5 Chapter 5 War
Shinobi war is a messy business. Especially if you are a Shinobi.
So Leon's face was not that good when he was standing in the frontline of Ame. And why does he need to be involved in the battle against Hanzo. This is not the plan at all.
When he was ordered with Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade to fight Iwa forces incursion into Amegakure, he knew something was wrong. His instinct ran true as they were forced to fight for their lives against Hanzo the Salamander. Especially as from all of their forces, they were the only one still remained.
Hanzo was quick, his combat kusarigama strike was crazy strong. His poison cloud was lethal. The only reason they are still alive so far is because of their cooperation. Leon was using his puppets like crazy while firing his thunder elemental kunai.
From hundreds of both sides, only five people were still standing. Leon the Puppeteer, Orochimaru the Snake, Jiraiya the Toad, and Tsunade the Slug Princess. Under the heavy rain with dead bodies all around the place.
"You are strong, I admire your tenacity against me. From now on you would be known as Yonin in exchange for my mercy today" say Hanzo from above his Salamander summon.
All four of them just nod, they must agree in order to make Hanzo let them leave this place. Hanzo is a legendary Shinobi, and able to survive against him is a great prestige.
Leon just laughs silently as they walk home. He was lucky to survive this time. Yet as they walked away from the site of the battle, he start to rethink why he was sent there. Well at least his contemplation was disrupted when they found the three orphans.
"Sir, are you Ninja?"
"Yeah..." answer Jiraiya.
"Can you teach us Ninjutsu?"
Orochimaru try to speak, but Leon stops him from that. Jiraiya just answer
"I won't teach you Ninjutsu, but I would teach you how to survive!" he said.
"Why?" ask Tsunade.
"I hate to be involved in this war. I wan't to do something to ease the pain of the civilian" say Jiraiya.
"We would tell the Hokage that you were wounded, get laid with a hooker, and get some dirty diseases so needed some time to recuperate" say Leon. Tsunade and Orochimaru see him with a dead pan and a shocked face. Tsunade almost fall out giggling.
Jiraiya face was angered by Leon words, but then he just sigh. Leon reason really is the best reason he could give to the Hokage.
"Even if I hate you this times. Thanks for that Leon"
"Be careful! Don't die. It would be my loss if I can't see you being beaten by ladies in the bath again" say Leon with a smile.
"Perverted Sadist" grumble Jiraiya, but he give a nod.
"Why do you let him stay?" ask Orochimaru.
"I don't know. But I think those orphans have some fate with Jiraiya. Fate bring people to the people who would change them. Maybe someday you would find people you have fate with also" Leon said
Who knows that in the far future what he said will alter the mindset of Orochimaru. Rather than treating his followers like expendable, he would become a proper Kage of Hidden Sound, gathering rejects and remnants of Shinobi Clans all over the Elemental Nation.
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There are many things changed by Leon's influence into the war, some others don't. Dan Kato still died in battle, but this time Tsunade is not in relation with him. It happened when both of them were sent to Kiri frontline to fight off Kirigakure infiltration.
Sakumo Hatake lost his left hand in this war, his hand was crushed by the third Kazekage. It is in the same battle that Leon single handedly wounded the Third Kazekage, and captured Sasori's parents, forcing Suna to make peace as Iwa now started to invade their position.
Sasori's parents are talented puppeteers and a renowned descendant of a Kage. So it was a good reason for the Third Kazekage to sacrifice them in battle. As Chiyo and Ebizo as the son and daughter of the Second Kazekage. The issue is they are mostly against his policies. Leon capture destroy his plan to eliminate these two. Even so Leon remove their ability to fight for the duration of the war by injuring both of them enough.
Iwa themselves are forced to concede their frontline to Konoha as they are invaded by Kumo and Suna. Kumo Sword and storm division cause wreckage to Iwa.
The war goes on and on for three whole years. Konoha always in conflict all this war, if not on a battle with Iwa, they get invaded by Kumo or Kiri. It is in this war that Leon get two swords when 7 Kiri Swordsman ambush him.
There is a good reason why Leon was renown as Konoha Puppetmaster. He play those Kiri swordsman like a fiddle. Kushimaru and Jinpachi Munashi died that day, and Leon stole the Nuibari from Kirigakure.
As the war progressed further, Leon became more disillusioned with Konoha's policy in this war. They could have made the war shorter, but it seems someone is preventing the war to end fast. Strangely, his views were agreed by Tsunade. But they keep it quiet.
In the end, Danzo becomes more wary of Leon which he considered hard to predict. Many times his plan was left in tatter as Leon win his battle rather than losing it, or he destroy things he try to get as his mission goal cross with Root mission. Even if he lost a mission, he cover it by denying the opponent their target. It seems many Leon step are hindering Roots rather than helping it.
He tries to destroy him through rumors just like Sakumo, but it was futile. No matter how bad his name is in Konoha, he seems disinterested. Even when some people try to blame him for loosing some important mission. Another reason he was hard to deal with because he was too close to the Senju princess.
Not long after the treaty to end the Second Shinobi war, Danzo decides to remove the threat of Leon, the Konoha Puppet Master. So the current situation where they are under attack by dozens of Shinobi of Kiri, or what looks like to be Kiri. Leon could feel the lack of emotion. These are definitely Root Shinobi.
"My time here is almost up. Do you think your brother would be fine with you leaving him alone?" ask Leon to Tsunade.
"I have left him the Katsuyu contract. He is already strong enough as my successor. This would also give a very good reason for Hiruzen sensei to purge Danzo" say Tsunade.
"It is the last time for you to change your mind. If you follow me, you probably won't be returning to this world again"
"I have decided to follow you. So do not question me about it" she said with an angry face.
"System. Calculate Quest please"
"Special Time Dilation Quest is over.
Reward Calculated.
Graduate from Shinobi Academy (Rewards 2,000 point)
Survive the Second Shinobi War (Rewards 8,000 point)
Lifespan increase :
Bonus Quest :
Kill Danzo Shimura (0 Point)
Kill Madara Uchiha (0 Point)
Kill Zetsu Otsutsuki (0 Point)
Hidden Quest :
Prevent Sakumo Hatake suicide (5,000 point)
Prevent the death of Sasori Parent (10,000 point)
Kill two of 7 swordsman of Kiri (10,000 point)
Survive Hanzo the Salamander fight (8,000 point)
Total Rewards 35,000 points.
Lifespan surplus increased by 100 hours,"
"What do you mean lifespan increase?" Leon suddenly asked.
"When the Experimenter succeeds to finish Quest and is finally recorded into the Laplace Multidimension Cosmic Calculation System (LMCCS). Experimenter future lifespan must be paid by points to the system, if not Experimenter existence would be erased from the Multiverse. First time experimenter who succeed first Quest get 2400 hours lifespan"
"Present native pledged to Experimenter detected. Would you like to add Tsunade Senju as Retinue''
"Yes please"
"Tsunade Senju, recorded into the System as Retainer, paid 8,110 point. As Experimenter bringing retainers from the Quest world. Points paid per hour increased to by number of retainers. Bonus life time is cut to 1200 hours"
"Cheapskate systems"
"Please refrain from cursing to the Systems. Considering it is the first infraction lifespan, was cut for 24 hours"
Leon shut up. He then remembered that Tang Yu's system is not a cheat, but a shitty slave driver. They even cut it for
"So why is my first Quest taking 10 years?"
"Special time dilation quest are special, do not count to Experimenter Lifespan as experimenter and retainers body would be returned to the point before the Experiment"
"Or we die in the Quest so it doesn't matter," says Tsunade.
"Can we increase the surplus time?"
"Yes. Each hours could be exchanged with Reward points"
"Exchange lifespan for 200 days"
"Life span calculated, reduced 9,600 point"
He remembered that this shitty system doesn't give ability. But he could bring things, even body enhancement if it was a regular mission. This shitty mission version do not give him that leeway. Well he did take a few things to bring home.
"Well return home. Bring 1 Nuibari sword, 4 Human puppet, 20 Kunai, 100 Shuriken, 10 kg of gold "
"Calculate to return to Terminator world 1 Nuibari Sword, 100 point. 4 Human puppet, 400 point, 200 Kunai, 200 point, 500 shuriken, 500 point. 10 kg of gold cost 1000 point Total 2200 point deducted"
Well, the last thing to do is to leave with a bang. Leon left a Kunai with a burning exploding tag. Both him and Tsunade disappear from Shinobi World, but a massive explosion rocked an entire inn at Tanzaku town.
There is a reason why they do it in that town. The inn was a cover for ROOT. Dozens of ROOT operatives in Shinobi gear shouldn't be there.
A massive explosion when Tsunade Senju with her lover stayed there? With dozens of Root Shinobi found dead because of the explosion? While Leon doesn't trust he could kill Danzou (he is too elusive to kill now), their death could deal a death blow to that man. He is pretty pissed to be targeted, so it really pays to be a petty vilain.
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Side Story :
Hiruzen was furious. Two of his most talented Shinobi were found killed by Root. There are blood and probable remains of two of them.
No matter how Danzo tried to deny, there are dozens of his shinobi corpses. Some Yamanaka, Akimichi and Aburame orphans were found there when Daimyo Samurai check there.
Nawaki was angry and demand answers in front of Shinobi Council why ROOT Shinobi just murder her sister and her lover. The Uzumaki was behind him.
Even the Uchiha was appalled that ROOT would dare to murder the grand daughter of the First Hokage, over their insistence that her lover was a traitor.
Nawaki opens his sister's and her lover's will when Katsuyu told him that his sister blood mark fade out from Katsuyu contract.
Tsunade told him that she fears she won't see him past this war. Leon who usually prank him just for the hell of it, leave him his will. He feels different when they are just go out for a simple diplomatic mission and vacation spree.
When Leon's will was open. The Shinobi clans see files and reports of Root conspiracy of kidnap, torture and murder of many Konoha renowned Shinobi in the Second Shinobi war.
Mission that should have succeeded, failed with lethal consequences. Evidence of leaked report of Konoha's mission by ROOT to foreign Shinobi. Even there are reports of ROOT operatives leaking of Uzushio defenses before they fall.
Hiruzen feels cold. The Shinobi council with noble clans was furious. They even threat to defect if Danzo was left alive.
"I have no Regret. I remove a future threat of Konoha. Those Shinobi are liable to betray Konoha"
"I think it's not about betrayal. But because those Shinobi would endanger your position in your bid as a Hokage in the event Hiruzen sensei ``demise" Orochimaru speak in Danzo's trial.
Rather than Danzo, Leon leave notes on research to him. He even told him to create his own semi village outside Konoha if he think Konoha no longer in his interest.
"Danzo. You have crossed the line you should not cross. Tobirama sensei is probably shamed by what you do," say Hiruzen as he stabs his staff through Danzo's body.
Death of Danzo Shimura ends an era. Second Shinobi War, the death of the Senju Princess and Demon Puppeteer of Konoha, Danzo betrayal and execution shake the Shinobi world.
Nawaki Senju married Mikoto Uchiha. Ending the long antagonism of the Senju-Uchiha warring era. Strange that Nawaki suddenly gain interest with Mikoto.
Even so, the embers outside Konoha that would spark again as the Third Shinobi war still exist. Konoha economic dependency to Shinobi Mission are reduced as Leon's advice to Nawaki makes Konoha Economy now moved to be more relied on forestry, medicine and farming rather than Shinobi mission like other villages.
Konoha is still strong, their Shinobi are renowned, but now they put a very expensive price tag on missions beyond Fire nation. Suna economy are not too damaged as Konoha start to drift away from taking Mission outside those given by Land of Fire Nobles. But there are tension within that could explode as the schism between the Third Kazekage and Suna elders exists.
Nawaki started to train as the next future Hokage, with Orochimaru as his advisor. Leon wrote so many books that he left to him, giving him insight on modern politics, war, and economy.
The loss of Leon who in the future of Shinobi World could be considered a talented Scholar is quite a harsh blow for Konoha, but many youngsters like Kushina, Minato, Inoichi, Shikaku, Chouza, see him as a role model. Soon his books of Shinobi Economy on using Jutsu, Science of Ninjutsu, and How to make Money from your shitty Ninjutsu, was released in Konoha, it makes him an idol for Kakashi, Obito, Asuma etc.
