Author Note:

Hi All,

Sorry for not writing over the weekend, I was unwell I'm afraid.

So, despite this chapter being slightly overdue, I hope you enjoy it.

As always, thanks for reading,

Cbehrills

WAR NEVER ENDS – CLYDE VS LARA

The Battlefield

There is only one left. One general amongst the enormous army that Lara brought with her. That is Lara herself. She has been getting more and more surprised by each defeat in this battle. The first one she labelled a coincidence. The second one she labelled a fluke. The third she thought nothing of, caring little about the people involved. The last one is different though, something like that couldn't happen by fluke.

This isn't how it was supposed to go. She tells herself that time and time again in her head. This was supposed to be the moment she has waited her entire life for. It was supposed to be a total victory and in his last moments alive, her greatest rival was supposed to realise that she was his superior. That didn't happen though, their forces clashed, just as they had done in practice classes so many times before. Now the result was different though, for the first time, she begins to experience defeat and her opponent begins to feel the pleasure of beating her. Even if she wins now it won't be the same. It is all because of what Clyde said at the beginning, his speech about their difference in philosophy. Perhaps that mentality is the only way he is her superior. That is too many though, it stirs her anger.

With Lara's anger almost burning through her skull, she looks back at her fallen comrade. Elliot, down on the ground, only the back of his head visible from behind his clothes. It's that same neatly trimmed haircut and slightly dirt-tainted uniform he always kept so pristine. He has been there as a constant support, a foil to her chaotic nature that averted disaster wherever they went. Now he is gone.

"There is no way… he was only fighting a damn local. How could Elliot have lost?".

Lara is given no time to consider this. With her thoughts elsewhere, her sight is suddenly filled with an enormous approaching object. An object that reflects no light at all, in the shape of a giant fist, slightly tainted by thin floating wisps of gold. A golden 'darkness' fist. It connects with her, the force spreading through her entire body as it pushes her back through the air. Unlike many of Clyde's punches, it isn't an instantaneous impact but instead a prolonged push, and with each second of contact, more and more damage is done to Lara's flesh.

She teleports forward, moving herself to the space between Clyde and the fist as it continues its motion into the distance before slowly collapsing.

All seems to go quiet between the most powerful duo on the field, not for the first time. It's as if all external factors are gone and they are surrounded by a white space. All the battles that have happened around them are all a game of cat and mouse. A game that frankly, while they each want to win, neither is particularly interested in. Lara came here with only one target in mind, defeating Clyde, proving her superiority once and for all. Clyde came here with a different outlook on the same goal, he had only one hope, defeating Lara. For years they have been connected in this way. The despair has carried on so long that the pain has started to become numb. With nothing in her life but blood and death, Lara turned to it for her source of entertainment. With nothing in Clyde's life but destruction and agony, he found himself eternally searching for those who could endure it, only to forget what he was looking for.

One must win because it is the only thing left she wants in life.

The other must win because else he will never have anything he wants in life.

Clyde is the first to break the silence.

"How many times must this happen before you realise this is pointless? You've diverted your attention away so often in this fight, every time you do it I feel insulted, Lara".

"Clyde, you can tell can't you, it's the only thing that makes me move forward. I am going to paint this world…".

"With my blood? You've said that several times now and yet you've failed to deliver" Clyde begins. "Look around you. Georgia is dead. Blackburn, Brooks and even Elliot, they are all down. Now you are the only one left. There is nowhere left to run, now the true battle will be decided here between you and I".

Lara is seething at first, enraged by the bold tone in which Clyde dares to reply to her. For a moment before, she allowed her voice to soften, she exposed her weakness. All that she had left was a single goal, driving her forward, and once her destination was reached the entire road would collapse beneath her. Then she changes, realising she doesn't care. Her shoulders begin to bob up and down, confusing many into thinking she is crying. She will not cry here, not yet, this is laughter. She grips at her own face, clawing as she laughs into the space before her. If this is her last chance to feel this ecstasy, she will embrace it and remember it for the rest of her life.

"You think this is going your way Clyde?" she barks, gesturing to the space around them. "Look. Except for one or two, all your mightiest allies are down. They cannot fight any more. If I defeat you here, they will all die, they won't be able to survive my onslaught".

"I'm aware of that. I don't intend to lose to you though".

"Are you forgetting our history? I've never done anything but defeat you when we've fought. Every test in the academy, every spar, every drill, every practice battle. Every single time we have ever competed I have beaten you. That isn't going to change here".

"There is one very important difference between this time and every other, Lara".

"And what would that be?".

"I'm fighting something this time".

That is it. For Clyde that is it. It all he needs now, to keep moving forward, purpose. It is the same purpose he has always needed, though he forgot it for all so long. The old man, fighting desperately for the salvation of his people. Uzumaki Naruto, clawing at any opportunity to earn another moment's life for those who fall under his banner. Now it is Clyde's turn to imitate those two great men.

"Very well" Lara says. "Let's settle this all once and for all. You and me. 'Darkness' and 'Light'. The two strongest generals in the history of the military. Let's find out which one of us is truly the strongest".

"You've got it".

Clyde closes the distance, floating closer very slowly. For just a moment, they observe one another. A look into each other's eyes, they wonder if this is the last time they will experience such a strong sensation. Bloodlust. Defiance.

Then, everything implodes.

Clyde is the first one to throw a punch. He lifts his left hand towards Lara's right arm, her favourite arm for attacking, a good target to weaken her moving forward in the fight. However, the left is the weaker of Clyde's hands too. This is not a serious attack by any means, he knows that even with Lara's inexperience in teleportation she will be able to avoid this warning blow.

She does. Teleporting in the opposite manner than she has done everyone time so far, this time she positions herself to Clyde's right, inside his swinging body but far enough away to avoid his moving arm. He offered her this free shot by striking first with such a pathetic first attack. She bends one leg slightly, pivoting on the foot as she swings her body around and unfurls the other leg towards Clyde's head.

The 'darkness' user dodges, immediately reviewing his previous prediction as perfect. That is exactly what he had been expecting. Lara's mind for a fight is supreme, she always leaves little traps to make you fall into bad habits, such as changing her teleportation evasion method. That is exactly what he had foreseen to facilitate this dodge from what Lara thought to be a 'free shot'. He steps forward once more, this time landing the first hit of the exchange as his right-hand hits Lara in the cheek. He tries to push through but is stunned by her incredible resistance.

Even under such pressure she barely moves. Instead raising her own hand and landing a blow into his gut from below. The upward arching punch rattles Clyde's insides, convincing him that the whole world is spinning as his body regains its senses. They are not regained for long as she lands the second blow and then a third, significantly stronger strike.

It is with the third hit that Lara sees the sight of blood, dripping from the corner of Clyde's mouth. Mistakenly, she allows herself the excitement of her own advantage. She considers the battle hers already and makes a mistake that she would never have made in any other circumstance, against the only opponent who would have ever made her pay for it. She goes for the fourth repeated blow.

Clyde, through sheer determination and will, summons forth the divine energy required to create a small, circular golden 'darkness' shield. He knows this won't stop Lara, not when she has that look in her eye and that unshakable desire to see blood. However, as her hand bursts through and shatters the shield, it slows down. A time delay. Enough of a time delay that he can strike back. He throws a kick upwards, his leg reaching high around the two generals' bodies and converging on Lara's head. He is convinced this is an attack that only a shinobi would do, that no normal member of the military would think to adopt. That is why he knows Lara won't see it coming.

Both strikes land together. The punch to the gut, rocking Clyde and bringing yet another trickle of blood down from the corner of his mouth. The kick to the side of the head, disorienting Lara and making her lose just a bit more of her concentration, something that could be vital in this high concentration environment. Both of them know that one mistake is all it will take; one miscalculation and they will lose.

Both take a single step back on feeling this pain. A relief to their bodies but an affront to their mind. Each warrior refuses to accept the backward step, seeing it as their own desire to retreat, they immediately step forward once more.

In a battle of direct speed, of superior reactions, Lara wins. As the two move back towards one another she has already formed a weapon to use, a golden 'light' flail. The flail moves towards Clyde's head and he already knows that it is too late to stop it, he will not even be able to raise his hand in time, so he calls on the only thing he can move quicker, his divine energy. He condenses an ultra-thin barrier of divine energy around his head, a trick identical to the one used by Elliot.

Even with the barrier in place, as the flail connects with the side of the generals head it sent whipping sideways, spinning the man around a full one-hundred-and-eighty degree. His wound is significantly more profuse than before as liquid crimson pours down the side of his face. He instantly recognises that if that had hit him and he hadn't protected himself he would have died.

As he comes to face a new direction he is greeted with a welcome sight, Lara has teleported to his front. In her mind this is to deal the killing blow. It is a result of her own desperation, her need for them to see one another for what they are when she defeats him. This is not the way of warrior, this is the vanity that is keeping her from truly dominating those and the same level as herself.

With his opponent visible to him, Clyde is given a golden opportunity. He screams at himself, a lonely voice contained within his mind alone. He tells his legs to move once more, to obey him for just a little longer. His mind and his body become two separate entities, one begging for rest and one begging for just a little more to work with as it searches for a way to win. He ducks the incoming, attack, allowing his legs to go weak rather than actively bending his knees. In the second for which he falls, he calls upon more energy, summoning a sword of golden 'darkness' to his hand. He tenses the muscles in his legs, telling them to work again as he raises the sword and cuts the chain on the flail. Stage one is complete, so he moves onto stage two, redirecting his sword toward Lara's head.

Teleport.

Once more she moves through space, this time to Clyde's rear.

Her imagination is her limiting factor, that is what Clyde determines. If it were Minato, Tobirama or even Kakashi, their years of experience would have given them more imagination. Teleporting to Clyde's rear, that is a move born of panic that would affect only the new owner of an ability. For it is exactly where he hoped she would teleport.

The duo still airborne, with Clyde's back to Lara's front, he flips forward. His height remains the same and he uses his stomach as the axis about which he flips. As his head points down to the ground he brings his heel up into Lara's jaw, snapping her head backwards. He recognises the chance for what it is. That last attack blinded Lara to what is truly dangerous, the golden 'darkness' sword in his hand.

A chance. This is a chance recognised simultaneously by dozens across the battlefield, willing the rebellious general on. There is an opening. Lara is looking away, her eyes averted due to that last disorienting attack. So he casts his sword forward, as he continues to spin, the point moving speedily towards Lara's chin and missing.

True instinct. An instinct that Lara has that Clyde cannot boast. She bends backward from the waist, allowing the sword to journey just over the top of her falling chin. This is what has made her number one for so long. It is a superhuman instinct that cannot be taught, one that not even the shinobi present can boast to have seen before.

Clyde, not one to give up, gathers golden 'darkness' energy in his hand and detonates it, resolving to at least do some damage to Lara while he has her in this position.

The damage is minimal, though it does project Lara back through the air. The 'light' general is able to regain her balance, forming an arrow to return shots at her adversary. After the first arrow flies, as if from an invisible bow, three more follow in its wake.

The arrows are each met by Clyde's projectile of choice, the dart. Explosions sound in the air as the pointed objects collide precisely with a power unrivalled throughout the grounds on which they are fighting. Even Tao Ma stops and looks in admiration at power that is hard to even imagine for those who have not seen it themselves.

That flurry from each warrior was a way to setup the follow through. Each has the same source of inspiration for their attack. The locals. One out of fear of the power they have shown today, one out of admiration and hope of what they might do in the future. Each condenses their remaining power into a small globular shape, not dissimilar to the rasengan that Minato created earlier. Each regains their footing, running comfortably on the air as they would on the ground. When they are ten meters from one another, each throws their powerful orbs at the other and prays that the gods of fate are going to be kind to them.

With the collision the surrounding earth begins to crack. The sound is so loud that nothing else can be heard, save for the high-pitched whine of air tearing against air as two tremendous forces collide. Energies black and white swirl around each other, neatly dividing the surroundings into quadrants lit and unlit. With one final booming crescendo, the light and sound begins to decrease and those present look on, waiting to see what has happened.

'This strength… its insane…' Tsunade summarises.

Himawari's thoughts are much the same. 'Did my father really compete against this man?'.

"What happened?" Shikamaru asks aloud.

When the two at the epicentre finally can be seen, all are astonished by what they are witnessing. Both are on their knees, but neither allows themselves to fall to the ground. Leaning back, their airways wide open as they gasp for air, they do everything they can to find the energy needed. Only a few seconds longer.

The reality hasn't dawned on the spectators that both of the generals are incredibly weak now. Neither would be a threat going forward in this battle should they survive this tussle. Yet, to them, it feels like everything is riding on it as two proud warriors refuse to fall.

Lara is the first to move, throwing a single weak punch across Clyde's face.

Clyde returns the exact same punch to Lara. 'I have no divine energy left but…'.

Both take their initial punches and repeat them. They keep going, throwing the same sloppy punch again, and again, and again. They are going to push themselves until their body gives out because this fight means everything to them now.

'Even so… I still have to win' Clyde tells himself, bringing his right hand back for one final punch.

As the punch goes forward, Lara disappears.

Teleportation!

The revelation dawns on so many so quickly that she was playing dead as she arrives behind Clyde. An ordinary and very weak 'light' knife in hand, she thrusts it towards the back of Clyde's head.

"She still had some divine energy left…".

"General!".

As the kunai moves towards the back of Clyde's head, it suddenly stops. A pained look appears on Lara's face as she looks down at her own gut.

She has been hit, a kunai through her torso, held weakly by Clyde's left hand.

"You…".

Lara falls to the ground, unable to move for the immense pain she feels.

Clyde truly is deprived of all divine energy. Unlike Lara he had no intention of keeping a small portion for one final attack at the end. He relied on what he had throughout the entire fight, that little trick that he had picked up, that tiny bit of new-found intuition, the shinobi inspired wisdom.

There is nothing left in him. It takes a supreme effort to get to his feet as he tells his body to respond one last time.

He does so and when he arrives onto his feet, the image burns itself forever into the mind of the present captains.

They will never forget the sight.

The sight of Clyde standing tall over Lara.

With this final key battle concluded and Tsunade, their healer, getting back onto her feet, the shinobi realise what has happened. The miracle has come, the odds are now irreversibly in their favour.

As the first of the invading captains drops their weapon, it is Inojin who finally dares to make the bold proclamation.

"We won!".

As the other enemy captains begin to drop their weapons the cheer spreads. Shinobi and Clyde's captains, they let the emotions pour as they celebrate together. Their leader has done the impossible and is still standing. He has taken an army, outnumbered, outmanned and outgunned against the unstoppable forces of the greatest general and has won.

Minato finally stops, his shinobi powers are strained but given the outcome of Clyde's battle, his getting a rest was inevitable anyway. He allows his divine energy to begin recovering and relaxes slightly as he looks to his present family. "Kushina… Himawari… it's over, we won".

Suddenly, an unpleasant reminder tells the group they aren't out of trouble yet. Shikadai and Shinki are suddenly launched backwards, landing in amongst a group of captain and shinobi.

"Lord Kazekage… Lord Shikadai… are you alright?".

They are not alright. After all, there is one man still standing in all of this, one who is far too strong to be ignored.

Tao Ma.

He begins walking towards the centre of the battlefield, now the centre of everyone's attention.

"It's time for you to come, at long last, my leader".

With everyone quiet, he begins to hum a tune. The same tune he has hummed so many times since coming to this world, the same as the time he first arrived and the same as the time he took Boruto.

Tao Ma can barely restrain himself, seeing the despairing looks on the faces of Shikadai, Shinki and so many more. It is like they already know what is coming, the story teller in them has predicted their own despair and told them the truth of what will happen. His humming is spoiled slightly by his intermittent laughter but his melody's pace remains constant and true.

A dark grey portal opens and hundreds of people walk through. Each man and woman to exit the portal wears a black cloak-like garment and as soon as they do exit, they begin to add their own humming to the tune. It's an ever-increasing symphony, a signal of the incoming doom for all those who would stand in their way.

A portal opens up in the sky, above all the others, presumably the portal for their leader to exit from.

As a man with a brand new black coat emerges, the worst fears of many down below are confirmed.

Himawari falls to her knees. "No… why you… why would you do this…".

Minato has only the one word.

"Boruto".

Indeed, the subconscious prediction of many comes true and the worst possible person steps through the portal. The shadow Hokage, leader to many, friend to all, one of the greatest heroes of the Hidden Leaf Village. Boruto has betrayed them.

"How could you do this to us?" Kushina asks. "Boruto, why are you one of them?".

Shikadai is less restrained in his reaction.

"You bastards! You made Boruto your leader. You took our shadow Hokage from us and brainwashed him?".

Tao Ma laughs happily to himself, "Boruto. Uzumaki Boruto". He continues to laugh, clearly even amongst his own forces he is the only one who can see the funny side of this.

"I can tell you first hand Boruto, you will always regret what you have done here" Shinki calls.

"Fools! All a load of silly old fools" Tao Ma laughs.

He then finally reveals why to the poor victims from the Hidden Leaf Village.

"Uzumaki Boruto is not my leader".

Then another foot begins to emerge from the portal.

"No" Tsunade says, "No, no, no, no, no. That can't be possible, that isn't possible".

"This can't be happening" Tobirama tells himself.

"Oh my god!".

The leader fully steps through the portal and reveals themselves to the villagers down below.

"What the hell is going on?" Biwako asks.

"Of all people how could it be him?" Kakashi asks aloud, just as confused as anyone.

True despair overtakes the Hidden Leaf Village. It is worse than the villagers even thought possible just moments ago.

For the leader is someone they thought impossible.

"… Senju Hashirama".