Chapter 101: A Complete Reversal, Part Two

Creak...

The massive cellar door swung open, flooding the space with free, brilliant sunlight. Inside the surprisingly bright underground chamber, hundreds of Konoha prisoners were scattered about—some playing Hanafuda, others engaged in Shogi. They looked less like captives and more like tourists on holiday.

The Hyuga ninjas had strips of paper plastered all over their faces; usually, they would cheat their way through card games, but since they couldn't use their Byakugan, they were losing miserably.

Hyuga Hizashi sat with his back to the crowd, hunched over and secretly reading a book with an orange cover.

Might Guy, despite having solid iron spheres weighing thousands of pounds shackled to his limbs, was still struggling to pace around, treating his imprisonment as nothing more than a rigorous training session.

Gekko Hayate sat with his long sword across his knees, eyes closed, sharpening his spirit. It was his thirtieth day of abstinence. His complexion had returned to a healthy glow, the dark circles that had haunted his youth were gone, and his physique was visibly more muscular.

Uzuki Yugao was practicing Konoha-style swordsmanship under the guidance of Kosuke Maruboshi. Her expression had grown determined, and she was putting every ounce of effort into shedding the label of being weak and indecisive.

Kakashi and Rin were both reading—Kakashi was engrossed in *Make-Out Paradise*, while Rin was studying a compendium of medicinal herbs native to the Land of Grass.

...

Facing the blinding sun, a dark silhouette stood at the cellar entrance, arms crossed as he addressed them: "My apologies for the mistreatment, everyone."

"Is the village finally paying the ransom?"

"Finally, we can go home! Even though it's been comfortable here, I still crave freedom!"

"How is the war going outside?"

The room surged with excitement as everyone stood up, staring at Shiroki. Even though they had been captured by his own hands, why couldn't they bring themselves to hate him? Was this Stockholm Syndrome?

"At this very moment, the Third Tsuchikage has just signed a peace treaty with your Third Hokage. Konoha has lost—fifty billion ryo in war reparations and all territory north of the Flash Forest," Shiroki said, his voice heavy.

"..." Everyone stared at him in silence, clenching their fists. They longed for peace, but peace bought through the sacrifice of land and treasure was a humiliation they could not accept!

"However, it is not over yet. I know you are not reconciled to this. There is still room to turn things around. We are currently in the heart of the Iwagakure stronghold. Kitsuchi, Akatsuchi, the Four-Tails, the Five-Tails... the leadership has already been neutralized by me. Iwagakure is currently a house of cards. We only need to seize this capital city to reverse the entire war, and the treaty will naturally be rendered void." Shiroki threw his arms wide, shouting to the crowd, "Stand up, ninjas of Konoha! Use your actions to defy this humiliation!"

Silence persisted, followed by utter shock. How could an Iwagakure mercenary who had captured them suddenly become an ally of Konoha? How were they supposed to believe this?

"Why should we trust you?" Kakashi was the first to speak.

"For that, let us welcome our... handsome Minato!" Shiroki stepped aside, and Minato Namikaze made a flashy entrance.

"Sensei!!!" Rin dashed forward and threw herself into Minato’s arms.

"It's alright... your teacher is here..." Minato patted Rin’s head. His body hadn't fully recovered, and his complexion was still poor, but he was at least mobile.

"Lord Minato! Were you captured too?" a fool asked.

"Ahem... although it may sound bizarre, Shiroki-kun has explained the process to me. On his way home, he was coerced into service as a mercenary by the evil Ohnoki. Through a series of struggles and fortuitous encounters, he gained Ohnoki's trust. In truth, his heart has always been with Konoha, and throughout this entire process, he has not harmed a single Konoha ninja." Minato, having fallen for Shiroki’s sophistry, helped offer an alibi.

"What... Shiroki, you..." Uzuki Yugao was stunned, but upon reflection, she felt a wave of warmth and joy, as if she had stepped out of the darkness and into the sun. She was the only one who hadn't been forced to drink medicine and the only one with a private room.

"Why... why is it like this!" Gekko Hayate gripped his sword hilt so hard the scabbard nearly shattered. Why! He had practiced abstinence just to defeat this man... but why was he an undercover agent? Was there any point to his persistence now?

"Could it be... that even you, Minato, support his idea?" Hyuga Hizashi frowned.

"Yes. It is precisely because I love Konoha so deeply that I cannot watch the land of the Land of Fire be torn away," Minato nodded.

"But the treaty has been signed... if both sides break it, not only will the war reignite, but we will lose our credibility in the ninja world..." Hizashi was a man of long-term considerations. A village that tore up treaties at will would find itself distrusted by everyone in future negotiations.

"That is easily solved. We will simply claim that the Third Hokage was coerced and controlled by genjutsu cast by Danzo Shimura, the leader of Konoha's surrender faction. Therefore, the treaty is invalid. Once the matter is settled, we hand Danzo over to Ohnoki’s judgment," Shiroki suggested with a brilliant idea.

"This... would Lord Danzo agree?"

"Lord Danzo is a fine comrade who loves the village, a true heir to the Will of Fire. He will surely understand the principle of burning oneself to illuminate the greatness of Konoha," Shiroki nodded solemnly.

"But... our numbers are quite small. I worry that these hundred or so people won't be able to stir up much trouble," Hizashi expressed his concern.

"Shiroki has already subdued the high-ranking officials here. I will contact Nara Kafuku at the defensive line to launch an offensive. Although the numbers may not be huge, there should be over a thousand of us," Minato replied.

"And there is the Village Hidden in the Grass. The Grass ninjas have long been dissatisfied with Ohnoki’s actions. If you can give them a promise on behalf of Konoha, we can incite them to revolt. That, too, will force Iwagakure to stab itself with its own blade," Shiroki added.

"If that is the case, then very well. We are willing to follow your arrangements, Minato," Hizashi said, stepping forward to take the lead.

"OK! Then drink the antidote!" Shiroki clapped his hands, and two vats of herbal concoction—even smellier than the chakra-suppressing medicine—were hauled in.

...

This day was destined to be one of radical reversal.

Konoha's compromise, the signing of the treaty, the two Jinchuriki, and the garrison of the Iwagakure shield-masters had caused the entire Iwagakure base to let its guard down completely. After years of tension, their nerves had suddenly snapped, and almost no one was fully performing their duties.

The Hyuga clan's Byakugan was a natural cheat code for urban street fighting. They ambushed every Iwagakure ninja in sight until not a soul remained on the walls, allowing Nara Kafuku’s border troops to enter with ease.

The leader of the Village Hidden in the Grass, long tired of the humiliation of being trampled by Iwagakure, accepted the alliance brought by Minato and agreed to turn their blades against their former masters.

In taverns, restaurants, brothels, and casinos, the poor Iwagakure ninjas only realized war had returned when they saw the blood-stained blades of Konoha. Before they could even warn their comrades, they died under the steel.

Ironically, the ones who finally woke the oblivious Iwagakure forces were the lackeys from the Land of Grass, beating drums and shouting that Konoha was invading.

But it was too late. Even with their superior numbers, Iwagakure was now a scattering of sand. Genin couldn't find Chunin, Chunin couldn't find anyone in charge, and without unified command, they fought in isolation and fell into despair. The most senior and powerful Roshi was missing, the strange Han had vanished, and the honest Akatsuchi was gone. Mahiru, after much fighting, finally found Kitsuchi locked in a hotel.

"Lord Kitsuchi!!! Konoha is attacking! There are enemies everywhere!! Come out and lead the counterattack!"

"Forget about the Konoha attack for a second. First, tell me... why is there a dragon rowing a boat in my room...? Whoo-hoo~ Whoo-hoo~" Kitsuchi’s head was covered in colorful mushrooms.

In less than half a day, the Iwagakure forces completely collapsed. Nearly ten thousand ninjas were chased everywhere by little more than a thousand enemies. Most fled toward the Land of Earth, abandoning their base entirely.