This is a Bonus Chapter!
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Huge thanks to everyone reading and supporting the story, it means the world.To celebrate, today's chapter is a bonus release!
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The link is also in the synopsis
A/N - Thank you, James Nagy for becoming Azure Awakening Patreón!
<<<>>>
The night came quickly, but no one could sleep. It wasn't just the pain from the fallen that kept them awake, but the effect of the soldier pills. Even the lower-ranked shinobi had taken one, which meant they wouldn't be able to sleep for the next 48 hours.
Kaoru sat on a log. He had used up half of his chakra again and was lost in thought, replaying his last conversation with Suiren.
'I was so cold, even though I knew she was going to risk her life… I didn't even tell her I loved her.' Guilt gnawed at him and his face betrayed his inner turmoil.
Maki, who had just come, noticed and smacked the back of his head before sitting down beside him.
"Ouch, that hurt. Don't forget you're much stronger than ordinary humans," Kaoru complained, rubbing the spot where she'd hit him.
"It worked, didn't it?" she replied with a faint smile. "Ru, whatever you're thinking you did wrong, forget about it. It's pointless to dwell on that." This time, she ruffled his hair instead.
Kaoru didn't respond. He simply nodded and continued staring at the ground as if something there held his undivided attention.
"Besides, Grandma told me to always hit you when you're acting stupid. So unless you want to be all bruised, get smarter soon," Maki added with a wide grin.
Kaoru looked at her with suspicion. "And why do I think you're making all that up?" He shook his head but still smiled. 'I'm blessed to have you in my life. No matter how I feel or where I am, you're always there to support me.'
He understood that Maki was probably feeling even worse than he was, but she was forcing herself to laugh and joke around for his sake.
'I won't make the same mistake of not showing emotions to my family,' Kaoru resolved himself as he stood up and hugged his sister."Thank you, Maki, for everything."
For a moment, her eyes widened in surprise. Kaoru wasn't a distant kid, but he wasn't usually this emotional either. Still, she enjoyed the affection and hugged him back, tears slowly forming in her eyes.
The siblings stayed like that for a while until Maki coughed slightly and pushed Kaoru away.
"I almost forgot I've got something to discuss," she said, meeting Kaoru's gaze.
"The list of people participating in the war against Kumo will be revealed tomorrow, and you're on it."
Maki's eyebrows twitched when she saw Kaoru didn't react at all. 'Look at how confident this brat has become,' she thought, feeling a mix of pride and amusement.
"Unlike this battle, you'll become a target in that war. I need you to promise me you'll be careful and won't risk your life, no matter what happens." Despite wanting Kaoru to gain experience, she couldn't shake the fear of losing him.
"I'll do that only if you promise me the same thing, Maki. That you won't risk your life, no matter what," Kaoru said seriously, locking eyes with her. His gaze was so piercing that Maki looked away, as she was planning to lie.
"I can't make such a promise, you know that. I'll have to fight Kumo's strongest shinobi. How can I not risk my life?" she said, pouting. If anyone saw Maki now, they'd be shocked. The usual tigress, who always exuded power and dominance, was acting like a little girl. This was Maki's vulnerable side, something she only showed to Kaoru… and Suiren.
"Then don't ask me to make such promises. How can I not risk my life if I see one of my friends or you in trouble? Maki, I know you love me, and you know I love you too. But other than that, we're the pillars of the Takime clan and Takimura. We have responsibilities, especially you. If you have to choose between me and Takime, I need you to choose the latter."
Kaoru's last words caught Maki off guard and even Kaoru himself. He had spoken on impulse, without thinking his words through.
"Don't be an idiot. Who would let me choose a whole village in exchange for a snotty brat?" Maki laughed, deflecting the question. For once, Kaoru was glad she didn't answer and following her example, he completely changed the subject.
"So, you're on Kage level now, huh?" Kaoru looked at Maki with a suspicious gaze, teasing her, but deep down, he was proud. His sister was one of the strongest shinobi in the world.
<<<>>>
"Lord Mizukage, Takimura agreed, but they had some conditions. Their side will act independently, they'll join the war only after we make the first move, and we must officially declare that Takimura, as a neighboring village, is fighting on our side," Hakare Hozuki reported. He expected Yagura to erupt in rage, but instead, he saw a smile of regret form on his face.
"That's all my fault. I brought this shame upon Kiri," Yagura said, his voice heavy with self-reproach. He was angry, but his anger was directed at himself.
'In my current condition, I can't fight Maki Takime, and the rest of our forces are nowhere near her level. Still, defeating Takimura won't be a problem, most of their shinobi are already dead. But what happens after that? Our forces will be destroyed and Kumo will easily defeat us, even if Konoha doesn't join.' Yagura felt as though he had finally woken up. When Suiren's water extraction destroyed his arm, his mind had cleared. It was as if losing a hand had also dispelled the haze in his mind.
'The problem is that my hand isn't healing. As a jinchuriki, I'm supposed to recover quickly, but my recovery has barely progressed.' Yagura took a glance at his withered hand, sighing regrettably. He was slowly regaining his old self. Though a small part of his memories were still altered by Obito, his mind was working normally now.
"As long as we defeat Kumo, all that shame is fine. We'll regain our reputation and stature after Kumo is dealt with. As soon as I fully recover, Takimura won't be a problem. Even if Takime Maki chooses to duel me, I'll easily defeat her and Kirigakure will absorb Takimura's forces." Even though Yagura had regained his sanity, he was no saint. He didn't care about Takimura. All he wanted was Kiri's growth.
"Lord Mizukage, I also confirmed that the kid survived. I don't know if he has the same ability as the Takime clan's previous head, but he definitely possesses the dojutsu. His water control was simply uncanny, and his chakra reserves are also bigger than the average chunin's…" Hozuki wore a sly smile, slowly making his point, but Yagura already knew what he was implying.
"I know what you're trying to say, but we can't make a move now. If we do, Takimura will not stop until one of us is completely destroyed and it might even cause more shinobi to defect to their side, besides, there's also no guarantee we'll succeed. Instead, we should eliminate the kid after the war or during the final battle when he's exhausted and his sister is occupied with something else." Yagura scratched his chin, thinking. "How about we do this…"
<<<>>>
A day had passed since the end of the war with Kiri, or rather, the ceasefire. Takimura was in the process of mourning their fallen. The entire village wore dark, somber expressions. There wasn't a single person who hadn't lost a relative or friend in the war.
"Did you hear? If it weren't for Lady Suiren and Lady Maki, we would have lost."
"Yes, I heard that Lady Suiren sacrificed her life to injure the Mizukage, and then Lady Maki defeated him, forcing him to flee."
"Does that mean Lady Maki is stronger than the Mizukage?"
"Obviously! Why else would he run if he wasn't afraid of facing her?"
"Yes, yes! It was Kiri who asked for the ceasefire after all…"
The residents of Takimura couldn't stop discussing the most important event in their lives - the recent war. Maki's fame had spread far and wide. She was now seen as a guardian of the village. Even those who had doubted her strength before now saw her as undoubtedly the strongest shinobi in Takimura.
"I also heard that Kaoru Takime saved our Lady Mei."
"Is he really that strong?"
"Not just her, he saved Lady Mei and her entire squad."
"My cousin told me that he helped his entire group too. Apparently, he was roaming the battlefield, helping anyone in trouble."
"The Takime siblings are the hope of Takimura!"
"Don't forget about Terumi Akane!"
"Yes, yes! I heard she was like a slaughterer, massacring dozens of shinobi…"
"Really? She always seemed so warm and caring…"
"No, no. That's because the boy she loved died in the battle. Apparently, he sacrificed himself to save her, and then she killed every Kiri ninja around her in a rage."
"Our new generation is so strong!"
Kaoru and Akane had also gained fame. Kaoru was hailed by many as a savior. He was greeted with respect wherever he went in the village. Akane, on the other hand, was admired and respected for her strength, but people were afraid of her. The sight of her losing herself completely during the battle had left a deep impression. Even in the camp, she had been fully soaked in blood until Mei found her and helped her wash up.
While the rising stars of the new generation remained a hot topic of discussion, the village was still mourning the dead. And just like that, the day of burial arrived.
The entire village gathered in the remote area designated as a graveyard. Takimura had lost shinobi before, but this was on a completely different scale. The air was heavy with the pain of losing loved ones. Everyone tried to support each other on the worst day of their lives.
Some told stories, remembering the fallen.
Some said their farewells.
Some cursed Kiri with all their heart.
But no one, not a single person, blamed Takimura or the clan heads. While the war had taken many lives and weakened the village, it had also strengthened it in a different way. Those who had survived now truly associated themselves with Takimura. The people they loved had died for this cause and their bond with the village had deepened. They refused to let their sacrifices be in vain.
"When I grow up, I will become the strongest shinobi Takimura has ever had!" a child vowed at his father's grave, his words breaking through tears.
"My love, I will raise our child to be loyal to Takimura. We won't let your sacrifice be for nothing…" a young woman in her twenties caressed her swollen belly. Her husband had died without ever seeing their child.
While many mourned and cried, others stood with determined looks on their faces. For them, the war wasn't over yet. A squad of fifty would leave Takimura the very next day to join the battle against Kumo.
Maki placed a flower on Suiren's grave and walked back to where her friends and Kaoru stood.
She had cried, remembering the warm memories she shared with Suiren. Despite having memories of her parents, Maki still considered Suiren the one who had raised her and taught her everything she knew. Suiren's impact on Maki's life was greater than anyone else's. She would have loved to stay and process her death slowly, like any normal person, but Maki had no time. She had a responsibility to Takimura, and her focus had already shifted to tomorrow.
'Kiri already made the first move. They should be fighting Kumo right now,' her mind was already occupied with the upcoming battle.
'I will protect Takimura, Grandma,' she clenched her fists as she looked at Kaoru, who met her gaze with unwavering determination in his eyes.
'This is just the beginning of our journey. Takimura will soon be known throughout the world!'
**
A/N -
Honestly, I planned to write something really deep and poetic here…
but then I remembered I haven't slept properly in three days and my coffee just called me "senpai," so... xD
You're all amazing. Thank you for being part of this journey. You've no idea how much each comment and rating means to me, it's like a proof that I'm doing something people actually love and enjoy.
Let's keep going, one wild chapter at a time!
Love, GodWithWings
P.S. My very first manga-style picture in the comments
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The link is also in the synopsis
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When weekly Power Stone number reaches 200 I'll upload a Bonus Chapter! Currently 76/200