WAR NEVER ENDS – THE STRONGEST GENERAL
The Hidden Leaf
Strolling through the streets, Sarada feels the rain dripping from her hair onto her shoulders. She walks slowly and thinks over what she has just done. That was Uzumaki Naruto she had criticised for giving up. The man she had admired throughout her entire youth, the closest friend of her parents, her teacher. While she had criticised him for giving in it was cloudy to her the hidden truth of the matter, everyone else had been looking towards the young Hokage for guidance and had given up trying themselves.
Sarada comes to a halt as she raises her head and looks at the establishment in front of her. A hamburger bar, she had been here many times with Boruto. She rubs her eyes, finding them to be incredibly dry despite the wet weather conditions. She enters the hamburger bar and makes an order she has made many times before. Number 9, Boruto's favourite.
After a short wait the hamburger arrives but the Hokage finds that she has little appetite, toying with the food, pushing it around on the plate. She's ignorant to the many stares in her direction. Ever since Boruto disappeared people have been calling out to her, crying for help but that isn't happening anymore. Nobody approaches her, as if they can feel the negativity, the suffering pouring from her skin.
'In this state you are worse than pathetic, you are useless'.
The words sting as she recounts them. Hinata is right, her father, her mother, Boruto, they would all be disappointed in her. She has let the situation get to her and while she has berated Naruto for becoming useless that is because that can be said for her too. That is what hurts her more than anything, Naruto is not useless, he feels useless because she is relying on him. It is because Sarada herself is being useless.
Sarada rests her head in her hands, sighing as she restrains herself. She wants to lash out in frustration, to vent her chakra reserves in an instant, but she cannot do that, not here. Instead she can only internalise it and deal with the pain herself. At least that is what she thinks. This changes when a friend approaches.
"Yo Sarada, what's wrong?". It's a familiar voice, Akimichi ChouChou.
"ChouChou… how long have you been here" Sarada asks.
"Just a few minutes. I've been out on patrol all day and I've come to get everyone some food".
Sarada nods, "Right, of course you have, I should be working too…".
Her frustration gets worse still as she is reminded how hard everyone is working. Even as he suffers, Naruto is maintaining the thousands of clones he has throughout the village. Even as they worry for him, Minato and Kakashi patrol the village and look for problems that they can resolve. While they all do their duty, she, the incumbent leader of the village, sits alone in a hamburger bar, morning the disappearance of her fiancée, regretting an argument with her teacher.
"What's wrong?" ChouChou asks again.
"You don't need to be bothered with somebody else's problems right now" Sarada says, waving her hand dismissively, "You've got enough to worry about patrolling the village".
She knows that is a lazy excuse but she is in no mood to discuss her problems. The last thing she wants is for someone to judge her for what she did. Naruto is the most beloved Hokage of the villagers, their guardian angel who has saved them time after time. She cannot imagine that anyone would pity her after she treated him in such a way.
"Don't be silly. You're the Hokage" ChouChou says, "I'm sure you have a lot more to be worrying about than I do".
"That's right, I am the Hokage. I shouldn't be troubling my subordinates with my problems".
"Then don't. Just trouble your friends with them instead".
Sarada looks to her friend, smiling like all is well with the world. ChouChou has been like this to her for so long. Sometimes you want to be left alone but some people stick their nose into your business, they try and interfere with everything. Sarada initially dislikes this but then remembers someone she admires, someone who always sticks his nose where it doesn't belong. A man who became the shadow Hokage.
"… you know it was his favourite food" Sarada says, toying with the burger again. "Hamburgers that is".
"Yeah, yeah I know". ChouChou had often debated food with Boruto, she knows his tastes as well as anybody.
"Earlier, I just lost it".
"How do you mean? How did you lose it?".
"At Naruto. I just started shouting at Naruto. It was like he had given up, he said he couldn't do it" Sarada explains, lowering her voice as she notices people looking her way. "He said that he isn't the hero that we remember, that he couldn't solve all of our problems".
ChouChou nods. "The pressure he must be feeling is insane".
"Yes".
Sarada knows this all too well. For years people have looked to her for guidance. They have looked to her during the most challenging period to be a Hokage, on the verge of extermination. She is the first Uchiha to become the Hokage, the daughter of Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura, the student of Sarutobi Konohamaru. She was born with pressure on her shoulders, she was moulded by it, shaped by it, defined by it. Yet to her, even now, she cannot imagine the pressure he is feeling, it's too much for anyone to bear.
"It's just bee these last few days ChouChou. Everything feels like it's going wrong".
"Yeah" the Akimichi nods her agreement.
"I was wrong to shout at him, wasn't I?".
"He may be Lord 7th but he is still young. You can't expect too much of him, or at least, you shouldn't tell him that you do" ChouChou says as her order is placed before her. She pats her friend on the back comfortingly, "You were wrong to shout at him Sarada".
"What am I supposed to do now then?".
"Do what you have always done in this situation. Go and fix the problem".
Sarada removes her glasses, rubbing her eyes with her sleeve. She puts the glass back on with a renewed determination, a fire in her eyes familiar to ChouChou. Sarada has always been like this since she was young. Everyone gets down, they feel depressed and sorry for themselves. It's how quickly they bounce back that matters. Sarada always bounces back quickly because that's required from her. Her resilience is a greater asset than her eyes could ever be, because that is what is required from the Hokage.
The Nara Household
"Naruto really said that?" Temari asks, leaping to her feet.
"Yeah" her son answers, "Just before he ran out of the room".
Temari had been asleep, her head on the living room table before her son had entered. Any semblance of retirement she had before was long gone now. She and Shikamaru, along with the rest of their generation, have been helping to patrol the village, on red alert should they come under attack.
She clenches her fist in anger. The story Shikadai has just told her is damming. It's damming for Sarada and for the other members of the circle but more than anyone, it's damming for her generation. They knew how Naruto developed, they knew his behaviour and his mind in his youth. While they should have predicted that this would be too much for Naruto instead they did what every other shinobi did, depend upon him.
"Through all of this, even though he saved my brother, my nephew and the entire village" she says, pressing her clutched fist into her forehead, "I never stopped to think about how he felt. I never concerned myself with him".
The Hidden Leaf village has many powerful warriors. Or at least it did formerly. Sarada, Boruto, Hashirama, Mirai, Tobirama and more. The village was a powerful blade though and at the very tip of that blade was Uzumaki Naruto. Without him the village's power would be a fraction of what it once was. He was the centrepiece and the cornerstone, the one person they couldn't neglect and yet the one person they all had.
"Perhaps it's a drawback of the path he has chosen" Shikadai says, "He has gone so far down that path, further than anyone thought possible. Now he has become so dependable that it is hard to imagine losing him".
Temari agrees with her son wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, hindsight is twenty-twenty and it is too late for them to take back their negligence. It is good fortune that while they have been negligent in their old age, Hinata has been diligent in her youth.
"Despite what everyone is saying, this battle isn't Naruto against the invaders" she concludes, "It's all of us against the invaders".
Shikadai nods, "Dad, will Naruto be…".
"He will be OK" Shikamaru cuts his son off with a smile.
A confident smile that Shikadai and Temari have seen many times before, they can't help but feel it is out of place here.
"You seem confident?".
"That's because I have seen a side of Naruto that you guys have never seen" he explains, "I have seen Naruto at his lowest points, when he has fallen into the deepest of pits. While other people look up and notice how high they must climb, Naruto has already started climbing".
"I guess you're right" Temari nods, "He truly has never given up".
"No matter how low he falls, he will climb up once again and he will bring everyone with him when he does".
Clyde's Headquarters
The headquarters is nothing fancy. They weren't designed to last forever. The headquarters was supposed to be temporary accommodation while Clyde and his followers continued their invasion. It mostly consists of large tents. The tents are used for many different purposes, sleeping, planning, training, medical and more. It would seem a very old-fashioned way of living to the people of the Hidden Leaf.
Normally this place is peaceful, now that the invasion has ceased. Very little happens in these tents. The medical tents are almost never used, little training takes place that requires supervision. When rebelling against your superiors, it becomes much easier to overlook the protocol they have forced upon you.
Today however, won't be so peaceful. Two people approach, parents of a common child. Uzumaki Naruto, Hyuuga Hinata.
The captains, talking to one another about the present situation fall silent as the couple approach. They know that this is the man who spared their leader but they maintain an air of caution around him. This is someone capable of killing anyone in the entire camp. This is not someone they want to find themselves fighting, never again.
Naruto and Hinata are also uneasy as they walk through the headquarters. The unfamiliar accommodation, the looks from entire crowds of people, the enmity palpable in the air.
"Are you scared walking into this place, Hinata?".
"Yes".
"Yeah, me too" Naruto admits.
Hinata is startled by this confession, as many of the captains would be. Even if Clyde himself were to attack Naruto the Hokage would be able to survive but he has a bad feeling, as if a small insect is creeping along his skin. The Hyuuga heiress looks in his direction, noticing that he is trembling slightly.
"But, we can do it for Boruto can't we?" the Hokage asks, forcing a smile to his face as he offers his hand.
"Yes. For Boruto". Hinata takes Naruto's hand.
Together they continue to walk through the group, enduring the stares and the silence. Hinata comforted that Naruto won't let anything happen to her. Naruto comforted by Hinata's confidence in him. Together, they will continue to move forward, no matter what life throws at them.
They don't know what to expect, perhaps an attack from behind from someone with a grudge. Maybe the invaders would tie them up and imprison them. Maybe they would kill and resurrect them, as they had done with Sasuke previously.
"So" a voice calls out, shocking them both. "You're here at last, Uzumaki Naruto".
Boruto's parents turn around calmly, it is Colonel Peterson. Peterson is the only person smiling amongst a sea of frowning captains. While they are all intimidated by Naruto, Peterson's voice makes it seem like he is expecting the Hokage to share a drink with him.
This is Hinata's first time coming so close to Peterson and she can't help but be amazed. She cannot feel the power he uses but he has a presence about him, the scars adorning his face make him intimidating, even with a friendly smile. To her he seems like he is constantly stalking his prey, waiting for them to be vulnerable before striking with unstoppable force. She tells herself repeatedly that it cannot happen, Naruto is beside her after all. However, people's minds can play tricks on them, even Hinata is not immune to this.
"I haven't come for a social visit" Naruto explains, "I am here to find my son".
"I'm not sure that I can be of too much help with that but it's not me you want to speak to, is it?".
"… I want to speak to General Clyde".
Murmurs start between the captains, Naruto can't make any of them out but he is sure they are not friendly.
Peterson gestures for silence amongst them and they respond instantly. The former colonel has a clear influence over them, despite their rebellion stripping him of any official authority.
Satisfied with the silence, Peterson looks back to Naruto. "If you would like to speak to the General, then follow me".
The New Portal
"You lost" Elliot asks with a raised eyebrow.
"There were two locals there, they used the same powers we do" Blackburn barked as he waved his fist beside him, "They understood it at least to the captain level".
"That doesn't surprise me, I encountered one who had reached the colonel level".
Elliot's control over 'cold' places him at a level above normal generals. He, like Clyde, is one of the most revered figures in the military. His subordinates all respect him. While other people would still be taken back by the current situation, by the powers of the locals, he is unfazed. The consummate professional, Elliot doesn't ponder how the circumstances have arisen, just what to do now that they have.
"The colonel, these locals just keep getting better" Blackburn says.
Unlike Elliot, he doesn't look at the situation calmly. He looks at it with excitement, his grin betraying him to all his concerned comrades. While others complain of the situation's difficulties, he embraces them, another challenge he can sink his teeth into.
"Even if they did reach the captain level, for you to lose to them is embarrassing" Georgia says, "Aren't you supposed to be the feared General Blackburn, one of Lara's most legendary followers".
"They didn't defeat me, I beat them but then Clyde came along and attacked me. I had to retreat".
"Clyde came along and you let the chance slip through your fingers, why didn't you kill him?" Georgia snaps at her counterpart.
It is thanks to the actions of Georgia's brother, Colonel Martin, that this situation came to their attention. It is because he was cowardly and refused to fight against Boruto when their powers were equal. Relations in the military are very rare, as such Georgia is very protective of her brother.
"Clyde caught me unaware" Blackburn protests, "Next time we fight I will crush him".
"The two of you are being hysterical" Elliot says, resisting the urge to groan, "Would you calm down".
"That man was the one who forced my brother into a life and death situation. There is no way that I can permit him to live for a second longer than necessary".
"You are in no position to permit anything Georgia, I am in charge here".
General Georgia opens her mouth but immediately shuts it again. Like her brother, she is a coward at heart. She is strong, stronger than the average general. However, Elliot's element of 'cold' puts him a level above a normal general, she knows better than to argue with him.
Blackburn though, has no such wit about him. "Elliot, let me go back and…".
"No!" Elliot shouts, his temper exhausted. "I hope you aren't forgetting this but Clyde has unlocked a transcendent element. His element of 'darkness' is like my own 'cold', they both have the power to fight a level above your own".
"… that is true" Georgia admits.
"Clyde has always been exceptional; a large group of generals would struggle to take him down" Elliot explains. "Even I am not certain that I can defeat him, you obviously stand no chance, Blackburn".
"I was promised Clyde's head on a spike" Georgia says, "Now you are telling me that you aren't even certain that you can defeat him?".
"Of course, I am not certain that I can defeat him" Elliot admits, momentarily resting his head in his hands, "But I am certain that we will beat him here".
"You mean…".
Elliot smiles slightly. "I just received word… she is coming".
'She' can only mean one person. They all know the truth. If they want to defeat Clyde, 'she' is the only one they need.
Three people suddenly step through the portal.
On the right, a man with short blonde hair and a silver cape to cover his green uniform. As he passes through the portal he smiles knowing his vengeance is one step closer. If one were to look closely though, they could see the semblance of another emotion, fear. Fear at the people stood to his right. This man has been here once before, when he poisoned Minato and ordered Mito's murder. This is Colonel Martin.
On the left is a young girl. She appears to be a teenager despite having lived for hundreds of years. Her long red-hair is vibrant and striking, and her childish smile does little to hide the supreme confidence she has. Her long golden cape folds as it touches the floor, it also reveals her rank, this is a General. General Brooks.
General Brooks isn't the leader though. She is clearly one step behind the woman in the middle, the one who inspires Martin's look of fear.
While not a giant like Blackburn, the woman in the middle is taller than average, enormous compared to her subordinates who travelled through the portal with her. Sporting a wide smile and a crazed look in her eyes, she appears more animal than human. Her shaven scalp does nothing to hide those crazed features, she shows them to the world by choice, a means of intimidation. She is the only general with a torn cape, modified for comfort and ease of use, something only she would dare to do.
This woman has spread fear and terror everywhere she has gone and even without her distinct look, the aura she gives off is unmistakable.
Blackburn smiles, "Welcome Lara".
She wields incredible levels of power and when and where she wants.
This is the General who Boruto saw when he went through the enemy portal.
This is the strongest General of them all.
This is General Lara.