The Calm Before the Storm 24

Tetsuma lay back in the infirmary bed, his body still sore from the injuries he'd sustained. The sterile smell of the room was almost suffocating, but he focused on the question that had been nagging at the back of his mind ever since he woke up.

"How... how is Shikuro?" he asked, his voice hoarse, still weak from the days he had spent unconscious.

Eiji, standing by the door, hesitated for a moment, the weight of the answer hanging in the air. He finally spoke, his voice quiet but heavy. "Shikuro didn't make it, Tetsuma."

Tetsuma's eyes narrowed, his heart sinking as he listened. "What happened to him?" he pressed, his voice strained.

Eiji looked down, unable to meet his son's eyes at first. The words seemed to choke him. "His body was found near the border outpost... It looks like he stayed behind to buy you time. But... they... they hung his body up, Tetsuma. His head was... missing."

Tetsuma's expression twisted in pain and disbelief, a storm of emotions flashing across his face. "No... Shikuro wouldn't... he wouldn't have gone out like that. Not without a fight."

Eiji stepped closer, the sorrow in his eyes matching the pain in his voice. "I know. He gave everything for the mission. He held off Onoki's forces long enough for you to escape. He did what he had to do, but..." He trailed off, not wanting to say more.

Tetsuma closed his eyes, trying to block out the image that had formed in his mind. It was a cruel way for a comrade, a friend, to go—alone, with no one to help him, and no way to defend himself against the overwhelming odds.

"How... how did it happen?" Tetsuma asked, his throat tight as the pain of his own helplessness gnawed at him. "Did he at least have the chance to fight back?"

Eiji's expression was grim. "The reports say he fought to the end. He delayed Onoki's forces with everything he had. They said it looked like he tried to take them down one by one. But they got to him in the end. I'm sorry, Tetsuma. There's nothing we could do."

Tetsuma clenched his fist, his jaw tightening. The pain of loss threatened to overwhelm him, but he pushed it down, refusing to let it consume him. Shikuro had died for the mission, for Konoha. It was an honorable death. But that didn't make it hurt any less.

"I should've been there," Tetsuma muttered, a whisper of guilt creeping into his voice. "I should've stayed... I shouldn't have left him alone."

Eiji placed a hand on his son's shoulder, a rare moment of tenderness from the normally stoic man. "You did what you had to do. Shikuro knew the risks. He made his choice to help you. He didn't die in vain, Tetsuma. You got back with the intel we need. Now we have a chance to stop this alliance before it's too late. We can honor his sacrifice by making sure his death means something."

Tetsuma nodded slowly, taking in his father's words. They were true, but they didn't erase the pain. "I'll make sure they pay for what they did to him. I'll make sure no one forgets Shikuro."

Eiji's grip tightened on his shoulder for a moment, offering silent support before he stepped back. "You'll get your chance. But right now, you need to rest and recover. There's more to do, and you won't be any use to anyone if you're still half-dead in that bed."

Tetsuma gave a small, strained nod, but the fire in his eyes was starting to return. His friend had been lost, but he wasn't going to let that be the end of it. He would make sure the mission was completed, and that Shikuro's sacrifice was honored in the only way that mattered—by ensuring Konoha's survival.

And the alliance between Iwa and Taki? Tetsuma would see it crushed. One way or another.