The turmoil of the moment seemed suspended in a temporal bubble, an unreal pause before chaos descended upon the city. The sudden event had thrown the soldiers into an abyss of confusion. Each wondered, with palpable urgency, what had just unfolded before their disbelieving eyes. Was it a failure of reality itself? Were they still engaged in the frenzied assault on Uzushio, the city seemingly on the verge of collapse under their relentless onslaught?
Suddenly, like lightning in the night, a dazzling light pierced the sky, accompanied by a shrill sound, and then, a heavy, oppressive silence fell like a guillotine. It was the calm before the storm, a portentous stillness in the charged air.
Before time could resume its course, a shockwave of unimaginable violence rippled through the land, shaking the very foundations of existence.
All those near the city could do was watch, wide-eyed and frozen, as Uzushio vanished in an instant. The shockwave surged with relentless force through the turbulent waters of the ocean, causing towering waves to rise. These waves carried numerous ships into the depths.
With the force of the blast, many men were thrown into the water and swept away, sucked into the swirling vortexes of the region.
The paralysis that gripped the survivors was brief, their survival instinct imbuing them with newfound energy, propelling them into action and aid. Despite the shock, the shinobi scrambled to assist those they could save from certain death.
Yet, a haunting question hung on every lip, encapsulating the general disbelief:
"What just happened?"
However, in the moments before Uchiha Madara's technique was activated, the attention of many was captivated by the tumult of battle. Yet, a few, in their vigilance, noticed peculiar details. A whitish mass, titanic, stealthily emerged amidst the silhouettes of the buildings, its presence reminiscent of that of a gigantic slug, partially concealed by the buildings' shadows.
But what truly fascinated these keen observers was not so much the creature's imposing size, but rather the figure perched atop what appeared to be its head: a feminine silhouette, her hair a vivid pink. And this was not the first time such hair had been mentioned during this war. Numerous witnesses, civilians, soldiers, even shinobi, claimed to have glimpsed a person sporting this striking hair color after fierce battles. Was this the same individual whose exploits had been recounted since the conflict's inception? Or was it simply a troubling coincidence?
However, an even more striking event caught the attention of the few witnesses to the assaults encircling the besieged city.
A towering figure, emerging from the turmoil, ascended to the top of the last bastion still standing. This figure was not unfamiliar, his name evoked many times since the beginning of hostilities. So many accounts, so many descriptions painted him as an insurmountable creature, an indomitable force of nature. So, what was he doing here, in this place of chaos? Answers remained elusive, engulfed in the heat of the action, as a dazzling flash of light plunged all eyes into a feverish anticipation.
Among the assailants, doubt grew: was it one of their own who had unleashed this unprecedented devastation, or had the Uzumaki, pushed to their limits, finally decided to seal their own fate in a desperate final act? But only a few discerning minds perceived the truth, understanding that this terrible power emanated from the figure standing atop the city's zenith.
The simultaneous presence of these two figures at the heart of the conflict portended an alliance with Konoha. However, this hypothesis wavered when reality revealed itself in all its cruelty: one of the two had just reduced Uzushio to ashes. This sudden betrayal raised a multitude of questions among the ranks of the aggressors. Who were these individuals, whose unknown names resounded on the battlefields? On whose behalf were they acting, if not allied with Konoha?
But this was no time to dwell on conjectures and suppositions.
"Status of the troops!" roared one of the commanders leading the assault.
After the initial shock of the attack, order gradually reasserted itself, with instructions flying in all directions to organize the sea rescues. After half an hour of frenzied efforts, a semblance of order emerged, a precarious stability as everyone gazed at the towering cloud of dust and smoke rising above Uzushio... or what little remained of it.
"Commander, we have suffered losses estimated at nearly thirty percent of our equipment and twenty percent of our personnel," reported a shinobi from the sand after performing calculations with his comrades.
"Damnation!" cursed the man, his gaze fixed on the ruins before him. "Do we have any idea what just happened?"
"We have no certainty, commander," immediately replied his subordinate, eyes fixed on the rubble. There were sporadic chakra flashes, suggesting failures in Fūinjutsu seals.
"Could it have come from our ranks?" wondered the commander.
No, it couldn't have been theirs; such a strategy was not part of the plan. As the responsible party for this assault, he would have been informed of any such project.
"Perhaps a suicidal act?" suggested one of the sailors manning the ship's helm.
"To sacrifice themselves to such an extent? To prefer death to our confrontation, while inflicting maximum losses?" pondered the military leader, perplexed. "It doesn't make sense. They would have waited until we were closer."
Such a strategy could not be ruled out, but it was not the most likely choice.
"What are your orders, commander?" asked the subordinate, noting his superior's concentrated expression.
"Send several scouts to investigate," ordered the commander, before seeing another shinobi land at his side.
"Permission to speak, commander," said the newcomer, kneeling.
"Proceed with your report," ordered the commander without hesitation.
"I believe a third faction is at play, commander," declared the earth shinobi outright.
"How so?" inquired the commander at this revelation.
"It didn't come from us or the Uzumaki clan," continued the bald man. "I've seen them again, commander."
This simple announcement filled the military leader with frustration. It wasn't the first time he had heard of them! Throughout the war, reports spoke of two individuals responsible for numerous deaths. They were likely behind raids, looting, and murders, an alarming threat.
Why? Because no one survived long enough to provide clear information about them. No precise description, just two elusive shadows. Always observed from afar, or the few survivors of their attacks only muttered incoherent remarks. Everyone knew of their existence, but no one had reliable information. A frustration for all the great commanders: knowing the enemy without being able to grasp it.
"Explain yourself immediately," ordered the turbaned man, representing Kaze No Kuni.
"I had a brief glimpse of the person with pink hair... but for the other, I'm certain. I could recognize his attire and hair through my spyglass... and the attack came from HIM!" he declared with assurance.
"You mean that ONE man! accomplished THIS!?" exclaimed the commander, almost pointing at Uzushio with his finger. It was simply unthinkable that one individual could unleash such devastation. Only Hashirama Senju and Uchiha Madara would have been capable of such a feat, and even then, it would have required multiple assaults.
"Affirmative, sir!"
Around them, worried murmurs began to spread, fear slowly creeping into the ranks. And it was understandable. Who was this individual, endowed with extraordinary abilities, perhaps even comparable, if not superior, to the ancient shinobi gods? Enough to send chills down the spine of any seasoned shinobi.
"Send a second squad of scouts. If these individuals are still there, they are to immediately retreat. Take a sensory shinobi with you. If no survivors are found, return. The mission will then be considered complete. Move the fleet and army back a good half kilometer, in case another attack of this kind occurs," ordered the man after a moment of reflection.
"Yes, sir!" chorused the men, immediately getting to work.
"Prepare me a scroll and something to write with!" added the commander.
He needed to write messages to his superiors, and quickly!
As the ships and army pulled back slightly, two squads headed towards the ruins of Uzushio, with palpable apprehension. As they approached, they discovered numerous bodies, both theirs and Uzumaki. But soon, their vision was seized by the rubble, leaving no structure standing.
"Disperse and always in pairs. If one is attacked, don't play the hero and perform a visible Ninjutsu quickly," said the squadron leader before seeing his unit scatter into what remained of the city. Occasionally, they saw corpses between two rocks, sometimes they found a severed limb... but they found no survivors or enemies. At the same time, who would have survived such an attack?
"Nao... any losses among our scouts?" asked the leader to a teenager by his side who had his eyes closed and was concentrating on his sensory ability.
"None of our scout troops have died, sir."
"Do you sense any survivors?"
"None."
The Uzumaki clan was indeed eradicated.
Day 315
Tobirama Senju had seldom felt such a surge of irritation. The only occasions he had been as exasperated were when he had to consent to a truce with Uchiha Madara and when Madara subsequently attacked Konoha. But this time was of an entirely different nature: this war was a true nightmare!
Despite their successful advance on the southern front towards the hidden village of Suna, and the attempts to break through the western defenses of Tsuchi No Kuni, Tobirama had been unable to gather reinforcements quickly enough in response to Uzushio's call for help. The bitter realization was thus inexorable: Uzushio no longer existed. Konoha had just lost an invaluable ally.
Two men stood before him, giving their reports. One had been dispatched with the reinforcements to rescue Uzushio. Back in Konoha, he detailed what they had discovered on-site, while the rest of the army continued its advance towards the Kaminari No Kuni front.
The other man, a shinobi infiltrator among the enemy, was there to provide crucial information. Tobirama knew that such missions were sometimes necessary, and espionage was an integral part of it. Today, this shinobi's testimony was invaluable to the Nidaime Hokage.
"Unfortunately, we arrived too late, Hokage-sama, the village was already reduced to ruins, littered with corpses. The enemy had vanished when we arrived," reported the first soldier.
"How many survivors?" Tobirama asked immediately, his throat tight and his heart heavy at the loss of this precious ally.
"None..."
"Pardon?" Tobirama exclaimed, taken aback.
How could that be possible? Even in the fiercest battles, there were always survivors, wounded. Ashina Uzumaki, with all his military experience, would surely have ordered an evacuation if he had realized the city was doomed.
"They must have blocked all exits, preventing any escape, Hokage-sama. That's the only plausible explanation for the total absence of survivors," added the jonin.
"Do you confirm?" Tobirama asked, turning to the spy.
"Absolutely. The troops did indeed encircle Uzushio, but a passage could have been opened if Uzumaki-dono had dispatched a rescue force," replied the second man.
"Then why...?" Tobirama wondered, staring at his desk. "Something eludes me. With their mastery of Fuinjutsu and their combat skills, the Uzumaki should have had a chance of survival. Why didn't they try to flee?"
"They didn't have time. The city was hit by an S-rank Ninjutsu."
"Mū was involved?" Tobirama was surprised.
That was the most logical explanation. The Nidaime Tsuchikage was known for resorting to extremely powerful techniques. But how was he involved when he was supposed to be in the Land of Rain, according to the latest reports received?
"It wasn't them," corrected the spy in a calm tone, anticipating the Nidaime Hokage's icy reaction.
"Repeat!"
This outburst of harshness was not directed at the reporting shinobi but at their enemies. Who could have caused the fall of Uzushio to weaken Konoha? The loss of this ally would have significant consequences for the war and Leaf's power against other countries.
"Uzushio wasn't destroyed by Iwa, Suna, or Kumo," repeated the man who had heard the army's rumors after the Uzumaki clan was eradicated.
"Ashina would never have tolerated suicide... he had too much honor for that."
If none of the other three countries were responsible, only this absurd and unlikely option from the Uzumaki remained.
"It didn't come from the Uzumaki clan either, Hokage-sama."
At this statement, the Senju was momentarily perplexed and fixed the spy shinobi. Who could have decided to annihilate an entire village like Uzushio? Who and why?
"Who?"
"No one knows who they are or who they work for," began the man, noticing the rage burning in his leader's eyes. "But they're the same individuals we've been hearing about since the beginning of the war. Some even mention the existence of a third faction..."
Tobirama felt anger bubbling within him as he understood that the spy was alluding to these two mysterious individuals evading all identification and tracking.
"They weren't alone? Who employs them?" he questioned vehemently, determined to put an end to their actions and those who support them.
"They were presumably still acting alone, Hokage-sama. The individual with pink hair appeared at the head of a huge creature right in the middle of the city's buildings. And...," he hesitated, searching for his words to best convey the attack the troops had suffered.
"AND then? Speak!" Tobirama ordered, his emotions seeming to escape him more and more in the face of these two mysteries that had hindered his path from the beginning.
"The other individual was spotted on top of a building. He unleashed a technique that devastated the city and sunk several ships nearby. In a single attack, Uzushio was destroyed, along with a large number of enemy shinobi. The scouts sent there are unanimous: there are no survivors on the Whirlpool Country side. All have been eradicated, civilians and shinobi... all... no more life left. I deemed it necessary to return immediately to convey this information to you," the shinobi finally concluded.
The Nidaime remained silent, lost in thought, gathering his reflections.
So, these two individuals were capable of annihilating an entire village. It was the last straw. Tobirama Senju could not let this humiliation go unpunished, let alone let them act with impunity. Today it was Uzushio, and tomorrow who? There was no way he would let these individuals roam freely through the various countries any longer, and especially, he would take no risk that they would target Konoha.
If none of his elite ninjas had managed to capture them, Tobirama decided it was time for him to go to the front. The war had to stop immediately, and with it the atrocities of these two people whom he now considered as individuals to be eliminated as a priority. If he had had their identities, he would have immediately had them registered in the Bingo Book. But now, this detail was insignificant. The Nidaime Hokage swore to eliminate them himself. Their insolence and impertinence had gone on for too long. It was time for it to end.
He dismissed the ninjas and set about preparing his imminent departure for the war, the one from which he could emerge victorious, whatever the cost.
Day 320
It had been nearly a month since Hiruzen Sarutobi stood on the front lines with his team, on the outskirts of the Land of Rain. A month of leading the troops alongside his best friend, Danzo Shimura. They had devised numerous tactics to traverse and weaken the enemy, but it had to be admitted: when an Earth Country ninja decided to hold a position, they defended it with unwavering firmness!
After all, the shinobi of Tsuchi No Kuni were masters of Doton-type Ninjutsu, a skill that made them defense experts. Thus, breaking through their ranks was a daunting task.
For three days, the Konoha troops had not launched any attacks. A tacit ceasefire had been established between the two camps, imposed by Hiruzen himself after receiving a missive from Tobirama Senju. This message had cast a cold chill among the troops.
Hiruzen,
Uzushio is no more, it is time for this war to cease, I will be there in four days.
Tobirama Senju
Reading this letter, Hiruzen was so stunned that he didn't realize he had repeated its contents aloud, so not only did Danzo Shimura hear it, but so did everyone around. The news that Uzushio had been utterly wiped off the map spread like wildfire through the Leaf ninja ranks.
On one hand, the announcement of their leader's arrival was a glimmer of hope, indicating that things would likely turn in their favor. But it also meant they were in a desperate position, requiring the presence of the Nidaime to ensure a clear and definitive victory, to avoid suffering the same fate as their recently vanished allies.
"I still find it hard to accept that Uzushio is gone," Danzo murmured, sitting by the fire with his friend Hiruzen and a few other ninja.
"Just like you, Danzo... it seems we greatly underestimated our enemies," Sarutobi added, tinged with shame. He remembered the conversation he had had a month ago with his students about the dangers of losing an ally. "Sometimes, I wonder if what we're doing is really the solution..."
"What do you mean?" Danzo asked, surprised by his friend's words.
All the ninjas gathered around the fire were listening attentively to the conversation initiated by Hiruzen. They were part of the small number of ninjas in whom the Hokage had complete trust. He had carefully selected and trained them, and among them was an Uchiha.
As surprising as it may seem, Tobirama Senju had learned to appreciate an Uchiha for his qualities and values. But this one was the only one worthy of his attention and respect. He was not like the other members of his clan; he had a broader, more global vision. So, when he heard such a statement from Hiruzen Sarutobi, Kagami Uchiha, the future father of the legendary Shisui Uchiha, listened very attentively. Despite his young age, he was an extremely competent ninja, with remarkable analytical skills. This was one of the reasons he envisioned broader and more distant perspectives than most members of his clan.
"Fighting amongst ourselves," explained Sarutobi in response to his friend's question.
"It's our duty, Hiruzen," Danzo replied mechanically.
"I know, but this world war seems to be replicating on a large scale what we experienced on a small scale during the provincial wars, and the desire for revenge only grows in the hearts of many," Hiruzen replied, with a bitter feeling in the back of his throat. "When I think of our allies, our friends, our brothers who perished because of... of... well, it makes me furious, and I can't help but feel the need to make them pay."
"There's something else, isn't there?" Kagami asked, entering the conversation. Many heads turned in his direction, surprised by his intervention. He was usually a discreet ninja.
"Just a bad feeling."
"Do you want to share it with us?" Danzo asked before seeing his friend sigh as he massaged his temples.
"Coming from Konoha, my team and I were ambushed," began Hiruzen.
"Ninjas from Tsuchi No Kuni?" Danzo supposed, knowing that enemies often lurked behind enemy lines.
"Yes, but technically, I probably should have arrived here alone. My students should have perished at that moment," he added, suppressing a shiver at the thought of his own students' deaths. Even though death in battle was the lot of the ninja, Hiruzen could not accept it for his students, who still had a whole life ahead of them.
"Why should you have been alone?" another ninja near the fire inquired.
"No need to pretend, we all know there are two individuals somewhere in the Elemental Nations who are making a name for themselves... and without them, my students would probably be dead by now," revealed Sarutobi to the assembly.
"So it's not just a rumor," Danzo said, stroking the scar on his chin. "What do they look like?"
"I don't know. I'm relying solely on my students' descriptions, which match what we already know, and I think we're dealing with two A-rank minimum, possibly S-rank, ninjas."
"To that extent?"
"Our opponents weren't extraordinary, but according to Orochimaru, they subdued their assailants in the blink of an eye. I know they're only children, but I trust their judgment."
"Why did they help your students?"
"I don't know," conceded Hiruzen, who had to admit that he still wondered why they had intervened to save his students.
"Probably because they're children," intervened Kagami Uchiha, also immersed in his thoughts. For a while, he had been scrutinizing this possible threat embodied by these two individuals. He knew that every rumor contained a grain of truth, and the lack of information represented a potential danger.
Kagami had then set about gathering as many testimonials as possible from his comrades and the civilians he encountered. The Uchiha had a multitude of questions. Why these resource losses? Why these incessant raids? Why were these villages and towns reduced to ashes, with not a single body found? Why these unexplained disappearances? Who was capable of committing such acts and vanishing into thin air without being captured?
Kagami Uchiha had one name... but was it even possible?
"Perhaps, but I don't like the idea of two ninjas of that caliber roaming around like that without us knowing who they are," added Sarutobi to Kagami.
"How were they described?"
"A woman with pink hair and turquoise eyes, wearing a bright red outfit. She doesn't seem to be affiliated with any clan or country. As for the second one, no one can describe him accurately..."
"Genjutsu," Kagami immediately thought, seeing there a simple but effective ability to remain incognito. "How tall?"
"Six foot three, maybe less, long hair, the usual stuff," replied Hiruzen, describing the information they already had on these two individuals.
These confirmations were crucial for Kagami. They undeniably matched one of his most daring theories. He had analyzed the descriptions, the techniques used in the villages and towns. They were ninjutsu practiced by very few people, little-known methods. But what gave even more weight to his hypothesis was the size of the individual.
At first, Kagami had refused to believe it, but faced with these elements, he could no longer deny the evidence. All the pieces of the puzzle seemed to be falling into place.
After all, no one had found Uchiha Madara's body.
And the only person capable of all this could only be the declared dead clan leader.
[Thank you so much for your support and feedback. I know that sometimes my sentences may be a bit awkward, but English is not my native language, and I apologize for that. I hope you still enjoy the story just as much :)]