Chapter 65 - The Meeting
Early Morning – Konoha's Frontline Camp
The crisp morning air carried a slight chill as Kazane stood at the entrance of the camp. Before him stretched a sea of over two thousand shinobi, their faces marked with a mix of determination and unease.
Some were seasoned warriors, their hardened expressions revealing years of experience.
Others were young recruits, barely past their academy days, their eyes filled with nervous excitement and fear.
This was the force entrusted to him.
Kazane took a deep breath, steadying himself before addressing them.
"Brothers and sisters!"
His voice rang loud and firm, cutting through the quiet murmurs of the crowd.
"Some of you standing here today are my seniors—shinobi who have dedicated your lives to protecting Konoha. Others among you are fresh from the Academy, yet to experience the horrors of war."
He let his words hang in the air, his gaze sweeping over the assembled soldiers.
"In a better world, none of you would be here. You would be home, safe within Konoha's walls, enjoying your lives."
A solemn hush fell over the crowd.
"But because of their greed—because of the selfish ambitions of the other villages—our home is under threat."
His voice rose, strong and unyielding, pressing upon them with the weight of reality.
"Our families are under threat."
He took a step forward, his presence commanding.
"Can we afford to retreat?"
His question echoed.
The silence was deafening.
Then—
"No."
A single voice answered.
Then another.
And another.
Until the murmur grew into a roaring tide of conviction.
Kazane's eyes hardened.
"If we turn our backs now, we hand them the right to take everything from us—to pillage our land, to slaughter our loved ones."
He raised his hand, clenching his fist in front of them.
"There is no retreat."
His next words were like a hammer striking iron—
"We stand, we fight, and we WIN."
For a moment, the battalion stood still.
Then—
A roar.
"YES!"
The ground itself seemed to tremble beneath the thunderous voices of two thousand shinobi.
Kazane's lips curled into a smile.
"Then—MOVE OUT!"
With his command, the entire battalion surged forward, marching toward their inevitable confrontation with the Mist.
---
In the heart of Kirigakure's war camp, beneath the gloomy overcast sky, a dimly lit command tent stood at the center of their encampment.
Inside, Fourth Mizukage Yagura Karatachi sat at the head of a long table, his cold eyes scanning a detailed map of the battlefield.
The room was silent, save for the soft tapping of Yagura's fingers against the wooden surface.
Around him, the commanders of the Mist stood in tense anticipation.
"Lord Mizukage," spoke Mizunoyuki Izumi, head of the Yuki Clan, his tone calm yet insistent,
"Danzo, that old fox, has been delaying us with diversion tactics. He's been setting up fake camps, luring our scouts into ambushes—all just to stall us until Konoha's reinforcements arrive."
He leaned forward, eyes glinting with sharp calculation.
"We should abandon our pursuit of his Root forces and move directly into the Fire Nation's core territory. Strike Konoha while we still hold the advantage."
The suggestion hung in the air, heavy with implication.
Yagura's expression remained neutral, his tapping slowing as he turned his piercing gaze toward the other commanders.
"What do the rest of you think?"
A gruff voice broke the silence.
"I agree," growled Taketori Souchou, leader of the Kaguya Clan. His wild, battle-hungry eyes burned with impatience.
"We've waited long enough—let's storm Konoha and slaughter every last one of them!"
At that moment, a noticeable hesitation flickered across the face of Juzo Biwa—one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and wielder of the Executioner's Blade.
Yagura's gaze immediately caught the hesitation.
His fingers stopped tapping.
"Juzo," he called, his tone unreadable.
"Something on your mind?"
Juzo clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as he took a moment before answering.
"…We should confirm where Kazane Hatake is first."
His voice was quiet, hesitant. With a hint of fear.
"If he's still in the Fire Nation… then I advise extreme caution."
The tent fell into silence.
Then—
A scoff.
Followed by mocking laughter.
"Tch. What happened to the mighty Seven Ninja Swordsmen?"
The sneer came from Souchou, his lip curling in disdain.
"Is this what a single teenage brat did to you?"
Juzo's face darkened, but he held his tongue.
It wasn't fear—it was experience.
He had fought Kazane once.
And he knew that the boy was no ordinary shinobi.
Yagura's brows furrowed slightly.
His pink eyes gleamed with an icy sharpness.
He leaned forward, his voice cutting through the air like a blade.
"Juzo," he said coldly,
"Your cowardice is an embarrassment to the Mist."
Before Juzo could respond, a sudden commotion erupted outside the tent.
A Mist ANBU agent burst into the room, bowing deeply before speaking.
"Lord Mizukage! Konoha's forces have been spotted!"
The entire tent shifted, their focus snapping toward the scout.
Yagura's eyes narrowed slightly, but his lips curled into a small, amused smile.
"Oh? How far?"
"Roughly ten miles out. They'll reach our outer defensive perimeter in less than ten minutes."
For a moment, the tent fell into silence.
Then—
A low chuckle.
Followed by a full, unrestrained laugh.
Yagura stood up. His four-tailed coral staff rested at his side, radiating silent authority. His laughter died down, but his eyes gleamed with excitement.
"Perfect," he murmured, stepping forward.
Then, his smile widened, his presence filling the room with a chilling aura.
"Then let's go greet our guests."
The two forces meet at the clearing near Kohaku Village.
At the front of Konoha's formation, Kazane walked ahead of his troops, eyes locked onto the enemy commander.
There—Fourth Mizukage Yagura.
The Mist's leader looked… young. A child, barely distinguishable from an Academy student, with his round face and short stature.
But Kazane knew better.
Behind that innocent-looking face lurked a monster. He could also see Juzo Biwa, standing slightly behind Yagura.
The swordsman's face twisted in visible unease the moment their eyes met.
He remembers.
Kazane's smile widened as he slowly raised his left hand.
Then—
With deliberate slowness, he dragged his thumb across his throat—a silent promise of unfinished business.
Juzo flinched.
Noticing this, Yagura's expression darkened.
"What's wrong, Juzo?" he said, his voice dripping with disdain.
Juzo took an involuntary step back before realizing what he had done.
He quickly straightened, but the damage was done—his fear was visible.
Yagura's lips curled in disgust.
"Tch."
And then—his gaze snapped back to Kazane.
"So... you're Kazane Hatake."
His voice rang across the battlefield.
"Has Konoha fallen so far that they need to send children to fight their battles?"
Funny how the two of them looked like children, leading thousands of Ninja's to war. Then again, they're not kids in mind.
Kazane laughed.
"Not at all," he replied. "Dealing with the Mist is just so easy that even a child is enough."
Murmurs rippled through the Mist ranks.
Yagura's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Hmph. You have quite the mouth, boy. But tell me—" his voice dropped, his aura flaring with quiet menace.
"Did you at least prepare your own grave before coming here?"
Kazane grinned.
"Oh, no need for that," he said easily.
"You see—Konoha has been experimenting with a brand-new Earth Style technique. It's called 'Coffin Style Jutsu.'
"And don't worry, Lord Mizukage—I'll make sure we prepare an extra-small coffin just for you."