Chapter 17: The Duel
"Lord Second," Danzo's voice cut through the tense silence of the command tent. "We are at a stalemate. We cannot move troops from the villages guarding Iwa and Kiri; it would leave our flanks naked. But bleeding ourselves white here is not a strategy. It is suicide."
He stood, his posture rigid, his single visible eye burning with a cold fire. "We must challenge them. A duel of champions. Let the strongest of Konoha face the strongest of Kumo. Let their outcome decide this."
"A duel?" Hiruzen interjected, his brow furrowed with concern. "Danzo, that's a massive gamble. If we lose—"
"It is a gamble we are already losing on the field!" Danzo shot back. "We are trading lives one for one. Our will is fire, but our numbers are not infinite. This concentrates the risk. It is the logical choice."
Tobirama Senju sat silently, his steepled fingers hiding his mouth. He looked older than I'd ever seen him. The weight of the Senju clan's losses was a physical burden on his shoulders. He glanced around the room, at the weary faces of the clan heads. There were no easy answers.
"Lord Second," one of the Akimichi representatives spoke, his voice heavy. "We cannot sustain this attrition. A decisive contest... it may be our only path."
Murmurs of agreement, reluctant and grim, spread through the tent. They were out of options.
Tobirama's gaze finally settled, his decision made. "Very well. Danzo, you will deliver the challenge."
A cynical smile touched my lips before I could stop it. So the great Senju Tobirama, who preached the village's strength, is finally backed into a corner. You thought you could steamroll them with the Senju name alone. You're not your brother. The Senju will be a footnote in history at this rate.
I was so busy mentally mocking him, I didn't notice his sharp eyes had turned to me.
"Tenchi. Tenchi!"
I blinked. Hiruzen was nudging me. "The Second is asking you a question."
"Oh. My apologies. What is it?" I said, pulling my focus back to the present. Everyone was staring.
"I asked," Tobirama said, his voice dangerously calm, "what is your view on this duel? Who would you send, if Kumo agrees?"
I shrugged, a gesture of deliberate nonchalance. "I have no view. You're the Hokage. Arrange it as you see fit. It's not as if anyone here would dare oppose you."
The tent went dead silent.
"You insolent brat! How dare you speak to the Hokage with that tone!" Danzo was on his feet in an instant, his face a mask of outrage. He was ever the loyal attack dog.
I looked him dead in the eye, the newfound power in my veins making me bold. "I was speaking to the Hokage. The Hokage didn't seem to mind. Why are you barking? Do you fancy yourself the Hokage? Amusing."
Danzo sputtered, his face purpling with rage. "You—! You—!"
"Enough!" Hiruzen's voice was sharp as he physically pulled Danzo back into his seat. "Danzo, let the Second speak. Tenchi, you will watch your tongue. We are at war."
I gave a slight, mocking bow in Hiruzen's direction. "Of course. I know the seriousness." My eyes flicked back to Danzo, who was practically vibrating with hatred. Go on. Hate me. It just makes you easier to predict.
I could feel the venom in his glare. Hateful Uchiha. Hateful Tenchi. Just you wait.
"Since you hold Danzo's strength in such contempt," Tobirama said, his voice like ice, "you can be our first champion when the time comes. The rest of the order will be decided after the duel is arranged." He stood and swept out of the tent without another word.
Once he was gone, Hiruzen dragged me outside. "Tenchi, what was that? We need unity, not infighting! This only helps Kumo!"
I shrugged again. "I didn't say anything wrong. He is the Hokage. He can arrange it as he likes. No one was stopping him."
"That may be true, but..." Hiruzen trailed off, frustrated. "And Danzo? You've made a powerful enemy."
"Danzo was already my enemy," I said flatly. "Him hating me a little more changes nothing." I didn't add that I wouldn't mind expediting Danzo's eventual demise.
"Just... be ready. If Kumo agrees, you're first on the field. Don't take this lightly."
"Got it," I said, my tone dismissive. He sighed and walked away, the weight of command heavy on him.
Three days later, the answer came. Kumo, feeling the strain of the war as much as we were, agreed. The location was a barren, frozen plain ten kilometers from either camp—neutral ground, close enough for reinforcements if things turned treacherous.
We stood on one side of the field, a knot of Konoha's best. Tobirama led us, his expression carved from granite. Across the expanse, the Second Raikage and his entourage appeared. The Raikage was a mountain of a man, with the same dark, bronze skin and stubborn jaw as his successors. Must be a family trait, I thought absently. Or a really dedicated skincare routine.
The Second Raikage didn't waste time on pleasantries. "Senju Tobirama! Who goes first? You, or me?" His voice boomed across the tundra, brimming with a confidence that grated.
Tobirama's jaw tightened. "Hmph. You know a contest between the two of us would be inconclusive, Raikage. Let our subordinates settle this." It was a necessary admission. He couldn't beat the Raikage quickly, and a prolonged fight between Kage would leave both armies leaderless.
The Raikage grinned, a flash of white in his dark face. "So be it. Let's see what Konoha's famous 'Will of Fire' is truly made of."
Tobirama turned his head, his cold eyes finding me in the lineup. No words were needed. The order was clear.
Showtime.