Tajek was never fond of wielding large weapons, contrary to his girlfriend's preference for them. Truly, he never even wanted to use the sword. His plan was to pass it down to his own child, who hopefully would make better use of it than he would. The intention was to never rely on heavy weapons to overpower his opponents; his style was much more elegant and stealthy than that. He was more skilled for this sword to be his only option in a battle. However, fate seemed to always laugh in his face about his arrangement.

As he approached the front doors, Tajek stopped before he could been seen to access the situation at hand. His uncle had changed the massive oak doors he was accustomed to seeing in Tajek's absence. Instead what stood before him was dirtied glass doors that if given the chance, Tajek would get rid of instantly. Still, his uncle unknowingly helped him analyze his strategy options easier. As he peeked around the corner, Tajek noticed how far back Sesoni's forces were and noted that Aicirret was absent completely from the battlefield. The signal wasn't a false alarm like Tajek had originally hoped.

Tajek heard quick muted footsteps progressing from where he had just traveled from. He turned to face it, preparing himself for an enemy but desperately hoping for an ally. When Shin rounded the corner, Tajek unintentionally frowned. He wasn't going to be able to protect her at all now. Although Akaya was talented beyond her years, it still made Tajek uneasy.

Shin slowed his pace to a brisk walk as he approached Tajek. The kid was an exact replica of Danter. It was as if time had re-winded, and they were back in their first battle again. Shin noted that even though Danter was gone, it was in fact the first time Tajek would fight by his side. And although Tajek had never fought beside him, now was as good a time as ever.

Shin neared Tajek quickly. "Did Danter ever teach you how that thing really works?" He whispered, "I mean, did he show you its secret abilities?"

Tajek sighed, "You give my dad too much credit if you think he told me anything more than how to activate it."

Shin tried to recall how Danter unleashed the sword's enhanced power. Sadly, he only knew some of its details. He never thought he would have to teach it to anyone, considering that he never imagined that Danter would have died so young.

"Well for one thing, it is triggered exclusively by your emotions. Hell's Fury is created out of your anger, and Protective Light is made by the longing to protect. But as I believe, its most powerful attack is taken from a balance of all of the emotions you're feeling."

Tajek nodded, taking in all of Shin's instructions. The aforementioned balance was going to be important, but he wasn't sure if he was even going to be able to achieve it at this point. The knot in his stomach was growing with every passing minute, "Why is she the one who stayed down there?"

Shin shook his head, "You really think she was going to let me hurt Himeka?" Shin paused, acknowledging how stubborn Akaya could be, "Besides she can handle herself. Always could."

Tajek countered, "But Himeka can too." He gripped the sword tightly, "I guess the sooner we're done up here, the faster we can make it back down there to help her out."

Shin strolled past his young friend and into the view of the battlegrounds. Konoha was his second home. To see the place utterly destroyed was heartbreaking to even the coldest of demons. However, now that the damage was done, he was more than happy to add to the destruction. The mission's focus was on getting the survivors out, and then rebuilding what was left of the village. No one would know if he caused some of the corruption anyways.

With a huge snarling grin, Shin declared, "Well then, let's show them what you can do Tajek."

Tajek took a deep breath in and exhaled heavily, already tired of the effort required to hold the sword he now possessed. He calmed his mind and took quick strides out of the door to target the first three enemies he planned to annihilate. After tonight ended, Tajek would rid himself of the lazy childhood he had and embrace the adulthood he had entered. This would just be like another test his father brought him through.

He twisted the sword and put it into a blocking position. With the flat part of the blade facing him, he held his palm up to raise the sword's blade to his eye-level. He channeled his anger as his three adversaries came close to him. With confidence, he yelled, "Hell's Fury!"

With a stunning display of accuracy, the blade lit up into fire, and as Tajek moved it in striking motions, lines of fire blasted towards the rebels. The lines injured all three, and as two of them fell in agony from the blasts at eye-level, the third withstood his minor leg burns. Without hesitation, Shin stood in front of Tajek as he performed and unleashed a gust of wind, allowing Tajek to perform a perfect shadow clone to stab the enemy in the chest with a kunai.

To Shin, tonight was just a glimpse of his glory days.

()

Sesoni heard the commotion and silently rejoiced. Although not one of the rebels gave him trouble, his forces had been depleted. Some had to retreat to regroup, but most had traded lives with the opposition. As much as that had been expected, this battle was taking a deadly turn.

As flames arose to the sky, Sesoni let himself relax for a moment. Kaizu came beside him. For being a mortal, his stamina was impressive. "What in the hell is that?"

Sesoni shook his head in amazement at how natural Hell's Fury came to Tajek. Even Danter had difficulties at mastering the style, "That's our reinforcements."

()

As the four of them fought off the overwhelming hordes of rebel rogues , Tajek realized Hell's Fury's effectiveness was wearing off. His opponents learned how to counter and now he had to react accordingly. Shin had only told him of two reactionary emotional triggers, so as someone's large shrunken clashed into the sword, he decided to see what fear and worry would produce. Like the last time Tajek pushed chakra into the sword, and lightning electrocuted the attacker immediately stopping the assault.

Shin chuckled as he threw ninja stars at the oncoming rogues, disguising their trajectory as lower than they were; disguise scrolls had always been a fun tool for him. "Your father never used that technique. Thought up a name for it yet?"

Tajek sliced at a ninja coming up behind him. His acute hearing always helped in these kinds of situations. "I like Heaven's Warning."

()

Sesoni and Kaizu finally fought their way through the countless forces enough to meet their remaining allies at the halfway point between them. With the collective talents in their squadron, they defeated all the remaining forces rather quickly. Besides Tajek, no one had used any incredible jutsus. It was just an old-fashioned trench war.

However, it still had taken its toll on their energy and stamina. Even demons had their limits, and it was surprising that the humans that stood beside them were standing at all. Tajek looked around to see how entirely cleared out the village had become. Even at night, there was always a bustling nature to Konoha, but as the silence filled the atmosphere around the squadron, Tajek was shocked at how broken his village had become in his absence.

Sesoni broke the silence first, "Aicirret is heavily wounded and needs more demon blood if we want her to survive through the night. We should hurry to her."

Shin nodded in agreement. "The villagers need to be evacuated as well. There's no telling what Akaya and Himeka can do to the sewer structure if they go full out against each other."

Kaizu contributed, "Which means we will need to split up into pairs then."

A slow clap echoed in the midst of the tense vicinity. As Tajek tried to pinpoint its origin, he turned to the Konoha entrance behind them. A mangy man with rotting teeth and tattered clothes locked eyes with the young ninja. Immediately, Tajek was flooded by the memories again.

The man spoke boastfully, "Do you remember me, kid?"

Without a response, the man slowly moved a few steps forward and pulling a kunai from a side pouch. He continued as he pushed back his dark greasy hair, "Your little girlfriend back then really blew everything out of proportion."

Tajek clamored back, "Back then and now, she can kick your ass." He smiled wickedly, excited to kill for the first time in his career, "But you'll have to fight me instead. And I'm going to impress her this time."

Tajek barked his orders quickly and efficiently, "Shin tell Kaizu where the villagers are hidden, and Kaizu I trust that you will escort them safely back to our campground away from here. Go through the sewers. Navigating it is quite simple: take the first two rights and you'll be there at the exit."

He kept his gaze on his opponent as he held his sword down, taunting the guy's advance. Sesoni noted how Danter's offspring retained the Montair confidence and brazen essence. Even with Tajek's characteristic laziness, he was prideful and instinctive. It was impressive how leadership was so natural to Tajek.

Tajek continued stringing along his plan to the others, "Sesoni, you need to take Shin to Aicirret. I would rather not have to dig yet another grave tomorrow. I especially don't want someone younger than me perishing when she doesn't have to."

With his newly-acquired sword in hand and a resolved look on his face, Tajek stood towering over the expectations he had placed on himself at the beginning of his journey as a Shinobi. He had wanted a simple path to being a Jounin at best. He wanted a simple life, but he knew that wasn't an option anymore. He had to take his father's vacant spot as Hokage, and Tajek accepted the role now willingly.

As Tajek's sole focus was on the enemy, no one protested against his clear orders. They did as he had told them as they hurried away from the scene. Without much thought, they let Tajek claim his prestigious spot in the pecking order in ninja society. If Tajek and Akaya survived the night, Konoha had a bright future; no one doubted that as they pushed forward with their new assignments.

Instinctively, Tajek knew this was the one rogue that had gotten away from them that day in the sewers. He embraced that it was his turn to face an old traitor. Akaya had her own place to shine tonight, so these streets were his battlegrounds now. There were his and his alone, and as a meager smirk grazed across his face, Tajek stood ready to become who he was meant to be.

A snicker escaped the rogue's throat, "Well, shall we dance?"

()

Shin promptly told Kaizu the whereabouts of the villagers, and as he left the two demons, Sesoni and Shin hastily made their way to where Aicirret had been suffering. Even in the midst of the urgency of her condition, Shin smirked at the way Tajek had come into his own. "It's a real shame Danter isn't here to see Konoha at its finest."

Shin was hopeful. Not only for Aircirret but for Konoha.

Sesoni nodded in agreement as they turned into an alley. "They never cease to astonish me. There's no doubt that Danter would be grinning ear-to-ear by now." Sesoni smiled gingerly, "But this wouldn't have been the result if Danter was with us. They trained for this moment of theirs. It wasn't just to take back Konoha; it was to avenge his death."

Shin returned his sentiments, "You're right. I know you're right, but still, I miss that stubborn laughable guy." He continued, "I don't think Tajek will ever be as funny as his father, but I think he might be a better Hokage with a little guidance."

Sesoni smirked as they neared the building's back entrance, "If we survive this night, they'll have some strong alliances to rebuild with."

Even with his niece's life in the balance, Sesoni was collected. This was, after all, one of the situations he had planned for. As he opened the door and turned his attention to lighting the lantern on the table, Sesoni absentmindedly replied, "I can guarantee that Konoha will have a powerful Hokage this time around."