The Five Kage Defeated

The Light Screen in the sky played that despair-inducing music.

Song title: "The Beginning of the Story Is the Ending."

It was a thirty-second video cut to the beat.

The image gradually came into focus.

In the video, Raikage A, bloodied and battered, wept as he held the dying Killer B.

Kneeling at Konoha's gates, Raikage A begged Tsunade before him in anguish. "Save Killer B. Save Kumogakure. Please, Fifth Hokage."

Tsunade stood in her Fifth Hokage battle robes, her expression grave as she looked at the desolate man before her.

Her grandfather's words came back to her.

Konoha had been founded to bring peace to the Shinobi World.

Tsunade made her decision. Without looking at Raikage A again, she turned away coldly.

Despair filled Raikage A as he watched her expression.

Holding the dying Killer B, he repeatedly slammed his forehead against the ground behind her.

Tears streamed down his face as he pleaded, "I'm sorry. For everything I ever did to Konoha, I'm sorry."

"Can you forgive me this once, Fifth Hokage?" he cried.

Tsunade stopped and turned calmly. "What are you standing there for?"

"If you don't hurry and follow me, I may not be able to save your brother."

After the destruction of his village and all he had endured, Raikage A finally saw hope.

Tears slid down his face, one drop after another, as though a weight had lifted.

He carried the dying Killer B and followed Tsunade, his shoulders slumped.

As he walked behind her, he remembered the vile things he had done to Konoha and silently repented.

The video cut to another scene.

The Kage of the various villages had gathered in the Hokage's Office.

The camera began to reveal their faces.

First was the Fifth Kazekage, Gaara.

Gaara stood with his arms crossed, looking steadily toward Tsunade in the seat of honor.

The camera swept onward to the Fifth Mizukage.

Mei Terumi looked as though she had come to Konoha straight from a fierce battle.

Blood still covered her.

But she had no time to worry about that. "Lady Hokage, this isn't the time to discuss all this," she said anxiously.

"Those terrifying people are about to reach Konoha."

"Every one of them wears black armor, and it's incredibly tough."

"More importantly, among those hundred thousand, practically everyone..."

"...is at least as strong as a Jonin, if not stronger."

"And the few leading them have reached a level beyond Kage Level."

"If we don't act now, it'll be too late, Lady Hokage."

Tsunade's face tightened after hearing Mei Terumi out. Clenching her hands, she said gravely, "Fifth Mizukage, please calm down. I'm analyzing the enemy's route."

"I've also sent Kakashi and the others to gather intelligence."

Mei Terumi had fought the enemy herself. She knew how powerful they were.

Her instincts kept telling her that if they did not act at once...

...they would face utter ruin.

Before Mei Terumi could explain further, Ōnoki advised her, "Mizukage, listen to the Hokage."

Seeing the fear in Mei Terumi's eyes, Ōnoki offered what comfort he could. "We have no other choice."

"Do we?"

"All we can do now is wait for Kakashi to bring back intelligence."

"Then we'll bring all our strength together against them."

"We cannot lose our heads here. For now, we must follow the Hokage's lead."

Ōnoki continued, "The Ninja from our villages have assembled at Konoha's gates."

"If the enemy approaches, we'll know at once."

"Please trust the Hokage!"

After hearing Ōnoki, everyone in the Hokage's Office could only reluctantly agree.

Just as Tsunade's frustration mounted, Kakashi finally returned.

The Five Kage saw him covered in blood, his left eye shut.

Tsunade hurried over and caught Kakashi before he collapsed.

"Kakashi, sit down. I'll treat you first," she said urgently.

Kakashi raised a hand to stop her. "Lady Hokage, there's no time to worry about me."

"The enemy has reached the edge of the Land of Fire, and they're extremely powerful."

"There are a hundred thousand of them. Ten Black Armor Cavalry pursued me the whole way back."

"It took everything I had just to kill those ten."

"Every one of them was incredibly strong."

"More importantly, they're exceptionally skilled in Genjutsu."

"Their eyes are all crimson. They don't compare to the Mangekyo Sharingan..."

"...but they're still incredibly difficult to deal with. I've used up my Kamui for today."

"So don't waste Chakra on me, Lady Hokage. Go stop them."

Kakashi lost consciousness the moment he finished his report.

The video changed again.

The border of the Land of Fire had become hell on earth.

The ground was piled with the corpses of Ninja from every nation. The trees had been utterly destroyed.

The camera slowly pulled back, revealing the full horror of the border.

Smoke hung over the battlefield, mingling with the thick, acrid smell of blood.

Fifty thousand Black Armor Cavalry remained. Gripping their spears, they proclaimed in ringing voices, "Our Blood Prison Clan Leader shall soon unite the Shinobi World!"

Every Black Armor Cavalry soldier shouted in triumph.

The video cut again.

The Blood Prison Clan's Eldest Son was named Xue Zhantian.

He wore gleaming snow-white battle armor and held a Silver Spear.

With long black hair and a towering, two-meter frame, he stood above the crowd.

Gazing at the Five Nations Allied Forces he had destroyed, Xue Zhantian shouted in exultation, "Father, can you see this?"

"I did it! Once I wipe out Kohaku and Konoha..."

"I, Xue Zhantian, will rule this Shinobi World!"

The video cut once more.

The despairing song swelled louder.

Images flashed past...

Raikage A lay bloodied on the border of the Land of Fire, his fate unknown.

A spear had pierced Tsunade's chest and pinned her to a rock. She was covered in blood, her eyes closed.

Beside her was an enormous crater.

Mei Terumi lay bloodied inside it, her fate unknown.

Far beyond the crater, Gaara lay dying on the ground.

He was still struggling to move.

Frustration filled his face as he remembered all the promises he had made to Naruto.

Again and again, Gaara tried to rise and keep fighting.

No matter how hard he tried, he failed each time.

Unwilling to give up and wracked with pain, Gaara roared from the ground, "How can I die in a place like this?"

"I made a promise to Naruto. How can I..."

"Aaaah!"

"I can't stop here!"

Xue Zhantian heard Gaara's cries in the distance.

His lips curled into a cold smile. "Oh? He's still alive? He's tenacious."

Silver Spear in hand, Xue Zhantian walked toward Gaara.

Stopping beside him, Xue Zhantian sneered. "What's wrong? You look like you can't accept it."

Gaara glared up at Xue Zhantian, hatred in his eyes.

He stared straight at him and shot back, "I'll die here today, but you'll meet a terrible end too."

"You and your people!"

Xue Zhantian asked with interest, "Oh? Is there still someone in the Shinobi World who can defeat me?"

Battered and bleeding, Gaara said nothing.

He ignored the pain coursing through his body.

Then Gaara, blood streaming from his mouth, began to laugh.

"Hahahaha!"

Xue Zhantian stared at the dying Gaara, baffled.

Even now, Gaara showed neither fear nor despair.

Xue Zhantian could not help asking, "At a time like this..."

"...tell me why you, the loser, are laughing at me."

Gaara answered weakly, "I'm laughing because of what you said."

"That no one in the Shinobi World can defeat you. Don't you hear how ridiculous that sounds?"

Note: Are you ready, my dears?

Every chapter from here on is going to kick into high gear.

Look forward to a Shinobi World unlike any other.

Love you all.