Land of Grass.
Iwagakure and Konohagakure battlefield.
Second Great Shinobi War.
Konohagakure Calendar Year Thirty-Seven, April.
~Soutarou POV~
Standing amongst a crowd of Jonin and Special Jonin, Soutarou hesitantly looked over at Tsunade, who didn't gaze back at all. He felt extremely awkward as by rank he was not only not supposed to be there, but no bothered explaining his presence, nor was Tsunade there to back him up like usual. Soutarou's eyes nervously glanced around the room, not out of fear of the power of the people there as he was dozens of times stronger than most, if not almost all of them, but due to the glances and whispers.
'Now I get why Sakumo committed suicide… this is really unbearable… how did… How did Naruto manage this… It's like my skin is getting prickled… Why could't I just be a Chinese Main Character who shouts "You're courting death!" No, instead I'm the poor protagonist who's own system is trying to give me a… what is it that the Chinese say… a green hat? Speaking of that depressed uncle, where is he? Isn't he a battlefield commander as well?'
Just as Soutarou thought that a silver haired man with a soft expression walked into the room, before pausing on Soutarou's figure and glancing at Tsuande who just stood motionlessly with her arms crossed and her eyes closed. Sakumo gave Soutarou a questioning look and he just sheepishly shrugged. Sakumo then coughed lightly and said, "Sorry for the hold up. What's our plan?"
Tsunade's eyes opened slowly, she looked around the room authoritatively and one of her hands dropped down to her hip as she spoke flatly, "Simple. We create a battering ram to create a gap in their formations. That battering ram is Soutarou. Plain and simple. Our follow up will just be to clean up his aftermath and breakthrough using his momentum. There is no real strategy, as we have no choice. If Iwagakure's harassment continues, not only will our morale collapse, but our supply lines will get cut off, and we simply don't have the numbers to afford trading lives the way Iwagakure is throwing themselves at us. So our plan is simple. We throw everything into one attack. While we still have supply lines, morale, and the manpower to do it."
Tsunade paused and said, "Any questions?"
The crowd of Elite Jonin, Jonin, and Special Jonin all went silent due to the nature of what Tsunade had just said and revealed. Sakumo's mouth opened and then closed before saying, "What are our odds?"
Tsunade shrugged and said, "Why don't you ask him."
She glanced over momentarily before closing her eyes in what seemed to be annoyance. Soutarou waved shyly and said, "O-our odds should be fairly strong. As long as I have enough time to set off my opening jutsu, the plan will go smoothly. As for whether I can pull it off… I don't have any worries, I only need a minute to begin and most of their outer defences and traps should collapse in the aftermath of that singular jutsu. Everyone will just need to follow the path I clear out."
Soutarou's voice stabilized and he began confidently while using his hands and arms to enunciate his meaning further. As he concluded various ninja gave him skeptical looks before he just sighed and waved his hand causing all of their legs to get bound by wood release. And he dominantly said, "There's no need to worry, I pulled off a miracle once. I can do it again."
All the voices of dissent died down almost immediately and Sakumo's eyes lit up while Tsunade just watched with disinterest. Several plans were formulated along with several routes of attack, squadron formation, and various logistics. At some point Soutarou, unable to stand it anymore, quietly stepped out, slightly downcast.
'As expected she's mad… well… At least I maintained my character. I won't change my morals for something like gaining her affections… Even if in my last life she was… She was… She was my favorite waifu. My favorite character… But I'd rather stay honest. Yeah… No matter what, I hope someday we can be friends at the very least.'
Soutarou walked around the camp somewhat aimlessly, before he unknowingly gained a follower. By the time he had walked into an area a bit further from the rest of the troops, he finally felt a tap on his shoulder. He snapped out of his stupor and found a wild red haired, violet eyed, head band wearing Kushina.
Soutarou who was kind of spaced out said, "Kushina?"
Kushina bobbled her head and said, "You really didn't hear anything I said… You were spaced out there for a minute… So in the end I just followed you."
Soutarou's mouth opened and closed before he finally said, "... I spaced out that hard?"
Kushina nodded softly and said, "You know… If you're worried about sister Tsunade… Just win tomorrow, that's all she'll expect out of you. Right now she's just taking some space and sorting out her feelings… though I think you did the right thing Soutarou. You told the truth… though I think everyone would've been happier to know it earlier… the fact that you revealed it all the same even though you knew it might hurt… It was for the better. Just give her sometime and everything will sort itself out."
Soutarou nodded his head softly before he pursed his lips…
[...Kushina Love Rating: 9.5/10 → 8.5/10…]
'Her's dropped too… well no point in getting upset about split milk what happened, happened. It's better that I ripped the bandaid off than letting it fester.'
Soutarou stared upwards at the darkening sky and slowly closed his eyes before taking a deep breath and unclenching his fist. Before reaching up with his hand slowly as if trying to capture the stars.
Soutarou then confidently said, "Let's go back to camp Kushina, sorry for worrying you."
Kushina shook her head and didn't say anything else and so the pair returned in silence, albeit different from the awkward silence from before as Soutarou's aura seemed to radiate like normally.
Kushina slightly smiled before shaking her head and returning to her own tent, while Soutarou walked back into the command tent and found it empty except for a blank map. He walked over and began calculating where to begin his attack…
'Right there… thickest portion of their defensive line… most clustered lives… and most traps… the break through process will be longer… meaning I'll pull more aggro… but. I have a pretty good chance of being able to steam roll through once I get past that point and attack their defensive lines from behind.'
Cracking his knuckles and rolling up the map, Soutarou muttered, "Let's do this…"
~Soutarou POV later that night~
Land of Grass.
Iwagakure and Konohagakure battlefield.
4:00AM, Konoha Main Base.
Certain highly trusted chunin moved from tent to tent slowly and softly waking up jonin after jonin, before once again the main base camp was crowded, albeit all of their chakra's and aura's were suppressed.
Tsunade stood at the helm alongside Sakumo and Soutarou who was now wearing a different set of gear, one he had requested from the Senju clan. It made several Senju and Uchiha Clan members pause and even Tsunade had to do a double take. Instead of combat boots, gray tactical gear, and a ninjato. Soutarou instead carried a large scroll on his back, and wore a deep red plated armor reminiscent of yoroi samurai. His hair was now artificially grown using medical ninjutsu, making him seem like a cross between Madara Uchiha with his curling black hair and Hashirama Senju with his bright golden eyes and massive scroll. Sakumo ended up asking in a whisper that nearly everyone in the room could hear and said, "Soutarou-kun what's the point of this get up?"
Soutarou flashed a smile and said, "It's to traumatize an old man."
Soutarou's eyes then turned red and three tomoe appeared causing a collective gasp to ring out. Soutarou's eyes then began to turn into a swirling pattern with his three tomoe overlapping.
A voice feverishly said, "M-Mangekyo Sharingan?"
Another voice questioned, "Mangekyo and Wood Release…?"
Soutarou smiled and said, "Let's make haste. Those rock humpers should still be asleep… let's go give them a nice wake up party shall we? I believe Onoki's birthday is soon… An old man like him needs to… reminisce about the 'good times'."
Several dozen eyebrows twitched, a few even muttered, "Now I feel bad for these Iwagakure Shinobi…"
But the most ridiculous response was from the few sparsely placed Uchiha Shinobi who didn't know if they should be celebrating or if they should be crying tears of blood. Similarly the Senju clan members all had a collective sigh with a few even going so far as to say, "Madara and Hashirama-sama in one? What's next, the Sage of Six Paths shows up?"
Tsunade was the one who was the most flabbergasted and confused, but also the one who was the most exasperated. She thought, 'That's the real Soutarou for you… Though didn't he just have a three tomoe? When did he get the Mangekyo? Who died? Don't tell me someone else awakened- Mikoto! He got it from Mikoto! I see… Well at least he's being himself again instead of that pathetically saddened face he was making earlier.'
Tsunade then said, "You heard him. All units ready to move out by 4:30am sharp."
She paused and turned towards Soutarou and said, "Soutarou begin your break through when ready."
Soutarou nodded and said, "Wait for the signal flare. Make sure Kushina is protected, Sakumo-San I'll leave her and our rear in your hands. Make sure to remind Kushina to fire her flare once she's done her part, in response to my flare."
Sakumo paused and questioned before getting no response from either Soutarou or Tsunade and just nodding.
Soutarou made one final glance and waving before saying, "Good luck everyone. I hope to see you all back here tomorrow."
Everyone stared at Soutarou solemnly, before Tsunade's eyes finally softened and she nodded. Soutarou then flickered out of the tent. As Soutarou began speeding up towards the Iwagakure main camp he ran into several dozen Iwagakure Shinobi all of whom met a singular fate. Death. Cutting through enemy ranks and bombrushing towards the encampment. In a matter of an hour Soutarou had made it all the way to the Iwa-Kusa (Land of Earth and Land of Grass) border.
Steadying his breath before firing off a glaring red flare and forming hands signs.
As his chakra surged, he completed the last hand sign and smiled devilishly.
'Wood Style: Wood Human Jutsu!'
A massive Golem nearly 125 stories tall (500m, 1650ft) formed towering over the camp. Before Soutarou's eyes began swirling with his unique mangekyo pattern as a he held his hands together and formed another handsign
'Wood Style: Wood Dragon Jutsu!'
A massive wooden dragon curled around the massive Wooden Human's neck as the being began taking massive steps and speeding up. The cries and horror of Iwa shinobi rang out.
Soutaoru then pressed his hands together into a modified ram hand sign and shouted, "Susanoo! Majestic Attired Wood Human."
At this point Soutarou atop of the massive wooden human with a deep gold armament clenched open his hands and two massive dual swords, one larger and one smaller reminiscent of a wakizashi and a katana pairing. Soutarou began forming hand signs within the armored giant, finishing just as a notification hit.
'Susanoo: Chidori'
[Ding! User has been gifted: Temporary Sage Mode, Claim: Y/N?]
'Yes! Let do it this dammit!'
'May the flames of war burn brightly...!'
Soutarou's eyes glinted as he continued forwards before his giant's swords came into contact with a barrier which it nearly instantly ripped through and flares fired off in every direction from the Iwa side as they began to scramble in horror all while behind Soutarou, dozens of shinobi began breaking through the tree line...