Total Destruction
Author's notes:
I do not own Naruto nor any part of it.
Refer to the glossary on Chapter 1 if you can't understand some of the words.
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Chapter 6
The Seven Clans
"What?" The 12 teenagers demanded. "The Plains of Golgotha? The place where Hidden Mist, Cloud, and Rock will fight?"
"Yes! Now will you quiet down and let me explain?" Tsunade hissed.
Everybody came into a deathly silence. Tsunade's rage was more than they dared incite.
On the other side, Tsunade let out a breath, as though trying to calm herself. "Based on our discreet observance of troop movements, there will be a major battle at the Plains of Golgotha in a week. Unlike all previous skirmishes, this is going to be a head-on battle, a showdown of military might. They seek an early end. Once a good opportunity is achieved, we will step in and mediate this conflict. We cannot let either side win."
Tsunade didn't tell them why, though. She knew that if the Alliance of Rock and Cloud wins, they will most definitely use Hidden Mist's resources to wage a greater war on Leaf and Sand. If Hidden Mist wins, well, they too may wage war on Konoha and Suna.
"Any questions?" Tsunade asked.
"No, sir," everybody chimed.
Tsunade cut off the transmission, then leaned back on her chair, stretched, and yawned loudly.
"Tsunade-sama," Shizune reproached, "You shouldn't put too little weight into this matter!"
"I do understand the importance Shizune," Tsunade replied angrily. "I'm just glad that I have done all that I need done. What's left is up to fate, on who wins this battle. Moreover, I finally get Jiraiya away from here. He still tries to peek at me behind the window."
"I hope Jiraiya-sama is all right," Shizune said. "I heard Hidden Mist has developed an excellent anti-infiltration network. Jiraiya-sama will have a huge challenge trying to pry any information from them."
"Yeah." Tsunade felt a little bad for Jiraiya actually. She had turned him into a scapegoat. He can definitely get more information than what Shikamaru would have gotten, and since he isn't truly part of Konoha anymore, Konoha won't get blamed if Jiraiya is caught. But then, Jiraiya would suffer all the punishments.
--
"So, any questions?" A ninja asked a group of 7 people.
"No, Mizukage-sama!"
"May the Seven Clans be victorious in this showdown with the Alliance. Remember, we want an early end, so put your soul into every kunai thrown."
-
"Got any questions?"
"No," An entire crowd of ninja's shouted.
"This battle is a great battle," shouted the Raikage. "You must do this for the good of the Alliance. Once this battle is ours, we will march straight to Kirigakure, and liberate that village from its regime. For honor, for glory, for country!"
"Honor! Glory! Country!" The crowd chanted.
"The Raikage is correct! Listen to him, my fellow Rock ninjas! We will obliterate this foe before us, and this battle at the Plains of Golgotha will be epic. Do your part in this battle of good against evil, and together, we WILL succeed! May the victor, be Justice!"
One week later…
Shikamaru could literally feel the earth quake below his feet. Overhead, the sky began to darken, as raindrops began to fall. In a matter of seconds, it began to pour, and soon, lightning flashed. A particular lightning bolt struck a large boulder at the top of the hill he was on, splitting the boulder in half. Water from the nearby stream gushed down the slope. But from Shikamaru's angle, it seemed like water had suddenly broken the boulder and gushed in its merciless course downhill, and the lightning bolts could do little to stop it.
Shikamaru lazily got up, with his hair all messed up. He had been napping for the last three hours, under what had been a beautiful sky full of puffy white clouds and a gleaming sun. Now, all that tranquility has been ruined by the storm, and his napping place has been ruined. He will have to go inside.
Everybody else had returned to a few tents that were pitched in the woods. There was no need for any lookouts – every available Rock, Cloud, and Mist ninja would be assembled for the imminent attack. While it was clear that the attack would occur in less than 6 hours, it was not clear exactly when in those 6 hours. Therefore, the Konoha ninjas were sitting idle, but alert to move at a moment's notice.
"You know," Naruto was saying, "I haven't felt this nervous since the Chunin exams. I know I'm not taking part in the action, but I'm still feeling nervous."
"Now you know how I felt when I watched you during the Chunin Exam," Kakashi replied. "You were underdogs back then. Neji had overwhelming odds against you, Gaara was feared to be unstoppable, and Ino was a clear favorite over Sakura. Despite the odds, you fought with all your heart to succeed, and that was truly worth watching. We held our breaths to see if the new buds would blossom. People who couldn't see that Chunin Exam sincerely regretted it even until this day."
Shikamaru then turned around toward Sasuke, who was hunched in a corner. Sasuke caught Shikamaru's eye, and spoke – the first time he spoke for a week. "I remember, from Orochimaru's lessons," Sasuke said, "that Kirigakure could barely be called a Great Shinobi Village. It was horrible, with constant internal war, incessant crime, and no centralized control whatsoever. Yet they are to defeat a far more superior foe."
Shikamaru was surprised to hear Sasuke mention Orochimaru. "Yeah, it really is. And I think I feel them now. All right everybody, time to move out!"
In a flash, everybody blew out their dim candles, packed everything tightly, left the seductive warmth of the tents, and stepped into the rain.
--
"INCOMING!"
The attack was extremely sudden. In fact, to the casual onlooker, it would appear as though it was a case of hail. But upon closer inspection, what appeared to be hail was actually shiny white bones – finger bones to be exact.
A large earthen wall suddenly erected. Rock ninjas poured from the top, like termites spilling out of a termite hill. The rain of finger bones didn't stop either.
"Are you crazy, captain?! The men aren't cannon fodder! We can't charge head on!"
"Then what do you propose?"
The captain was correct. The rain, which had been pouring for the last hour, underwent a dramatic shift. Instead of being harmless droplets, they became hard as steel, sharp as needles.
The Rock ninjas began to scream. More boulders were erected, but they could only hold on for so long. With each pellet of rain and bone, more cracks appeared.
"WHERE THE HELL ARE THE FREAK'N CLOUD NINJAS?"
--
"Keep it up, men! Umani, give your people a rest!"
"OK, let your bones regenerate now!" Kaguya Umani ordered. "But Ankara, the mounds…"
"They can wait. My men can keep the rain going for another 15 minutes. That should be enough for our main forces to arrive."
"But the enemy doesn't have its main force either. I only see Rock ninja…"
"Don't talk, just focus on regenerating. I don't want your men to die from lack of skeletal support or uncontrolled calcium build-up."
--
"Captain, the mounds will break soon! We have to stop their long-range attacks!"
"The others should have flanked them by now! Those needles and bones will stop anytime now, don't lose hope!"
"You heard the captain, men! Don't lose faith! The worst will be over soon!"
"Think of your country! Think of what you are fighting for! Don't forget…"
"REPORT!" It was a messenger from the flanking team. The captain's initial smile disappeared quickly after seeing the face of the messenger.
"Our team's been outnumbered! They had us going the whole time! We didn't go far enough to flank them! Most of our men have been killed! Our forces are too thin to continue!"
"We must continue!" bellowed the captain. "And what is it with us being outnumbered? It's two Hidden Villages against one, damn it!"
BOOM
"Oh, here comes the cavalry now, a bit late as usual," the captain said sullenly.
It was the Cloud ninja. Their jutsus were made all the more powerful by the rain. The ninjas were grouped in phalanxes, with the front row setting up a lightning shield to protect everybody behind them. The water bullets and bones could not penetrate the shields.
Behind the assaulting phalanxes, ninjas in the back were casting lightning bolts. Though it was difficult to aim precisely from a far distance, the damage was still deadly.
"Let them get close," Umani said. "Tell your men to fall back, Ankara. The Kaguya Clan's bloodlust begins when we start our close range combat. In the meantime, tell the Manjyoto and Medic clans to hurry up. They need to be here NOW!"
"All right. Umani. I'm counting on you. Fall back men! Good luck, Umani." With that, Ankara and his men were gone.
The weather began to clear. There was no more rain falling. The fog had lifted itself. Umani and the Kaguyas looked grimly on as the Cloud ninjas began their advance towards them. With grim satisfaction, the Mist ninjas began to take off their outer clothes, shivering in the cold, but burning in anxiety.
"Their phalanx formation is strong. Jump back and attack them from the rear," Umani stated.
"Yes, sir!"
-
Ankara was going at full speed. Nobody in all of Kirigakure had anywhere near his speed. As the first to have been given the powers of the Hiroko Clan, his abilities are unmatched.
As Ankara silently boasted, he felt a pang of jealousy: Kira. Though technically a wanderer, she still carries the blood of the Hiroko Clan within her. She is the last survivor of the actual clan, the rest of whom were massacred years ago. She acquired her abilities not from the artificial doings of the Mizukage, but naturally through her parents.
Ankara reminded himself that this was no time for petty rivalries. Kira willingly obeys Ankara's orders, as she does to all the leaders of the Seven Clans. Kira has no desire to rule; she only wants to help the First Mizukage do his job. Why should he bicker with her when there is nothing to debate on? Ankara quickly quenched the thoughts away, focusing on finding the main forces.
Ankara's men were all in the nearby woods. Should Umani be unable to stand against the Cloud ninjas, Ankara's men would come out as a surprise, overtaking the enemy. It was much better for Ankara to go alone, though he still felt a wave of panic when he thought about the possibility of himself getting ambushed.
Just as he was continuing in this vein, he heard a twig snap. Ankara sent a quick ice needle at the source, who blocked the needle easily.
"Calm down, Ankara. It's me."
Ankara breathed a sigh of relief. "Our forces are up ahead. Umani is leading the Kaguyas on a frontal defense against the enemy. We have also gained a minor victory, defeating a band of Rock ninjas who attempted to flank us. We…"
Ankara was shocked to realize who he was talking to. It was no mistake, the Sword of Muramasa was gleaming at the ninja's side. "Kira! What are you doing here! I didn't know…"
"Of course I'd be leading our main force personally. Jyashin-sama is busy planning everything out in the back, and so I get the honor instead. But let's save it for later. Lead us the way."
"Yes, we must hurry. I don't know how long everybody could last."
When they finally arrived, it was to find all the Mist ninjas fighting guerrilla warfare among the trees. A dead Rock ninja fell from a tree, a bone sticking out from his heart. Umani soon appeared.
"I'm sorry. We held them for a long time, but then their main force arrived. Your backup was very good planning – we even pushed their main force back a little. But we were outnumbered and outgunned. I ordered everybody remaining to go to the trees to start guerrilla fighting. Our loses are high – 35. That doesn't even include anybody who died in this forest."
"Tell them to regroup," Kira commanded. "We'll form a long line, and charge them out of these woods."
"Yes, sir!" Umani replied. He let out a shrill whistle that ran throughout the forest. Kira smiled. The whistle, to anyone unfamiliar to its sound, brought sure terror into men's hearts.
As Mist ninjas began to reform, Kira organized the main attacking force into legions. She maintained long-distance fighters in the back, letting them rest for the moment. In the far back, there was the Medic Clan. This clan, unlike the others, is not family based. Rather, gifted ninjas with impeccable chakra control were chosen to join the clan, and given a rigorous training regimen to become the world's most powerful medical corps.
"Everybody ready?" Kira shouted. "Charge!"
Kira moved forward quickly. She cast a large genjutsu to give the impression of a large shockwave, causing all the enemy ninjas to fall out of the trees. It was the moment Kira wanted. She charged forward, slaying everybody in her path. She led the way for destruction, as the horde of Mist ninjas stormed the forest.
A few scattered Rock and Cloud ninjas managed to get back into the plains. Kira halted the charge, letting the injured enemy limp away. "Just fight like how you always do," Kira told them.
--
"It appears the tide has turned," the Iwakage said.
"Then let's bring the tide to our side," replied the Raikage. "Let them feel the power of two kages. I know the Mizukage is in there somewhere. Who else could have led such a successful counterattack? I want to meet this Mizukage face to face in an honorable battle. I want to know why he is so popular, that the people have renamed him the First Mizukage, disregarding all the previous Mizukages."
It was a lot harder to turn the tide than expected. The Mist ninjas appeared to have all types of ninja, even appearing to have Cloud and Rock ninja on their side. Even the reserves had to be pulled in.
"So this is the fabled Manjyoto Clan," the Raikage said admiringly. "The Clan that can change the element of their attack. So they can use an element we are weak in – Water for our Cloud ninja, Wind for your Earth ninja – giving them a huge advantage. They are also very balanced in their skills of taijutsu, genjutsu, and ninjutsu. A powerful fighting force indeed."
"I think it is time we joined the fight."
-
"Sir, watch out!" A ninja rushed forward and pushed Manjyoto Hideki out of the way. Instead, a fierce lightning bolt hit the ninja instead. He had sacrificed himself to save his clan leader.
"So this is how a kage fights!" Hideki laughed deliriously. "Bring it on!"
A large boulder suddenly came from below the ground. Hideki knew there was no time for him to dodge it. Is this the end? Suddenly, a shiny sword cut the boulder cleanly into ten or so pieces. Hideki was temporarily shocked. Then he realized it was the Sword of Muramasa.
"Thank you, Kira."
Hideki focused on the Raikage, while Kira fought the Iwakage. Hideki, for the first time, found himself fighting an enemy he could not defeat. Hideki was a general fighter – he was balanced in every aspect. However, this was disadvantageous as he had to dodge the Raikage's attacks, which were more specialized. Had Hideki been better trained and faster, he would have been able to deal the first blows, but the Raikage was more experienced. Hideki knew he was in a losing situation, as he was constantly on the defensive.
Elsewhere, the Iwakage was laughing maniacally. They had sent this wench to fight him? What a joke! Women shouldn't be ninjas at all! Why, even the simplest kunai had struck her. She appeared to be disoriented, and always miscalculated her distances. In fact, if she got a bruise, she was lucky!
The remaining Rock and Cloud ninjas were regaining their momentum. The appearance of their Village kages toying with their foes brought inspiration into them. Every Rock and Cloud ninja burst out laughing at the sight of the clear mismatch.
"It will soon be ours!"
"You moron! The day is already ours!" A stream of laughter followed.
"Let's go men! Fight! We have nothing to fear!"
The Mist ninjas were gradually pushed back near the forest, where a thin fog was rising.
"Trying to hide, are we!" A chorus of laughter. "Cowards." Laughter. "Rats. Sewer rats!" More laughter.
The fog was thickening. Gradually, the Rock and Cloud ninjas couldn't see their comrades, and screams could be heard. They realized the screams all came from their fellow ninja, and no unfamiliar scream belonging to a faceless Mist ninja was heard.
"Get out! Get out! Retreat! Out, out, OUT!"
Quickly, the Rock and Cloud ninjas managed to get out of the fog. It was a nod to their skill that despite their extreme fog, they still retained their direction. Fortunately, fewer than 10 people were missing.
"Damn it! It was just the echoes from the surrounding region. We've been tricked!"
"Oh, have you?" It was a deep and sinister voice. The Raikage and Iwakage started. The Iwakage realized that he had been fighting an illusion all along. The illusionist was a master illusionist – the Iwakage was caught in an unescapable trap!
"All those movements, all those illusions… They were simply to manipulate me into this place? Impossible!"
"I beg to differ," replied a quiet and feminine voice. The Iwakage turned around, and saw the woman he was fighting. "You have disgraced my kind. You thought females shouldn't even be ninjas. That is unforgivable." And then, she thrust the Sword of Muramasa through the Iwakage's heart. The original sword of the great sword smith leaves no room for accidents – the Iwakage died instantly. He couldn't even move his fingers to protect himself – Kira had numbed all his muscles.
Suddenly, a strange horn was blown. It was not irritating, but certainly a disturbing sound. It was the final sound many heard. The Plains of Golgotha had been cleared of all Mist ninjas by then. The Rock and Cloud ninjas were caught on the battlefield, surrounded by a fog.
"The first gate of hell. Ravage!"
Flames shot up through the ground. Lava came spilling out from fissures.
"The second gate of hell. Pillage!"
The flames grew into a wild forest fire. The entire plains was caught in a choking, blood-red flame. The ninjas were getting slaughtered like pigs, and they knew it. The shrieks they gave before they burned to death were deathly and frightening.
"The third gate of hell. Rampage!"
Whirlwinds of fire began to rain down from the heavens. Most of the remaining ninjas were killed. What few remaining were protected by the electric field of the Raikage.
"The fourth gate of hell. Ravish!"
The fires around began to swirl tighter into a cyclone. It literally attempted to tear apart the electric field of the Raikage.
"Such power! I can't take it anymore! It's getting through with brute force! Is this the power of the First Mizukage?"
"The fifth gate of hell. Flash flood." This time, the voice did not shout, but rather carried certain finality in it.
The fire shot straight up into the air, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of meters into the dark sky. As though God had parted the sea the flames stood, but then, the invisible force holding them up collapsed. The flames rushed downward, killing everybody left in the plains.
The fire had been so intense that no water was left. The mist was gone, the rain had vaporized, and the land had become scorched. Perhaps no vegetation may ever grow on Golgotha again.
--
"Wow, that was unbelievable," Sakura said in a low whisper.
Everybody else was shocked Everybody knew that Hidden Mist could barely be called a shinobi village. The mist was blessed with natural protection, but instead, they wallow in civil wars, even worse than fighting other nations. Over a century of internal fighting has weakened Hidden Mist to near non-existence. However, Kirigakure's demonstration of might today was an iron wall. There were absolutely no holes.
"I always wondered why Orochimaru attacked Konoha without much support," Sasuke said sullenly after a while. "I always believed Hidden Mist to be the best option, drawing an image of a run-down cluster of shacks from what I heard. I wondered why Orochimaru didn't take Hidden Mist first, and then use its power together with Hidden Sand to defeat Konoha."
"Orochimaru must have known," Shikamaru concluded. "But he was too afraid to admit the fact that he could not take on anybody else. While his feelings for Konoha did play a major factor, he also knew that he had no choice. Hidden Rock is powerful enough to challenge Konoha by itself, and Hidden Cloud has too little cover to conduct a secret takeover. Rock and Cloud always had an on-off alliance, which made it too risky to take Cloud. So, Orochimaru could only trick Hidden Sand and use its power to attempt to destroy Hidden Leaf."
"And I have managed to see the power of the Seven Clans," Jiraiya added. He did not use his playful, high voice, but rather his deep and serious voice.
"What are the Seven Clans?" asked Sakura.
"A century ago, when Hidden Mist had just come out of the last Great Shinobi War unscathed, it was the strongest village of all. The 'clans' of Hidden Mist had been instrumental to its complete victory, and became extremely proud of themselves. All their members were extreme factionalists, eventually leading to the bloodiest civil war recorded in history. No clan was willing to give in until the last man died. The last remaining clan had only a handful of people remaining, no more than 20. They searched far and wide for the descendants of the other clans. They managed to locate descendants of five other factions, and together became the Six Clans."
"But you said…"
"Hold on, the story doesn't end there. Even though Hidden Mist was able to remain powerful enough to be a Great Shinobi Village, internal strife continued. The people finally had enough of it, and began the Mass Purge about 20 years ago. All members of clans were hunted and killed in cold blood."
"I still remember the day the massacre began," Kakashi stated.
"It was terrible. The darkest day I have ever known. It never ceased raining," Gai added.
"It was all filmed and reported," Kurenai interjected. "Babies decapitated, women raped and murdered, the men forced to dig their own graves, then pushed in and buried alive." She shuddered. "Nobody was ever going to forget that. The Mizukage at that time was driven insane, and they found him three days later, hanged. He was so ashamed that he couldn't even commit seppuku."
"Indeed," Jiraiya went on. "The screams never ceased from Hidden Mist. Even border patrols in Konoha and Kumo could hear the wailing across the sea." Jiraiya paused, and everybody paid their respects to the dead. "But there is no point brooding about the past. Hidden Mist certainly realized it, elected their 11th Mizukage, who was an old and benign codger, and attempted to restart life. Obviously they couldn't do it."
"Until the 12th Mizukage arrived," Shikamaru pointed out. "I hear things here and there. A foreign prodigy arrived in Hidden Mist one way or another. He quickly became the 11th Mizukage's personal advisor, and three years later became the 12th Mizukage. Life became much better after that – there were no more internal conflicts."
"All our ANBU reports confirmed that the village was still impoverished," Kakashi said. "We were wrong."
"And now, these original six clans have suddenly resurfaced," Jiraiya added. "The Kaguya Clan, as you know, can manipulate their bone structure. You have seen the carnage of the Mitsuko Clan, which can merge with the cells of another. The long range fighters who manipulate water and ice belonged to the Hiroko Clan. I believe Team 7 had met one of them in their first C-rank mission."
"I'll never forget Haku," Naruto said. "He became himself because of Hidden Mist's wretchedness. Nobody cared for him until Zabuzza."
"The Manjyoto Clan is an elite fighting force," Jiraiya went on, "able to change the element of their attacks. They can change the core nature of their chakra to any one of the five elements – fire, water, lightning, wind, and earth. You probably noticed the power of their medics, Sakura. They carry only a portion of the former power of the Tomayko Clan, who can control their chakra to weave through the eye of a needle."
"I've never seen such an advanced medical squadron before," Sakura nodded in agreement. "They could even give Tsunade-sama a run for her money."
"However, you may have noticed that I said 'Seven Clans'? Remember, the Mizukage is foreign to Hidden Mist, so he naturally brought his own clan's abilities to Hidden Mist. I could never find out what clan he belonged to, or which village he came from."
The group was awed at the renewed power of Hidden Mist. It was as if the Hidden Mist of old, the Hidden Mist who emerged victorious from the last Great Shinobi War, had returned.
"What's better," Jiraiya added as an afterthought, "the people worship their new leader. They even christened him as the First Mizukage."
--
Tsunade had watched the video of the battle over and over again. She had practically memorized all the details of the battle. The initial surge of victory for the Mist, the sudden appearance of the Cloud and Rock main force, the guerrilla fighting in the forest, the charge of the Mist, and that last scorch of the earth: it was all in Tsunade's memory. She was curious to know just what was that jutsu, the five gates of hell?
On her desk lay details of the peace treaty. It was to be conducted at Hidden Leaf, on neutral ground. Tsunade had decreed that all available ninjas chunin level and above would be on alert to guard against any attacks. She even asked Gaara to send reinforcements.
Below this treaty lay Gaara's letter. He had given his consent to Tsunade's request for troops. He was even going to come personally with Temari and Kankuro. Finally, Gaara had laid out plans for a peace token. It was a bold move, to try to reconcile the partakers of the war. Tsunade doubted it would pass – Hidden Mist had crushed Hidden Rock and Hidden Cloud. In fact, Rock and Cloud had to recruit pre-teens to do enough missions just to survive!
"What is it, Jiraiya?" Tsunade asked lazily.
Jiraiya's head suddenly appeared behind a pillar. "Aw, Tsunade. I was just marveling at your magnificent…"
"Don't push it, Jiraiya," replied Tsunade maliciously.
"Fine, fine, fine," Jiraiya backed off noticeably. "And by the way, did you enjoy the tape?"
"Immensely. Care to expand on the video with the information you gathered?"
"By all means. I believe you are familiar with Hidden Mist's story, and what I have told Shikamaru?"
"Of course."
"Well, the Clans that fought for Hidden Mist generally do not work together. The Manjyoto and Kaguya clans have been blood enemies since they began. I have also seen members of different clans working perfectly together, as though they have been a team since time began. Even our village, reputed to be the most peaceful village, cannot synchronize our clans perfectly. Every clan is adverse to work with another – they always try to reduce their own losses, and to get another clan to do all the work."
A bird suddenly perched on the window sill. Tsunade, lost in her musings, absently looked at the bird.
"The clans of Hidden Mist work tirelessly to promote themselves. That is certain. Yet their interests do not seem to collide, and I have met very few of their clan members at Hidden Mist. No more than 3 people from each clan were at Hidden Mist. In fact, Hidden Mist seems to be a commercial center, filled more with commoners and academy students than real ninjas. Other than the, what should we call them, delegates from each clan, the highest level ninja I found at Hidden Mist was a genin."
"So their actual bases of operation are elsewhere?"
"Precisely. With nowhere else to expand, I drew the easiest conclusion. Hidden Mist's clans are focusing on expanding seaward, building a naval empire."
The bird suddenly flew away, into the distant horizon. Tsunade watched its flight for a while, then responded. "Naval empires are indeed more powerful than land empires. You'll have more diverse resources, you'll hold it easier than land empires, and you won't need large armies to sustain it."
"That, exactly, is why I believe Hidden Mist is so powerful. First, they can sustain a large empire, increasing their revenues and decreasing expenditures. Second, their clans can quench their lust for battle by expanding their own lands towards the sea. Third, the seas toward the East are large, so the Hidden Mist clans can fight to their heart's content without conflicting each other. And with these reasons, Hidden Mist can work harmoniously together, and people will be too busy to fight each other."
"Not to mention the huge morale boost they got a week ago. The people won't rise up if their country is prosperous. They will be a terrible burden to take on."
"Not necessarily. You may have noticed that Hidden Mist dared go no further than Mariana Island? They are masters of the sea, not of land. When they raided a band of Rock ninjas at Hell's Gorge, Hidden Mist suffered catastrophic losses. Their entire raiding party was annihilated. They won't try to fight on land in the near future."
"So you think they will agree to this proposal of peace?"
"By all means, no! If there is anything they need, it is the power to fight on land. The best thing to do is to take over lands belonging to Hidden Cloud and Hidden Rock. And just to make sure there is no fear of future retribution, they will have to crush Cloud and Rock to the point that they will never stand up again."
Tsunade looked out her window. Her heart dropped, as she saw the delegates arrive. It was going to get very rowdy. The Rock and Cloud councils had arrived, as their kages were killed in battle. They arrived with a retinue of bodyguards – it must have been half of all their remaining adult shinobi.
Then, the delegates for Hidden Mist arrived. There could be no starker contrast. The Mizukage had arrived. He was clearly in high spirits, going about in a light step. He was almost hopping toward the meeting grounds. However, only four people arrived: the Mizukage and three bodyguards flanking him. Tsunade let out a delirious laugh. From outward appearances, Hidden Mist seemed to have been decimated in the war.
What really surprised Tsunade was the ease at which the negotiations had gone. Hidden Mist was extremely generous for a victor. Even the most conservative members of the Rock and Cloud councils had to feel grateful. Not only did Hidden Mist not take any more land, they even gave back some territory Hidden Mist claimed from Hidden Cloud in the past. Of course, Tsunade felt that the area was not especially important to the Mist, so that might not have been generosity.
The Mizukage was a wonderful man. He was tall, but gaunt, old, but lively. When Tsunade presented Gaara's proposition, the Mizukage gracefully accepted.
"I must say," the old man replied, "you have a most ingenuous method. I am impressed. Of course we'll accept this proposal. It seems quite fun."
Something was not right. Tsunade could sense it. Everything had gone perfectly, something that never happens for Tsunade. But there simply was nothing that could have gone wrong.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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