of the Kages alongside the short man were shocked once again when Tobirama defeatedly lowered his head and just gave a solemn nod.
For the first time, Mu wondered if he had stumbled into something far more dangerous. Naruto Namikaze had already been a force to be feared as a fighter and Commander of armies, but to realize he was the direct descendant of one of the two legendary Senju brother's himself? This was disastrous...
Unfortunately for the Mizukage, his fellow Kages were now getting back on their feet even as thousands of Iwagakure shinobi started charging towards them from the village center down the hill.
Tobirama was livid upon seeing as to what was happening right before his eyes as those closest to him had betrayed him today. Hiruzen had ruined everything and what Naruto had done to not only his own wife, followers, other Jinchuuriki...but also to Mito!
A woman who had welcomed him into their clan and been so kind to him!
As thousands of enemy shinobi charged from Iwagakure towards their hill to defend the Kage's and bring an end to the rogue Mizukage, the man who was Tobirama's son but one he could not relate to anymore merely gave a merciless glare as a strange shadow descended upon the entire land.
Every person looked upwards in the sky to see Madara Uchiha himself looking down at them with his cold and merciless Rinnegan eyes.
"To the enemies of mankind...THIS IS A DECLARATION Of WAR!"
A large meteor suddenly crashed right into the center of Iwagakure destroying entire districts instantly and erasing thousands of lives in an instant, shinobi and civilian alike.
The remaining Iwa shinobi survivors who had not even recovered from the shock and devastation froze in their positions when a dozen more monstrous such meteorites were also crashing down from the cloudy skies and were heading straight towards them all.
Mu's worst nightmare had suddenly came to life as he saw the legendary Madara Uchiha floating in the sky above him and staring down at them all with extreme disappointment and contempt, even as the vicious warlord had unleashed an attack that would destroy Iwagakure's very existence completely from this world.
"Ohnoki! With me now!"
For once his student understood the apocalypse their village faced and joined with Mu as the two flying warriors concentrated their power on one target exclusively.
"Particle Style: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu!"
Madara found himself to be actually impressed when the two Iwa shinobi unleashed a blinding wave of their infamous Dust Release straight at him. The former Uchiha leader extended his right hand even as he stood rooted in his spot, as he was about to launch his counter he was even further surprised when the Dust Release Attack split at the last minute into a dozen different missiles like structures that soared towards each of the crashing meteorites to strike clean through their middle before again expanding into a conical form to engulf their remains completely for destruction at an atomic level that cleared the doomed skies of Iwagakure.
"You dance well'' said Madara with an excited grin, as he looked at the Tsuchikage and his heavily panting student.
The remaining Iwagakure shinobi roared in admirable defiance upon their Kage's counterattack and resumed their charge towards the other wounded Kage's up the hill and the bastard Fourth Mizukage who had that same merciless look upon his face.
In less than a few seconds, the vanguard of the Iwagakure force was blown to pieces courtesy of hidden explosives even as hundreds upon hundreds of White Zetsu's emerged all around them.
From the sewers, from the houses, from the very ground...they were coming from every nook and corner which took the Iwa shinobi by complete surprise as the strange creatures roared at them without any mercy.
Hundreds of Iwa shinobi found themselves tackled to the ground as every one of them was jumped upon by nearly three Zetsu's as more and more continued emerging across the entire village in a never ending Tsunami.
Mu, Ohnoki, Tobirama, Hiruzen and every other Kage watched in absolute horror as the Zetsu's didn't kill their downed enemies.
The monstrous creatures started eating the humans alive!
Iwagakure or any shinobi nation had never witnessed a carnage as brutal as the one before their eyes as the whole village erupted with screams of its remaining defenders. They were ripped apart limb from limb, gorged upon until their tongues themselves were consumed until nothing remained of the once proud shinobi of Iwagakure.
The grotesque sight made every Kage roar in absolute fury as they alongside their surviving men charged towards the man responsible for it all.
Naruto unleashed Muramasa defiantly as the transformed Jinchuuriki all around him roared in fury at the approaching all Kage squad. His eyes however were fixated on Tobirama who looked livid at his son for what had been done to Mito and the others.
The former Hokage was the first to leap straight towards the Mizukage with his infamous sword Raijin no Ken in his hand. The blade clashed against another and Tobirama's eyes widened when he found his former lover, Inoue to be the defender. She kicked him back brutally and stood as an iron wall between him and Naruto.
"You will not touch my son!" she yelled fiercely, even as Commander Reika and Kushina joined the frey to attack the remaining men of the Kage's rushing towards Naruto.
"Do you understand what you are doing, Inoue?" asked Tobirama in horror, as he looked at the carnage happening all around them.
"This is Uzu's chance to renounce this man! Are you islanders willing to make the entire world your enemy just for him?" asked Hiruzen in disbelief,
''Your betrayal itself is a proof that sooner or later you will destroy our nation for your own interests. It has always been the same and was the reason why I never came to you Tobirama despite giving birth to our son. Most importantly, Naruto has been more loyal to our nation than any of you ever have! The Uzumaki clan has finally understood that now with the truth of the past being fully revealed to them by us!" said Inoue fiercely,
"We abandoned him once, but not again! He's one of us and we will stand with him, even if it means fighting all of you!" promised Commander Reika without hesitation,
"We will not wait for our deaths upon our island at the hands of scum like you, Hokage!" yelled Kushina angrily, as she plunged her sword clean through one of the Takikage's guards.
Unable to get through to the women of Uzu, the former Hokage looked at the only man who could probably end this madness!
"I know what has happened here today is wrong! But is this the only way? Is this the freedom and justice that you desired? To be able to hurt Mito, your own wife and all the innocents dying right now? It makes you the same as the rest of these Kages!" asked Tobirama desperately to his own son, as he pointed at the transformed Jinchuuriki's and the carnage happening downhill.
The Senju leader was further alarmed when all nine Jinchuuriki's simply teleported away before his very eyes courtesy of Naruto making a hand sign. The former Hokage looked at the crumbling village of Iwa and realized the Zetsu forces had destroyed the Anti-teleportation seals placed by the Tsuchikage and Ohnoki.
He looked murderously at Madara flying high in the sky who was the reason for this destruction!
"Son! Don't let yourself be controlled or manipulated by scum like Madara! You're better than this!" pleaded Tobirama sincerely,
This time Naruto did look straight into his eyes and the sheer ruthlessness in that gaze troubled the former Hokage deeply.
"I tried, Father. I truly wanted things to not end up this way...but now that they have...there can be no turning back. From her on out- all that happens shall be of my own free will" answered Naruto honestly,
"Work with me and we can try to find a solution together" requested Tobirama sincerely,
A flicker of hope remained in the former Hokage's heart when he saw those words piercing through his son's heart and made him lower his gaze.
"You play the bad guy next"
Tobirama got his answer when Naruto disappeared instantly and if not for the Senju leader's sensory powers, he would have not realized just where exactly the Mizukage had gone.
"SARU!"
Hiruzen had coughed violently by the time he had heard the frantic scream of his mentor courtesy of Muramasa now stabbed clean through his heart from behind. Looking back, he saw the Fourth Mizukage holding that cursed weapon as it started consuming Hiruzen from the inside.
"Damn you for forcing me into this position" whispered Naruto bitterly,
"How?" asked the mortally wounded Hokage,
"A Hirashin marking never disappears and I had given you one the very first time we met, when you told me about Ino's death" answered Naruto,
Hiruzen remembered how violently Naruto had reacted to the deception and had grabbed him by his throat then. That explained...
"Die knowing that your short-sightedness shall lead to more unnecessary deaths!" cursed Naruto viciously,
Inoue had again blocked Tobirama making the helpless former Hokage just watch as his prized student was ripped in half as Naruto's murderous gaze then moved towards the remaining Kage's that paled in horror.
He was upon the Takikage-Yosuki Meiji cutting through his last remaining bodyguard with ease and beheading the man mercilessly.
"Let's dance together!" said Madara with a murderous grin,
Mu had the horror of watching the very destruction of his village, shinobi and now the deaths of two allied Kages right before his eyes even as the surviving Kages tried to flee from the wrath of the Mizukage and his supporters.
He suddenly felt a powerful force pulling him upwards in the sky and straight towards Madara himself. In desperation, he fired Dust Release attacks at the Uchiha only to have the man simply absorb them as if they were nothing.
The Tsuchikage still didn't give up and launched every weapon at his disposal-be they kunai or shuriken or explosives only to have everyone of them repulsed by Madara and thrown back at Iwagakure shinobi leading to more deaths of Mu's men.
"Shinra Tensei!"
Mu was slammed by an invisible gravitational force that sent him crashing hundreds of feet below on the ground breaking dozens of bones in his body painfully. If that wasn't enough, he again found himself lifted in the air only to be slammed back to the ground and bear the same agony repeatedly by Madara.
Watching their Tsuchikage be treated like a punching bag broke the resolve of his remaining countrymen desperately trying to survive from getting eaten alive by the Zetsu monsters.
Ohnoki screamed in absolute rage and flew towards the Uchiha currently butchering Mu only to get tossed aside like a fly by that same mysterious power of Madara that went on to torture the Second Tsuchikage over and over again.
"Tobirama!"
The blood curling scream echoed by Mu finally shocked Tobirama out of his disbelief as he looked at the dying Kage even as Inoue continued to push him back but strangely didn't launch any mortal attacks.
"Get...out...of...here...save...as...many...as...you...can!" begged Mu painfully,
Tobirama had little love for Iwagakure but even he could see its doomed fate in the face of such overwhelming power. These monsters were definitely Madara's henchmen but this unforeseen counterattack that crippled them all instantly could have only been made by one man.
He looked at his son-
No, he was too far gone to be considered as such.
Now he was a ruthless enemy that had murdered two Kages and devised a dastardly attack like this. Being the only one who actually knew what endgame Naruto and Madara had planned made it imperative for him to counter them.
This battle was already lost...even the dying Second Tsuchikage could see that.
But the war and the future of the great as well as smaller nations...the entire shinobi world rested upon its remaining military leadership actually surviving this catastrophe.
With Hiruzen gone, Mito captured alongside every other Jinchuuriki, and Naruto rushing to slaughter the remaining Kages...it left Tobirama with a quick decision to make.
Inoue blinked in surprise when the earlier hesitation and regret disappeared from Tobirama's eyes to be replaced by the ice cold gaze of the warrior she knew. He punched her gut and used her momentary gasp to teleport away from her to appear right above Naruto's head.
The Mizukage being a sensor himself dodged the slash from the holy sword only to grimace when he saw Tobirama throwing ninja wire from his pouch to wrap around the fleeing Kages before making them teleport away to whatever safety he could offer from this doomed village.
He then rushed in to actually rescue Mu even as Naruto and Inoue alongside their supporters chased after him. It was ultimately the Tsuchikage who shook his head even as he was pulled upwards by Madara towards himself in the skies.
"Save...the...Third...Tsuchikage..."
Tobirama looked at the unconscious form of Ohnoki in a nearby alley upon Mu's direction and instinctively rushed to his side. The Second Tsuchikage's dying wish was fulfilled as his student was picked up by the former Hokage before both men were teleported away to safety much to the frustration of Naruto who clenched his fist bitterly.
Mu defiantly looked into Madara's frustrated gaze as the Uchiha held him brutally by his throat even as the village of Iwagakure alongside its residents and defenders made their doomed final stand.
"You...may...kill...us...all...today...but...the...soul...of...this...nation...can...never...be...broken" said Mu bravely, earning a cold and unimpressed glare from Madara.
"Then I'll take your soul instead, Tsuchikage"
Mu's eyes widened in horror but he didn't feel anything a moment later and slumped lifelessly in Madara's grasp, but his people did see their Kage's soul being sucked right out of his body and simply consumed by the godly Uchiha.
That was the final straw for many as they simply threw down their weapons to surrender as Madara landed upon the ground to stand beside Naruto.
"You failed in killing all the Kages and their henchmen'' commented Madara flatly,
"Still did better than you" answered Naruto coldly, making Madara chuckle a bit.
"Hiruzen was just a brat and nobody even knew who the fuck was the other idiot who claimed himself as Takikage. I actually killed a grown ass man like Mu" retorted Madara,
He could see Naruto was not in a good mood when he simply walked away but his merciless last words made Madara understand the Fourth Mizukage was fully committed to the cause.
"Put these people out of their misery. We don't have the resources or time to take prisoners...nor will it convey the message"
Inoue was confused by her son's words and looked at the Uchiha hesitantly.
"Isn't killing the Kages the message?" she asked, as Madara started flying back in the air and gave a signal which made the Zetsu's attacking the Iwagakure defenders simply run back into the ground in all haste.
"That's not the message. This is"
From atop the hill where the ruined castle stood, Inoue sensed Madara gather a huge amount of chakra even as Commander Reika Uzumaki and Kushina quickly arrived by her side.
Right before the Second Uzukage's eyes, the village of Iwagakure was destroyed in an instant alongside every living soul within it -courtesy of a massive shockwave that left nothing but a giant crater where once stood one of the most powerful military strongholds of the world.
(Kirigakure: Next Day)
General Abe stood alone at the top of the Mizukage's Tower to glance at the vast village around him in all its glory. Thinking about its history to where it was now made the veteran officer truly understand the enormity of what this nation had undergone ever since it came into existence.
The First Mizukage-Byakuren had been nearly the same age as Abe when he took office in the final days of the Clan Wars Era. Unlike the ninja clans like the Kaguya, Hozuki or Hagoromo who were still busy fighting amongst themselves, Byakuren hailed from a respected but not well known ninja family, his power was admirable but it was his act of pledging loyalty to the Water Daimyo that made him the First Mizukage. With the might of the feudal armies at his back and a predictable strategy of brute force or bribery, he managed to unite the ninja clans-the Hozuki clan becoming his strongest ally making him chose its clan head -Gengetsu Hozuki as his successor. When the First Great Ninja War broke out, he eagerly ordered their shinobi and feudal warriors to participate in order to gain glory, territory and resources for their nation only to achieve catastrophic defeats with huge loss of men, resources and the near destruction of their nation's economy.
The Second Mizukage-Gengetsu Hozuki inherited an extremely fragile Kirigakure from his predecessor. The ninja clans had lost much confidence in the position of Mizukage due to Byakuren's defeat, in order to keep the village united-Gengetsu gave them more privileges than they deserved. He tried his best to hold their military together even if it meant continuing barbaric and senseless customs like the bloodbath ceremony while choosing the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and Slavery practiced by some of the ninja clans. He was not favored by the Water Daimyo's who had been disappointed with the performance of a costly hidden shinobi village which had so far not delivered much returns. To prove them wrong, Gengetsu Hozuki launched a bizarre campaign against Iwagakure that again led to a monumental defeat and even the deaths of many of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. To his credit, the man learned from his mistakes and started taking sound advice from his supporters including one of the man who would succeed him in the future. During the last days of his reign, he ordered key military reforms, resisted the domination of ninja clans and even gained the courage to oppose some of the barbaric practices of their own Daimyo towards his fellow citizens of the Land of Water. It gained him a brutal death after severe torture and a bloody civil war but sealed his legacy as a Brave man in the eyes of the people.
The Third Mizukage-Yagura Karatachi had achieved power through mutiny in order to protect the privileges and rule of the ninja clans whom he was a part of. He had sided with the Daimyo's who wanted to protect their own dominance against Gengetsu's rising assertiveness and influence due to Kirigakure's victories in the Second Great Ninja War. His rule however brief was one of terror and brutality where he tried to solidify his dominance through brute force against his own people considering he had dethroned and played a part in his predecessor's execution. Unlike the earlier Mizukage's who had actually tried to do something for the good of their nation, Yagura would be regarded as a selfish and wretched man that nearly destroyed his own country. Ultimately he was defeated, the dominance of the more brutal ninja clans was shattered completely as they were all made special examples of by the new leader of their nation.
The Fourth Mizukage.
Naruto Namikaze was very different from his predecessors. He was a man who hated the barbaric traditions and dominance of the ninja clans and Water Daimyo which he believed was a hindrance to the progress of this nation- a thought shared by his mentor-Gengetsu Hozuki. He was even repulsed by the disorganization among Kirigakure's military and the dismal state of their economy and infighting.
He destroyed the Daimyo's rulership and executed the man alongside his entire family thereby ending his line forever, he made an example of the Karatachi clan by executing them all in order to teach the other revolting ninja clans a lesson and made his predecessor-Yagura a pawn in all sense. He also had the blood of innocent civilians on his hand during Kirigakure's ongoing participation in the Second Great Ninja War's early days.
Yet for his all brutality, the man achieved far more than any Mizukage ever had. He abolished Slavery practiced by the ninja clans of Kirigakure, reduced the exorbitant taxes on the common citizens by the Water Daimyo and gave them basic human rights that their previous rulers had denied them.
Right to Education, Right to Healthcare, Right to Justice, Right Against discrimination, Right to live a decent life.
In honesty, the credit for these historic reforms should be given to the man's wife-Mei Terumi who had played a pivotal role in bringing these changes through the shadows. She reformed the economy and improved the living standards of citizens, something which the people still remembered and thanked her for.
Her husband on the otherhand reformed the military completely, Naruto Namikaze's campaign of conquest was something nearly everyone be they shinobi or civilian or even Samurai knew about today across the entire world, the most notable being his victory over the Land of Lightning. He was the only Kage in modern history to have never lost a single military battle and the most powerful shinobi of their nation whose presence alone on the battlefield was worth thousands of shinobi and a sight that made the most determined enemy tremble.
He was the first figure in this nation's and maybe even the modern ninja world's history to combine total political power with frontline military genius.
How was General Abe supposed to turn against a man like that?
To think that the greatest hero of his nation was also the greatest traitor in truth made him clench his fist bitterly.
"Have you decided on what's to be done, General?"
Abe turned around to see the Anbu Commander walking towards him even as his voice sounded extremely somber.
"How are Lord Minase Terumi and Lord Yuki taking this revelation?" asked Abe seriously,
"Outright denial and conspiracy being committed by our enemies against our Mizukage. I don't blame them considering for Lord Terumi not only the man is his son-in-law but also the one who made their clan so prominent. Same goes for Lord Yuki as well to an extent. They will not side against him so easily'' answered the Anbu Commander,
"And what about you, Commander?" asked the General honestly, making the man clench his fist.
"Naruto was a Kirigakure Anbu first before he became one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and our Kage later. He served under my command and is the most gifted Commander I have ever seen. The Blackops see him as one of their own, they will not abandon him easily even if it's me telling the bitter truth'' said the Anbu leader without hesitation,
"Apart from wondering about the authenticity of Yagura's source, I also question the timing of this revelation. Uzu and Konoha will simply deny and blame us for believing in absurd lies if we confront them on this, we risk escalating conflict with them when we are already at war with a rogue power like Iwagakure'' said Abe worriedly,
"Allies that plant spy within our ranks can't be trusted'' warned the Anbu Commander,
"We have done the same many times in the past. Don't deny that, Commander"
The Anbu Commander sighed tiredly at that sharp but honest remark, he then saw a truly sorrowful look arrive on the older General's face who had fought for the Land of Water for decades under the Water Daimyo first and now under the Mizukage's flag.
"What does it say about us as a nation and people that it ultimately took an outsider to unite us and bring this nation to the peak of its glory? Our citizens truly have hope for a better future...something which a damned Spy gave them in reality. We were regarded as a back water shithole by other nations...now none can dare ignore our presence or interests. For the first time in my own life, I was proud to follow a leader in whom I truly believed with all my heart" said Abe sorrowfully,
"Naruto Namikaze or Minato Namikaze which is his birth name is a truly extraordinary leader. He brought us to glory despite being a Spy, our nation is finally free of internal strife and we see everyone of us as one people...even those nations that we conquered. The right course of action is to execute a Spy...but in this case, it may very well destroy everything we fought and our dead comrades sacrificed their lives for" lamented the Anbu Commander,
"I have to destroy someone truly great"
The Anbu Commander watched absolute regret present on General Abe's face for a very long moment before the older man steeled himself and looked back at him resolutely.
"Take his children into protective custody. Our absolute loyalty should always be towards the nation, our people and their future and not towards one man. I made that mistake with the Water Daimyo in the past, not anymore. Besides, we will need every advantage we can get to deal with Naruto" instructed Abe seriously,
"And should the Terumi clan resist alongside any others?" asked the Anbu Commander with concern present in his troubled voice.
"Do what you have to, Commander. I shall inform our Legions and the Seven Ninja Swordsmen about this truth before we are dragged into another conflict that we want no part of. We need strong allies by our side and a priceless bargaining chip. There is no doubt that none can match Naruto Namikaze's brilliance on the battlefield but he's politically naive as compared to other world leaders in part due to his young age and idealistic nature" advised General Abe, making the Anbu Commander solemnly nod before marching off to carry out his orders.
Only when the man was gone did General Abe slam his clenched fist at the nearest railing in frustration and the position he found himself placed in. He was betraying a man who had spared his life...even using his children against him...but he also remembered Naruto's last words to him during their last meeting.
"General, should I fall or anything unfortunate happen at the Kage Summit...I am entrusting you with Kirigakure's future. Keep our people safe until things stabilize and do what's right no matter the cost"
Abe didn't know why but he had a feeling that perhaps Naruto had foreseen these state of affairs...
A few hours later the veteran General's fears came true when he received urgent communique from Konoha detailing as to what had happened at the Kage Summit.
Naruto's truth exposed on a global stage, of him launching an attack alongside Madara Uchiha of all people and Uzu on every Kage making an enemy of the entire shinobi world. Iwagakure being brutally wiped off the map...and every Jinchuuriki including Lady Mei and Yagura captured as well by Naruto.
An Allied Shinobi Army was now forming under the leadership of a reinstated Second Hokage-Tobirama Senju and The Third Tsuchikage-Ohnoki alongside every nation in the world except Uzushiogakure which was marked for annihilation for its role in Naruto's deception and not surprisingly the smaller village had thrown its might behind him for this doomed struggle.
Abe's suspicions were even more strengthened when he found the Fourth Mizukage had not teleported any of Kiri's legions led by his trusted Seven Ninja Swordsmen to Iwagakure when he was betrayed and exposed there as per the original contingency plan that he had told to his men. Instead, they remained oblivious...their hands clean from this entire mess.
Now the new Allied Shinobi Army was asking Kirigakure as to where it stood...
"I promise you this as the Fourth Mizukage: I will never stop fighting for the future and interests of this nation be they in the Kage Summit or the battlefield"
General Abe fell to his knees in the Mizukage's office as he remembered Naruto's final promise to their army before he left. The deep and sincere meaning behind those words was never more clearer for the older man...
The entire world saw Kirigakure as a victim of Naruto like themselves instead of being his allies, a man who betrayed the said nation by kidnapping its Jinchuuriki including his own wife. That despicable act alone would make even the Terumi clan and his staunchest allies desert him...but the Fourth Mizukage must have known that already.
A Spy who had remained right under their nose all these years actually exposed his truth with his own hands at a decisive moment through Yagura and his disgraced allies...with there being only one reason left for Abe to make sense of these chain of events.
"To save Kirigakure...you became a devil, Lord Fourth"
Heavy tears fell from General Abe's eyes as he realized what that Spy had done for them, it was one thing to die heroically in the line of duty for one's country...but to go so far for a nation that was not even his motherland.
The Butcher of Iwa.
The Enemy of World Peace.
The Demon.
As he read the various damning titles the world was bestowing upon the disgraced Mizukage, General Abe was truly humbled by Naruto Namikaze's courage to face the hatred of the entire shinobi world and his selfless sacrifice of giving Kirigakure a chance to save itself from his doomed path.
The shinobi world had now declared Total War on Naruto Namikaze and Madara Uchiha alongside their ally-Uzushiogakure.
Already the shinobi armies from various nations were gathering to crush them with Kirigakure being strongly advised to join or be considered a fellow conspirator and threat to the shinobi world's future.
Naruto's situation was doomed if one looked at the grander picture, but General Abe had seen the power of Madara Uchiha in the past...
The tale of Uzushiogakure's limited but effective military might, especially their legendary Spartans whom if intel reports were to be believed were actually alive and on the move themselves to the aid of their former Captain.
Most of all General Abe was extremely reluctant to make Kirigakure join the Allied Shinobi Army to save its future. They had the largest military force ever seen in shinobi history even without Kirigakure's support under the leadership of a sound leader like Tobirama and thousands upon thousands of war veterans from many nations.
But Abe had also served under the Fourth Mizukage's command.
He hoped the Allied Shinobi Army understood the strength of their enemy for in this last campaign being fought for the entire world's future...they would be facing the true Masters of War in the form of Naruto Namikaze and Madara Uchiha.
"God help us all"
Author's Notes: End of chapter.
Hope you guys liked it.
Writing this chapter was quite difficult, probably one of the most pressurizing situations I have faced as a writer considering the sheer buildup that led to this moment. Must have rewritten this chapter a couple of times already with different angles until what I feel is the right one was penned.
I've answered a few things with this chapter and many more shall follow soon enough in the upcoming parts. So be patient...
Atleast I haven't left a cliffhanger, this time. Hehe...
Let me know your thoughts in your reviews!
Until Next Time,
Blackwolf501