c13: Turning Point
With the combined strength of the trio Uchiha Gen, Nohara Rin, and Hatake Kakashi so long as they remained cautious, even a mid-level genin tasked with clearing out remnants of Iwa forces could manage without suffering fatal consequences. Though not as effortless as slicing through melons or vegetables, the threat level remained manageable with teamwork and discipline.
Under the precise command of Namikaze Minato, Konoha's elite jōnin and the northwest division of Konoha's shinobi successfully held off the major assault by Iwagakure's forces. Minato's swift coordination and legendary speed, the same that would earn him the name "Konoha's Yellow Flash," allowed Konoha to regain lost ground and stall the Iwa advance.
By the time reinforcements arrived from the eastern and southern flanks, the main Iwa force had been outmaneuvered, and their collapse was all but inevitable. Total defeat was a matter of hours.
Yet, the Iwa shinobi demonstrated the same grit that had made them feared in the past. Even when surrounded and at death's edge, few chose to surrender. Their loyalty to Tsuchikage Onoki and Iwagakure ran deep. Surrender wasn't simply defeat it was a disgrace. Captivity meant shame for one's family, ostracism, and often public humiliation back home.
After over two grueling hours of fierce combat, at approximately five in the afternoon, Konoha's forces succeeded in fully eliminating the invading Iwa shinobi. Aside from a limited number who were captured alive, the battlefield was now a wasteland of bodies over 1,300 lives lost between the two villages. The air reeked of scorched earth and iron-rich blood, while vultures circled ominously overhead. The once-green forest had turned into a valley of death, echoing with despair.
Despite the ultimate victory, Konoha suffered greatly. More than 500 genin fell in battle. While Iwa's genin had been considered less refined due to the war's accelerated training protocols, Konoha's younger forces fared little better. Most had undergone a compressed version of the standard ninja curriculum, a wartime necessity that resulted in underprepared youth being deployed to lethal missions.
Konoha's truly elite genin like Kakashi, who had already reached chūnin rank and completed A-rank missions survived mostly due to their exceptional abilities and early exposure to war. These individuals were hardened by fire, emerging as rare jewels from the blood-soaked sands of the battlefield.
In the early years of the Third Great Ninja War, many surviving genin were promoted, some even rising to the level of special jōnin, having distinguished themselves under fire. These rising stars such as Gai, Asuma, and Genma would form the backbone of Konoha's next generation, though their numbers were tragically limited.
The battle was over, but the mood in Konoha's camp remained subdued. The victory felt hollow. The shinobi moved quietly among the bodies, collecting their fallen comrades and clearing the ruins. Years of war had dulled their capacity for joy, and even triumph brought little comfort.
For many, only the end of the war promised true relief. Until then, missions would continue dangerous, exhausting, relentless.
After the battlefield was cleansed, Konoha's exhausted warriors dragged themselves back to camp. Those on logistics resumed their duties; medics treated the wounded; the lucky ones rested.
Uchiha Gen was not among the resting. As part of Minato's personal Team Seven, he bore more responsibility than most. Minato, known for his modesty and sense of duty, never delegated out of convenience, and expected the same from his subordinates.
Two days later, a hawk arrived bearing orders from the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Minato and his division were to redeploy to the Grass Country front where Konoha and Iwa's most volatile confrontations continued.
Meanwhile, far away in Iwagakure, in the somber Tsuchikage's chamber, Onoki received grim news: his forward forces, those that had broken deep into the Land of Fire, were utterly annihilated.
The destruction of the Kannabi Bridge had signaled this outcome Minato's famed infiltration had already cut Iwa's supply lines but now it was confirmed. Onoki, though expecting this, still slumped in resignation.
He couldn't understand it. Why did Konoha always have so many exceptional shinobi? Why did they always seem to produce someone to stem disaster at the last moment?
During the Warring States era, it was Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha who redefined the battlefield.
In the First Great Ninja War, despite Tobirama Senju's ultimate sacrifice, Sarutobi Hiruzen and his generation managed to stabilize the Hidden Leaf.
During the Second Great Ninja War, heroes like Sakumo Hatake and the Sannin Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru rose to prominence, and Konoha still held its ground.
And now, in the Third War, Namikaze Minato had emerged another prodigy whose brilliance was turning the tide once again.
This had been Iwagakure's best chance to defeat Konoha an unprecedented alliance of the four great villages, pressing into Konoha's heartland. But once again, they had failed.
If they missed this chance, would another ever come?
"Is Konoha truly favored by fate?" Onoki whispered bitterly.
No, he couldn't believe that. He had to crush such dangerous thoughts. If the Tsuchikage himself lost confidence, how could Iwagakure ever stand as Konoha's equal?
He snapped back to his senses.
"Summon the elders," he ordered sharply.
"Yes, Lord Tsuchikage."
Fifteen minutes later, in Iwagakure's war council chamber, the elders gathered, the atmosphere heavy with failure.
"Let me begin with an admission," Onoki said gravely. "Our strategy has failed. The responsibility rests on my shoulders."
But his closest elder, loyal to a fault, immediately interjected: "No, Tsuchikage-sama. This was a decision reached through collective consensus. The blame is not yours alone."
Other voices echoed in agreement, each eager to share the burden or deflect it.
In the end, collective responsibility meant individual absolution. No one would challenge Onoki's position. It was a political truth as much as a military one.
"The defeat on the Fire Country front has tilted the balance," Onoki admitted. "I hate to concede this, but Iwagakure has lost its window to defeat Konoha."
"That said, I intend to send an envoy to negotiate a ceasefire."
One elder spoke cautiously: "Shall we not wait, Lord Tsuchikage? Konoha could falter on other fronts."
Onoki's eyes narrowed. "Indecision leads to greater loss. We must act with resolve. Prepare the envoy."
"Fighting half-heartedly leads nowhere, and peace without sincerity is meaningless. What does hesitation bring, except the gradual erosion of our combat readiness?"
"Still... isn't it better to preserve our strength through peace negotiations?"
"Oh…"
The elder suddenly understood: Lord Tsuchikage didn't view the peace talks as genuine. He was preparing to discard the treaty the moment a favorable opportunity arose.
As expected of Lord Onoki cunning, strategic, unyielding. No wonder he was the Tsuchikage, while others like him merely served as elders.
"But my perspective was too limited. Lord Tsuchikage is correct."
"Lord Tsuchikage, what about Sunagakure?"
"At the beginning of the war, didn't we agree with Sunagakure to advance and retreat together?"
Onoki gave a long-suffering sigh and replied with veiled contempt: "A verbal agreement? Is that worth anything in this world?"
"If it truly counted, would we have stationed units to guard against a Sunagakure betrayal along the western front?"
"We share a border with them. A weakened Sunagakure benefits us. The weaker they are, the less threat they pose."
"So the peace negotiations with Konoha must be discreet. No grand proclamations. Quiet diplomacy."
"If we make no concessions and accept Konoha's terms quietly, we lose nothing. Konoha is strained and will avoid pressing demands."
"We'll conclude the talks quickly, then let Konoha exhaust itself fighting Sunagakure in the Country of Rain and the Country of Grass."
"This way, even if Konoha shows no flaws and the Third Great Ninja War truly ends, we won't have come out empty-handed."
Ah… these elders are disappointingly shortsighted. Must I spell out every implication?
Weakening Sunagakure helps not only us but also Konoha. There are only so many missions, influence, and rewards to go around in the shinobi world.
Whether they had failed to consider this or were pretending they hadn't, the Iwagakure elders now nodded in sudden comprehension, eyes shining as if enlightenment had just struck them. It filled Onoki with a mixture of triumph and irritation.
Thus, before Namikaze Minato could even lead his reinforcements into the contested Grass Country region, before his famed Flying Thunder God Technique could be put to use again, an Iwagakure envoy had already crossed the lines and slipped into Konoha's military encampment under the veil of secrecy.
News of Iwagakure's request for peace landed on the desk of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, faster than expected.
Hiruzen, wearied by years of war and loss, was ready. He no longer wished to engage in prolonged conflict with Iwagakure. His seasoned judgment told him that this move marked a pivotal shift in the war's trajectory.
With Iwagakure stepping down from the battlefield, even if it was to lie in wait, Konoha now had an opening to strike decisively at Sunagakure. If they dealt a sharp, clean blow, Iwagakure wouldn't dare to reengage prematurely.
With both Iwagakure and Sunagakure stepping back willingly or by force Konoha would only have Kumogakure and Kirigakure left to face. Hiruzen's plan was to focus all military force on Kumogakure, pressuring them into peace, before finally turning to the blood-stained, unpredictable Kirigakure.
Should this sequence succeed, the Third Great Ninja War would at last be concluded. Konoha could return to healing, rebuilding, and protecting the Will of Fire.
Therefore, Sarutobi Hiruzen drafted peace terms that were generous and non-punitive. He understood the importance of optics and balance no village should feel too slighted, or it would only sow seeds for the next war.
He entrusted negotiations to two of Konoha's most capable front-line commanders: Jiraiya, one of the Sannin, and Namikaze Minato, already famed across the continents for his speed and strategic genius.
The Iwagakure envoy, acting under direct orders from the Tsuchikage, was authorized to compromise for the sake of stability. When both sides met, the result was swift and efficient both wanted an end, and both wanted to emerge looking strong.
With terms agreed upon, and in a calculated show of good faith, Iwagakure began withdrawing its forces from the Grass Country. Only a token force remained, just enough for plausible defense.
Konoha observed the withdrawal closely. Once they confirmed that Iwagakure had indeed honored the terms, they wasted no time.
Before Sunagakure could even fully absorb the geopolitical shift, Konoha moved. They left behind only essential personnel to hold the line in Grass Country, while mobilizing the majority of their military strength toward the western front toward the border between the Rain Country and the River Country, where Sunagakure's forward base camp was located.
Konoha's full assault began before Sunagakure could reinforce or retreat. The war was turning once again.
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