“So what exactly are you trying to do here?”
After a late arrival, Madoka Ikkyu, daimyo of the Land of Fire, sat down across the table from Naruto on the leather sofa. A few days earlier, Ikkyu had come to the village of Konohagakure for a meeting with Naruto. Now this was their second meeting in less than ten days. But this time, Naruto and Shikamaru had gone to the Land of Fire in secret and were meeting in an unofficial capacity. Ikkyu’s residence had been chosen as the venue. Given the large number of people who came and went on a daily basis from the daimyo’s residence, no one would notice them as long as they were disguised. Ikkyu had proposed this plan after giving careful consideration to the specific needs of this meeting.
So Naruto and Shikamaru had slipped into the residence alongside some people carrying meat into the kitchen. Now they sat beside each other facing Ikkyu.
Ikkyu stared at Naruto and began to speak. “You said by any means possible. So I assume it’s quite serious?”
“Yes.” Naruto nodded, his face grim.
“Before we get to that, I have to say a word of thanks.” Ikkyu held up a hand. “I’m truly grateful your son saved Tento. That group of bandits Mujina are famously fiendish. I don’t know what they would have done to my son if the situation had dragged on… When I think about that, I can’t thank your son enough. Honestly, thank you.” Ikkyu bowed his head of swept-up hair deeply.
“Just stop that,” Naruto said. “You don’t need to thank us.”
“If there’s something I can do, just name it. I’ll help you insofar as I can.”
These words were the reason Shikamaru had done what he had. Here’s where we strike the first blow.
As if reading Shikamaru’s mind, Naruto put his hands on his knees and leaned far forward as he started speaking to Ikkyu. “It’s about the matter with the Land of Earth I reported to you the other day.”
“Mm-hmm. I also think the situation is alarming. I’ll get in touch with the Land of Earth right away and try to dig up the truth.”
“That’ll be too late.” Naruto gave voice to Shikamaru’s thought.
His plan rejected, Ikkyu arched an eyebrow slightly, but the young Hokage paid no mind. “According to intel that came into Konoha after our meeting, the ninja of Kumogakure are starting to gather in the village in preparation for the attack on the Land of Flowers. When the Land of Earth invades, Kumogakure will head out immediately. If that happens, then two of the five great nations will end up at war. Three if you count Kirigakure, which has joined up with Iwagakure. Konoha will be dragged into conflict again.”
“I understand that we’re facing a crisis here,” the daimyo agreed. “Which is why I said I would get in touch with the Land of Earth, isn’t it? We send a group of observers, and the Land of Earth won’t make any careless moves while they’re there. We can buy some time, get proof that they do intend to invade the Land of Flowers, and then censure them for an illegal attack.”
“If the Land of Earth forces the attack, a group of observers won’t make one bit of difference,” Shikamaru interjected. Ikkyu shot him a dissatisfied look, but Shikamaru continued nonetheless. “The Land of Earth is well aware this is an illegal attack. That’s why they forced the Tsuchikage to make a demand at the meeting of the Five Kages that would cause a rupture in the Kages’ relationship. It’s precisely because they know the attack is unjustifiable that they’re afraid everyone around them is an enemy. They’ve likely been laying the groundwork for a while without us realizing it. It’s best to assume that they got to work on winning over Kirigakure in the fairly early stages. The situation is already nearing its endgame. We can have the little bit of theater by sending a group of observers, and they’ll be treated quite nicely before being sent back—that’s about it. During that time, though, the Land of Earth will still be hard at work preparing for their war. It’s more than possible that the Land of Earth and Iwagakure will make their move while your observers are still on the road home.”
“You… Shikamaru, was it?” Ikkyu asked, scowling.
Shikamaru answered with a nod. He didn’t have time to make nice with the daimyo.
“Haste makes waste, as they say. If we anger the Land of Earth by pushing too hard, we lose everything, don’t we? I think the most crucial thing is to see how far we can get through peaceable negotiations.”
“We passed that point a long time ago.”
“Shikamaru…” Naruto’s calm voice checked him as he was on the verge of indignation.
After taking a deep breath through his nose, Shikamaru continued, maintaining his calm. “The way things are now, the war will start before ten days are out. Unless we make a more direct move than attempting to curb them with a group of observers, we can’t break out of this deadlock.”
“You say a direct move. I assume you have a strategy then?” Ikkyu asked.
“The Land of Fire boasts the greatest national power of the five great nations,” Shikamaru replied coolly. “We’d like you to draw attention to that power on all fronts and demand a meeting of the daimyo of the five great nations.”
“A-a meeting of the daimyo of the five great nations…” Ikkyu was at a loss for words.
Shikamaru pressed on. “Until now, the daimyo of the five great nations have only come together to meet a handful of times in the long history of the continent. The last meeting was in the time of my great-grandfather. But that also means that it’s not without precedent. You’ve had meetings via screens before, too. If the Land of Fire’s daimyo sets it in motion, the Land of Earth will have no choice but to go along with it.”
“So that includes a threat then.”
“Of course.” Shikamaru nodded.
Ikkyu gulped audibly. “Are you saying the Land of Fire should make an enemy of the Land of Earth?”
“At best, you have to make it look like that. If they refuse this meeting, who knows where will things go? I’d like you to make your threat clear to the Land of Earth to force them into the meeting venue.”
“I’m asking you this, too. We have to do something to stop the war.” Naruto grabbed Shikamaru’s shoulder. “This guy’s been desperately racking his brains, focused exclusively on that. A meeting of the daimyo of the five great nations is for the sake of peace. Shikamaru’s always ten steps ahead. He’s thinking ahead to what happens after the end of the meeting. I’d appreciate it you’d accept his request.”
He bowed his head to the daimyo for Shikamaru’s sake. Here Naruto was saving him when Shikamaru was the one who had vowed to support the Hokage. His heart grew hot. The academy dropout and the kid who couldn’t be bothered had become such ninja that they were facing the daimyo of the Land of Fire for the sake of peace in all nations.
Thanks…
But this feeling of gratitude wasn’t just for Naruto. It naturally rose up in him toward his master, his comrades, all the people of the village, and the fact that he was living here and now.
“If you can bring the daimyo of the Land of Earth to the table, you can censure him directly,” Shikamaru said. “Of course, the Land of Lightning won’t sit by quietly either. If the five daimyo open up and talk honestly, seeking peace, we will absolutely be able to avoid this war. To that end, we ask you to lend us your strength, Lord Ikkyu!”
He got off of the sofa onto his knees, pressed his hands to the floor, and bowed his head. He’d bow this cheap head for however long it took. It was an easy ask if it meant they wouldn’t lose this chance. He couldn’t let the road to peace be cut off. No matter how narrow and dangerous, he would forge ahead no matter what.
“Stop with the ugly scene.”
Does this scene look ugly? Shikamaru wondered. Is the sight of me fighting that awful? That’s fine. There’s no need for you to understand me. But…
“I won’t move until you agree,” Shikamaru told him. “You said so yourself, Lord Ikkyu, that you would do anything you could. If you do feel the slightest bit indebted to Konoha, please pay it back to us now. I’m asking you. No matter what else happens, we have to make this meeting happen. Somehow.”
It would have been easy to ensnare him and force him to agree. If he wanted to make the daimyo do as he asked, he could use an ocular ninjutsu. But if he took control of Ikkyu, the seams would show at the meeting. And the group of daimyo wouldn’t be moved by empty words. Ikkyu himself had to consent from his heart or else there was no point. Which was why Shikamaru was facing off with Ikkyu like this from the bottom of his own heart and soul. It was a method for which he was ill-suited. But it was the only way.
“Please.” Naruto also got down on his hands and knees next to him.
“Whoa, whoa, now the Lord Hokage…” Ikkyu was clearly flustered.
“I’ve never seen this guy do this before,” Naruto said. “Believe it. He always handles things with a clever quip and a cool face. And now he’s here with his head pressed against the floor, not caring how it looks. Please, we need the five daimyo to meet. I want you to move the daimyo of the Land of Earth!”
“Well, you’ve really got me here.” Ikkyu sank deep into the sofa and shrugged. “I suppose this means that I’ve got to steel myself to jump on this ship with you then.”
“If a war starts, there won’t be anything to steel yourself about,” Naruto noted.
“I suppose. It might be just as you two are saying. If war starts tomorrow, things will get very serious very quickly before I can get a handle on the situation. And it will be too late for regrets when that time comes, hm?”
“Yes,” Shikamaru answered.
Ikkyu laughed over him. “I owe a debt to your son Boruto that I can never repay. But if it means I can pay even the smallest part of that debt, I should help you, shouldn’t I? No…”
Ikkyu stood up and came around the long heavy table before crouching down between the two men with their heads pressed to the floor.
“I’ve pushed the Hokage and his capable counselor to this. Let’s stop with tepid words like ‘help’. Let me fight together with you.”
A surprisingly soft and very warm hand touched Shikamaru’s back.
Let me fight together with you.
It was a response beyond his wildest dreams.