THE GENERALS – THE GENERALS
The Imperial Guard Headquarters
General Alaa. The General for Ewoa, reporting to Queen Mauer Sabine. 'Sound' is his element. The Berserk Switch is his divine ability, a power which pays for an explosive increase in speed and power with his self-control. A mighty warrior with many years of experience who has seldom needed to use his power. Popular among his subordinates for his many victories in the past conflict.
General Rana. The General for Aturia, reporting to King Weiss Max. 'Space' is her element. The Sonic Scream is her divine ability, the power to shout, to manipulate sound to deafen anyone who stands in her way. Calm and calculating at all times. While she often appears weak in her manner, she has endured all the complaints and insubordination from her subordinates, proving that she is the best person for her job.
General Odion. The General for Gavaria, reporting to King Hoffman Swen. 'Time' is his element. Hovering is his divine ability, the ability not to rise up but to only fall when it is his wish, an ability he has taken further than anyone else who has tried. While King Swen prefers a relaxed approach to leadership, he has taken a hands-on role, governing much of Gavaria while his superior has been sleeping. He is a leader in every area of his life.
General Yasmine. The General for Cheqitori, reporting to King Hertz Erik. 'Lightning' and 'Water' are her elements. The Lucky Three is her divine ability, a power to completely restore her energy and vitality three times within any 24-hour window. The perfect counterbalance for her king who is obsessed with power and status, instead trying to live her life having as much fun as possible. Despite her nature, she is not to be underestimated, she keeps a close eye on Cheqitori, knowing her homeland even better than her comrades know their own.
General Dodi. The General for Seblix, reporting to Queen Hirsch Nadia. 'Absence' is his element. Perfect Memory is his divine ability, able to store endless information, it makes him the perfect partner for Queen Nadia who processes it better than anybody. Together they form a team capable of working out a solution to any problem. Always appearing apathetic, the truth is that he is always learning, always stronger than the day before, always searching for that bit of information that will turn around the current situation.
General Nero. The General for Fayoth, reporting to Queen Huen Petra. 'Hot' is her element. Razor Skin is her divine ability, the power to make contact with her skin more painful the longer it endures, a power that makes battles of attrition practically unwinnable for her adversaries. The lifelong enemy of the bandit Marti Nina, the most powerful of the generals who once challenged for the spot of Head General but lost out to the only class 8 more competent than herself.
These six are among the most powerful warriors to have ever walked Homeworld. They have each made countless contributions to the Imperial Guard, their actions have shaped history in a way that only the royals past and present can eclipse. They are gathered in the central courtyard of the Imperial Guard Headquarters, looking at the portal, waiting for their fearless leader to arrive.
Odion and Dodi stand together like brothers, just as close as their superiors Nadia and Swen. Yasmine, Alaa and Rana are all outwardly friendly, even though they are cunning at heart, they all talk to each other, catching up on their latest efforts to end the rebellion. Only Nero, the harshest of the Imperial Guard stands alone, smiling. A meeting of the Imperial Guard like this could mean the war is about to get serious, but even if it doesn't, it means the fighting is about to intensify. She adores the fighting.
There is a gentle whirring sound as their commander, Head General Safura, steps through the portal.
Head General Safura. The General for Okarin, reporting to Emperor Furst Jonas. Her unique gold and red uniform symbolises that she is in charge, an eternal taunt to Nero who she triumphed over to earn her title. Her shoulder length strawberry blonde hair marginally disguises the single diamond earing she wears, a sentimental artifact from a long time ago. Safura stands at the very top of the elite organisation that is the Imperial Guard, and she is known the world over as the most powerful class 8 warrior.
"Good morning Safura," Rana says.
"Good morning Rana, and to all of you. I am sure that summoning you here today must have caused difficulties in each of your nations. I apologise for any inconvenience. If there is anything I can do to ease the burden I will be happy to help you."
Nero scoffs. "It is no inconvenience to those of us who protect our homes adequately. I heard that you let the Hertz Compound fall into the hands of the enemy Yasmine."
"No-no-no, that's not a very fair thing to say. I was up against Yuuki Terukatsu himself, and the Crown Prince, and that Uzumaki Naruto fellow. Three is a lucky number you see; I couldn't win against all of them."
"At least the rebellion didn't start in Cheqitori," Nero continues. "I believe Aturia is where war was declared, right Rana? Perhaps if you had fought to the end in Taigai City, this rebellion wouldn't be a problem."
"We were outnumbered. It is wise to retreat when you have no chance of victory."
"I heard you failed in your fight against Uzumaki and the Crown Prince," Dodi says to Nero, his voice as deadpan as ever.
"I was fighting alongside Queen Petra; would you say that she failed as well?"
"I don't have the nerve to call Queen Petra a failure," Dodi admits. "That's why I only called you a failure."
"Say that again and see what happens."
Safura claps her hands loudly, drawing the attention of her all her subordinates. Bickering like this is counterproductive, and when Nero starts talking it becomes inevitable. She is not interested in playing the blame game, she just wants to advance and end the rebellion.
"Now-now, let's all calm down," Safura says. "From today we are not to blame for the mistakes of the past, we will focus on the future. I have been tasked personally with taking down Uzumaki Naruto."
Alaa sighs. "So, the rebellion is finally ending huh. Pity, we haven't seen any real action in Ewoa yet."
"I think I can help with that," Safura says. "I have been told that there is no resource in the Imperial Guard that is off-limits. I am to use any and all means at my disposal to defeat Uzumaki Naruto. I have summoned you here today so that I might assemble an elite team for the purpose of taking him down."
"Do you want recommendations?" Odion asks.
"No, I know the ranks of the Imperial Guard like the back of my hand. I already know my most elite team. We have underestimated Uzumaki Naruto too many times already. This time there is no more room for error. Alaa, Rana, Odion, Yasmine, Dodi, Nero, you are my elite team. Together we are the strongest seven members of the Imperial Guard. We are going after Uzumaki Naruto as a team, all of us. This time we are going to finish things."
This hasn't happened since the end of the war with the Dark Dimension.
The members of the Imperial Guard have fought on the same battlefield before. Back then they were all technically on the same side, but they all came from different nations which had never been allied before. This is the first time that the seven of them have fought as a single unit. Naruto is now the most powerful foreign enemy Homeworld has seen since the Empress of the Dark Dimension. They are sending the ultimate team to take him down.
"Do you mind if we make a stop on the way?" Rana asks.
"You have an errand for us to run?" Safura asks.
"Someone who has questioned my authority. I think she could use a reminder of what it means to be a General in the Imperial Guard."
Ewoa
Most attacks aren't problematic. When you avoid attention in Ewoa then you seldom endure random encounters. However, that's not to say it never happens. When protecting a large group after such an encounter you must move them to a new location, a safe location. This has now been the procedure they have gone through for over a year in order to protect the citizens of the Hidden Leaf.
Shino remembers a day when things were easier, when he focused on teaching the next generation. Back then he had a future to believe in, students who would defend the village when he was no longer able to. He has gone past retirement age now, but he is occasionally asked to help tutor students and always to relocate the villagers following an attack.
Many of his students are elsewhere now. Boruto left because of his disagreements with his father. Mitsuki left to help Tsunade with her struggles. Shikadai, Inojin, and ChouChou sided with Boruto causing a battle between the Leaf and their allies at the time. Now his hopes for the defence of the villagers rest with one member of the generation he helped to teach. That is of course Uchiha Sarada.
The 9th Hokage was a class 7 warrior when she began meditating on her element of 'creation' some months ago. At the time she was carrying most of the weight when it comes to defending the villagers. A couple of close calls made them realise that soon her powers would not be enough. Eventually more powerful enemies will find out they are hiding here, Sarada will need to be at the peak of her powers to fight them off.
With Sarada meditating on her element, the threat of attack has become more ominous. Every shinobi is on red alert. Every moment they are not sleeping they are scouting, patrolling, looking for any sign of a potential enemy. Their ability to defend against mighty foes is at its weakest right now. If they do see a threat, they can only hope that their unique stealth abilities from their shinobi training will help them to go undetected.
If defence does become necessary, they are still not hopeless. Sarada is not the only one who has been training for the worst-case scenario. They are defended by many great warriors, Hokage of the past and the Kazekage of the present. Four new class six warriors. 2nd Hokage Senju Tobirama. 3rd Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen. 6th Hokage Hatake Kakashi. 6th Kazekage Shinki.
Between these defenders they have skills of incredible observation, remarkable wisdom and experience, and strength and speed the envy of countless shinobi. However, they are limited by their elements. It is not their fault. Very few people understand transcendent elements in Homeworld. This realm has a population so great that nobody has ever measured it, yet those with transcendent elements are almost all known to the aristocracy and the Imperial Guard.
This war has cost all of them more than they could have foreseen. Tobirama has lost his family. Hiruzen has watched his mentor and his student walk down the wrong path and has lost family members he never had the chance to meet. Kakashi has seen two of his students meet their end. Shinki has lost almost his entire village. Sarada will forever be known as the Hokage who ran from the Hidden Leaf Village because she could not protect her people alone.
Tobirama and Kakashi take turns to watch the horizon, looking for any signs of trouble or any signals from the patrols they sent out. For all the pain they have endured and all the effort they have put forward, they wish that something would change for them. Each day they wish for word from Naruto or Clyde. Each day they wish for a glimmer of hope.
In the depths of Ewoa, they are a long way from the majority of the rebellion. Only Sarada offers hope here. They live each day waiting for her to awaken, for her to fully master her powers of 'creation'.
A Volcano, North-West Aturia
The power to turn into any person you have observed for at least 24 hours. Transformation. That is the power which former colonel Zahra uses to blend in and disguise herself. Zahra has been using that ability to visit the nearby city of Ratnaran. She has used this method to retrieve supplies so that she can live and train alone. Zahra has never needed to bear solitude like this in the past, but when she fought Uzumaki Naruto everything changed.
When Naruto and Sasuke defeated her it was her ultimate humiliation. Her colleagues learnt that she tried to take the General spot, that she withheld information from the Imperial Guard and that she lost to their number one enemy. She had angered both General Rana and King Max, she was forced to leave the Imperial Guard, to run and hide. With the enemies she has made public life is over for her, all there is left is to hide.
Hiding from an Imperial Guard general is no easy task though. The greatest benefit of being a general is proximity to the royals, the chance to ask for favours from them. The royals know almost everything that happens in Homeworld, tracking down Zahra is an easy task for the likes of Nadia and Swen when they put in the effort. That is exactly what Rana requested of them when Zahra fled.
Now Zahra must suffer the consequences of her actions.
She looks up to the top of the volcano and sees a group of seven descending. She removes her top hat and puffs her cheeks. It's General Rana and her foreign counterparts. More worryingly Head General Safura is leading them. She has offended the Imperial Guard, and these are the most powerful members of that organisation. If Rana had come alone, she believes she might have had a chance, but against all seven victory is impossible. She doubts that the other generals will be very forgiving towards someone who tried to usurp their comrade.
"We're here for a colonel?" Nero asks, noting Zahra's silver-bronze uniform.
"A traitor," Rana counters.
"My-my-my, I heard all about your efforts," Yasmine says. "Your plans would have been the talk of the Imperial Guard if they had worked. Too bad."
"Conspiracy against a general is unforgiveable," Alaa says.
"Care to give us the highlights?" Odion asks Dodi.
"Colonel Zahra. Formerly Fadel Zahra. Broke through in the element of 'Gale', a wind-like power. Her divine ability lets her shapeshift to anyone she has observed for long enough. During our selection she was on the shortlist for General of Aturia. She held a grudge when Rana was selected for the job instead. On the day she complained to one of her fellow colonels that she was more qualified because of her cunning. Betrayed Rana in an attempt to arrest Uzumaki Naruto herself, became a disgrace when she failed."
Zahra looks at Safura who has yet to say a word. Safura is known for her kindness, many considering it surprising given her role. Safura is forgiving, making as many allies and friends as she can in almost every situation. Safura is smiling. Zahra knows that there is only one way out of this now, an appeal to the Head General herself. Even if there is disagreement from all the others, Safura holds the power here.
"Head General, I almost captured Naruto once. I no longer want promotion, or rank of any kind. Please, allow me to lead you to him once again in exchange for my life. I will serve in any capacity you ask of me, please, just let me live."
"Rana told me you are a traitor. The Imperial Guard does not tolerate traitors."
Rana steps forward. She has been waiting for this for a long time. She rushes towards Zahra at great speed, fitting for a class 8 warrior. When she arrives before her former subordinate, she correctly anticipates a series of attacks. A right-handed punch which she cuts off at the wrist with her own right hand. A follow-up with Zahra's left hand which she deflects with her right elbow. A knee strike which she deflects by throwing her right arm downwards. Three attacks deflected at once with a single arm.
Rana strikes Zahra in the face once, stunning her. She could do this again several times, not allowing Zahra any time to recover between her strikes, but that would be a messy victory, in front of her colleagues she wants to show strength. She follows up with a sweeping strike to the back of Zahra's leg to take her down to knee. Then lastly, she spins around and hits the back of Zahra's head with her foot.
Zahra tries to bring forth her 'gale' powers to fight back, but when she throws those powers towards Rana nothing happens. Rana raises her hand, using her own 'space' powers to absorb the 'gale' energy and push it back. The general blocks the attack of the former colonel with almost total efficiency. The beauty of this is obscured to Zahra, but the other generals have all noticed. Rana has not yet been forced to use her left hand.
The general supresses all Zahra's 'gale' energy, then pulls back her arm for one final strike.
"Wait!" Safura says.
Rana looks back with clear disappointment. She has been waiting for this for a long time. She has considered Safura a friend for many years now, she did not think that she would stop her.
"I could do with a warm-up ahead of fighting Naruto," Safura says. "How about this Zahra, if you land a single strike on me, I will give you a chance. If you then lead us to Uzumaki Naruto, I will let you become the protector of my personal residence."
Zahra doesn't know how to respond to this mockery. Safura is giving her every chance to survive, but the reward for all her efforts would be servant work. Protecting the personal residence of a general may be an honour for a military general, it would be a small promotion for an Imperial Guard Captain. For an Imperial Guard colonel to be asked to do something like that is a humiliation. Right now the only reason she isn't furious is because that servant work is her only route to survival.
She knows that defeating Head General Safura is a fantasy, but to land an attack on her, Zahra is sure that this much is possible.
Rana is disappointed by Safura's suggestion. She agrees that for Safura to avoid all of Zahra's attacks is almost impossible. What follows quickly erodes her disappointment, replacing it with joy.
Zahra walks up to Safura, standing just inches from her and attacks again and again. Safura avoids every single attack. It is not easy, even for the Head General, but it is the perfect preparation for facing someone like Naruto who can strike at a moment's notice. Whether using her 'gale' energy to attack, to enhance her speed, or just boost her raw power, nothing Zahra does works. Every strike she attempts is answered with an evasion.
Even Nero, the general closest in power to Safura is astonished by what she sees. Safura has not had a true fight in years, her powers should have diminished if anything, but they have not. Safura built the techniques which the generals all use, none have ever matched her mastery. Since they last fought with her it looks like she has learned some more things.
Nero believed that Safura was within reach, that she may eventually replace her as Head General. She was wrong. There is no class 8 who even comes close to Safura.
Zahra leaps back and begins compressing all of her 'gale' energy into a single point. Dodi announces that this is her concentrated attack, the most powerful weapon her arsenal. Safura could run from this easily and win the challenge, but this attack changes things. Zahra is trying to win the fight with this concentrated attack, she has become that desperate.
The generals doubted Safura could avoid all of Zahra's attacks. None of them doubt that she will stop this concentrated attack.
Zahra fires her concentrated attack, sending a missile of 'gale' energy straight at Safura.
A wall of 'diamond' appears between the two of them and stops the concentrated attack.
Safura begins walking towards Zahra, the same calm smile still on her face. 'Diamond' is her element. The defensive power of 'diamond' is unmatched. That is one of the many reasons she is so confident in her powers. To survive a concentrated attack from someone on Zahra's level is impressive, even for a general. The others would all react the same way, but they would use their concentrated defence. Safura has never needed to use her concentrated defence against a class 8 warrior.
Head General Safura is unbeatable.
Zahra watches Safura approaching with terror. Then she catches glimpse of a power that Safura didn't need to use. As the Head General's foot is lowering towards the ground, she moves forward at such tremendous speed it looks like she is teleporting. Her divine ability.
Zahra realises that Rana never used her divine ability against her either. All those thoughts she had about becoming a general rush through her head. She thinks of all the years she schemed and planned to reach the upper echelons of this elite organisation. Now that she is looking at the person she hoped to become, she understands how ridiculous her plans were. For someone like her to reach that level would take another thousand years.
Zahra falls to her knees.
Safura places a hand on the traitors shoulder.
It all happens like an explosion, Safura directs her 'diamond' energy quickly through her palm into Zahra's shoulder. The energy erupts, overwhelming Zahra's so quickly that it replaces the very matter within her body. In a fraction of a second Zahra is gone completely. The Imperial Guard's traitor is no more.
"Thank you," Rana says.
"No problem, I was glad I could help" Safura says. "Now then, let's find Naruto and put an end to this war."
In Response to S's Question
About other class 9 warriors reporting to Furst
Besides the royals there are no class 9 warriors who are loyal to Furst.
At least none that I have introduced to the story yet.
Thanks for reading.