The night wind carried the smell of ash and iron through the broken valley. Beneath the cliff, torchlight from the Konoha camp flickered against the smoke, painting the faces of men who had killed too many to count.
Raizen's voice cut through the murmur of the wind — calm, even, almost too steady for the battlefield that had birthed him.
"When I was young, a man I called my elder brother died in the war. That was when I first understood how close death really was."
He looked down at his hand, calloused and cracked from years of chakra burns and blood.
"Back then, I didn't think about alliances or peace. I just wanted to live long enough to see tomorrow."
"But as the years went on, the wars never stopped. Families bled one after another. Even children — barely five — were pushed onto battlefields to 'serve the clan.' One by one, my siblings disappeared. That was when I started to wonder… should we build a place where children can grow up without the sound of war drums?"
The other clan leaders said nothing. Only the snapping of a torch broke the silence.
"When I grew older," Raizen continued, "I traveled across the Land of Fire. I saw villages burned to cinders, parents digging graves with trembling hands. This world isn't ruled by honor — it's ruled by murder. And from that moment, I swore to end this era, no matter what it cost."
His voice rose, the steady rhythm breaking into conviction.
"That's why Konoha was born — out of that wish."
He turned toward the gathered clan heads — Sarutobi Keigo, Hyūga Tennin, and the others who'd survived the carnage.
"I didn't build this alliance for power. I built it so the next generation wouldn't have to live like we did. So they could have something we never had — a peaceful childhood."
The patriarch of the Shimura Clan suddenly spoke, his voice thick with grief and fury.
"And yet you think this peace will last? The Konoha Alliance may be strong now, but it'll crumble one day. Everything you've done will turn to dust."
Raizen nodded slowly. His reply came with a quiet strength that silenced even the doubters.
"You're right. Everything changes. Every era fades. But not today."
He took a step forward, the torchlight catching the red in his eyes.
"This village carries the hopes of everyone who survived these times. Even if Konoha falls one day, the fire we light here will pass on — until the world finally finds peace."
He drew a breath, steady and cold.
"That's what I believe. That's why I brought you here. In the name of Amamiya Raizen, I invite you to join Konoha — to become our comrades."
A stunned silence followed. Even Hyūga Tennin, who had been swayed by Raizen's chakra control, seemed taken aback. Sarutobi Sanbei and his son exchanged a look, unsure whether to call it madness or faith.
Then, a young voice broke the quiet.
"I like this place."
Sarutobi Sasuke — barely past his teens — stepped forward, eyes reflecting the lights below.
"When I first came to Konoha, I thought it was just another dream waiting to die. But after hearing you speak… maybe it's a dream worth protecting."
He smiled faintly, his voice soft but sure.
"I lost my brother to this war. I stopped believing in peace a long time ago. But here… it feels like I can believe again."
The Sarutobi patriarch's eyes wavered. For a moment, the old man's mask cracked, revealing something almost human — regret. He exhaled heavily and bowed his head.
"On behalf of the Sarutobi Clan," he said quietly, "we'll join Konoha."
Raizen's lips curved in something between exhaustion and triumph. So this is what it takes — to make men believe in peace again.
He turned toward Hyūga Tennin, who gave a curt nod.
"The Hyūga Clan will also join Konoha."
It was expected — Tennin was already bound by chakra — but hearing it aloud sealed the moment.
One by one, the remaining patriarchs followed. Reluctant, fearful, but alive. They could see what Raizen had built — and what would happen to those who refused him.
Raizen smiled faintly. His killing intent faded like mist.
"Good. You've made the right choice."
His tone turned sharp again — the commander returning.
"Konoha isn't built on mercy alone. It's built on blood, on the will to change this cursed world. Remember that."
He raised his hand, and the Konoha shinobi moved to escort the patriarchs back to their camps — to deliver the news, and to release their captured men.
Raizen watched the process in silence. He knew the truth: half of these men agreed out of fear. But fear could be useful. Peace could be born from terror just as well as from dreams.
And maybe, one day, the children of this era would never know which one it came from.
...
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