A Transmigrator’s Story in the Hyuga’s Main Branch

153. A Leader Forged in Scorch: Pakura’s Key Battle

Pakura's expression remained impassive, but the air around her became unbearably hot as she activated her now-evolved Scorch Release kekkei genkai, demonstrating its enhanced power after her recent ordeal and Hikari's successful healing.

"You three are clearly complicit in Rasa's schemes against me as well by this point, so I no longer consider you my comrades or need to listen to your opinions. And since you're still not willing to repent and stand down, I'm left with no choice but to deal with you directly!",

Her gaze then discreetly shifted upward to Hikari for a second, who observed from atop the giant, black Susanoo.

She gave him a nod, signaling she could still handle the situation alone. Pakura needed to deal with this internal conflict without outside interference, especially from a prominent figure of a rival village like Hikari.

Handling this confrontation herself would not only solidify her standing among her shinobi but also prove her shinobi strength as a leader further than ever before.

This is distinct from Rasa's widely perceived weakness. He was only a Quasi-Kage and was now proven to be a very corrupt, selfish individual, too. So, it would make it all even easier to remove him next.

As Pakura unleashed an unprecedented display of power, the battlefield was engulfed in an intense wave of heat and chakra. Already tumultuous front lines were visibly shaken by her newfound strength.

Ebizo, his face slick with sweat from both the heat and the pressure, took this as a cue. He quickly gestured to Rasa's remaining loyalists, signaling a coordinated assault on Pakura.

At the same time, Ebizo and Chiyo shared a look of understanding and urgency. They knew they needed something monumental to counter Pakura's enhanced abilities.

Together, they unfurled a shinobi scroll, summoning a towering figure from Sunagakure's storied past—the personal puppet of Shamon, the Second Kazekage. It was one of the Sunagakure's greatest treasuries, and they only employed it during situations like this.

This puppet, renowned for elevating Shamon to legendary status, required their combined effort to control.

Each sibling used ten chakra threads, for a total of twenty, to manipulate this colossal puppet, which embodies a unique and formidable Puppet Technique.

Unlike conventional puppeteers who might manage multiple smaller puppets, Shamon had designed this puppet for singular, concentrated control.

It was a behemoth filled with complex arrays of weapons, each more devastating than the last. The puppet's size and the intricacy of its armaments made it a nightmarish opponent on the battlefield.

With the puppet Shamon activated and towering over the field, Ebizo and Chiyo prepared to direct their formidable weapon against Pakura.

At the same time, the rest of Rasa's supporters, taking the signal from Chiyo and Ebizo, knew that it would take all of them combined to probably take down the current, evolved Pakura.

They moved in unison, ready to launch a full-scale attack on Pakura. After they defeated her, they expected the rest of the now neutral and undecided, on the sidelines, Suna shinobi to begin listening to them and Rasa once again, and they could continue their fight against Konoha.

Although it looked strange to them, the Konoha troops there basically watched all of this peacefully, as if they had received a signal from Hikari and Kiyomi from above to stay put and let the Suna solve its own matters first. 

At the same time, Jurota also went ballistic after sensing Pakura's power. Emotions like anger and the necessity of the situation caused him to tap into his inner beast powers.

He had been one of the core servants of the Kazekage Clan since his birth, trained to be their weapon, and now he was allowing his beast to overtake him slightly.

His transformation was swift and ferocious, his body contorting and expanding into a form reminiscent of the One-Tail, Shukaku.

As anger and determination fueled his metamorphosis, the sandy hues and distinctive black markings of the tailed beast spread across his skin, his stature growing more formidable.

Utilizing his Magnet Release, he manipulated the sand-like substance that now seemed to flow from him, extending it towards Pakura in a torrent of sealing waves.

His control over the sand's magnetic properties allowed him to attempt to immobilize anyone it touched, binding them with the same force that held iron to a magnet.

With a fierce roar that echoed across the battlefield, Jurota launched himself at Pakura, leading the charge.

His transformed state not only increased his physical and chakra capacities but also gave him a fearsome presence that rallied other Rasa's supporters' shinobi to their causes.

As the onslaught converged on Pakura, a flicker of anticipation lit up her features; her grin spread into a wicked smile, the calm before the tempest.

Amidst the storm of attacks and the shocked gazes of the neutral Sunagakure shinobi, Pakura's chakra flared intensely, radiating a heat that shimmered in the air around her.

First, she unleashed the Scorch Release: Searing Maelstrom. With a swift motion, Pakura drew her arms wide, summoning a colossal vortex of superheated air and flames.

The tornado spiraled from the ground up, its immense power turning the battlefield into an inferno.

The roaring flames twisted and danced violently, consuming everything in their expansive reach.

Hundreds of Sunagakure shinobi caught in the maelstrom screamed as the intense heat vaporized their defenses, reducing the surrounding area to a barren, scorched wasteland.

In the chaos, Pakura did not pause. Her chakra surged even more fiercely as she prepared her next devastating move.

Manifesting her newly acquired mastery, she summoned the Scorch Release: Incandescent Blade—a gigantic sword formed of the highest heat her bloodline could muster. The blade glowed with an ominous, almost unbearable light, its edges crackling with scorching energy.

With the grace of a seasoned warrior and the fury of her scorn, Pakura leaped forward, wielding the incandescent blade with both hands.

She targeted Chiyo, Ebizo, their formidable puppet, and the transformed Jurota. Each swing of her blade was a precise, deadly arc, slicing through the air and cleaving any defense with its overwhelming heat.

The confrontation culminated in a spectacle of destruction. The blade's passage left trails of evaporated air and molten sand as if the atmosphere could not withstand its fury.

As the blade connected with its targets, it not only physically overwhelmed them but also seared through any remaining illusions of resistance, marking Pakura's decisive claim to power.

The impact of her attacks resonated across the battlefield, silencing the clamor of combat.

The remaining shinobi fell into stunned silence as they witnessed the might of Pakura's scorch release, realizing the dawn of a formidable new leader.

The destruction she wrought was not just physical but symbolic. She burned away the remnants of the old guard, ushering in her era with fire and fury.

The battlefield, now a tableau of destruction and awe, fell silent as the remnants of Rasa's supporters witnessed the fall of their leaders.

The sight of Pakura standing amidst the scorched earth, her figure radiating with the might of her newly evolved powers, instilled a deep sense of reverence and fear.

Realizing the futility of their resistance and the sheer power Pakura now commanded, the remaining supporters of Rasa dropped to their knees in submission.

"We are sorry, Pakura-sama! We support you as the new Kazekage!" they yelled in unison, their voices filled with a mixture of desperation and newfound loyalty. The shift in allegiance was palpable as they recognized her superiority—not just in power but in the right to lead.

The neutral Sunagakure shinobi, who had previously watched the confrontation with uncertainty, now erupted into cheers.

Their voices lifted in a chorus of admiration and respect, calling out her name with honorifics that signified their acceptance of her leadership.

"Pakura-sama! Pakura-dono!", They chanted, their faces alight with the fervor of witnessing history. The atmosphere was electric, charged with the potential of a new era under a leader who had demonstrated her strength and resolve in the most dramatic fashion.

Pakura stood amidst the adulation, her expression composed yet fierce. She embodied the role of a leader born from the flames of betrayal and battle.

At that moment, she was not just a survivor of an assassination attempt; she was a visionary ready to usher her village into a new chapter, far removed from the manipulations and weaknesses of the past leadership.

The cheers and the kneeling figures before her confirmed that her path to becoming Kazekage was not just ambition but destiny. 

She was now poised to become the first Kazekage of Late Kage strength, a leader who would elevate their village's status and bring them closer to parity with the other great shinobi villages more than ever in their minds.

Her strength was key to their complete support, and in the end, Pakura also noted. After all, this was the world where personal strength was a stronger argument than anything else.

She finally realized that now, but fortunately, thanks to Hikari, it was not too late. She thought of that as she also exchanged gazes with him high in the air. She looked gratefully, whereas Hikari's gaze toward her was full of approval. 

As the sun began to set, painting the sky with streaks of orange and red, the battlefield transformed into a diplomatic ground.

Hikari, flanked by Kiyomi and Fugaku, warmly congratulated Pakura on her decisive victory and discussed the terms of the forthcoming truce, longer-term peace, and potential alliance with Sunagakure.

Beside Pakura stood Kazuto and Shirokai, both of whom had swiftly pledged their loyalty to her, signaling a new era under her potential leadership.

They also greatly respected her strength now and were of civilian origin, so it wasn't that hard to choose to support her against Rasa next. 

The discussions were productive, focusing on the logistics of Sunagakure's present withdrawal from their incursion and the framework for future cooperation between them.

As the meeting drew to a close, Hikari's new Sunagakure allies set out to dethrone Rasa, consolidating Pakura's position as the new leader right away to catch him by surprise.

As the groups parted ways, the closeness between Hikari and Pakura during their farewell did not escape the notice of some onlookers, especially Kiyomi.

Her expression clouded briefly with a hint of jealousy as she snorted at Hikari, observing the intimate goodbye. 

Hikari, aware of Kiyomi's slight jealousy over his close parting with Pakura, took a moment to reassure her.

With a light tone and an easy smile, he joked and teased, lightening the mood before they both returned to their respective duties.

His words were carefully chosen to remind Kiyomi of their camaraderie and shared goals. Once he felt the tension ease, he turned his focus back to training, driven by the necessity of better preparing for the challenges ahead.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Hikari returned to his training fully then, the looming challenges in the ninja world pushing him to strengthen himself further.

With his 15th birthday approaching in a few months, he felt a sense of urgency because he also assessed that he had those same few months to grow.

The current peace on all fronts was deceptive, a calm before the inevitable storm as the Hokage's faction also grew in power.

Once they were done accumulating, they were bound to attack toward their way heavy. Anticipating these shifts, Hikari was determined to reach the Late Kage level.