Chapter 41

One week had passed since their first victory and it seemed that Turwen wasn't giving up on invading them. It seemed like it was everyday that they sent their men to invade them.

Each time, they met a swift end at the hands of Miko's small troops. She was right when she said that although they were outnumbered, they weren't outmatched.

One Uchiha was worth over ten of their men and they really proved it. In war casualties were inevitable but they managed to minimize it.

Due to the report from the first battle, it was made apparent that Reid's strength was not to be scoffed at. With that made clear, the son of the matriarch had been selected more often to join them in battle.

Despite Miko's reluctance to put the weight of the fight on her son, she couldn't deny the fact that he helped in minimizing the casualties. Not allowing him to participate would only be seen as hypocritical.

Another thing she observed was his ever growing strength. It seemed to surpass even that of the other soldiers at a shocking pace.

'It seems like just yesterday that he took the entrance test.' She thought with nostalgia.

'How did it become like this?' She knew the answer to that question. The answer was very simple; Turwen.

In the past they had made several attempts to have the Uchiha clan join their 'kingdom'. They knew of the Uchiha's strength and wanted it for themselves but the Uchiha wanted nothing to do with them.

They had isolated themes from the conflicts of the other kingdoms. They certainly had no reason to join one that wanted to use them as tools for conquest.

Now after years of denying their advances and requests, they've come to one decision.

If they can't have the power of the Uchiha then no one can.

Of course, the Uchiha wouldn't take it lying down. They were a clan of warriors. They would rather die than submit to someone other than the clan head. Call it arrogance or pride but that was the strength of the Uchiha!

'I swear I will do everything in my power to protect my son!' Miko thought as her aura surged within her.

Lisa, feeling the fluctuation in Miko's aura, looked at her in concern.

"Are you alright? You seem unfocused." She asked, making her concerns known.

"Yeah, I'm ok. I'm just thinking." She answered, getting out of her trance.

"Any word from the other troops?" She asked Lisa who shook her head.

"Nothing concrete suggesting their current situation. It's unlike them." She answered solemnly.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Miko said, letting her thoughts be known to her companion.

"Lady Miko, they're back!" A voice from outside the tent, signifying the return of the troops. With that, the duo exited the tent.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Returning from the battlefield, Reid felt the mental fatigue that had been building up reach it's peak.

Although war was a gamer's best time to get stronger, that didn't mean they didn't get tired. He was unfortunate enough not to have gamers mind to help him deal with it.

'I need a nap. A very long one.' He thought as he managed to stay standing throughout the welcoming.

"Hopefully this will be the last of their attempts. According to our scouts, Turwen's forces are retreating. We will return to the village tomorrow." Miko announced to the soldiers who cheered in victory.

Miko showed a smile as she saw the joy on their faces. As they scattered to rest and pack up for their journey back, Reid stayed standing.

He could barely muster enough mental energy to handle movement. Miko moved to meet him just in time to catch him before he fell to the floor.

She held him in her arms as he fell unconscious. She smiled looking at the peaceful expression as he seemingly slept.

'He deserves to rest. He's been fighting back to back for the last few days. I wish he didn't have to carry such a burden.' She thought as she carried him into her tent.

She laid him on the mat in the middle of the tent. She motioned for Lisa to get the med kit that sat in the corner of the tent. The cuts and bruises he received reduced each time he came back but as a result he came back more fatigued.

She took care in removing the old bandages that had been placed, replacing them with new clean ones.

As she finished up, a man entered the tent with a parchment in his hand.

"Lady Miko, word from the third troop." He said with as much respect as possible.

"Thank you. You may go." She said, accepting the parchment from him and sending him on his way. Without wasting time, she unfurled it and read its content. A small smile grew on her face as she finished reading it.

"They won. The third troop are on their way back as we speak. They will reach the village tomorrow. Even more reason for us to return." She said to Lisa who nodded in return and began packing her things.

'Finally some good news.' She thought as she joined Lisa in packing.

Unlike what he or anyone else expected, Reid was still unconscious even as they made their way back to the village.

'I guess it was too much for him.' This was Miko's thought as she carried him back to the village.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Black eyes snapped open as Reid woke up with a start. Feeling something soft under him, he immediately got up, investigating the familiar surroundings.

"You're finally awake." His mother's voice came from the door. He looked to see his mom no longer wearing the outfit she wore previously. Previously she looked like a hardened warrior but now she looked like a harmless mother.

"How long have I been unconscious?" He asked as he gained his bearings.

"Almost a day. You're just in time to welcome the third troop back." She said, watching his eyes widen.

"What about Turwen?" He asked in confusion.

"Gone. They won the war on their front. Now all we have to do is hope that the others do the same. Now let's get going, they're almost here." She said throwing him a shirt, making him realize that he was shirtless.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Standing at the village gate with his mother and the few of the villagers who wanted to be there when the men returned.

"There they are!" Someone among them shouted.

In the distance, they could see the swarm of troops heading towards them. At this distance, they could be seen clearly with victorious smiles on their faces.

Cheers rang out from the villagers as they watched them march closer. Their numbers were less than the amount that left but it was inevitable.

Reid who stood among the cheering crowd, had a stern look as he looked to the sky.

'Something doesn't feel right.' He thought as he watched a bird fly over their heads. Miko saw his troubled expression and followed his line of sight, looking at the bird that circled back over the village.

The cheering got louder as the troops got closer. Only then did Reid and Miko realize something, they had made a fatal mistake.

'That's not a bird!' They thought simultaneously as what they thought was a bird, was now falling towards them at high speed.

The villagers who were previously cheering had gone silent as they too had noticed the anomaly.

As it came closer, it grew in size, getting bigger and bigger until it was close enough for them to see what it truly was. It was a man…a man who was fifteen meters tall.

*BOOOOMMM!!!*

The ground shook and a shockwave spread out from the point of the fall, pushing everything close to it back.

Reid and Miko pushed themselves to their feet as they looked around in shock. The fall had decimated a good part of the village.

"No…!" Miko said, just above a whisper.

'The village. It's going to be destroyed! People are dying!' She looked towards the troops who at this point had rushed into the village.

"We need to take him out immediately or the whole village will be gone." She ordered as she turned to face the giant wreaking havoc.

"I don't think so." Vivian, who was leading the troops said with a smirk on her face. With a snap of her finger, the troops of soldiers faded away to reveal a large army.

They all wore the familiar armor belonging to Turwen. Miko and Reid looked in shock at the unexpected twist.

"Vivian…what have you done?" Miko asked with dread evident in her tone.

"Your rule is over." Vivian answered with a cruel smile on her face. She turned to the men behind her who waited for instructions which she was happy to provide them with.

"Destroy anything and anyone in sight." She said as they charged forward to start their siege.