Naruto: The Last Harbinger of Storm – Book 2
NTLHOS BOOK 2: Chapter 9 – The Gathering Woods In The Pyre
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"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." – Plato
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Previously on NTLHOS:
"Whose side are you on, Grand Monk?" Jeramy Aethil's voice rang across the room. "This is a clear attempt at war-mongering. Even other villages will stake a claim to Mist, which could lead to war."
The Fire Daimyo's head was churning. If the fall of the Hidden Mist led to the collapse of the Land of Water, how much did that mean the Land of Fire depended on its own hidden village?
And the real question—how dependent is the Hidden Leaf?
"Call a Daimyo Summit."
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Now:
The world burned.
Uzushio's retaliation had shaken the Five Nations to their very core. While the fires of war raged across the Land of Water, something similar was happening in Konohagakure except the flames here weren't physical. They loomed in meeting halls, behind closed doors.
And in one quiet, traditional chamber, an old man sat with a cigar in his fingers, the smoke curling around his sunken face. Nara Shikaku's father.
A crippled man. A man who had stayed silent for over a decade, never interfering in village politics since the beginning of Third Shinobi War. He had no opinion when Hiruzen fought to maintain his rule. He had no words when Danzo made his moves. He let Shikaku handle everything. Shikaku would brief him of the happenings but he always stayed silent.
But today, after all these years, he took a long drag of his cigar and spoke.
"If it's true that Nobinaga has been repelled by the new Grace of Uzushio…" he exhaled, smoke filling the room, "then this is a political disaster."
Shikaku sat at attention. His father never spoke like this.
"For the first time in recorded history, a major power one of the five has been so thoroughly defeated that a foreign flag is hoisted in its Daimyo's palace." The old man's eyes narrowed. "The closest thing to this situation was when Uzushio was attacked all those years ago. But even then, Lord Ashina made sure no one touched the palace nor could occupy the land. Nobinaga didn't just lose a battle he made a country lose."
His voice turned sharp, cold as iron.
"This has never happened before. And if you would ask me I would say it's impossible. There is an unspoken rule not to seize the capital of a major Daimyo, there is always conflicts, territory are ceased and annexed but never the capital. It was the line never to be crossed. If so the other nation would converge upon the perpetrator. But that rule was violated when Uzushio's invasion and subsequent destruction, it became open season for them. And now? If my prediction are correct the Daimyos will call for a Summit… and a new treaty will be signed."
"Too true, brother."
A new voice echoed from the doorway. A woman's voice.
Shikaku turned his head sharply and stiffened. He stood up immediately on seeing the person. His aunt.
The air in the room shifted. It was rare, almost unheard of for both his father and aunt to be in the same building let alone room.
One was aligned with the Nara clan, firmly tied to the Ino-Shika-Cho alliance under Hiruzen's rule.
The other? His father hated the Third Hokage's policies but never openly opposed them, while neither his father, nor the Hokage had any personal issues, his father was once a vocal critic to the Hokage's ways. He never once participated in village affairs after he retired at least until today.
"Why are you here, Sukino?" his father asked.
The woman stepped forward with quiet confidence.
"I have been asked by Hiruzen," she said. "And I agree with him. We need to think of a strategy together before the Uzumaki decide that Konoha is next."
Silence.
Shikaku was shocked. His aunt, who had always supported the Hokage, was suggesting they needed to unite against the Uzumaki? And with his father of all people who never gave a damn about politics anymore and today of all days when he had spoken after decades on politics? And his aunt who talked like deranged women always talk sane in front of his father but today it was different she more sane and sober than usual.
This wasn't a coincidence.
His father took another slow puff of his cigar before answering. His voice, carried the hint of a warning.
"You know as well as I do… I will never take part in this village's affairs."
"Don't be stubborn, brother." Sukino's tone hardened. "We need to set aside old grudges. If there was ever a time to unite, it's now."
His father exhaled smoke. Then, he turned his head to her for the first time in decades.
"I told you years ago, Sukino. I warned you." His voice darkened. "When the Senju started dying after Lord Tobirama's death, I told you keep them inside these walls. Let them maintain their position as the superpower of this village. But no. You didn't listen. Your friends didn't listen. They wanted to be the next Senju."
His eyes burned with something between resentment and cold detachment.
"I warned you not to push the Uchiha. I told you, 'You are no Senju. You will not be tolerated if you do this.' But you didn't listen."
Shikaku was shocked that his father had predicted this outcome, even before an ember of this inferno was ever lit.
"I warned you to not betray the Uzumaki and save the Uzumaki at all costs but neither you nor your 'friends' listened. You were so drunk on your own cleverness that you thought me a fool."
He took another slow drag.
"I warned you not to sacrifice Sakumo."
Shikaku froze.
His father never spoke of Sakumo.
But the worst came next.
"And I warned you, after you committed the folly of betraying the Uzumaki, that if you let had already committed the folly, then you should finish the job completely that is to finish off Kushina Uzumaki. And even then you didn't listen didn't listen to me. You were greedy. You wanted the Nine-Tail's power for yourself. And we know what that women did, started a shinobi war which you almost lost.
His voice dropped to something more dangerous.
"And now, here we are."
A suffocating silence.
"I told you then, Sukino. It would take only one spark to light your funeral pyre. Since you have gathered wood for decades to make your own pyre, now you lie on it, and we have the spark. And now you have it." His cigar smoldered in his fingers.
"You lost the Senju. You lost the Uchiha. You lost the Hatake. And now, you have no influence in Uzushio, no foothold in the Elemental Nations. You thought you could be the architect of a new order, a new era just like Senju Hashirama and Tobirama. That you could undo their legacy and rewrite the story."
He exhaled one last time, tapping the ash off his cigar.
"Let me put it in terms you understand, little sister. You failed. Miserably."
Sukino's expression remained still. But Shikaku saw it the slight tightening of her fingers.
If it had been anyone but her brother, she would have ripped them apart for such words.
But she didn't.
Instead, she spoke, quietly.
"I have something that will convince you to work with me."
Shikaku's father let out a slow chuckle, smoke curling around his lips.
"Then you'd better make it worth my time."
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The air inside the Raikage's chambers was thick with tension, and not even the scent of burning incense could cut through it. Gathered around the massive war table was the very backbone of Kumo's military might the towering figure of the Raikage himself, his broad arms crossed, his golden eyes narrowed in quiet contemplation which was in stark contrast to his overly expressive face. To his left stood Darui, his ever-loyal second-in-command, his usual lazy demeanor replaced with something resembling genuine concern. Across the table, Yugito Nii, arms crossed, her feline slitted eyes burning with disbelief, while Bee, ever the wildcard, for once, was silent.
At the far end of the table, next to Dodai, stood an older man Honda, the Raikage's uncle, a veteran of wars, his face lined with the scars. He was perhaps the only one in the room who looked as if he expected this catastrophe.
Because it was a catastrophe.
Kumo had always prided itself on military dominance, on its unchallenged status until recently when Konoha thoroughly embarrassed it. But now… now, for the first time in history, a major shinobi village had been completely and utterly annihilated.
Not just crushed. Not just occupied.
No. The Land of Water had been wiped clean.
The entire shinobi infrastructure of Kirigakure had been gutted, its Mizukage slain in full tailed beast form, its forces scattered, its most prized bloodline clans now fully aligned with Uzushio a village that wasn't even considered a major power just a few years ago.
And the one who had orchestrated it all?
The new Emperor of Uzushio.
"Is this confirmed?" Yugito's voice cut through the silence, disbelief lacing every word. "Is this real? I want cross-verified reports before we start spouting doomsday nonsense."
Bee, for once, wasn't rapping. He wasn't even smirking. His fingers tapped restlessly against his folded arms as he gave a slow nod. "Eight-O has confirmed. The Three-Tails was killed, and it's reforming as we speak."
Silence.
Dead. Silence.
Then, a sharp breath from Honda. "I knew the Mizukage was a fool, but this…" he exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. "This isn't just a military achievement it's a goddamn statement."
A statement that the shinobi world was about to shift.
"If even we, with two fully realized Jinchūriki and a low-SS rank Kage, would struggle to pull off something like this in this short time in three fucking day, it takes three days for messages to pass and took a country, how the hell did Uzushio manage it?" Darui muttered. "No offense, Boss, but this isn't something I thought was in their capabilities."
"It shouldn't have been," Honda admitted. "But you're forgetting Mist was a pale shadow of its former self. Once, they were a rival to Konoha in bloodline superiority. If they hadn't been so insanely self-destructive with their bloodlust foolish ideas of academy killings and strongest will survive, they would have been equal to Konoha in sheer power. They bled themselves dry with their bloodlust and paranoia. And now?" He let out a mirthless chuckle. "Now their own power was turned against them. Almost all their bloodline clans and Five of the Seven Swordsmen betrayed them. All their major shinobi died in Uzushio. And more importantly what made uzu win and we could have acived in the same time was?" He leaned forward, tapping his fingers against the table. "Uzu didn't just defeat them. They knew the terrain. They had their ex- bloodline clans fighting for them."
"Wait," Yugito frowned. "You're telling me—"
Those clans waged guerrilla warfare in Mist's own homeland for over a decade. Do you understand what that means?" Honda asked. "They knew every single inch of the terrain better than the Mizukage himself. Kumo wouldn't have stood a chance in that hellhole no one would have without long draw battles and lot of causalites. This was one of the reasons why no one was insane enough to invade Mist. Its terrain is arguably the most dangerous for any outsider the constant mist, the availability of water, and their unique ability to sense through moisture made it a death trap for anyone who wasn't one of their own.
A heavy silence followed.
"…But that's not the real problem," Honda continued.
The Raikage's golden eyes flickered with sharp understanding. "The real problem… is what comes next."
Honda nodded grimly. "Mist's fall is done. But do you realize what Uzu just did?" He exhaled. "They didn't just destroy a major village they took its infrastructure. That's what matters. Business routes. Secret bases. Military assets. The kind of stuff only major villages had until now. Whatever leverage they didn't have before? They sure as hell have it now to claim themselves a major village."
Yugito clenched her fists. "Are you saying we do nothing?"
"No, Yugito," Mabui interjected. "What Lord Handa is saying that there's nothing we can do."
Another silence.
Because she was right.
This wasn't just an attack on Mist. It was an ascension one that couldn't be undone. Even if the Daimyo Summit or the upcoming Kage Summit forced Uzu to relinquish Mist, what would be left? The land? The empty husk of a broken village? By now, Uzushio would have stripped everything of value from Mist's remains.
It was a done deal.
"Then we focus on something else," Dodai spoke up at last. "The other elephant in the room." His voice was unusually grim. "We need to talk about Nobinaga."
The Raikage's fists clenched at the name.
Honda exhaled. "If he's even alive …"
The Raikage shut his eyes. "My father once told me that there were three men in this world he would not cross in battle if he can chose." He opened his eyes. "The Third Hokage. Hanzo of the Salamander." He exhaled. "And this Nobinaga Yuseken character.
Everyone stiffened.
"…That serious?" Darui asked quietly.
Raikage nodded. "I never knew the man. Not personally. But my father did. He was weary of only three men in his life. And Nobinaga… Nobinaga was one of them."
Honda's face darkened. "You should be cautious, A. I saw that man fight. I saw him take on Kinkaku one-on-one. And Kinkaku….." his voice, dipped "had the Sage's weapons."
No one spoke.
Honda continued. "The only reason Nobinaga retreated from that fight was because Ginkaku showed up to back his brother up. Even then, Nobinaga almost killed Kinkaku. He almost killed a man wielding the Sage's relics and was in nine tail cloak form in one-on-one combat."
A deadly silence followed.
Because there was no exaggeration in those words.
And that Nobinaga had just be repealed by this new Emperor of Uzushio.
"…Which means," Raikage muttered, his voice quiet, dangerous, "this Uzumaki bastard is even stronger or good enough push him back."
That was the true problem.
A shinobi powerful enough to make Nobinaga flee or stand against Nobinaga.
That wasn't just bad news. That was monumental.
Raikage exhaled sharply.
"…We're calling a Kage Summit," he finally declared. "This can't wait. We need to see exactly what kind of enemy we're dealing with."
For the first time in decades, the world had shifted. And like many instance in the recent past, not in Kumo's favor.
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Meanwhile in the far to the west, in the rigid stone halls of Iwagakure, a similar or exactly same discussion was unfolding.
The Tsuchikage's room was filled with a mixture of hardened veterans and political minds, all gathered to discuss the disaster that had befallen the shinobi world. Seated at the head of the long stone table was Ōnoki, the old "Fence Sitter".
To his right, his son, Akatsuchi, arms folded, expression skeptical. On his left, several key generals, including Kitsuchi, who usually lead Iwa's battlefronts, and several high-ranking clan heads. The only person missing was Kurotsuchi, who was overseeing military drills.
But no one in this room was thinking about training anymore.
No.
They were thinking about Nobinaga Yuseken.
Because that bastard had just been repealed.
And if Nobinaga the once boogeyman of the older generation is back and had been forced to retreat against Uzushio's new leader, then that meant something truly terrifying.
Ōnoki's fingers drummed against the table as he mulled over the news. Finally, he spoke.
"…So. It happened."
Akatsuchi leaned forward. "Tsuchikage-sama, forgive me, but I don't understand who the hell is this Nobinaga person?"
Ōnoki's jaw clenched.
"That," he muttered, voice dark, "is a long story."
Akatsuchi crossed his arms. "Then make it short. If you're telling me we should be worried about a man who just lost, then I need to know why."
Ōnoki let out a slow, heavy sigh. Then, he spoke, and the room listened.
"Once, a long time ago, there were three men I was weary to ever face directly on the battlefield. Three men whose presence alone could dictate the flow of war. And the third among them… was Nobinaga Yuseken."
"He's not just some shinobi . While I agree that I was low to mid-SS rank in my prime, those three were solid mid-SS rank shinobi. Nobinaga was the apprentice of the old Grace, Lord Ashina. He was raised in Uzu, being the grand-nephew of his Grace, and was groomed to be his successor at least that what he claims. Trained by the greatest fūinjutsu master to ever live. Later, he was sent to Konoha as part of Lady Mito's honour guards, where he was temporarily integrated into Konoha's forces as a gesture of trust and alliance. Some of the Senju were sent to Uzushio in return. While they were their respective hetaite".
Ōnoki exhaled, leaning forward, hands steepled together.
The room fell eerily silent.
"He was supposed to be Ashina's successor?" Kitsuchi asked, narrowing his eyes.
Ōnoki nodded. "That's what he claims at least. But as history shows, that didn't happen." His voice darkened. "He was passed over for lord Ashina's son lord Arashi instead while he was in Konoha. And Nobinaga… well. He didn't take it well."
Kitsuchi scoffed. "A wounded ego? That's what made him a traitor?"
"You don't understand," Ōnoki muttered. "This wasn't just about being passed over. Nobinaga felt he was groomed for it. Raised for it. For decades, he was told by every one around him that he would be the future of the Uzumaki, and then suddenly, he wasn't. And instead of accepting it like a sane person, he decided he'd rather burn the entire house down than watch someone else sit on the throne."
"So he betrayed them," he muttered.
Ōnoki's expression was grim. "Oh, he did more than that. He orchestrated the fall of Uzushio."
There was a beat of stunned silence.
"Wait—what?" Akatsuchi's voice was sharp, disbelief laced through it.
Ōnoki's eyes glinted with old, bitter memories.
"You heard me. Nobinaga Yuseken was the reason Uzushio fell." He inhaled deeply, remembering the past, remembering the chaos, the war, the decisions made in dark corners.
"Nobinaga… came to us."
Akatsuchi's breath hitched.
"He met with me. With the Third Raikage, the Mizukage, and the Kazekage. With Hanzo. And along with a mysterious man whose name I never learned, but he held more power in that meeting than anyone else in the room simply because he had political connections with the Daimyo and other nobles that made us all to sit at the same negociating table.
He came to us with a deal. He said Uzushio's defenses could be compromised." Ōnoki let out a dark chuckle. "We all thought he was insane.
Nobody, nobody would invade Uzushio.
It was suicide to step onto the home turf of the world's greatest seal masters and mistresses."
"And yet," Kitsuchi muttered, "we all know what happened."
Ōnoki gave him a sharp look.
"He promised that the whirlpools would be switched off. That the barrier wouldn't function. That we wouldn't need to fear the world's greatest seal masters, because their own systems would betray them."
Akatsuchi was shocked not beacse uzu was invaded that was no new news for him but the fact this master minded this new charector. "And you believed him?"
"No. We laughed in his face."
Ōnoki exhaled sharply. "But then he did it, he convinced everyone, one by one giving them what they desire the most."
And that changed everything.
Nobinaga Yuseken hadn't just been a traitor. He had single-handedly enabled the downfall of one of the most unbreakable strongholds in shinobi world.
While he stood unto his assurces that the Whirlpool would be deactivated, that the seals would not interfere with us, and that he, Hanzo, the Third Raikage, and I could take down anyone, even the old fossil, Ashina himself.
But we severely underestimated what true SSS-rank shinobi could do.
We didn't even know that level of enhancement was possible. The same enhancement I am using now, which started when Hiruzen began, took a toll on me, and I barely overcame it and now I am almost in peak and I'm only 67. Meanwhile, old Lord Ashina was more than a century and a half old. We didn't think any enhancement could work for him in such a short period. But we were greatly wrong he tossed me Nibonaga Hanzo and third Raikage around.
Iresspective of what happned in the invasion the fact remain Nobinaga made good on his word, he managed to malfunction most of their seals. But even he had little to no knowledge of the grand seal that Ashina had created using the blood of all the fallen, friend and foe alike.
"Nobinaga single handedly, knowingly or unknowingly, shaped the elemental nation's history by making Konoha 'the superpower' of the world through his and our own foolishness."
That was not a man to take lightly.
"…And now he's been repealed," Akatsuchi murmured, voice tight.
Ōnoki nodded. "Yes. That's what makes this so dangerous. Nobinaga wasn't at his peak, I'll tell you that much but neither was the Emperor of Uzushio from report." His fingers drummed against the table. "And that means that when that brat does reach his prime, he'll be worse."
A long silence followed.
"…So what do we do?" Kitsuchi finally asked.
Ōnoki leaned back, eyes heavy, expression grim.
"We call a Kage Summit," he muttered. "There's no way around it. Uzushio is no longer just an independent force it's now a power that rivals the Five Great Nations. And if we don't get ahead of this?"
His gaze darkened.
"Then we'll be left behind."
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"So what are we to your grace?" said Kanna Uzumaki.
"Now, just reply to the fire Daimyo that I will attend the summit, but before that we have Daimyo to judge. Is the court ready?"
"Yes your grace" replied Kanna who was also eager to see the trial of the century.
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Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter of NTLHOS- Book 2!
Author's Note ✍️🔥
This is not a short chapter, it's a filler one though! 😏 I wanted to showcase the reactions and the present condition of the Elemental Nations 🌍⚔️. The Iwa and Kumo scenes are NOT a repetition, if read carefully, you'll notice that while the content of the discussion is similar, the aspect of discussion are entirely different. These are two distinct content one discussing . 📜💀.
I'm currently preparing to fly back to my campus ✈️📚, so I couldn't make this a larger chapter. Next chapter: The Trial of the Century ⚖️🔥 begins with trial, followed by beginging of the Daimyo Summit 👑🛡️, and then… the Kage Summit subsequent chapters!
🚨Spoiler Alert: The Kage Summit will happen in Konoha 🍃🏯, and Naruto will step foot in Konoha after a LONG time. The storm is coming. 🌪️⚡🔥