Chapter 136: Arrival in the Land of Waves
The following morning, an ANBU operative delivered the official deployment orders. Kagenori was to proceed to the Land of Waves without delay.
Before his departure, he made a detour to the Root headquarters. Now that he was officially under Danzo's command, it was a necessary gesture to report his movements. To do otherwise would be to invite the suspicion of a man who trusted no one. The Cursed Tongue Seal was a chain, but it was not a leash on his actions, only his words.
Danzo received him in his usual, spartan office. "There are things you must be made aware of before you depart," Danzo began, his voice as cold and sharp as a shuriken.
Kagenori gave a slight, respectful bow of his head. "I am listening, Lord Danzo."
"Do not show an ounce of leniency in the Land of Waves," Danzo instructed, his single eye boring into Kagenori. "The Uchiha are inherently unruly. They will test you, defy you. If any among them disobeys a direct order, you are to execute them. Publicly. Make an example of them. There is no need for restraint."
A glint of cold agreement shone in Kagenori's eyes. "I understand. I will not be gentle with them."
Danzo gave a grim nod of approval. "Furthermore, Uchiha Fugaku, the son of Clan Head Masaki, will be among the reinforcements. You may use him for any task, no matter how dangerous. But he is not to die. We still require the clan's military strength. If Fugaku falls, Masaki's reaction would be… unpredictable." He paused, letting the implication sink in before adding his final, most critical point. "And one more thing. When Uchiha ninja die on the battlefield—and they will—you are to retrieve their Sharingan. Every single pair. You will deliver them directly to me."
Kagenori's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. So, Fugaku himself would be there. And Danzo was already beginning his collection of those coveted eyes. The pieces were moving exactly as one would expect.
"Your will shall be done, Lord Danzo," Kagenori affirmed.
"Good. Then go. Do not forget what I have told you."
After leaving the Root base, Kagenori set out immediately. The journey to the coastal border of the Fire Country was swift, but the sea voyage to the Land of Waves was plagued by thick, persistent fog. A trip that should have taken five days stretched to seven before he finally stepped onto the rain-slicked docks of the impoverished nation.
He proceeded directly to the Konoha forward operating base, a fortified position overlooking the misty coastline, and presented himself to the acting commander, Nara Kubota.
"Lord Kagenori," Kubota greeted him, his tone respectful and cautious.
Kagenori handed over the scroll containing his orders. "You should be aware of the situation. This is my transfer of command. Effective immediately, I will be assuming leadership of all Konoha forces in this theater."
Nara Kubota meticulously verified the scroll and the Hokage's seal. Once satisfied, he nodded. "The transfer is confirmed, Commander. Would you like a briefing on the current tactical situation?"
"Proceed," Kagenori ordered.
"The situation is… chaotic," Nara Kubota began, his expression grim. "Kirigakure's 'Bloody Mist' policy has created intense internal strife. The Third Mizukage is exporting that conflict, using us as an outlet. Their shinobi attack with a fanatical disregard for their own lives, trading casualties for minimal gain. This… suicidal fervor has inflicted heavy losses on our forces. My strategy has been a comprehensive defense—minimizing engagements to preserve our strength. It is a tenuous stability, but it is stability nonetheless."
Kagenori processed the information swiftly. "The situation is better than I anticipated. Maintain the defensive posture for the next few days. We will use the time to integrate the Uchiha reinforcements. Once they have arrived, we will launch a full counter-offensive."
He met Kubota's gaze, his own eyes glinting with a predatory light. "The Mist ninja are reckless? Then we will be more reckless. They are ruthless? We will be utterly merciless. Let us see whose resolve breaks first."
Nara Kubota felt a chill that had nothing to do with the sea mist. His suspicions were confirmed. The deployment of Kagenori, a known disciplinarian with a history of brutalizing Uchiha, coupled with a large contingent of that very clan, could only mean one thing: this was a sanctioned purge. And from the cold fire in Kagenori's eyes, it would be far bloodier than he had imagined.
As a Nara, he knew better than to voice his conclusions. "Understood, Commander. I will relay your orders."
Kubota then gave Kagenori a tour of the base. The defenses were well-organized, a testament to the Nara's tactical mind. The total Konoha force numbered 248, a respectable size, but the attrition from the Mist's tactics was a constant drain.
Kagenori called for a general assembly of all shinobi. As the new commander, his presence and intent needed to be established.
The reception to his leadership was largely positive, even eager. Despite his harsh reputation, he was also known as the "Blood-Eyed Shura," a legend who brought decisive victory. The morale boost was palpable.
However, when he announced the imminent arrival of the Uchiha reinforcements, the mood in the ranks visibly soured.
"You will not need to concern yourselves with reassignments," Kagenori stated, his voice cutting through the discontent. "You will continue to operate under Deputy Commander Kubota's direct oversight for your standard missions. I will be making the overarching strategic decisions. The Uchiha contingent will be under my personal and direct command."
A wave of palpable relief passed through the assembled ninja. No one wanted to be paired with an Uchiha on the battlefield.
"Dismissed."
Once the crowd dispersed, Kagenori retreated to the quarters assigned to him. Ensuring he was alone, he bit his thumb and performed the familiar hand seals.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
In a puff of smoke, the white snake appeared, its body looking, if anything, even more well-fed than before.
"Master Kagenori!" it hissed, its tone dramatically aggrieved. "You said a few days! It has been eight! Eight days! For that human, I was set upon by my own kin! I fought valiantly to protect him, I assure you! The struggle has left me… diminished!"
Kagenori glanced at the serpent's notably plump midsection and fought back a smirk. "Your sacrifice is noted. Now, his condition?"
"He awoke once while feeding. Afterward, I had a viper with paralytic venom bite him. He sleeps again." The snake flicked its tongue in disdain. "Master, this human's mind is… defective."
"Explain."
"When he awoke, he asked me if he had reached the Pure Land and if I was a divine messenger. I said yes, and the fool believed me! He actually knelt and began to worship me! I have never encountered a human of such profound stupidity." The snake shook its head. "What is more outrageous is that after he overheard talk of the White Sage, he expressed a desire to meet her. Is that not simply rushing to become her dinner?"
Kagenori was taken aback. "He knows of the White Sage? And does the White Sage know of his existence?"
"The human knows only because the other snakes threatened me in her name, and he was listening. As for the White Sage…" The snake's voice dropped to a fearful whisper. "I do not know for certain, but it is said she hears all that transpires in this world. It is possible she is aware."
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