WAR NEVER ENDS – DECISIONS
The Battlefield
Tsunade has had enough of this. The eternal conflict, the differences in opinion, everyone jockeying for position in an attempt to bring about their own idealistic vision for the world. Time and time again people have executed their vision for how a people should live only for another person to see its flaws and try to remove them. It's an endless cycle it seems, not one of redemption but one where everyone thinks their method of leadership is better than the others.
Look what it has brought to this world. The conflict of the Uzumaki family. A sister relied so fundamentally on the omnipresence of her brother. A grandmother whose worst fears about her grandson have come to light, concerns she started harbouring a long time ago. A grandfather, who refused to think his grandson could truly wish evil on another person, forced to question his own decisions. Does Boruto actually believe the things he said? Is he looking out for the Hidden Leaf's interests or those of his new friends? Is he at least trying to do the right thing in his mind?
She walks forward, rage bubbling inside her as she raises her head to the sky and screams.
"HEY!".
Many turn to look at her, her voice booming all around the battlefield, her rage clear. Perhaps she is the only one left who can defend them. The last one able to call upon her full power in this desperate moment.
"How long are you going to let this damn kid speak for you grandfather?".
Hashirama looks down to her. He can barely look her in the eye, perhaps the last effects of his former philosophy. He is so certain that what he has done is right, that he is about to rid the Hidden Leaf of its source of terror for the last few years. Yet seeing the looks of people who looked up to him, he can't help but question if it was worth it. He also cannot help but question their resolve, how such a thing is possible. For years they have endured desperation because of the mercy of one man, because of unnecessary kindness and idealism. There is no regret though, at the death of their allies, at the alliance they have made with people who murdered their families, how could there be so little animosity?
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Tsunade asks, "Why did you make me go through this pain – why didn't you trust me?".
He speaks for the first time since arriving. "It is not that I don't trust you Tsunade. No, I would trust you with my life".
"Then why?".
"You were in two minds about them. These invaders. It is because you are kind, because you are a good person. But sometimes good people shouldn't be chosen to look after the interests of a people". Hashirama's face is the picture of sympathy, "Had you decided to trust these people you may have tried to stop me. What I am making isn't the easy choice, but it is the right one. Had you decided to try and stop me, you could have done, with the help of one person".
Boruto answers the hanging question. "My father of course".
Clyde almost can't resist laughing as he watches the debate go on. The villagers of the Hidden Leaf are now so blind that they cannot see the influence people like Naruto and Hashirama have had on their society. They have become so infected with kindness that they are now referring to the more merciful choice as the easy one and killing them as the hard choice. That doesn't happen in his world, killing your enemies is always the easy choice, it saves them from attacking you again. It cements all he has claimed about the influence of Naruto and the rest of the villagers, they are different, they have the power to influence people just like the last emperor did.
"Do you know what happened while you were away trying to deceive Naruto?" Tsunade asks, on the brink of tears, "He was risking his life, trying to save Dan. He was trying to save him!".
Hiruzen looks on at his student, perhaps the greatest victim of this betrayal. She who has lost everything that she knew because of the actions of the person she trusted most.
"Maybe, if you had told me the truth in the first place, he could have lived. If you had trusted me, maybe all this pain I'm feeling could have been avoided".
"But Tsunade, you feel the same way about them I do, I know you do. I apologise for Dan's death but that was them, not me. These people invaded this world, killed the majority of the occupants and made the rest terrified. You head Uzumaki Himawari's story, you know how you felt, don't you?".
"… yeah, I do".
Hashirama laments the greatest loss that came from his plan. With Tao Ma present he was certain that none of the shinobi would die in this battle, he was certain that he had afforded his 'allies' a level of protection that the true enemy wouldn't notice. He thought in amongst all the difficulties, with all the shinobi who would try to stop him, that he had found a way for not only them to survive but to also liberate them of their would-be conquerors. One thing escaped his calculations though, one event, Elliot's attack on the students. He had planned his own 'death' and Boruto's kidnapping to coincide with Naruto's leaving the village yet he had no idea why he left. Now he will forever have to tell himself that that incident couldn't have been foreseen, that he couldn't have prevented it.
"The power of death comes from reviving a sage mode user using their methods". Hashirama recalls that he and Boruto both had to be 'killed' by Tao Ma to unlock their powers. "You yourself have learnt sage mode now".
"That's right".
The connotation is clear.
"You have always felt like you were on the side-lines. I know that is why Mitsuki was training you. But you don't have to feel like that anymore. You could learn this power yourself, join us and start to really make a difference in this war".
"I would finally be strong…".
Many wonder just how high Tsunade has set her sights. How much of a difference does she strive to make in this war against invasion? She defeated a general, a mighty powerful general. Of course, those amongst Clyde and Lara's forces know where the battle for Hashirama's group goes from here. They must continue to accumulate strength, for people like them could only have the aristocracy in mind for their next target.
"Your strength would finally be enough to make a difference, to put them on the back foot. A difference that you could see, a difference that I know Dan and Mito would have been proud of".
"Tsunade, join us".
The Clyde group all suck in breaths of cold air. This could be it for them. While it seemed hopeless before when Tsunade was the only one who could defend them, there was at least someone who could try. If she wavers though, if she joins Hashirama and his group, there would be nothing to stop them waltzing through the battlefield, slaughtering anyone who doesn't wear the uniform of a shinobi.
"You want me to join you?".
"You have untapped potential within you Tsunade. You are not just another Hokage who came to the future with us. You have a role to play in shaping it".
'Dan, is this what you would have wanted'.
Her grandfather drops to the ground alongside Boruto and extends his hand. "Please, help me".
She wonders what Dan and her grandmother would have truly wanted. Is it as her grandfather is telling her? Would Mito have wanted those threatening her family's life to be removed? Would Dan have wanted those who endangered his students killed, to protect them once and for all? It is as Boruto said, so many have died fighting against these invaders, offering their life to salvage even another second of life for their loved ones. Amongst those who died, there must be so many who wished death on their enemies. While they have seen now that Clyde's forces are real people, people with loyalty and reasons for doing what they do, they have not always known that. Is it right to honour the ignorant wishes of the dead, or is it better to act how they would wish were they alive? Would they wish differently if they are alive? Would Mito approve of Hashirama's actions?
These questions all rebound around Tsunade's head repeatedly before she asks herself the most important question. What does she want to do?
With that question in mind, she begins to walk toward her grandfather.
The time has come to make her decision.
"Join me and show these invaders that the Senju clan won't allow them to hurt our friends".
Tsunade creates a clone as she walks. The clone walks towards the two who have just finished the most gruelling battle of the day. The clone picks up a kunai as she walks towards Clyde and Lara. The two leaders of the invasions, the two have been responsible for all the suffering this world has endured, the two whom she has the greatest grudges against.
Forcing himself forward, Hiruzen tries to talk his student out of it.
"Tsunade, think this through, Dan wouldn't want you to do this".
Unperturbed, she continues towards them.
"Your grandmother wouldn't want you to do this".
She continues.
"The Hashirama of yesterday, he wouldn't want you to do this".
The clone finally stops, right in front of the two generals, completely at her mercy. It is all in her hands now, the most important decision of her life. The Hashirama from yesterday, or the Hashirama from today.
Tsunade takes hold of her grandfather's hand.
Nobody understands the true decision she has made, only her grandfather, who sighs and closes his eyes. "I see, I understand".
Boruto rolls his eyes in regret as he realises what is going on. Tsunade is squeezing his master's hand, doing her best to crush it.
She pulls with her left hand as hard as she can, squeezing all the while and throws her right hand forward, punching Hashirama as hard as she can in the chest.
As an enormous cloud of dust engulfs Tsunade and the group she was invited to join.
With the group obscured from sight, the clone drops the kunai she formerly held and begins to act once again as a medic. She channels her chakra to heal not only Clyde but Lara as well.
"You…" Clyde begins.
"The rest of us won't be able to stand up to those two" the clone declares.
"I don't know if I can trust either of you, especially you Lara but I've made my decision. Clyde, you've protected us in the past and while I don't have the strength to protect you now, I do have the power to give you a fighting chance".
A captain helps Peterson to his feet and the colonel yells as loud as he can. "Everyone, get away from here!".
On the other side of the previous battle, somehow the behemoth Blackburn also manages to force himself back onto his feet. "Run, everybody run!".
"Take the injured and leave the battlefield" Minato shouts, "If you can't move them then leave them to me".
"We're not leaving" one of Clyde's captains defiantly announces.
"We're staying here until the end Lord Hokage" a shinobi adds, acting like his kunai is more than a twig against the opponents he wields it.
"We can't abandon the General sir".
As the dust cloud clears, those engulfed within it are in exactly the same position as when they disappeared. It is as if time stood still. Tsunade's fist is still touching Hashirama's chest, Boruto is still fixed to the same position. Most importantly though is Hashirama, the Senju clansman hasn't moved an inch in spite of the tremendous power of the strike.
Tsunade, despite her like of energy, persists. 'Once more, once more, I'm not letting you go just yet grandfather'.
She pulls her fist back and attacks once again, another cloud of dust forming around them.
Even Lara's Generals look at the situation hopelessly. When Brooks had fought Tsunade, she had done everything possible to avoid that blow, knowing that if it connected it could seriously kill her in the right circumstances. Hashirama is different though, against his granddaughter he doesn't even retaliate in the face of such a blow. The situation is the same as it was for her against Madara during the war, she is a child, fighting an adult who refuses to go all out against her.
The dust clears more quickly this time, as Hashirama gathers a small amount of 'death' energy around his hand.
Kakashi stammers. "It's even stronger than Boruto's…".
"If everyone stays here they will probably get caught in the crossfire" Tobirama explains, "Kakashi, we have to protect them".
"Against this sort of power? I don't think we can protect them".
Clyde is the first of the two generals to his feet. As soon as he is up he immediately begins to gather and concentrate energy. He knows that against this man there is absolutely no room for holding back.
Lara is the next to her feet. "You better not hold me back Clyde" she declares as she activates her golden 'light' cloak.
"I wouldn't dream of it". The golden 'darkness' cloak activates.
The situation is absurd. The two mightiest generals in the military going all out against someone who hasn't even achieved a colonel-level understanding for their element.
Clyde is the first to act. He forms his energy into a giant golden 'darkness' fist and launches that fist towards Hashirama. He has seen this man use enormous wooden constructs to fight before, he aims to push through any defence that he can conjure with superior speed and power.
Hashirama is quick to realise the flaw in Clyde's plan though. The general no longer has superior speed nor power and unfortunately for the generals, Hashirama has far more experience in battles where intelligence is required. He expands the 'death' energy on his fist before throwing it gently forward. The two fists, one large and one small connect with predictable results. Despite the calmness with which he attacks, Hashirama's fist punctures Clyde's look a balloon.
'You are no longer anything before me Clyde'.
Lara teleports to Hashirama's rear, hoping to catch him out using a trick he has not seen her use before. She reaches towards the back of his neck, hoping to control his movement and limit his ability to turn with a solid grip on his throat.
She should think otherwise. Hashirama has for years been able to defeat his younger brother in battle, someone far more competent in using teleportation. He sidesteps the incoming hand and catches the rear of Lara's wrist. He grips tightly, his grip nearly breaking Lara's wrist, doing far more damage than Tsunade had done to him earlier. He lifts her up into the air, quicker than she can react, swinging her around his head before slamming her down, like a club, into Clyde.
Mirai begins to wake up and within a few seconds groans. "It's useless".
Biwako is alerted by the voice and turns to her granddaughter. "Mirai?".
"I don't know what is going on but there is no way they can defeat… is that Lord 1st…".
"What do you mean?" Shikamaru asks as he runs to Biwako's aid and lifts her arm over his shoulder.
"The power I feel from Boruto, he alone could defeat the two of them. Against Hashirama, they don't stand a chance".
Between Lara's teleportation and Clyde's shinobi inspired movements, they should be capable of outmanoeuvring the majority of enemies. Even some shinobi would likely be foxed by the nature of their movements. They are not fighting an average shinobi though, they are fighting the same man who battled Uchiha Madara. Despite their wild movements he dances through their attacks easily, occasionally replying with his own disorienting kicks and elbows, heavy blows designed to weaken them slowly.
In his mind he can only see them as the people responsible for Mito's death.
'This can't be happening' Peterson tells himself as he watches his leader get hit repeatedly. 'Not to the general… not to the general. Please, you can't die here'.
Hashirama waits for an attack to arrive from both of his opponents at the same time. Lara attacking with a punch to his kidneys and Clyde with a kick to his head. He catches both incoming blows and slams the two military leaders together, painfully entangling their limbs. The duo falls to the floor, battered, broken, exhausted from not only this fight but their one previous.
Lara came here for no reason other than to satisfy her bloodlust. She followed the rogue Clyde into this world and finally hoped to rid herself of his irritating face once and for all. She came without defeat in mind, feeling it incredibly unlikely that she would lose at all, never mind twice in one day.
Clyde was prepared to die when he arrived here. He didn't predict that they could realistically win this battle, but he still held out hope. The shinobi of this world constantly outperformed his expectations, winning battle after battle, bringing him a hope that not only could this world survive but maybe his own too.
Neither expected to feel such regret as this in their last moments.
On the floor, too stunned to retreat, they look up at Hashirama. The 1st Hokage once more coats his hand in 'death' energy and begins to move it towards them.
'General…'. Peterson closes his eyes.
The unmistakable sound of air being cut through at tremendous speed.
The huge bang of contact.
The burst of air that comes afterwards.
Many close their eyes, some fall to their knees, others look on in shock.
For Himawari, a tear comes to her eye as she realises what has happened.
Hashirama's fist didn't reach its target, for another hand has control of his wrist.
"So, you have come…".
"… Uzumaki Naruto".