As Second Tsuchikage 44

Chapter 44: Retreat?

"Tobirama-sama! Something terrible has happened! The four great shinobi villages have formed an alliance and launched a full-scale assault on the Land of Fire. They've already breached the borders!"

A Senju jōnin burst into the room, voice trembling with urgency.

And before Tobirama could react, another figure rushed in, this one dressed in the formal robes of the Fire Daimyo's court.

"Tobirama-sama, the daimyo is extremely displeased with Konoha. Now that the four ninja villages have invaded, he demands you deploy shinobi immediately to defend the nation!"

With Hashirama gone, the envoy didn’t even attempt to soften his tone. His words were sharp, his posture aggressive, as though Konoha now held less value without the First Hokage alive.

Tobirama's face darkened.

Just as he had feared. The four great villages, wolves and jackals, every last one of them.

While Hashirama and Madara had lived, these cowards never dared to stir. But now, with both of them gone, they had crawled out of hiding like scavengers, thinking it was their moment to strike.

Without delay, Tobirama completed the funeral rites. Once mourning ended, he gathered the clan heads and key personnel in the Hokage building.

The meeting room fell into tense silence. No one spoke. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on them all.

They were no fools. Everyone present understood, Konoha was under attack.

"Tobirama-sama!"

The acting head of the Uchiha stepped forward, face contorted in grief and rage.

"Our clan leader was slain by those dogs. And Hashirama-sama, who always treated us with respect and fairness, has also fallen. Allow the Uchiha to take the lead and avenge them!"

For once, despite their historic tension with Tobirama, the Uchiha offered themselves willingly.

Tobirama looked away, unable to meet the man’s eyes.

He couldn’t deny the guilt gnawing at him. He had been complicit in Madara’s death, whether directly or not.

He hadn’t expected the Uchiha to show such solidarity at a moment like this. Their loyalty caught him off guard, stirring something conflicted deep within.

"Clan Head Uchiha, restrain yourself. Facing such a powerful enemy, we cannot act rashly."

With a gesture, Tobirama turned his attention to the Sarutobi and Shimura clans.

"Send scouts to survey enemy movements and assess their troop strength."

"Understood!"

The two clan leaders rose at once, departing without delay.

Tobirama sat back in thought. He couldn’t afford to leave the village without careful planning.

Konoha’s upper-tier strength was dangerously thin. If he left and the enemy chose that moment to strike with their elites, the village could be crushed.

"Senju, Uchiha, and the Ino-Shika-Cho formation will defend the village," Tobirama ordered, voice steady. "The rest will form outer encampments and reinforce the front."

The Ino-Shika-Cho trio functioned best when working as one, and splitting them would ruin their effectiveness. Meanwhile, the Senju and Uchiha were the backbone of Konoha's fighting force. They couldn’t be risked outside the village.

Just then, a voice broke the quiet.

"Tobirama, while I still have strength, let me fight for Konoha."

It was Ashina Uzumaki. He stood to the side, hands folded behind his back, his eyes calm yet determined. He cast a brief glance at Mito, then let out a soft sigh. Both Tobirama and Mito turned to him in surprise, neither expecting the old man to put himself forward at such a dangerous moment.

Ashina was a master of sealing arts, a figure nearly mythical in reputation. To this day, many consider him the originator of modern fuinjutsu.

"Old Clan Head... you..."

Tobirama stepped forward, but his words caught in his throat.

"There’s no need for words," Ashina said with a wave of his hand. "If Konoha falls, Uzushiogakure won’t be far behind. Mito is part of your village now. How could I stand idle while she and everything we’ve built face destruction?"

Ashina paused for a moment, "I only ask that, if I fall, Konoha protect Uzushio in the future."

He knew the truth. If Konoha were destroyed, the Land of Whirlpools would be next. Their fates were intertwined.

"I swear it, old clan head. Konoha will protect Uzushio for generations. As long as we still draw breath, Uzushio will remain safe!" Tobirama made the vow without hesitation, his voice steady and resolute.

Ashina’s expression stiffened ever so slightly. A faint unease passed through his heart. "I'll do what I can. But that one named Mū... he's immensely powerful. I don't know if I can defeat him."

Then, Ashina turned his eyes toward Tobirama and lowered his voice. "But you must prepare for the worst. If we lose... retreat to the island."

"I remember there's an island to the east of the Land of Fire... the Island of Waves..." He rested a firm hand on Tobirama’s shoulder, the gesture carrying the weight of urgency.

That island hadn’t yet become a formal country, but it existed beyond the eastern shores, an escape route if all else failed.

The mention of retreat, of abandoning the village, made Tobirama's expression sink.

Damn it!!

Sorrow twisted in his chest. He couldn’t run. This was the village he had built with his own hands, his pride and his burden.

"Don’t worry, Elder Chief. I will hold the line and defend Konoha!" Tobirama straightened his back, his voice filled with unwavering conviction. "Besides, we still have the Nine Tails!"

The moment he said it, a memory struck him. Tailed Beasts could be sealed into humans and turned into weapons. Jinchūriki.

But cultivating one took time, and time was the one thing he didn’t have. He briefly considered becoming the Jinchūriki himself, but if he failed to control the beast, it would only hasten their downfall.

As he wrestled with the idea, a calm but resolute voice rose from the side. "Tobirama, let me become the Jinchūriki." It was Uzumaki Mito. She stepped forward, her gaze steady and unwavering.

"No! My brother asked me to protect you. How could I allow that?" Tobirama immediately refused, shaking his head with a rare urgency.

"This isn’t the time for hesitation. Hashirama gave his life for the village. It’s my duty now to continue his will, to protect Konoha with everything I have!"

Mito's firm declaration silenced the room. Every clan head present could sense the strength in her words.

Ashina Uzumaki narrowed his eyes slightly, then spoke. "Tobirama, it might truly be for the best. Mito’s chakra is pure. She has the potential to control the Tailed Beast."

 Tobirama shut his eyes. His mind was a storm of conflict. But reality offered no alternatives. After a moment of tense silence, he slowly gave a single nod.

…

Elsewhere, the twenty-man scout unit dispatched by the Sarutobi and Shimura clans had already reached the border of the Land of Fire. Barely had they entered the northern forest when Mū sensed their presence.

"There are intruders in the northern woods. Go eliminate them." His tone was cold, indifferent.

These weaklings weren’t worth his attention. Hashirama and Madara were gone. He was now the strongest shinobi alive. He had ascended to the top of the shinobi world.

"Understood!"

The Anbu from Iwagakure moved swiftly, vanishing into the trees to hunt down and eliminate the Konoha scouts.

…

Meanwhile, Danzo and Hiruzen were making their way through the village when they were suddenly interrupted by a loud voice.

“Danzo!” Torikaze Akimichi came rushing up, out of breath, sweat dripping from his round face. Danzo and Hiruzen both turned, puzzled by the urgency in his voice.

“Danzo, bad news. Your mom’s dead!” Torikaze blurted, still panting.

Danzo’s expression instantly darkened. His eyes narrowed, and a flicker of anger passed through them. “Nonsense! My mom just went on a mission with my dad this morning!”

“Oh… then maybe I got it wrong. Maybe it was your dad who died…” Torikaze scratched his head, clearly uncertain.

“Bullshit! What the hell are you saying?!” Danzo stormed forward and grabbed Torikaze by the collar, shaking with fury.

“I’m serious, Danzo! Someone in your family’s dead. I just don’t know if it’s your mom or your dad…” Torikaze’s chubby cheeks trembled as he spoke, his voice laced with nervousness.

Danzo froze, heart pounding. A terrible chill spread through him. He released Torikaze and broke into a full sprint, racing through the streets toward his home.

“We better follow him…” Hiruzen muttered. He and Torikaze exchanged tense looks before hurrying after him.

Danzo ran like a madman, each step echoing with dread. But when he reached his home and pushed the door open, what he saw rooted him in place. He had thought it was one or the other. But once he stepped inside, he realized that both of his parents were dead.