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Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: The Duel (Continued)

Chapter 18: The Duel (Continued)

"Let's get one thing straight, Second Hokage," the Raikage's voice boomed, thick with condescension. "What happens when you lose?" He stood with his arms crossed, a mountain of smug confidence.

Tobirama's jaw was tight. "If we lose, Konoha will withdraw from the Land of Iron and return to our borders. The war ends."

The Raikage let out a short, sharp laugh. "Withdraw? That's it? I launched this campaign, spent my village's blood and treasure, and for what? A return to the status quo? Do you take me for a fool?"

"Then what do you want?" Tobirama bit out, his composure cracking.

I shook my head, almost feeling sorry for the man. Tobirama, you're so desperate for a truce you're showing your whole hand. You might as well just hand him your wallet.

"What do I want?" the Raikage grinned, a predatory flash of teeth. "Reparations for our war expenses. And a slice of Land of Fire territory bordering ours."

"Ceding land is out of the question!" Tobirama snapped. "I can agree to reparations."

"Done!" the Raikage said, his smile widening instantly.

I saw Hiruzen's face pale. He stepped quickly to Tobirama's side, his voice a frantic whisper. "Sensei! He was bluffing! He set a high price so you'd feel good about haggling him down to just the reparations! That was probably his goal all along!" (Holy does this fanfic downgrades Tobirama's IQ)

The realization dawned on Tobirama's face, followed by a wave of pure, incandescent fury. He'd been outmaneuvered. He'd been played.

Across the field, the Second Raikage looked immensely pleased with himself. So much for the master negotiator of Konoha, he must have been thinking.

I had to stifle a laugh. Who's the idiot now, Tobirama? This 'dumb' Raikage just ran circles around you.

But Tobirama was trapped. He couldn't take it back. "And if you lose?" he ground out, the words tasting like ash.

"Lose?" The Raikage shrugged, a picture of nonchalance. "We withdraw. It was our war, after all. If you don't like it, we can always go back to killing each other." He was bluffing again, and doing a masterful job of it. He wanted the truce too, but he wouldn't show it, not with billions of ryo on the line.

"No! If you lose, you will pay Konoha's war costs!" Tobirama demanded, trying to salvage something.

"Then there's nothing more to discuss. We fight." The Raikage turned, a masterful act of walking away.

"Fine!" Tobirama snarled, the word ripped from his throat. "I agree." He had no choice. He had ceded all the leverage.

My own thoughts were racing, cutting through the political theater. The history I knew said this war ended in a stalemate, with an equal treaty. That meant this duel was meant to be a draw. My job was simple: put on a good show, push for a win, but ultimately ensure nothing disrupted the timeline that led to Tobirama's glorious, well-deserved demise.

"A," the Raikage barked, pointing to a powerfully built young man at his side. "You're first. Show them the might of Kumo."

"Hai!" The young man strode to the center of the field, his presence radiating raw power.

Ai. My eyes widened. In Kumo, every Raikage inherited that name. This young man was the future Third Raikage, the father of the Fourth. The monster who could fight the Eight-Tails to a standstill.

Shit. I scanned the Raikage's retinue more carefully. There they were—Gold and Silver Brothers. They're here too? A draw is starting to look like a best-case scenario.

"Tenchi! Stop daydreaming and get out there! If you lose, you'll answer to me!" Tobirama's voice was a lash, his frustration finding an easy target.

I gave him a flat look and walked onto the field, the snow crunching under my boots.

"So, you inherit the name 'Ai'," I said, my voice carrying across the stillness. "They're grooming you for the hat."

The young man's eyes widened slightly. "You know our customs?"

Even the Raikage looked surprised, turning to Tobirama. "Spies, Hokage? Sending spies to a fellow Great Village?"

"Don't flatter yourself," Tobirama retorted, though he looked just as puzzled. His eyes were fixed on me, calculating. He knows a future Kage is a different level of threat.

On our side, Hiruzen's face was a mask of grim concentration. Don't underestimate him, Tenchi.

Uchiha Kagami, ever the quiet background figure, watched impassively.

"Knowing you're strong doesn't mean I think I'll lose," I replied to the future Raikage.

"Then you're a fool. Save yourself the humiliation and yield."

"We'll see." I moved, a blur of motion ending in a powerful side kick aimed at his ribs.

THUD.

It was like kicking a granite cliff. He didn't even sway.

"Good power," he grunted, utterly unimpressed. "But not enough to break my guard." His hand, faster than I could react, snapped out and caught my ankle. With a grunt of effort, he lifted and hurled me through the air like a ragdoll.

I hit the snow-packed ground with a concussive BOOM, carving a deep furrow and sending a plume of white powder into the air.

I pushed myself up, brushing the snow from my clothes. Incredible defense. No wonder he could tussle with a Tailed Beast.

Seeing me stand, Ai didn't wait. Lightning-fast, he cloaked his body in a crackling sheath of blue-white chakra. The Raikage's famous Lightning Release Armor. He vanished.

"He's too fast!" I heard Danzo exclaim from the sidelines.

"He can't dodge that!" Hiruzen's voice was tight with dread.

He was right. I couldn't. In the split second it took him to cross the field, my only option was to reveal my hand. My eyes burned as the world shifted into the stark, clarifying hues of the Mangekyo.

As his fist, a hammer of lightning and force, connected with my chest, I didn't try to harden my body. I let it become intangible. The space where my torso existed twisted, and his arm passed through me as if I were a mirage, the force of his punch exiting harmlessly out my back. His own momentum carried him stumbling forward, straight through my ghostly form.

He skidded to a halt, whirling around, his face a comical mask of shock and confusion. "What?!"

A collective gasp went up from both sides.

"The hell was that?!" the Raikage roared.

On our side, Hiruzen and Danzo were staring, dumbfounded.

But Tobirama... Tobirama understood. His eyes were locked on my face, on the new, sinister pattern spinning in my irises.

"The Mangekyo Sharingan," he whispered, the name a curse on his lips. His expression was a turbulent mix of fury, fear, and bitter understanding. So, his eyes seemed to say. This is your confidence. You've been hiding this all along, you little snake. Just like your father.

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