bookpower 152. Battles and Betrayals: Sunagakure’s Internal Strife
152. Battles and Betrayals: Sunagakure’s Internal Strife
152. Battles and Betrayals: Sunagakure’s Internal Strife
"Your new eyes are quite powerful, but please, don't push yourself like this in the future, Kiyomi...", Hikari said,
"Just now, it seemed like some type of Yin-like chakra was about to burst out of you, directed at the enemy, but it would have also burned your own eyes slightly and perhaps damaged them permanently a bit and worsened your eyesight in some way right away.
My Byakugan has captured everything. The costs associated with those upgraded eyes might be quite high over time."
Kiyomi, catching her breath atop her Susanoo, looked over at him, however, with 'double vision' problems and with pain in her eyes, and also sighed slightly, feeling relived that Hikari also seemingly discovered what had been her biggest worry recently, without her having to even say anything directly to him,
"I already knew about that, Hikari. So, is there a way to mitigate the damage? I can't afford to lose my vision, but I would also have been done for here had you not appeared on time, or I didn't use those powers further as I prepared..." She asked, her voice tense with the strain of battle and the fear of her own power.
Hikari nodded, his eyes scanning the horizon before returning to her, "I understand your concern. There's a research institution operating under my Third Estate back in the Hyuga clan. I'll set it up so we can look for a solution to this problem, allowing you to use your new powers without worry. I understand that giving up on those amazing advanced bloodline powers of your clan right away might be foolish...",
He then moved to stand beside her on top of her Susanoo, as she also moved them there, his presence reassuring, "For now, let's focus on here. We'll address your eyesight slowly in the future...", Hikari concluded, preparing them both for the next phase of the conflict here.
Hikari was familiar with the potential side effects of the Mangekyo Sharingan from his extensive knowledge of the original series, but he needed to approach the topic carefully, presenting his insights as new discoveries made possible by his Byakugan like just now.
He also already considered using Senju cells to mitigate the adverse effects on Kiyomi's eyes—a method that had seemingly proven quite effective for Obito in the original story.
The alternative of acquiring an Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan "upgrade" was not currently viable for Kiyomi due to the absence of any close relatives with the potential to unlock the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Hikari, with his Byakugan still active, then meticulously observed Kiyomi's Susanoo, noting its current 'Humanoid Stage' completed with legs—a significant advancement since the war's onset months ago.
The rapid development intrigued him; Kiyomi was swiftly pushing the limits of her Mangekyo Sharingan's potential, just like Sasuke in the original series.
Fugaku also developed a similar level of Susanoo through continuous use by now. He wondered about the other advanced stages of Susanoo she might potentially achieve in the future if she follows his path.
In the next stage, the 'Armored Susanoo' would offer more robust protection with an additional layer of chakra armor, enhancing its already formidable strength.
Beyond that, the 'Perfect Susanoo' stood as the pinnacle, a titanic form complete with wings for flight, rivaling the might of a tailed beast and capable of decimating landscapes.
However, Hikari speculated that the Perfect Susanoo couldn't be unlocked by Fugaku or Kiyomi without his assistance of Senju cells, as EMS was out of the question for both of them.
They could reach the next Armored Stage at most, but it would take some time, and then, in his opinion, they would both be around the Late Kage level of strength shinobi when acquired.
As he considered these possibilities, Hikari also lingeringly considered the special Mangekyo Sharingan ability Kiyomi nearly used earlier.
While she hadn't disclosed its nature, Hikari understood the inherent strength of any Mangekyo technique—it was bound to be formidable.
The battlefield became a microcosm of internal strife, with Pakura's impassioned plea turning into a catalyst for civil war within the ranks of the Sunagakure's own forces.
However, as Pakura's call for peace stirred turmoil among the Sunagakure forces, Jurota, the Jinchuriki of the One-Tail, took a stand, his face clearly enraged by the development. Amplifying his voice with chakra, he bellowed across the battlefield, rallying his comrades.
"Everyone, stop and think first! Are we truly going to believe this traitor? How does her sudden peace with Konoha justify her accusations against Sasori and the Kazekage?",
"We can address these claims back in the village administratively and legally after we've completed our mission here.",
"Are we, the shinobi of Sunagakure, known to retreat in the face of adversity? Think of our fallen comrades, slain mere moments ago by Konoha's hand. Would they want us to give up our fight now?",
His voice grew louder and more impassioned, "We came here to deliver a decisive blow to Konoha, to end the cycle of suffering our village has endured.",
"We're here to claim their fertile lands, their wealth, to secure resources that have kept us at a disadvantage for so long, so we could also produce all those expensive and complicated chakra pills and shinobi equipment and finally level the playfield a little.",
"Are we ready to forsake all this because of a sudden call for peace? No! We must continue our fight, honor our fallen, and change our destiny. We will make Konoha pay and elevate Sunagakure from being the so-called poorest of the great nations!",
Jurota's words rekindled the fighting spirit in many Sunagakure shinobi, temporarily stirring a fierce loyalty to their original mission and skepticism towards Pakura's sudden shift again.
The battlefield echoed with renewed cries of resolve as segments of the army rallied to his call, determined to see their initial mission through to the end.
Chiyo, still visibly shaken and coughing up blood, gathered her strength to also address the tumultuous crowd of Sunagakure shinobi at this time, seizing the opportunity to turn the situation fully once again against Pakura and Konoha. Her voice, though weakened, carried clearly across the battlefield,
"If what Pakura-san says is true, and my grandson Sasori has indeed committed all these heinous acts—turning the Third Kazekage into a grotesque puppet of his and attempting to poison and murder her—I swear to chase him to the ends of the earth. Death is the only fitting punishment for such crimes.",
She paused for breath, her experienced eyes scanning the immediate crowd, "However, is it wise to take Pakura's accusations at face value without further scrutiny now? Yes, some witnesses, who were there at that suspicious location, support her story since the onset of this battle, and yet, some also claimed she is a traitor with an entirely different narrative.",
"Pakura-san now suggests these dissenters are also part of the Kazekage's plot, who attempted to murder her earlier at that scene like those first group of witnesses also say; therefore, we must investigate thoroughly before taking such drastic action to reduce confusion and get to the gist of the matter.",
Chiyo sighed deeply, the weight of the situation evident in her posture, "Moreover, ceasing our current battle with Konoha based solely on these claims seems illogical. While I promise to pursue justice for any wrongdoing, including that by our current Kazekage, let's consider resolving this with minimal internal strife. It's not beyond our capability to press for Rasa's resignation or legal retribution through peaceful means rather than violent conflict later too."
She spoke one thing but already was fully aware internally that what Pakura said was true and concluded with a solemn nod as if to appear the most truthful as possible, "We need not tear ourselves apart in front of our enemies. Let us not act rashly. Pakura, step down.",
Chiyo and her brother Ebizo had been aware of Rasa's plan to assassinate Pakura. Bound by the Kazekage's considerable influence and the political realities of Sunagakure, they had reluctantly supported and even facilitated the scheme alongside Sasori and others involved.
In their view, Pakura's growing power and popularity posed a significant threat that needed to be curtailed to stabilize the village after their campaign against Konoha.
Yet Chiyo had not anticipated Sasori acting prematurely, Pakura's survival, or her newfound resolve, nor had she expected the shocking revelation that Sasori was responsible for the murder of the Third Kazekage.