Pages flapped open as Akira's hand dropped the cards onto the floor mid, game. The moment Hashirama's wooden clone vanished in a flicker of chakra, he stood up and barked the command without looking around.
"Retreat immediately."
Chairs scraped against the floor as every Uzumaki clan member in the tent snapped into motion. The cards, the dishes, the idle conversation, all gone in an instant. They packed their things silently, not asking questions. They had seen this before.
Tobirama stood behind them, the only one not moving. He stared at Akira, frowning.
"What's the meaning of this?"
He sounded almost annoyed. Akira barely spared him a glance. Tobirama's assumption was expected, he believed it had to be Izuna who struck down the clone. Madara was supposed to be fighting Hashirama.
Akira's mouth twisted in irritation. He'd warned them. Months ago. Books filled with tactics and strategy handed over to the Senju clan, and apparently left unread by this idiot.
"Are you stupid?" Akira snapped, stepping forward so fast the air shifted behind him. "I told you there couldn't be only two tailed beasts on their side. What did you think they were doing, playing fair?"
Tobirama crossed his arms and squared his shoulders.
"We're not afraid even if there are two mo, "
Akira's voice cut through him instantly.
"Just bullshit!"
Everyone in the tent flinched.
"You think you'll stop a coordinated detonation with what, patience? If we know death is certain, and we don't move to stop it, then you're not a general, you're executioning your own people."
Tobirama's eyes narrowed. "You scared?"
"If you're afraid of dying," he said under his breath, "go back where it's safe."
Chairs nearly toppled as several Uzumaki members stepped between them quickly.
"Lord Tobirama, Master Akira, please! Let's calm down!"
Others joined in, placating both sides with strained voices and hopeful expressions.
Akira's hand tightened at his side but he gave a single nod. Tobirama exhaled through his nose and looked away.
Beyond them, the mirror image technique shimmered again.
Mist thickened across the battlefield. Great Fire Annihilation had already clashed with Water Wall Formation, and the rising vapor obscured everything to the eye.
Tobirama stepped closer to the mirror and squinted.
"When did Izuna get so strong…?"
He hesitated,
"No," he whispered sharply, "it couldn't be…"
Madara's Susanoo ripped through the fog moments later and Tobirama froze. Recognition sank in hard and fast as his voice cracked open with disbelief.
"A shadow clone? Since when, ?"
His head jerked towards Akira in slow realization, and suspicion twisted through his features.
"That should be impossible… You, only you knew how to use Shadow Clones after coming b, "
He cut himself off and turned to the door just as Akira barked out orders toward the Uzumaki clan stationed inside.
"Protect headquarters! Everyone else, we're moving out!"
"Yes!"
No resistance came from them this time. Even the youngest among them obeyed immediately, grabbing their gear and heading for formation outside the tent.
Akira gritt his teeth and looked at Tobirama with disbelief. "She's aiming right at us, and you're using my people as shields."
Tobirama answered without hesitation. "I'm commander here, you hold no official position."
Akira glanced down once before locking eyes with Tobirama again. There was nothing behind those eyes now, just a mission moving forward without room for opinion or argument.
"Take Mito and go," Akira ordered over his shoulder without looking back. "Everyone else, on me."
"Yes, Lord Akira!"
Anbu flickered into motion behind him. One of them reached for Mito's arm even as she shouted in protest, her voice echoing across the room as she disappeared from sight.
Akira stepped toward the exit again, but this time Tobirama said nothing else. The silence between them felt louder than any insult they'd ever traded before this moment.
Outside, morning fog clung thick over stone and grass. The barrier ahead shimmered faintly across its edge, as Susanoo stepped into full view from beyond it.
Madara hadn't slowed down once.
Akira pointed at the barrier and kept his voice level.
"Strengthen the defense line! Everyone else prepare defensive ninjutsu."
Two Uzumaki clan members hesitated beside him. "Lord Akira… If that thing punches through, what good will chakra shields do?"
"I said prepare it," Akira snapped back, and they obeyed without another sound.
Before they could finish their seals, he ran past them toward the front line alone.
"I hope Madara will listen to me first."
His footsteps pounded across the ground as he rushed forward, each one closing distance between himself and Madara's towering Susanoo fast enough to count seconds instead of meters.
He stopped just beyond the front line and shouted out with amplified voice technique,
"Madara, stop! We surrender!"
Gasps rippled behind him from Uzumaki soldiers mid, formation, some dropping scrolls, others dropping their hands altogether in shock. Even Tobirama's voice caught in his throat just behind the main tent flap but did not speak.
Akira held his ground while Madara turned her head slowly inside the chest cavity of her armor, Sharingan spinning as she fixed her gaze on him alone.
Her mouth pulled into a smile so slow it could only be described as satisfied victory just earned,
"I knew you'd show up."
"So?" Akira asked quickly, watching her hands carefully for any movement inside Susanoo. "Should I consider this your win?"
Madara grinned wider.
"Which means I get spoils."
Akira exhaled through grit teeth but nodded anyway. She could take whatever she wanted, as long as Hashirama was around to get it back later anyway.
Madara turned away, then suddenly slammed Susanoo's arm down into the barrier with full force,
CRACK!
Glass, like shards exploded from chakra tension in midair as the Uzumaki defense net failed instantly under impact.
Akira took half a step back,
"Madara…?"
Laughter erupted from inside that monstrous shell of chakra,
"You're my spoil of war!"
Susanoo lunged forward before anyone could stop her. One hand batted away two approaching Anbu without slowing down, the other snatched Akira off the ground before even he could react defensively. The Uzumaki forces surged forward too late,
She was already gone, with Senju Akira gripped tightly in her armored fist, and sprinting away from the front line just as fast as she'd arrived.
As Madara triggered her Genjutsu through hrrMangekyo Sharingan mid-sprint, Akira's consciousness flickered near blackout.
a single realization echoed inside his head,
He may have miscalculated.... made an oopsie...
(T/N: our boy is fucked...)
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