Chapter 55.2- One Thousand Hands

“Let’s assume it isn’t” I said leadingly, looking over to the room where our Kage fought for his life.

“You want to make a play? Now of all times?” She scoffed.

“Is there a better time?”

“Shori, this is not the time for games. People are dying out there. We’re losing. My clan is in tatters. I’ve lost four brothers to this war and you want to tell me that you’re going to make a play now?”

“Even if, and that’s a big if mind you, he survives this, Hiruzen will be in no state to reign as Kage for a very long time” I said.

“Then let someone else take over. You can’t play games with this”

“You really think I’m doing this on a lark?”

“Shori” She said, giving me a stern look. Uzume was weighed down quite a bit. Satoru Uchiha had died against Hanzo after losing three of his sons to the Ame nin, and she’d lost her eldest brother after he had stayed behind to delay the Kumo nin during the retreat. Whether she wanted it or not, she was now the Clan Head of the Uchiha Clan. A heavily weakened Uchiha Clan. No clan had put more bodies in the war, and no clan had lost more of those bodies than they had.

“I’m serious here, Uzume. Trust me.” I said. She still looked doubtful.

“I want to be Kage so I can lead our people out of this mess of a war” I said, but those were the wrong words. Her sharingan snapped into being.

“No peace” She whispered.

I backpedalled quickly, sensing that I’d made a mistake somewhere.

“I don’t mean peace. The only way out of this war is victory” I said.

“And you can guarantee that?” Red eyes pinned mine.

“Yes. Yes I can”

“Then you have my support. But how do we secure the rest of the clans?” She asked.

“Uraume is the Hyuga head with her father gone as well. Kizuru can talk to his aunt, and the rest of our classmates have clans of their own that they’ve taken over” I said.

“So we just need to get them to believe that you’ll take this seriously” She asked.

“Exactly.”

XXXX

How dare you stand where he stood, those words echoed in my head a remembrance from a past long since lived. They were relevant here though, as Danzo sat in the seat reserved for the Hokage as he watched the council come in and take their seats. This time, the mood in the hall was much more friendly even if notably more sober. I walked from end to end giving condolences were I could and just greetings where more appropriate. Uraume’s entrance was the only one to force me to a standstill. She looked as she always did, pale skin, pupil less eyes, long hair, but there was one difference. Her left hand. It was gone.

“By the gods” I whispered before appearing at her side.

“Who did this?” I asked. There was no need to specify what this was.

“Sora of the Magnet Release” She answered, sending an irritated look down at her stump.

“I will bring you his scalp” I promised.

“No. He’s mine. I have a debt to repay” She said.

“Then I will be there when you do” There was nothing else to say, nothing else needed to be said.