Kakashi's words echoed the very thought that had just crossed the minds of Rasa and the other Sand shinobi during the earlier meeting. Now that he said it aloud again, the entire room fell into a heavy silence.
As one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, surrendering to Konoha and becoming its subordinate was an unbearable disgrace. The years of war and hatred weren't something that could simply be set aside, and even if they did submit, it would be impossible to truly integrate into Konoha.
What awaited them was continuous suppression.
Until the identity of the Sand Village was completely erased, and the remaining survivors assimilated into Konoha.
However...
If they refused the agreement, then the alternative was all-out war. Just as Kakashi had warned, should that happen, the Sand Village would face devastating losses. Even if they miraculously won in the end, few would survive the battle.
"Your terms are far too harsh."
"Ten years of autonomy is too short. We need at least twenty. We can pay tribute every year, but we absolutely won't send our children to Konoha."
The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, spoke slowly to Kakashi.
He intended to stall for time.
There was no way they could go to war with Konoha immediately. If he could drag out the negotiations and get the terms revised, even slightly, it might buy enough time for Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure to respond and form a joint alliance.
But Kakashi stared calmly at the Fourth Kazekage. The Kamui Mangekyo Sharingan in his eye glowed with a chilling aura as he replied,
"That is the final agreement. There will be no negotiations. And don't bother trying to stall, there are only two choices I've brought you."
"Submit, or resist."
Rasa's face darkened.
The surrounding Sand shinobi clenched their fists in frustration.
Baki took a deep breath and looked at Kakashi. In a deep voice, he asked, "So what you're saying is, if we don't accept your terms, then the Fourth Great Ninja War begins. And even if we somehow win, the aftermath will still be catastrophic. So the wise move is to surrender, right?"
Kakashi glanced at Baki, his expression calm. He said nothing.
Baki stared hard at Kakashi, then suddenly hurled the kunai in his hand, slicing through the air with a blade of wind that pierced straight through Kakashi's body. He roared:
"But… I refuse!"
"I'd rather die in battle than kneel before Konoha! These threats mean nothing! Even if Konoha loses, you'll be no better off!"
Baki's defiant shout seemed to ignite something in the hearts of the nearby Sand shinobi. Their grim expressions hardened into murderous resolve.
Yes!
They were shinobi of the Sand, warriors born of the desert. From the moment they were born, they had fought against nature, against the world itself. How could they surrender just because of the enemy's overwhelming power?
"So that's your decision."
"In that case…"
Kakashi lowered his head slightly. Then, with a light push from his feet, he leapt backward and soared out of the shattered meeting hall, landing atop a nearby rooftop next to the Kazekage's tower.
"Don't even think about running!!" Baki shouted, gripping his kunai and charging after him.
With Baki's cry, the surrounding Sand shinobi erupted into action. Shuriken, kunai, and wind-style jutsu rained toward Kakashi from every direction.
Kakashi had come here alone!
But he wasn't just the younger brother of the Fifth Hokage, Hatake Kaede, he was one of Konoha's most powerful shinobi. If they could kill Kakashi here, it would be a major blow to Konoha!
"His body phases through all attacks! Don't stop, keep the pressure on! Sealing team, prepare the sealing jutsu!!" Baki barked as he launched a barrage of attacks.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The sealing team moved into position. A few sealing specialists began to rush forward.
But then,
Boom!!
An explosion thundered from Kakashi's position.
Sinister, writhing tendrils burst out, snaring three or four nearby Sand shinobi and hoisting them into the air.
A new figure had appeared beside Kakashi.
She wore a Konoha forehead protector wrapped around her right arm. A massive, snake-like beast extended from her upper back, and the kanji for "Zero" was emblazoned on its head.
"Looks like the negotiation failed, huh, Kakashi?"
"No choice," Kakashi said calmly. "They are, after all, shinobi of the Sand Village. They have their pride."
Seeing the arrival of Anko Mitarashi, Baki and the other charging Sand shinobi paused in shock, especially when they sensed the dark and oppressive chakra radiating from her.
But Baki clenched his teeth and quickly formed hand seals.
"Wind Release! Vacuum Sphere!"
Bang!!
A compressed sphere of wind chakra shot toward Kakashi and Anko.
Neither of them moved.
Kakashi's Mangekyo Sharingan flashed, and in the next instant, a figure appeared beside him.
Boom!
A scaled tail whipped out, smashing the wind sphere apart.
Rin, bathed in the chakra of the Three-Tails, landed gracefully in front of Kakashi. She placed one hand on the ground, exhaling slowly as her eyes locked onto the Sand shinobi.
"So it's come to this."
Baki and the others visibly tensed.
"Another one..."
"Wait, she's the Three-Tails' Jinchuriki?!"
Whoosh!!
Before they could react, Rin formed a hand seal and slammed her hand on the rooftop. The entire building trembled, and a massive wave of water burst outward, spreading from her, Kakashi, and Anko in every direction.
The surging water shield blocked all incoming wind attacks, shuriken, and kunai, and obscured the Sand shinobi's vision, forcing the nearest among them to retreat.
When the water finally receded,
Seven figures now stood atop the rooftop.
Kakashi stood at the front, the Kamui Mangekyo in his eye glowing fiercely as chakra surged from his body, cracking the rooftop beneath him.
His black-and-white battle cloak whipped in the wind, revealing the kanji for "One" on the back.
Vrrrm!
Anko wore a twisted smile. Her own cloak billowed, revealing the kanji "Two."
Uchiha Shisui drew his short blade. Three flickering afterimages appeared beside him as his cloak shifted, revealing "Three."
Rin remained crouched, Three-Tails chakra pulsing around her, shattering the rooftop stone by stone. Her cloak bore the symbol "Four."
Konan floated above them, a pair of white paper wings unfurling from her back. Her cloak shimmered with the symbol "Five."
Yuhi Kurenai, infused with the chakra of the Seven-Tails, stood at the edge of the rooftop. Fierce winds whipped her cloak, revealing "Six."
Boom!!
At the far end, Might Guy clenched his fists, surging with violent chakra as his black hair spiked upward.
With the Sixth Gate of the Eight Inner Gates fully opened, Guy stared at the stunned Sand shinobi and declared:
"The Konoha Hokage Guard has arrived!"
BOOM!!
Seven massive waves of chakra erupted from the rooftop, intertwining and roaring into the sky. The pressure was so intense that Baki and the others nearly suffocated on the spot.
Countless Sand shinobi turned pale with shock. Some instinctively retreated, their arms trembling and cold sweat breaking across their foreheads.
Amidst the overwhelming force that seemed to split heaven and earth itself, Kakashi stepped forward and slowly drew the Kusanagi Sword from his back.
His eyes scanned the stunned enemy shinobi.
Then, in a calm voice, he declared:
"Then I hereby announce, -"
"The Fourth Great Ninja War begins now!"
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Completed version available on Patreon.com/Veltoria