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Narnia-The Battle Song
Chapter 63
Defiance
It had been a day since conflict had begun for the conquest of Tiger Hill.
The Allies had superior numbers, more resources and lethal firepower whereas the defenders of the Terran Federation had superior defensive positions, a buttload of traps, well entrenched Zetsu forces and the legendary Spartans.
It resulted in a stalemate much to the Allies frustration.
Several times they had attacked in waves and had been sent back running with heavy losses. From the 100,000 who had came here, more than 15,000 were dead with another 5,000 in various wounded states.
The defenders had only lost a few hundred Zetsu.
Naruto exhaled a plume of smoke from his pipe to put some much needed warmth in his body, as unlike the Spartans who had Chakra Armor, he only had his traditional Spartan uniform with his armor destroyed in the previous battle. He idly wondered if that would have helped him hold the massive army before him for two more days atleast.
"They are going to launch an all out attack" he declared, as he watched the enemy's final preparations.
"Every last one of them?" asked Kushina hesitantly,
"Yes. At best, we will be able to hold them for today. I wish we could do more than that but it looks really impossible, there are far too many even for us Spartans" answered Naruto,
Kushina cursed and swiftly went to ensure her men were ready for the onslaught as Nagato looked at his elder brother.
"You seem quite calm, Elder Brother" he said carefully, making Naruto look at him.
"Do you remember the few games we played as children before war forced us to become men so soon?" asked Naruto with a nostalgic grin,
"Kings and Generals" replied Nagato happily,
"I was always good at it, even at that young age. Pretended that I was Arima Namikaze reborn" mused Naruto amusedly,
Nagato's eyes widened as he remembered those instances when his brother had always loved to play the role of Arima Namikaze- one of their ancestors. Their mother had been very dutiful in teaching them the history of their clan, Nagato had been more interested in his Uzumaki bloodline but his brother was always fond of the Namikaze clan history.
It hadn't taken him long to find his first hero from their shared lineage- Arima Namikaze.
"The Young Wolf who never lost a battle. You made Mother so worried when you proclaimed you would be just like him and avenge our father-Yahiko when he died at the hands of Kumogakure shinobi" reminisced Nagato,
The woman had been right to fear as Arima Namikaze had been a young teenage boy when his clan suffered a terrible defeat at the hands of their rival - Kaizen clan whose descendants would in the future be powerful Raikage's. Losing both his parents and a sister, he had swore vengeance and gathered what little supporters he could.
Much to everyone's shock, he won numerous battles against his larger and powerful enemies for he was better at war than most grown men of his time. He achieved his vengeance by killing the ones who slayed his family but also lost his life in the final battle with his loyal wolf clan summon by his side.
It was a tale of bravery, skill, loyalty, sacrifice and tragedy.
When Nagato looked back now, perhaps his brother's declaration to be just like his hero had been prophetic. For when their father was killed, Naruto picked up arms with the few allies he could muster in the form of the Spartans, together they won battle after battle and ensured their sworn enemy's defeat in the war but he survived, while his comrades didn't.
Inoue had been right to fear and chastise her elder son, warn him not to follow in his hero's fate no matter how tempting it would appear in the short term.
"I think our ancestor would have been happy or atleast content with what I have achieved" said Naruto curiously,
"He better be. You named your son after him and completely destroyed the Kaizen clan whom he died fighting" retorted Nagato sarcastically, making Naruto chuckle and nod in agreement before turning serious after a few long moments.
"You asked me why I am so calm right now? Truth is, standing here and looking at the enemy now, I can understand what the Young Wolf would have felt all those centuries ago when he saw his larger enemy. He only saw victory and a chance to achieve the justice he had fought so hard for, some would say he was naive but not in his eyes or mine. We are each perhaps a hero in our own stories" explained Naruto patiently,
"I bet you would have liked to be called The Young Wolf, instead of being called Naruto-The Great by so many" teased Nagato,
For a long moment, he saw his brother wonder about the possibility and in those fleeting seconds Nagato caught sight of the brave and cheerful little boy he had known once. One that was killed by the flames of war...
A person who believed in heroes and legends once, but one who had become one himself today.
Even if he didn't accept it.
"True but I am just a man, brother. When you say someone as The Great, you inadvertently make them alien to those around them. I never wanted greatness, just..." whispered Naruto regretfully,
"Justice and a better future for our family, like the Young Wolf" finished Nagato with an understanding look present on his face, making his brother smile.
If we survive this, I will ensure you are known by a nickname you like instead of one that makes you uncomfortable, Elder Brother.
It was not much but Nagato knew his brother would like that.
And that was all that mattered.
Tobirama Senju looked at the remaining sub-commanders from his army. They had all relayed the readiness of their forces for one final push that would achieve their victory.
"We will achieve our objective this time, Lord Second" promised Sakumo Hatake, making Ohnoki grunt positively.
"No doubt, Naruto Namikaze is just one man" dismissed Ohnoki, earning sharp glares from many leaders. Even a few of his own fighters.
"Who has won every battle he has fought, Lord Tsuchikage. Do not underestimate him" warned Shikuchi Nara tiredly,
"He will not win this one, today shall be his first and last defeat" encouraged Shisui Uchiha,
"So we are agreed. All our forces save for the 20,000 defending our rear will be attacking the enemy all at once. We have to take large losses but there is no other way to capture Tiger Hill. No retreat, no faltering" directed Tobirama seriously,
"How many can we truly throw at the enemy?"
"65,000"
Tobirama nodded at the projections being discussed among sub-commanders as Shikuchi Nara took the lead in the talks.
"The enemy has less than 19,000 left. A few hundred or close to a thousand of their own have perished, we outnumber them 3 to 1. Even so, can we get more Edo Tensei forces?" asked the Nara leader, looking directly at Tobirama.
"Only if absolutely necessary. I am saving the reserve for the battle with Madara at their hideout, but will commit them should you require" clarified Tobirama,
He received several firm nods as they finalized their plan of attack.
It was time to end this.
(Two Hours Later)
The final attack started with the brutal bombardment of Terran positions upon Tiger Hill in the form of Water and Lightning Style attacks falling once again from the skies.
Only this time the Spartans were not out in the open projecting barriers to hold them back.
Instead they were concealed in their powerful and fortified bunkers in smaller groups with only their Aerial Units being camouflaged at the mountain top. Their Zetsu forces had been instructed to go underground and only emerge into the battle once the enemy came into melee range.
For they could not spare Spartans in holding barriers to protect them, not if they were to be used in direct engagements where they could cause more damage.
Naruto held his nerve as he saw the largest army in his entire life charging towards their positions from three sides. He was secured in the bunker on the center alongside Nagato and a small squad of Spartans.
Similar number of fortifications had been distributed across all the three flanks to make the best use of their firepower.
"There are way more of these bastards" cursed Nagato, even as more bombardment fell upon their bunkers to destroy them. It was only thanks to Kushina's numerous Fuinjutsu methods that it held and its residents were not reduced to ash.
"Bloody hell, they are really pissed. The trench lines are nearly decimated" whispered another Spartan,
"Good thing, we asked the Zetsu to go deep underground for now. All of them would have died in this suppressive firing otherwise" said Matsuri,
"The first waves shall be clones and civilian fighters. Our few remaining traps should take care of the clones, instruct Hayate to blast the civilians with our own suppressive fire. No one is to waste kunai launcher rounds until the third and other waves made up of shinobi come in front of us. Tell the others" instructed Naruto decisively,
"Hold the line, Spartans!"
Shikuchi Nara witnessed the very first of their forces made up of clones quickly reach midway towards the enemy positions without any resistance. Having Ohnoki and his men remove those numerous troops had proved beneficial.
He flinched when they ran another few hundred meters and suddenly all the clones started to disappear one after another in quick succession creating a growing plume of smoke.
Confusion ran through his mind as he hadn't seen or heard any counterfire coming from the defenders at all.
"Chakra Draining Seals" answered Tobirama Senju with a sigh,
"Should I keep the remaining clones advancing?" asked the Nara hesitantly,
"Yes, the seals will drain their chakra but better them than our real shinobi. The Uzumaki are deadly with their Fuinjutsu, unfortunately we will be witnessing their power personally. Not that we have any other choice" explained the Hokage reluctantly,
Shikuchi nodded heavily even as he ordered thousands of clones to act as sacrificial lambs and destroy the deadly traps, he could now understand why Naruto Namikaze had been so hell bent on saving them.
The tactic started to work even as the clones were getting destroyed, but so did the deadly seals as once they could no longer absorb chakra of their enemies they glowed brightly for a last time. When that happened, the surviving clones could advance forward upon those marked areas.
It was slow and costly with visibility being nearly zero with all that smoke.
Their forces continued advancing until the clone force was now completely destroyed, but so were the Chakra draining seals.
Having no other choice after their demise, Shikuchi ordered the last of their civilian and feudal warriors to advance forward under the leadership of able Captains. Even so the men knew they were being used as sacrificial lambs, but that was the reality of war.
Much to everyone's surprise, the first of their line was able to march ahead of the initial wave of destroyed traps without further resistance from any direction. Not wanting to ignore a lucky gift, the remaining force roared in triumph and charged forward.
And that was when disaster struck.
The battlefield glowed bright enough for everyone except the Uchiha or Hyuga to avert their eyes, a few moments later when they finally regained their vision Shikuchi Nara saw Shisui Uchiha looking extremely pale.
"They are all gone"
The Nara head alongside their Hokage found those dark words to be true when they saw not a single fighter from the civilian army had survived. They were just gone...
"The seals..." cursed Tobirama furiously,
"They didn't shut down upon consuming their share of chakra. There is someone among the Spartans having total control over them, when our forces marched forward they detonated the trap. With so much energy release at once, they were all vaporized instantaneously" explained Shisui worriedly, and wished he had not been witness to such a massive slaughter thanks to his Sharingan.
"Next wave, Advance" ordered Tobirama coldly,
"Lord Second, but..."
"Advance"
Naruto was impressed with Kushina's mastery of Fuinjutsu which had dealt a good amount of damage to the enemy, but it was a momentary victory as the enemy was not going to relent this time even after losing a few thousand real men and their entire clone forces.
He could see Tobirama's cold will in front of him when thousands of shinobi now devoid of their sacrificial allies now charged towards them at once.
"Begin our Artillery bombardment" he announced, earning a nod from Nagato who passed the orders to Hayate and his men.
He saw hundreds of massive fireballs being launched from the hilltop towards the approaching enemies.
In a further testament of the enemy's skill and determination to crush them, Iwagakure shinobi saw the incoming attacks and became an unbreakable wall in front of the remaining shinobi from other nations.
Together, they created powerful Earth shields in both their hands which was enough to cover five men.
With hundreds of Iwagakure fighters, there were more than adequate shields to protect the remaining shinobi from being burned alive. The fireballs launched by the Spartans harmlessly crashed against the impregnable wall of Earth as the Allies continued advancing bravely.
They were joined by hundreds of Konoha shinobi who displayed their own prowess in Fire Style ninjutsu effectively countering any remaining enemy attacks from even touching their force.
"Truly impressive" said Naruto respectfully,
"Elder Brother, stop fanboying over their damned unity. Can we let loose?" asked Nagato sarcastically,
Naruto smirked.
"They are fighting with true power and unity. Then we shall also do the same. SPARTANS, UNLEASH HELL!"
Every man regardless of their faction heard Naruto Namikaze's monstrous roar before all hell truly broke lose.
Tobirama and his sub-commanders watched in horror and awe as the numerous bunkers over the hill top lit up all at once with kunai launcher fire. A wave of projectiles numbering more than a thousand fell upon the allied shinobi's as hundreds of men and women started to die.
The attack was too fast and overwhelming for even the Earth shields of the Iwagakure shinobi, they were the first to fall with so many kunai hitting them that there was barely anything left of their corpses.
The ones taking cover behind them also died before they could even blink as the kunai rain simply cut through them like a knife slicing through butter.
With their frontline massacred, the ones in the middle and rear were left completely open to the enemy artillery style attacks.
Fireballs previously being repulsed now fell upon the allied ranks and to add further insult, the Spartans at the hilltop also started unleashing hundreds of Earth Style smaller rocks that transformed into gigantic boulders by the time they reached the enemy.
He had known the enemy would be strong, but this was even beyond his wildest expectations as not only the first wave of shinobi but also the second and third ones started getting caught in the massive enemy counterattack.
With every passing moment, hundreds were dying but the deadly fire from the bunkers was not slowing down at all.
"What kind of firepower they have brought?" asked Shisui in horror,
"We must keep advancing regardless!"
Tobirama winced at the brave but stupid suggestion from an Akimichi, even so he saw several brave shinobi units charge forward regardless using their weapons, ninjutsu and anything else to save themselves.
They were able to advance hardly a hundred meters before being slaughtered mercilessly under the relentless kunai fire from the hilltop bunkers.
A few units thought themselves smarter and picked up the bodies of their dead comrades nearby to use as meat shields.
Brutal but effective as they were able to advance further while their dead comrades bore the brutal enemy firepower. Somebody in that force had a truly effective leader as that platoon created a barrier and took cover behind it when the bodies of their dead comrades could no longer protect them.
They were pinned but the Spartan firepower was not able to hurt them behind the barrier's cover as kunai simply bounced off when hit against it.
They had finally created a beachhead of sorts.
Other platoons in the Allied forces instantly saw the value of the smart tactic and many of them found shinobi within their ranks who could replicate the barrier for their units.
Now there was an entire wall of shinobi platoons numbering in the hundreds charging closer and closer towards the enemy positions.
The Spartans firing from the bunkers stopped when they saw their attacks were getting easily deflected.
It was then Tobirama saw the first sight of his son the entire morning as he emerged from the bunker in the center and slammed his hand on the ground.
"Earth Style: Shockwave!"
The Allied Commanders grimaced when the mountain started shaking including the ground beneath the feet of the advancing platoons protected by barriers.
It was Naruto's turn to be surprised when he saw each member of the advancing platoons give it their all to ensure the ones holding the barriers in their ranks were kept standing and maintain the Fuinjutsu. It slowed their advance to a crawl but kept them alive longer...
Naruto closed his eyes and focused his sensory powers upon the individual shinobi in the platoons holding those barriers for their comrades. It was easy to detect them considering they were radiating so much chakra in their efforts...
"Earth Style: Thunder Spears!"
He smiled when the ground beneath the feet of every shinobi in the enemy platoon maintaining those barriers transformed into deadly spikes that pierced clean through them, cutting them in half.
The barriers collapsed instantly much to the horror of the remaining enemy platoons who were now so close to the enemy positions and without any immediate defense.
"FIRE!"
Naruto's firm command restarted the deadly fire from every bunker manned by Spartans as each enemy fighter was slain without hesitation as their dying screams horrified the rest of their comrades down hill.
(Twelve Hours Later)
Tobirama felt his heart sank as the Battle of Tiger Hill had now become his most difficult and costliest battle of his entire life. He had already lost nearly 10,000 precious fighters today and was still a few hundred meters away from reaching the enemy lines.
The enemy had not lost a single fighter in a testament to their superior positions and brilliant commander.
Every nation would desperately try to mimic the Spartan program in their own nations after witnessing the true might of Uzu's special forces this day.
But even those proud fighters had a limit and it showed as the kunai fire from the bunkers which had been an unending rain for half a day was now becoming smaller and more precise as the sun started to set in the sky.
He was not the only who noticed the crucial development.
"They are running out of kunai launcher rounds and are concentrating only on the units getting the most close to their positions. At the start they were targeting every fighter across the battlefield" realized Sakumo with a relieved smile,
"I can't sacrifice more and more fighters like this. It's time to execute Shikuchi and Danzo's idea" said Tobirama seriously,
The Hokage had been intrigued that Danzo of all people had came up with such a clever tactic, and was only infuriated moments later when he realized why such a tactic was not suggested earlier by the Shimura fighter.
For it would put him on the frontlines to execute it and he didn't want to die quickly.
Only now when the enemy's power had started to dwindle...did Danzo gather the courage to act when it was more safer for him and the perfect chance to steal glory.
Thousands died, Danzo. Do you truly consider your life to be more important than theirs?
It was another reason why he could not allow the little shit to go unpunished after this war and thoroughly crush his ambitions of being Hokage.
But for now, the man was useful and if he died then Tobirama considered the coward's demise another favor he owed his son.
"We are running low, brother!" informed Nagato worriedly,
"Make your shots count, keep them off us for another hour or two max for after that it will be close quarter combat and there are way too many of them than us!" replied Naruto swiftly,
"Easier said than done! We had to use too many rounds to completely keep them pinned and butchered for half a day. We only have the last few thousand shots left" cursed Kasumi, their finest marksmen and munitions expert on the communication channel.
"The fuck is that?"
Their conversation was interrupted when a new monster was unleashed on the battlefield by the Allies.
It was a truly monstrous elephantine chimera upon which Danzo Shimura stood with a shit eating grin upon his ugly face. The beast's roar made many flinch...
"I don't know whom to consider ugly. The Summon or its caster" quipped Kushina amusedly over the communication channel,
"DANZO, YOU'RE WAY MORE UGLY THAN YOUR PET!"
Naruto roared his insult across the entire battlefield for everyone to hear eliciting laughs from most Spartans and even a few allied forces making the Shimura glare murderously at the bunker from where that insult had came from.
"Destroy them, Baku" he whispered furiously,
Nagato gave his brother a reproachful glare which the blonde shrugged off as the Spartans restarted their deadly kunai launcher fire, only this time every single projectile was being sucked into an invisible vortex of wind rotating over the hideous creature's mouth.
It was not the only thing getting caught in the emerging tornado as hundreds of dead allied corpses nearby also started floating in the air in a deadly dance.
Naruto sensed the danger and his eyes widened in horror as the beast roared before chucking the entire vortex right back at their positions.
"KUSHINA, BARRIER!"
Tobirama could not believe it.
The same feeling was common across all the other commanders as the monster-Baku unleashed a devastating attack at the enemy that made them create a sudden barrier that protected them from the worst of the damage.
But in doing so, they had given the Allies critical time.
All over the battlefield dozens of Summoning Jutsu were executed as a horde of animals and monsters of all sorts were called to the realms of men.
There were dogs, cats, eagles, hawks, snakes, frogs and even five goddamn elephants!
Their casters all pointed in one direction- the enemy center.
Not a moment later, the beasts charged forward intending to blast through the weakened barrier with brute force. The Spartans also sensed that danger as dozens of them jumped out of the safety of their bunkers to come forward and hold the barrier with all their might.
Anything less and the army of beasts and monsters would tear them apart.
The tactician in him knew even as hard pressed as this, the Spartans would find a way to fend them off but that was alright for the real blow would come afterwards.
True to his prediction, while the Spartans held the barrier protecting them from Baku's wrath- a new development took the allies by surprise.
Hundreds of Zetsu emerged from the ground beneath Baku's feet and started attacking it from all sides. The monster roared in pain and anger as it started butchering the Zetsu's mercilessly with Danzo making quick work of many of the enemies with his wind style ninjutsu attacks and kenjutsu.
Yet more and more Zetsu's kept on emerging not just around the duo, but also across the battlefield over every other summoning creature.
The brutal carnage continued for nearly several long minutes with the Zetsu's dying by the thousands alongside all the Summoning creatures of the Allies.
Yet the battle was far from over.
Naruto cursed as he watched so many of his troops die in a desperate action to stop the Allied army from steamrolling over their positions. It held the line but even from the initial estimate he had lost more than 5,000 Zetsu killing all those summoning creatures if his sensory powers were accurate.
He had known this was bound to happen sooner or later, but its arrival signaled that reality was going to catch up with them very soon.
Their heartbreak didn't end when dozens of Nara's stepped forward and used their clan's infamous Shadow Style Ninjutsu to use a technique which he had often used on his enemies.
The truth was there were too many bodies littering upon the entire mountain, most of them Allied but also a growing number of Terran defenders in the form of Zetsu.
The Nara's with their wicked wisdom used all this available mass of bodies to rise up once again, lifeless puppets to their shadows controlling them. There were thousands of them, so many his own troops who were now forcefully charging at them.
The enemy wanted to break their morale by making them kill comrades who had died saving their lives moments ago, while also expending their precious and dwindling kunai launcher rounds on fighters from both sides who were already deceased, thereby saving the truly living ones from facing the destructive weapons to an extent.
It was a brilliant tactic if somewhat lacking any honor, but neither Naruto or the Allies had any of that left in this war being fought for humanity's future.
He saw the sadness within the eyes of most Spartans upon seeing their own comrades being used against them, but their weapons were raised once again even with heavy hearts for they were soldiers first.
"Should we use Ninjutsu, Elder Brother?" asked Nagato silently,
"No, save your strength. We will need all the chakra and energy when they breach our lines soon, use the kunai launchers to put our comrades and the allied dead out of their misery. They are already dead, so incapacitate them by hitting critical spots providing mobility" instructed Naruto, his voice devoid of any emotion for there was no room left for any if he was to save the ones still alive under his command-Spartan and Zetsu alike.
"It seems the bulk of the Nara clan is directing this attack, there are more waves being prepared" warned Hayate from his position at the highest top upon Tiger Hill.
The Spartans had already started putting their former comrades out of their misery, but many sensed the sheer rage inside Naruto's heart upon witnessing the result of his orders.
He looked at the setting sun in the sky which would disappear in a few minutes rendering the lands again in darkness.
"Hayate, give me accurate positions of all the Nara's on the battlefield"
The order was obeyed and the information swiftly passed on in the next few moments, but Hayate's eyes widened in shock upon hearing his next orders even as he dutifully asked the Aerial Unit fighters to aim their kunai launchers at the battlefield. Unlike the rest of the Spartans, they had been given a unique special weapon.
One personally signed by their leader.
"Naruto, what are you going to do?" asked Kushina warily,
"This cannot go on forever, nor should we not punish the Nara bastards for their actions" replied Naruto coldly,
"Brother...''
"When this sun sets, so shall the strength of the Nara Clan forever"
Shikuchi Nara had been satisfied with the progress of their forces for they had finally gained real ground while inflicting significant casualties among the enemy. It had came at the cost of many lives and their honor, but one that had to be paid for the sake of victory.
The Spartans were being forced to use their lethal kunai launcher rounds to stop fighters who were already dead, soon enough they would run dry and the rest of the Allied army that outnumbered them even more would crush them.
He frowned when he saw the enemy throwing dozens of smoke bombs downhill across the battlefield creating further chaos, but it wouldn't stop his clansmen for they knew where the enemy were and would soon their minions to do their bidding.
Tobirama however went pale as he looked at the Nara clan head quickly.
"Pull back your clansmen!"
"We are winning, Lord Second. The strategy is working" said Shikuchi calmly,
"Gods damn you, man! Pull the Nara back or they are all dead"
Even as he was in the middle of completing those orders to quicker men who would obey, Tobirama saw dozens of kunai being fired from the extreme top of Tiger Hill by a secluded group of Spartans. Most probably their Aerial units who had participated earlier.
The projectiles disappeared into the smoky battlefield and that was when blood curling screams started.
Shikuchi froze when he recognized them to be those of his own clansmen.
"It's fucking Naruto-AAH!"
"KILL HIM!"
"He's too fast!"
"We can't see!"
Even as the Nara's were getting slaughtered one after another, there was one man in the Allied army who found it to be the perfect opportunity. Their strategy had worked quite well, but the risk the Nara's took in being at the front to execute it had come to bite them back in their smart asses as Naruto Namikaze made their end very painful.
Ohnoki however had to acknowledge that the Nara deaths would not be in vain, for it had forced Naruto to step outside the safety of his lines alone once again to neutralize the next biggest threat to his army's survival.
It was a proof of his deteriorating situation which was only going to get more worse very soon.
Unlike their previous encounter which had taken Ohnoki by surprise upon the blonde's sudden charge, this time the Tsuchikage had expected it and prepared accordingly.
He waited until he could sense only two Nara's left on the battlefield, when the count dropped by one more...
He fired.
The Particle Style beam struck true by first spearing clean through the last Nara fighter and a fraction of a second later through Naruto Namikaze's chest as he teleported to finish off the enemy and could not move or teleport away since the devastating beam had already been fired and timed down to the millisecond.
The smoke cleared, to the Allied army's overjoy and the Terran's horror they all watched Naruto stumble several steps back and cough blood as he looked down at the considerable hole in his upper chest.
Ohnoki quickly moved back to the safety of his forces and took great satisfaction in seeing Naruto fall to his knees in pain...
Tobirama stood in silent horror and saw his badly wounded son looking at the Allied army with unrelenting defiance in his eyes. The father in him was mortified but the commander in him could see what this single moment truly meant.
"Even a monster like him can bleed" said Shikuchi Nara with barely concealed hatred,
Before anyone could react further, Naruto teleported himself back to the safety of his lines.
It was the signal to continue the battle, but this time the Allied forces were even more determined for they could see the enemy had started to crumble slowly but surely.
(Kharakan Pass)
Inoue Namikaze grimaced as she watched the brutal decimation of her forces with every passing moment. She had marched with an army of 30,000 Zetsu and Captain Reika Uzumaki by her side to face the enemy that would attempt to reach their base through this longer route.
They had come swiftly and had been met with brave resistance by the Terran forces, until Hashirama Senju came on the battlefield.
Her Zetsu had been holding well, inflicting good number of casualties upon the Samurai making up the bulk of the enemy army while taking equal regrettable losses in return.
Hashirama had changed all of that...
She saw less than half of her army remained now and even they were not in the best shape as the enemy had launched their next attack.
How she wished some of the Spartans were here to support them but knew they had an even more tougher battle to face for the enemy here was nothing but a distraction force. Even so they were strong enough to wipe them all out at the current rate...
"Lady Second, please use the special reserves. We are getting slaughtered!" said Reika Uzumaki desperately, as she came rushing towards her back from the frontline.
Inoue hesitated.
Madara had taught her the Edo Tensei technique, one used by Tobirama himself to revive Hashirama and a few others being used against them. It was a despicable jutsu if used in the wrong hands, but she could not deny it had also been used to revive her and the Spartans before Madara fully restored them back to life with his Rinnegan powers.
But could she really lower herself to use such devious means? Naruto had told her to use it only when defeat was imminent and she felt it could certainly make a difference.
However, as she watched the frightening power of Hashirama Senju as he slaughtered hundreds of her Zestu...she knew not one of her fighters would be able to stop that man.
"They are not strong enough to defeat Hashirama. But I know something which is" said Inoue calmly,
"What is it?" asked Reika hesitantly, not liking the calm resignation that arrived in her leader's eyes.
"Reaper Death Seal"
Reika grimaced for it was one of the most secret and powerful techniques learned by every Kage of their nation, to be used in their nation's most desperate hour. Inoue had only been Kage for a very short time, but traditions had been honored and she was given the required knowledge.
It was also possible for this technique to have been imparted to a select Spartans, but Reika doubted there would be many who knew for sure.
"I know nothing much would make a difference if we use Edo Tensei against our enemies, like they are doing to us. Both sides have committed atrocities, but we must stop this madness somewhere. It's foolish but in our final hour, we must be better than those who oppose us. That means standing and fighting with our own power wherever possible" explained Inoue patiently, as she began preparing for battle.
"Honorable, my lady" replied Reika with an admiring smile, earning a bitter laugh from the blonde.
"Honor will get us killed in this war, but I understand what has to be done and know the means to stop Hashirama. My sons wouldn't want this, but it is necessary for our victory in this war and for the future of Uzushiogakure and its people. Once I fall, you are in command and must defend this pass to the last fighter" ordered Inoue seriously, even as she picked up a sword.
"We will hold them for as long as there is breath in us, Lady Second. Then we shall join you" promised Reika,
As they turned to rejoin the battle, Inoue's eyes widened as she sensed a new presence. Her heart sank as she witnessed a massive army coming through like a tidal wave through the same passage which Hashirama and his forces had came from.
Despair overcame her heart for now she knew even if Edo Tensei was used to stop Hashirama, her remaining forces would be butchered very soon by these new arrivals.
Defeat had finally arrived at their doorstep.
Hashirama had been forced to end his relentless advance towards the enemy center where their Commander had been directing the battle. Resistance here was very weak even if the enemy had more forces in the form of Zetsu.
But they were not real fighters, certainly no match against Kage level shinobi.
The only ones who had a remote chance of stopping him could have been the combined might of the Spartans with Naruto by their side, but they were occupied elsewhere fighting for their own survival.
To their credit, even in death and in the face of imminent defeat- his enemies had fought bravely and honorably.
Even as he killed hundreds of them, more Zetsu stepped up to defend the pass and died just as bravely as the ones before them without hesitation.
Not a single one of them retreated or backed away when he came for them even if they blanched in absolute terror.
They knew there was no chance for them to defeat him and still tried to hold him back for as long as they were alive.
Hashirama knew they were the enemy, ones serving Madara and who had kidnapped his wife, those who threatened to destroy the shinobi world he had created with so many sacrifices...yet he could not help but respect their devotion to their cause, to that Terran Federation Flag being held by one of their own at a higher position.
"Lord Mifune, we will have some company soon" he informed the Samurai leader fighting by his side,
"Reinforcements? Lord Tobirama never said he would send any unless we asked, not that we need it by the look of this battle" said Mifune with a scoff, for everyone knew this was a one sided slaughter.
Together, the two older men looked at the approaching army and Hashirama's eyes widened as he finally managed to sense their chakra signatures clearly.
Not a moment later, the Kirigakure flag was raised in multiple sections of the approaching massive force.
"I'm surprised they managed to put their house in order and come to their senses so soon" said Mifune in disbelief,
Hashirama had a sinking feeling in his heart when he saw men matching the description of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen step forward at the head of this army. The one leading them looked to be a young child of the Hozuki clan...
Mangetsu Hozuki gave a long look to the two enemies fighting in front of them, even an idiot could tell Naruto's comrades were in bad shape with their defeat certain.
He could not help but smirk as he realized the gods had not forsaken those warriors yet when their Scouts had reported two massive battles happening in different locations.
Kharakan Pass and Tiger Hill.
Most wanted to go straight towards Tiger Hill where their Kage was fighting for his life, but it was far away while Kharakan pass was closer from the mainland route they had arrived from.
No matter how badly they all wanted to save Naruto, doctrine dictated they could not leave desperate allies to die or leave enemies to their rear who could turn around and attack them if they had simply gone straight towards Tiger Hill.
He looked at his countrymen who were ready for battle and could not help but grimace secretly.
Naruto had almost made it a tradition to give inspiring speeches before he led their armies in battle, leading the charge from the front.
Mangetsu had no problem in leading his men from the front, it was what Naruto had taught all his Generals. But he doubted his ability to inspire men with words for that was a skill only their Kage had mastered.
His wife-Haku gave him an encouraging smile even as the other Seven Ninja Swordsmen nodded at him respectfully.
Mangetsu wondered what his father would think of him in this moment, would he be proud or atleast content with the person he had become? Naruto would probably say yes but Mangetsu didn't know...
He heard the Kirigakure army roar as he unleased his prized sword.
He was not his father or Naruto, but he could honor them both in his own way.
"I have no interest in taking any of these hyenas alive. Kill them all" he commanded icily, earning firm nods and fierce grins from every Kiri warrior.
He looked at his men and said the only thing that mattered, the only reason they had come all this way here...
"For Naruto!"
"FOR NARUTO!"
Inoue Namikaze stood still for several moments in shock as she heard the deafening roar of the entire Kirigakure army. Beside her, Reika Uzumaki's eyes were also wide in disbelief but for a different reason.
The Second Uzukage saw it a moment later and was even further shocked to see thousands of Uzumaki fighters step forward under the command of Hanzo Uzumaki- The First Uzukage.
"Uzu came for us" whispered Inoue in a trembling voice, unable to stop tears of joy from arriving in her eyes.
It was a sight she would never forget, nor would their enemies as for the first time in history the entire army of Uzushiogakure had marched beyond their lands in full force.
If the Kirigakure army's declaration had broken the morale of their enemies, Hanzo Uzumaki's war cry made Hashirama take a step back.
"For our Spartans! Our children!"
The Uzumaki army's roar of approval was louder than even the Kirigakure army making Reika and Inoue chuckle with happy tears for their clansmen had always been a rowdy bunch.
But none could doubt their loyalty to their own and they had proven it today.
Inoue grinned alongside her 15,000 Zetsu as they all realized they now outnumbered the enemy almost three to one. More importantly, the enemy were trapped from both sides now with no other escape route available.
She raised her own sword making the enemy army forces flinch as they saw thousands of Zetsu's emerging by her side with savage grins.
Inoue's warcry was matched by the combined army of Kiri and Uzu.
"CHARGE!"
Hashirama Senju had seen more battles than any of his allies on this entire battlefield, unlike his brother he was no tactician but could tell that this battle was as good as over when two armies charged towards his outnumbered forces from both sides.
The entire battlefield was roaring with only one cry of their enemies.
For Naruto.
They had come all this way to fight and die for one man, such loyalty could not be inspired by lesser men and women.
Naruto-The Great, it would seem that title was perhaps well earned after all.
To their credit, his Samurai and Special forces shinobi bravely rallied to Mifune's urgent commands and braced for the onslaught. The first to fall upon them were Inoue Namikaze and her Zetsu army, the previously resigned defenders were invigorated and fought with a ferocity that made many Allies tremble.
Mifune was fighting hard to protect that front but it was only a matter of time.
So, Hashirama and a few of their shinobi units alongside several thousand Samurai turned to face the charging hordes from Kirigakure and Uzushiogakure.
His eyes widened when he saw dozens upon dozens of Kirigakure shinobi take to the skies, same as the Spartans under the leadership of a few Seven Ninja swordsmen.
He knew Tobirama was the one controlling his Edo Tensei form, even his brother had given him free will most of the time to do as he pleased. The Second Hokage would have also realized through Hashirama what had happened...
The elder Senju was proven right when he heard his brother's voice speak to him secretly.
"This battle is lost, I can't risk them capturing you or undoing the Edo Tensei" said Tobirama in a resigned voice,
"Do not pull me back, Tobirama! 20,000 of our forces will die here if I don't help them stop the enemy" argued Hashirama fiercely, how could his brother expect him to leave their allies to die like this?
"Do not underestimate the Uzumaki, Elder Brother! Yes, you will inflict heavy losses upon them but in doing so also give them an opening to capture or seal you. If that happens, we are lost! You are just thinking about one battle, I am thinking of the entire war" defended Tobirama angrily,
"Things are bad at your front too?" asked Hashirama sadly,
"Worse. The resistance is too strong, we will need your power to break through their defenses completely. Kharakan Pass was always a diversionary attack, if we win at Tiger Hill there is still hope for us to reach Mito in time and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat" advised Tobirama,
"But our men here..." whispered Hashirama sadly,
"Their sacrifice will be remembered and honored"
Hashirama sighed knowing the argument was over and no matter how much he wanted to oppose, his brother was right in this. He didn't dare look at the faces of his comrades before he was teleported away by his brother.
Mifune witnessed what many of their fighters were calling a true betrayal, but the Commander and Samurai in him knew it was a ruthless but tactical decision on Tobirama's part.
He doubted the honor bound Samurai would have been able to do the same if put in the same boat.
It was why they were different from shinobi and would remain so.
"We've got no chance!"
The men were despairing as the massive army of Kiri and Uzu got closer and closer even as the Terran army led by Inoue Namikaze at their back was already attacking in full force. He had already disengaged from that flank knowing his skills were badly needed on the front being converged upon by the larger and more deadly enemy.
A tired sigh escaped from his lips as he now stood before his Samurai army and the few shinobi units left to fend for themselves.
The Samurai Nation's leader raised his sword and bravely marched towards certain death.
A grim smile arrived on his face as he heard thousands of swords and weapons being raised by his disheartened but brave men as they rallied behind him to face their end.
(An Hour Later)
Mangetsu watched the last pockets of enemy resistance being put down with ruthless efficiency by their combined forces. The Allies had fought quite bravely, but 20,000 fighters could not defend for long against a might of nearly 60,000 who fell upon them from both sides in a deadly pincer attack.
The Samurai were no match for shinobi's of Kirigakure and Uzushiogakure, the Zetsu units from Inoue Namikaze created even more chaos among their lines sealing their defeat.
His forces and that of their allies had also suffered close to 2,000 losses in the battle but had inflicted casualties ten times more upon their enemy achieving total victory.
Their next battle wouldn't be so easy for the enemy would know about their approach and would have a larger army to defend themselves with.
He looked at the beaten and wounded leader of the Samurai nation made to kneel before him.
"He fought honorably, cut down thirty of our men. Tough bastard" said Zabuza honestly,
Mifune looked at the young Hozuki clan head and to his credit didn't flinch when Mangetsu looked at him intently.
Looking at the battlefield, he could see not a single one of his fighters were left standing. The dying ones were being effortlessly put out of their misery by battle hardened Kirigakure forces.
"You have fought well, Lord Mifune. Your allies abandoned you in your time of need. Surrender or death, what shall be your choice?" asked Mangetsu frankly,
"Death" answered Mifune without a flinch,
Mangetsu was impressed with the answer for he would have chosen the same if the situation had been reversed.
"How?" he asked respectfully, earning a relieved smile from the Samurai leader for being atleast given the choice of his ending.
"Seppuku"
The ancient tradition of Samurai taking their own lives to make up for their failures or incompetence was one practice that even Mangetsu respected, if not agreed with completely.
"Then die with honor and join your men. We shall meet again someday, hopefully not as enemies" accepted Mangetsu,
"Naruto taught you well"
The Seven Ninja swordsmen were quite surprised upon hearing that making the Samurai leader give a tired sigh.
"What he or his accomplices did at Iwagakure is not something I can accept alongwith a few questionable things in his past. Even so, I knew your nation's shinobi as nothing but barbarians with no unity or discipline in the past, things have improved greatly under Naruto's command. He not only taught you tactics but also when to act with courage and honor, I can see why all of you came here and risked everything for his sake. I do not regret my actions or decisions, and am content that my end came at the hands of a worthy foe. It's all a Samurai could ask for" explained Mifune honestly,
"We fight for our Kage, the same way your men fought for you until their death" replied Haku confidently,
"Loyalty is the strongest power and greatest weakness"
The Samurai leader said nothing more before taking up his own sword offered by Kisame with a grateful nod.
Inoue Namikaze and Hanzo Uzumaki had joined the leaders of Kirigakure to watch in silence as Mifune removed his armor and placed the tip of his sword at his abdomen with a cold determination that made them shiver.
They saw Mangetsu walk forward to take up position behind the Samurai leader and grabbed a fallen Samurai's sword offered by one of his men. Mifune gave him a grateful nod in return before taking a deep breath and plunging his sword deep into his abdomen with a muffled grunt of pain.
Inoue flinched but didn't look away as the Samurai leader slowly but efficiently cut open his abdomen, as blood pooled over the ground.
Mangetsu's sword came swiftly beheading the man and preventing him from suffering further in his shame.
Much to the surprise of the Uzumaki fighters, they saw Mangetsu respectfully place the sword that he had killed Mifune with at the dead man's feet before turning back to his men.
"Bury the enemy dead with full honors, they fought well like true warriors- they shall be given a respectable place to rest" commanded Mangetsu,
Hanzo Uzumaki didn't wholly agree with the decision but had to admit it spoke well of their allies that they knew when to be strong and respectful at the same time.
He could see a Kage in making in the form of Mangetsu Hozuki, he would never be Naruto but his men seemed to respect him as they went forward to carry out his orders without hesitation.
The boy then turned towards them.
"We will observe a minute of silence to honor Lord Mifune" said Mangetsu decisively,
Inoue nodded making Hanzo follow suit, they even offered respectful salutes as the dead samurai leader's mortal remains were carried away with full honors for a proper burial.
When that was done, Mangetsu looked at them with fierce determination.
"How long will it take us to reach Tiger Hill from here? Hashirama escaped and he would have warned them of what happened here" pointed the Hozuki clan leader,
"They'll launch an all out attack to crush the defenders there for nobody would want to be caught up between two armies after this" said Haku honestly,
"A day, less if we march at full speed but it would tire out the men. Your marched here in full haste, they could use some rest" advised Inoue,
Mangetsu sighed but looked at the condition of their troops from all sides, most of them were tired after such a long and rapid march followed by a brutal battle, the Zetsu were no better after having battled the enemy for quite sometime until reinforcements came.
But Naruto didn't have much time and it was all that mattered.
"Can you teleport us all to Tiger Hill? I have been told that you can use the teleportation technique like your son?" asked Mangetsu, unable to believe he was talking to the mother of his Kage. Granted, she was powerful in her own right but her son was something else.
Her answer proved Mangetsu's thoughts.
"I am not as skilled as my son in that arena. At the most, I can teleport a few using the marker which my sons and the Spartans have from my side" said Inoue sadly,
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen looked disappointed but knew there was only so much luck they would have on their side.
"Alright, once the enemy and our own are buried- the men are to take rest for two hours max. Post that, Zabuza and Kisame will take our aerial units to reach Tiger Hill quickly, while the rest of us make a forced march to get there as soon as possible. They are going to need every help that we can provide" decided Mangetsu,
When all the other commanders didn't object and only gave him firm nods, he knew there was nothing more he could do for now.
We are coming, Naruto. Hang in there just a little longer.
Author's Notes: End of chapter.
Hope you guys liked it.
We have finally crossed 400K and I still have two chapters more left to publish before the epilogue.
Please feel free to review.
Until Next Time,
Blackwolf501
