THE GENERALS – SAFURA VS EMILIE
Central-West Seblix
"You should join the rebellion."
Hannah has heard Naruto utter those words before, but always with determination. Now he seems like he an empty shell of his former self. Since she met him, he always spoken with such conviction. She would listen with excitement to what he was going to say. Every word was dripping with a wisdom beyond his years, backed by a philosophy the envy of his seniors. When he spoke, he was right and people could feel it in his words, they could feel the power with which he spoke. But not anymore.
Of course it is the mission to attack the Foundry that did it. Ever since that day Naruto has changed. Before he gave them the energy to move forward, now he depends on them for support. Everyone else realises that the mission was the greatest victory over the empire, but Naruto can only see defeat. Every second he continues, Sakura's demise hangs over him, changing him, slowing him down. This is not the man Hannah asked to become her teacher when she gained free will. This is a lesser Uzumaki Naruto.
"Why join your rebellion, we have heard about the rules of battle classes!"
"Battle classes?" Naruto repeats as a question.
"We know that you can only become a class 9 warrior. We know that you can't defeat the emperor. If we follow you the emperor is sure to punish us!"
"So, you're just going to do nothing?"
"Better that than follow you to our demise!"
Ming Dai has seen Naruto lose someone before. Back when Hyuuga Hinata fell to the mercenary Mars, Naruto struggled to overcome his pain. It was thanks to the support of those closest to him that he managed to get through it that time. He saved a village from the Imperial Guard. This time things are different. His loved ones have not remained to encourage him. His son and his daughter left, his best friend went as well, his predecessors left, and his teammate is no more.
"The harder you make this, the longer we wait to unite against the empire the more people will suffer. Every day with Furst in charge is another day something, somewhere goes wrong. If you don't take this opportunity the rebellion may not be able to offer you another, this could be the last chance Homeworld has for freedom!"
Threats. Naruto is resorting to warnings and threats. Long gone is the man who offered hope in the darkest times. He has been replaced by a man whose only desire is not for things to get any worse.
Kushina approaches her son and puts a hand on his shoulder, her eyes speaking a thousand words. With the simple gesture she makes him understand that this conversation is a lost cause, that continuing to talk to these people will only harm the rebellion in the long run.
Naruto feels the urge to resist Kushina's implied suggestion. Building up the rebellion's numbers is his job, everyone told him that. He is supposed to be the great hope for Homeworld's freedom, the student of the world's greatest teacher, the successor to the element of their previous hero. He has had enough though; he sighs and walks away. He will never give up, but this is not the time for a second attempt to gain their allegiance, at least not by him.
Hinata walks forward, taking Naruto's place. If he is unable to find the words he used to find, then she will need to do it.
"The Foundry has been destroyed," Hinata tells the locals. "It was an amazing thing to hear. I know that not many of you believe the Foundry exists. Not everyone has heard of it, and to most who have it is little more than a story. I can assure you though, the Foundry is real, it is where divine abilities were produced on a scale far greater than we ever achieved here in Homeworld.
"That was a daring objective, to take the Foundry. We had to defeat General Yasmine in order to do it. The rebellion had to keep King Erik busy while attacking an enormous structure from three different angles. But it happened, I promise you. We sent a team of miraculous people through the void to a place that should have been out of reach.
"Through all this we only had one casualty. A friend of mine, who I wish I had listened to sooner. I have seen the rebellion do the impossible, but when the time came, I refused to go with them. I was a coward who doubted my subordinates, no, my friends, and it cost me dearly. That day there were so many people who said we could do nothing, but the incredible men and women of the rebellion proved that we could achieve anything.
"I know that the odds are against us. I know that the mathematics and the logic say that we are going to lose, but when you work with people like this, you learn that the odds don't count for much. Please, give us a chance, dare to hope that we can win. Maybe we can create another miracle, maybe Homeworld can truly be free."
Hinata's plea for help proves much more popular than Naruto's. Minato has led many people in his life and has developed strong leadership skills. He thinks Hinata did a good job, better than she has done in the past. In her words he could hear a glimmer of inspiration, an echo of Naruto's own charisma. Just now, Hinata sounded more like Naruto than the man himself did.
Nearby Mana glances at Naruto.
"Why are you taking this so hard?" Mana asks.
"You know why."
"Actually I don't. I know that you've lost people before. I wasn't there but I heard the stories of how you lost friends, juniors that you mentored, people who you considered family. I heard that you always persevered, that you kept on moving, and that in the end you won. So tell me, why is this time different?"
"Because I am the Hokage. I was supposed to hold them all together."
"Bad things happen, and people react to them. You are an inspiring man, but you're not a hypnotist Naruto. Sometimes there is nothing even you can do."
"I must have done something wrong."
"You didn't."
"Then why has everyone abandoned us? Everyone who had a personal stake in that mission, I let them all down when Sakura… when it happened. Everyone who was hurt that day left because of me."
"Everyone left?" Mana asks.
"Yes!"
Mana gazes at Hinata, speaking to the leaders of what will become a local resistance and remembers her tears in the temple.
Mana sighs. "For a man who understands so much, sometimes you really are clueless, Uzumaki Naruto."
West Seblix
Sasuke watches on as yet another person falls into the trap of the generals. They are ruthless and efficient when they have a target in site. Together they aim for anyone who could be considered a threat. Once upon a time this world was defended by Jonas, Akashi, Sora, and Enri, now the generals of the Imperial Guard form their own team of legendary might.
The Uchiha clansmen wishes he could do something to help the latest person they have ensnared, but he cannot. Safura's 'diamond' is a unique element, one that seems particularly resistant to escapology, even using his methods. This time it is a leopard. Princess Emilie of the Beast Clan.
"Head General Safura, what do you want?" Emilie asks.
"I want to know if you are an ally of Uzumaki Naruto. Think carefully, depending on how you answer things could go very differently, and I wouldn't want any unnecessary harm to come to a princess like you."
"She's not," Sasuke answers, "Naruto hates her."
"I appreciate that you are making an effort, but I would be a fool to take you at your word," Safura tells Sasuke before turning back to the leopard.
Emilie inspects Sasuke and recognises various key features about his appearance. It seems very likely to her that this man is a pocket-worlder, just like Naruto. She also recognises the team of generals before her, an assembly like no other. She quickly determines that they have been tasked with ending the Naruto threat quickly, and that Sasuke is likely being used as bait. They probably want to know if she can be used for the same reason.
"I am no ally of humanity, as you well know," Emilie says.
"You may dislike the people of Homeworld, but I also hear the rumours about Beast Clan politics," Safura says confidently. "There appear to be two camps forming, and I know which one you fall into. If any beast would be willing to give pocket-worlders a chance, it would be you."
"I am Naruto's enemy. Even if I weren't, I would be foolish to back him against the Imperial Guard."
"Beasts can be just as foolish as humans."
"More so in some cases," Emilie admits. "But I am not Naruto's ally. Whether or not you believe me is your decision."
Rana has many years of experience, and unfortunately for Emilie, a good memory to go with it. Intelligence reports were unreliable in the time Naruto was in Aturia because Zahra was trying to hide the truth from her. Eventually she got the full picture though, and she knows that Princess Emilie met Naruto during the time when they were both in Aturia.
"Emilie has met Naruto at least twice before," Rana tells Safura. "At that time there seemed to be no hostility between the two of them. The Beast Clan has lied to us many times before, I would advise against trusting her."
"That's an excellent point Rana," Safura says.
"I did meet Naruto twice," Emilie admits. "The last time I saw him I asked him to abandon the people of Homeworld and ally himself and the pocket-worlders with the Beast Clan. He refused. Of course an alliance between Beasts and humanity is impossible. I told him that going forward we would be enemies. Since that day I have not seen him."
Safura looks at each of her colleagues in turn, gauging their opinions by their expressions. Alaa seems to think that Emilie is telling the truth. Rana doesn't trust Emilie at all, probably because of her appearances in Aturia. Odion is unsure of whether Emilie is telling the truth or not. Yasmine is smiling, sure that Emilie has been colluding with the rebellion. Dodi's expression is as deadpan as always, but he shakes his head, indicating he believes Emilie is innocent. Lastly, Nero doesn't care about whether the beast is telling the truth, she just hungers for conflict.
"There's no point to fighting here," Rana whispers.
"You think she's innocent?"
"No, it's not that. It's just that we already have his friend. Naruto is much more likely to come for an old friend than someone like Emilie. In the worst-case scenario the Beast King could come for us."
"We are protected by the royals, he wouldn't dare."
"But still—"
Emilie overheard enough words of their conversation to grasp the general idea of what they are discussing. She may be able to fight one of the other generals, but she knows she won't win if Safura fights her. She hopes that Rana's arguments are convincing, that she will be protected by her status as heir to the throne.
"You've missed out an important detail," Safura tells Rana. "Frankly it doesn't matter if Emilie can't be used as bait to lure Naruto. It doesn't even matter if she thinks of Uzumaki Naruto as an enemy. She is not an ally of Homeworld and leaving someone powerful like that to roam free can only cause us trouble in the long run. Princess Emilie, your guilt is immaterial, I'm going to crush you."
Emilie immediately recognises that she is doomed. Her only focus becomes how to survive this fight. She has only one great strength in her own combat style to speak of, that is her speed. 'Speed' itself is her element, in a straight line she has the advantage over Safura. Escape is difficult though; the other generals could work together to prevent that. Then she compares her other powers to Safura. Offensive powers, defensive powers, manoeuvrability, divine ability, element, the battle principles, she examines them all. Not only does Safura lack any weaknesses, but there isn't a single area of combat where she isn't strong.
Emilie begins to run around Safura in a circle, her speed increasing every moment as both she and the head general activate their golden divine cloaks. Emilie's eyes fix on Safura, front, back, front, back, swapping at great speeds as the leopard runs searching for a weakness she knows will never come.
Eventually Emilie is forced to attack, for if she were to continue, she would burn up excess divine energy. Emilie makes the sound decision to attack Safura from behind, leaping at her back. Safura sees the attack to the rear coming, using her Quick Step divine ability to dash forward at unmatchable speed, even for Emilie. All that running around and the surprise attack, overcome with just a single use of Safura's divine ability.
Emilie has experienced battle before. Normally people with divine abilities like Safura tire quickly from using those abilities, such is there power. Geniuses are an exception to the rule though. Safura's military counterparts Lara and Clyde were both talented enough to use the teleportation divine ability multiple times in quick succession, she is just as competent.
Safura raises her hand, creating a golden 'diamond' within it and showing it to Emilie. The head general throws that diamond towards the leopard and then quickly runs towards her. Emilie's golden 'speed' energy helps change her perception of time, allowing her mind to keep up with her tremendous speed, so naturally she has plenty of time to dodge the golden 'diamond', however she moves exactly where Safura intended, a perfect position for Safura to attack. Emilie rapidly weighs up her options, deciding not to dodge but to attack simultaneously. When Emilie starts her counterattack, she notices that while Safura's right hand is moving to strike her but her left hand is creating a defensive wall of golden 'diamond'.
It all happens in a moment, too fast for a couple of the generals to see thanks to Emilie's speed and Safura's talent for predicting combat. The princess and the general clash, and the general emerges the better of the two. Emilie does her best to hide the injury to her leg, but Safura can use the One True Sense, she isn't fooled. The head general taunts the princess, circling her slowly but methodically, a gentler version of what Emilie did before.
Sasuke can't stand to watch. He thought that he had the perfect technique for fighting against the generals when he created the Instant Escape. Emilie is a mighty warrior, the heir to the throne in the Beast Clan, but she is not suited for this battle. Safura will take her apart with ease if the fight goes on.
Emilie has always known that she couldn't stand up to Safura. It seems the Beast Clan is cursed, not only with their unique affliction, but also with bad luck. No matter what great warriors emerge from within the beasts' ranks, they can't match their human counterparts. She is sure this is because their mentality is too harsh, she has counterparts who believe the reverse. Regardless, she doesn't have time to become stronger now, she can only desperately search for a way to survive.
Emilie runs in a straight line directly away from Safura. Nero steps into Emilie's path and moves backwards with her in view, preventing the Beast Princess from escaping in any way. Emilie has no intention of escaping though, this is just her latest plan. She turns to face Safura, having put significant distance between the two of them, and she charges at her as fast as she can. A cloud of dust follows in Emilie's wake as she moves at such great speeds.
Safura smiles, this is a futile effort. Certainly if Emilie threw all her weight at the head general without any resistance, it would do significant damage, but Safura isn't that stupid. If an opponent like this attacks her head on, she is going to defend herself. Emilie may be approaching fast, but the distance between them is on Safura's side, giving her more than enough time to map Emilie's path. Just as the princess takes her final steps and leaps at Safura a wall of golden 'diamond' appears between the two.
Sasuke hears a loud bang as the leopard throws herself against the golden 'diamond' barrier. Using golden 'speed' to charge like that meant the beast effectively turned her body into a projectile. He has seen first-hand now the power of Safura's defences. Even when subjected to a blow as powerful as this they do not budge. As he watches the wall of golden 'diamond' disappears, he sees a motionless Emilie on the floor. Emilie is defeated by her own attack.
Sasuke has seen many powerful class 8s, but nothing like this. He worries that Naruto will be unable to defeat Safura, but he knows the fight must happen. Naruto's divine oddity may be the only power capable of breaking through her defences if it is possible at all.
Safura takes a step forward, kneeling beside the fallen Emilie.
"I heard that Naruto uses 'fate' energy, right now that's what you need to pray for Princess Emilie," Safura says. "If he does, he may even find you. It's the only way you're going to survive."
"Don't be stupid, finish her!" Nero says demandingly.
"Princess Emilie has been around for years; she is no threat to us. There is only one way she can survive this, and that is if he comes to save her. If he does, then he will be within our reach."
"And what if Naruto doesn't turn up here?"
"Then we won't be seeing Emilie again," Safura says softly. "Emilie, listen to me, we're heading West. If Naruto does save you, let him know where we have taken his friend."
Sasuke has a terrifying feeling that Safura's prediction will turn out to be correct. Naruto has used 'fate' energy to find the right path before. With Hannah's instincts added to the mix, they are far more likely than anyone else to find Emilie before it is too late. When that happens, if it happens, Emilie will surely point Naruto in Safura's direction. Under other circumstances Naruto would be foolish to agree to fight her, but Safura has a great advantage, she has Sasuke.
It surely won't be long now until the fateful moment arrives, and the world's strongest class 8 warrior is determined.
In Response to MohamedOssama999's Question
About why Sasuke admitted to the weakness of his genjutsu
Sasuke thought the Instant Escape would work no matter what.
It was incredibly unlikely that Safura would have a power that could be used to fight back.
Thanks for reading.
In Response to Engineer's Question
About why Sasuke couldn't escape
The in-story reason the portal wouldn't work is that it is difficult for Sasuke to open.
The honest reason is because I overlooked it.
Not my best day I admit.
Sorry about that.
Thanks for reading.
In Response to S's Question
About a divine oddity for Sasuke
The Instant Escape is a high-level technique like the One True Sense.
It doesn't reach the level of a divine oddity though.
Thanks for reading.
In Response to S's Question
About a potential 'cold' energy user
General Elliot who was second-in-command to Head General Lara, uses 'cold' energy.
Thanks for reading.