Not Long Now.

(3rd Person POV)

As the cannon charged up, blue outlines started to shine on it and a dangerous thum noise started to build up. Blue light flared and pieces started moving along the barrel of the cannon as it lit up.

(A/N: My best approximate noise would be a toned-down Starkiller base. Something along those lines. That being said you can think of it as whatever u want, enjoy.)

Without anyone noticing another figure appeared inside the testing room as it made its way to the end of it.

As the figure stopped, Kei in his armored form stood facing the cannon as reddish-black chakra rose around him and a spectral form of his upper armored body stood tall.

'Now, let us see just how powerful a fully charged shot of this prototype is.' – Kei in his actual body thought as both he and the clone charging the cannon smiled.

As the thum got louder, creeks and cracks could be heard from the cannon, as a part was blown out, making the clone and Kei look at each other as they both thought…

'Pay cut'

'Pay cut'

Just as the part fell out, the head researcher's voice was heard all over the room.

"Hokage-sama, cut the chakra supply to fire the cannon, due to complications regarding the compression and storing of chakra, releasing it at the moment you stop supplying it has proven to be much more stable. Also…" – he started to say as he was cut out by static.

*Static*

Due to security and safety reasons, installing windows in such a dangerous research project was unwise, therefore the researcher could only monitor the situation from the control panel, and seeing the power surge to 100% and no boom, he remembered that he ran out without informing the Hokage of all the details.

'The cannon is undoubtedly powerful, theoretically even more powerful than the nine tails – tailed beast bomb… but also that much unstable. The prototype cannon can't handle the backlash from more than 35% charge... in theory. In actuality it may be even only 20%.' – The researcher thought as he saw the charge indicator reach 100% and possibly more, but the excess was probably tearing up the cannon by trying to get out.

As the researchers chewed their nails and started looking through their notes at the probability of the lab not exploding, the clone suddenly cut off his chakra supply as a sound was heard from the cannon as if a metallic sound of something being locked, and then suddenly, with a bang, a beam of chakra exploded from the barrel of the cannon.

As Kei's Mangekyou spun, a sense of danger hit him, both arms of the Susanoo blocking the front breaking less than a second from the impact, and he crossed his arms before his chest before the blue beam enveloped him, breaking through the highly expensive wall behind him as the clone looked and poked at himself.

'Still here, still here, still here, still here, still here…' and so he continued until the beam stopped.

'Not dead yet it seems, this is some good stuff though.' – The clone thought as he knocked the cannon lightly, a *DING* noise from the cannon as something fell beside him.

The metallic noise drew his attention as he saw a small bolt fall to the ground.

*BANG*

With a loud noise, the cannon exploded and took the shadow clone with it, his chakra after charging the cannon insufficient to speed up enough to escape completely and the parts of the cannon working as projectiles and covering the entire zone, leaving him no time to escape.

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(MC POV)

At least I knew that friendly fire was on.

Disregarding my clone's untimely death, the power the prototype cannon had shown was on another level completely, disintegrating my Susanoo in less than one second from impact. My body was slightly better as it endured a couple of seconds before slowly starting to disintegrate afterward, prompting me to use sage chakra, Susanoo, and my own durability to withstand until the cannon gave out, burning quite the mass while at it.

It wasn't by choice though, the amount of pressure of compressed chakra making me unable to flicker out of the blast once it enveloped me.

Walking towards the door back in my usual human form, I saw it open and a team of researchers and medics rush inside as they made their relief clear as they saw me.

"Incredible work on creating it. For now, make no improvements and just give me an identical model like this one. You have 3 weeks and not one second more."

As I left the depressed scientists and worried medical team, I made my way outside and looked at the snow-covered ground.

'Late-winter for Konoha, we are already one week into the second month of Winter.' – I thought as I saw Shikaku close in on me and kneel down.

"Hokage-sama, the preparations have been made, all that remains is for you to give the order." – He said.

"On one side we worked diligently and still finished somewhat late, on the other we had to push it due to late winter. It gave us more time to prepare and deal with any complications that arose, while also increasing the chance that Iwa sniffs us out."

"The world's way of balancing the scales I would guess." – Shikaku said as he rose up.

"Shikaku… fairness is the least of this world's concerns." – I said as my thoughts wandered.

'Just the fact that I am their enemy proves this point beyond doubt. Though one hit with the dust release to my real body and I'm completely gone, so it does make some adjustments at the very least.' – I thought as I chuckled.

"That aside, how many can we mobilize at this time?" – I asked as I threw my thoughts aside.

"2000 high ranking shinobi and even a rather substantial number of low ranking chunin and genin depending on the specific date. As you instructed I have not spread any word of the mobilization as it may create rumors spy may get ahold of. This limits our ability to mobilize a large army, but it will allow us to lower the chance of our invasion being spotted substantially."

"Hmm… change the garrison slowly, putting senior members one batch at a time, little by little for 2 weeks, and on the first day of the third week move all the remaining ones together. We'll take the Inuzuka, Hyuuga, and Aburame clans with us as they should be able to get us past the patrols safely. Prioritize fire users and wind users."

"Maximum damage with minimal effort, I understand."

"And inform Hiashi that it is time to make his move. Let him kick the Hornet's nest and drag them out." – I said as I smiled while looking in the direction of Iwa. It wouldn't be long now.