"Impossible!"
The refusal was instantaneous, a unified cry of defiance from both Onoki and Rasa. In their hearts, the Dust Release and Magnet Release were the very foundations of their villages, secrets they would rather die than hand over to an enemy.
Hearing their rejection, Kagami's clone showed no anger. Instead, a cold sneer played on his lips.
"It seems you still haven't learned the humility required of the weak."
His gaze was heavy, meaningful, as he looked into their eyes. "Are you certain," he asked, a soft, dangerous smile on his face, "that you want these shinobi to die here with you?"
As he finished speaking, the other nine shadow clones flickered into motion, surrounding the terrified armies of the three great villages in a perfect, inescapable ring of death.
"You are evil just like Madara uchiha!" The word was spat from Onoki's lips, his face an ugly mask of rage and impotence. The other shinobi glared, their indignation a useless fire against an indifferent god.
"Evil?" Kagami's clone laughed, a sound utterly devoid of humor. "You are the one who ganged up against konoha as soon as you sensed a weakness. The weak have no right to speak of honor. Besides, all of this is the result of your own arrogance." A legion of weaklings, blinded by pride, had gambled on their limited power, failing to grasp the chasm between themselves and their enemy. And now, they couldn't even see their own desperate position.
Kagami's words left Onoki and Rasa speechless. The logic was harsh, but undeniable. They had been too arrogant. Kagami had given them a chance to leave, but they had chosen to fight, believing their strength was sufficient. Now, as the vanquished, they had to pay the price for their hubris. It was a price, however, they were unwilling to pay.
Doubt and hesitation warred on their faces. On one hand, the foundations of their villages; on the other, the lives of their comrades.
Seeing their indecision, Kagami's clone feigned impatience, his voice a cold snort. "Since you are so stubborn, then let all your people be buried here with you."
Then, his voice dropped to a venomous whisper. "And after you are gone, I will visit your villages and send every last man, woman, and child to reunite with you in the afterlife."
As he spoke, a terrifying chakra began to condense in the clone's hands.
"What! How dare you!! Monster!!" The threat shattered their composure. Their faces twisted in horror, their minds reeling.
"Wait!" Just as the clone was about to strike, Onoki cried out. "Wait! I... I will teach you the method of practicing Dust Release." He clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white, each word a monument to his defeat. Dust Release was important, but what use was it if his village was destroyed? His young granddaughter had not yet married; he couldn't bear the thought of her being slaughtered.
He looked at Kagami's clone, his eyes burning with a hateful fire. "You must swear," he said through gritted teeth, "that if I teach you, you will never attack the Hidden Stone Village!"
"Hmph." Kagami's clone snorted, his eyes like chips of ice. "The weak do not negotiate." Dust Release was not essential to him, merely an interesting novelty. The idea that this old man could leverage it to secure his village's eternal safety was laughable.
"You..." Onoki was choked with rage, but he was utterly powerless. In the end, he could only sigh in helpless defeat. He took out a small notebook and began to write.
"If you dare to write anything wrong, I will give a visit to your village to make you correct it" Kagami's clone warned, his voice flat and cold, "I can guarantee that your Rock Village will be completely wiped from the face of this earth." He didn't trust Onoki in the slightest.
The threat worked. Onoki, who had briefly considered altering the technique, was forced to abandon the idea. He could only restart, writing down the complete, untampered method of practicing Dust Release.
Seeing Onoki pacified, Kagami's clone turned his gaze to Rasa. "And you?"
Rasa sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "I will also teach you the jutsus related to the Magnet Release." Onoki had submitted; what choice did he have? If he refused, Kagami would undoubtedly make good on his threat and destroy the Sand Village. Without another word, he took a booklet from his robes and handed it to the clone.
Kagami flipped through it. It appeared to be a genuine record of the technique, complete with cultivation notes. But whether it was the complete truth remained to be seen. He doubted Rasa would dare to lie.
"Alright," the clone said, waving a dismissive hand at the Kazekage. "You and the Sand Village shinobi may leave."
Rasa smiled bitterly. He summoned his surviving ninja and left without a backward glance. He had been so certain of victory, but now, he had lost everything, including his village's most valuable secret. Kagami had become a permanent shadow in his mind, one he never wanted to face again.
After Onoki finished writing, he and the Stone Village shinobi were also dismissed.
The remaining ninja from the Hidden Cloud looked on, their faces a mixture of terror and shame. Their leaders were dead, and they had nothing of value to offer as compensation. Just as they resigned themselves to their fate, Kagami's clone frowned.
"Does anyone here know how to practice the Lightning Release Chakra Mode?" The technique was the only thing of interest the Hidden Cloud possessed. He had no need for the Hell Stab; his own attacks were far superior.
The Cloud shinobi looked at each other in confusion. Finally, a beautiful woman with blonde hair and a stunning figure shook her head helplessly. "The only ones who know that technique are the successive Raikage, but..."
She didn't need to finish. Kagami understood. A, the one who knew the technique, was dead, and the method was lost with him.
Kagami didn't particularly care. The Lightning Release Chakra Mode was not essential. But he couldn't simply let the Hidden Cloud go free. The Stone and the Sand had paid a heavy price; the Cloud would be no exception. However, with their most valuable asset gone, he was, for a moment, unsure of what to demand.
__________________________
"Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed the chapter, please consider donating Power Stones and joining our patreon
[patreon.com /coolperry]
for early access to future chapters.(+30 chapters)