Weeks had passed. I was moving from one front to another, each battlefield a different story of chaos and death. The weight of war was heavy on my shoulders, but I moved with cold resolve. There was no hesitation, only the sharp edge of my katana and the silent fury of my Sharingan guiding every strike.
They started calling me the God of Death.
At first, the name felt distant, like a shadow cast by someone else. But as I cut through enemy after enemy, the whispers grew louder. Fear and respect. It wasn't about glory it was survival, and I was the storm they couldn't outrun.
———-
I moved deeper into enemy territory. The air was thick with tension, and the faint scent of chakra lingered like a warning. That's when I saw them: Killer B, the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, and Ao, son of the Raikage. They looked at me with a mixture of curiosity and caution.
"So, you're the one they call The God of Death. Let's see if that name's earned."
Ao narrowed his eyes,
I activated my Mangekyo Sharingan,
Chrono Lock.
The world seemed to stagger around me as I bent the flow of time, dodging Ao's attacks with preternatural precision.
Killer B charged with his lightning-fast speed, his swords flashing like a storm. I sealed a portion of his chakra with a powerful Fuinjutsu, knowing well it would hold for roughly ten minutes — just enough time.
With the seal in place, I turned my attention to the battlefield, dispatching their comrades with lethal efficiency. Each strike is precise, cold, and final. But deep down, I knew this fight was far from over.
The pressure mounted. To take down a Jonchuriki like Killer B, I'd have to give everything I had.
Minato appeared beside me, calm as ever.
"Let's finish this."
Together, we pushed Killer B and Ao to their limits, combining speed and technique in a flawless dance of battle.
When they finally collapsed, weakened but alive, Minato lowered his hand.
"If we kill them now, it will only ignite a greater war. We need them alive for now."
——-
A few hours later.
The enemies had fallen, but I was at my limit. My legs were trembling, and blood flowed from several wounds. I had no chakra left. My hands were shaking as I tried to stand, but I couldn't. Everything was blurry.
I felt someone grab me — one of our shinobi. I didn't know who. I only heard a whisper:
"Quick! Get him to the medical camp!"
I didn't know how much time had passed. When I opened my eyes, I saw the white ceiling of a medical tent and a face I'd come to know well.
"Tsunade…"
Her eyes were wide, her face full of worry. She placed a hand on my forehead.
Just as I tried to sit up, something unexpected happened.
SMACK!
Tsunade's fist struck me right in the chest, not hard enough to break anything, but enough to knock the breath out of me. I gasped and fell back onto the bed.
"What the hell was that for?!"
Her eyes were wet. She was trembling, hands clenched at her sides.
"You idiot! Do you think this is some kind of game?! You almost died, Izuna!"
I froze.
"You go off alone, take on entire squads, push yourself until you collapse… You think your life doesn't matter to anyone?!"
"I had to—"
"No!You don't have to die out there. You chose to risk everything. Again."
For a moment, neither of us said anything. The silence was heavy.
Then she whispered, almost to herself, "You're not invincible, Izuna. And you're not alone. Don't make me lose another person I care about."
I slowly looked up at her. The anger in her eyes was still there, but beneath it… was fear. Real fear.
"I'm sorry,"
She didn't answer. Just sat beside me and placed her hand over mine, her touch soft, trembling.
"Don't do it again, or next time… I'll break your ribs."
———
Two days had passed. Thanks to Tsunade, I was back on my feet. Not at full power, maybe, but enough to fight.
She didn't say much when I left the medical camp, just handed me fresh bandages and glared like I was a reckless child. Maybe I was.
The eastern front was under pressure. I volunteered.
I arrived just as the enemy launched a sudden assault. Twenty of them, at least. Only a handful of Konoha shinobi were still standing, barely.
I didn't hesitate.
With a full chakra reserve and my blade drawn, I charged into the fray. Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu lit up the battlefield, scattering their formation. Then lightning sparked in my palm, my custom jutsu:
Lightning Fang Bullet.
— piercing straight through their defense line.
But they kept coming.
Sharingan spun wildly as I weaved through dozens of attacks. Kenjutsu techniques Sakumo had drilled into me came naturally now: Moon Fang Slash, Whirlwind Draw, Piercing Dragon Blade. My katana danced.
One of them activated a barrier jutsu. Another summoned an earthen beast.
I used Chrono Lock to freeze the beast mid-charge, barely buying a second to breathe. Then sealed three of them in a swift fuinjutsu combo I had created with Kushina's help.
Then I saw one more coming. Hidden in the smoke. A blade raised.
I couldn't dodge.
Golden flash.
Minato appeared, Hiraishin kunai glowing in the air. He disarmed the enemy in a blink.
"You okay?"
"I was, I could finish them alone. Now I'm… tired."
He shook his head. "You idiot."