NARUTO: The Saga of Crimson Monarch

The march to the battlefield was heavy with tension. Every step forward was a reminder of the uncertainty that awaited them. Meiji rode at the head of his army, behind him were a mix of seasoned samurais, untrained villagers, and weary children. Despite their ragged condition, they walked with their heads held high, their hearts bound by Meiji's unwavering resolve.

When they reached the open plain, they saw the enemy army awaiting them, The sight was both awe-inspiring and horrifying. The enemy forces stood like a tide ready to crash upon them.

As they reached their position, Meiji dismounted.As they formed their lines, the villagers and samurai raised their battered shields and gripped their makeshift weapons. Behind them, the children and elderly readied themselves to tend to the wounded. The air was heavy with anticipation.

Suddenly, the enemy's camp stirred. A figure emerged it was Ken clad in opulent black and gold armor, strode forward with the arrogance of a man who believed the battle had already been won. His generals followed closely while Zeno, stayed at his side.

Ken's every movement deliberate, exuding an air of dominance. As he reached the forefront, he cast a disdainful gaze over the battlefield. He smile as he spotted the ragged army standing against him.

"Fufufufu..." Ken's laughter echoed across the plain, sharp and mocking. "Meiji, my dear little brother, I see you are in good health. And what is this?" He gestured theatrically toward the gathered forces. "Is this... your army? This pitiful collection of rags and garbage? Fufufufu! Can you even call it an army?"

The generals behind him broke into laughter, their voices carrying over the plain. It was a cruel, mocking sound like daggers piercing the hearts of Meiji's soldiers and stung like a whip.

Meiji stood firm at the front of his army, his katana resting lightly at his side, His expression remained stoic, but his eyes burned with quiet fury. His men, however, struggled to hold their composure. Their knuckles whitened around their weapons, their jaws clenched in suppressed anger.

Ken smile growing wider. "You should be grateful, Meiji. I could forgive this insult—this pathetic attempt to defy me. All you have to do is surrender." His voice dropped into a sinister growl. "Strip naked, crawl to me like the dog you are, and admit that I am your lord and you are nothing but a speck beneath my heel, and I may just spare your pathetic lives."

A murmur of outrage rippled through Meiji's forces, but he raised his hand, silencing them. His voice, calm but filled with unyielding resolve, rang out across the plain. "I will not surrender, i will not kneel before you brother. I will stand here, on this battlefield, and face you. I will not run. Not now, not ever and no matter the cost."

Ken's smile faltered for a moment, replaced by a glint of madness in his eyes. "Oh? You won't run? Fufufufu... You dare to defy me, you bastard!? Do you think you can truly face my wrath!?"

"I don't think," Meiji replied, his voice steady as steel. "I know. I will face you, brother. And I will not falter. Not even in the face of death."

Ken's laughter grew wild, his expression twisted with rage and amusement. "So be it!" He raised his hand, and the ground began to tremble. His army surged forward, a tide of black armor and glinting blades.

But it wasn't the sheer size of the enemy's army that stunned Meiji and his men. It was the captives at the front—frail, emaciated figures, their sunken eyes void of hope, their very existence a testament to suffering and despair.

Is that my wife?" a samurai whispered, his voice trembling.

A murmur ran through the ranks, and an elderly villager, his frail body trembling. His voice cracked as he spoke. "Lord Meiji, my son...my only son is out there. I... I don't know if I can raise my weapon against him."

A young villager, his voice shaking. "Lord Meiji, I... I've never fought a battle like this. I don't know if I'm strong enough to fight against...against my own brother."

A women fell to her knees, his hands clutching his chest. "My boy... They've put my little boy on the front line..."

A young man in the ranks dropped his weapon, his hands trembling. "They've chained them... They've chained them like animals."

Cries of despair and rage erupted from the army. Warrior's who had sworn to fight now stood paralyzed, their weapons slipping from their fingers.

Souta, a seasoned warrior with a scar running across his face, stepped forward. "My lord, we must strike with precision. We can't let your elder brother tactics force us into chaos. If we lose our formation, we'll be slaughtered."

"Meiji-sama," Yuusei his voice low but firm, "I know your heart is as heavy as mine. But we cannot act recklessly."

Meiji's hands trembled as he gripped his katana. the sight of the captives, their lives reduced to pawns in Ken's cruel game. He turned to his brother, his voice shaking with fury

"Ken!"

he roared, his voice filled with fury. "What is this madness!? These people—they are innocent! They have no place on this battlefield! Where is your honor as a samurai, as a warrior? Have you no shred of humanity left!?"

Ken only laughed. "Fufufufu... Honor? Humanity? How quaint, little brother. This is war!. And in war, everything is a weapon. These captives? Their lives were meaningless before. Now, at least, Why not put them to use?"

" You monster!" Meiji's entire body trembled with anger. blood dripped from his palms as he gripped his sword so tightly that the blade cut into his skin.

"My lord, we must act now!" Souta, his voice firm. "We must free them, no matter the cost!"

Meiji nodded, turning sharply to Souta. "I and Yuusei and others will focus on taking down my brother. Souta, your duty is to guard our rear at all costs—failure is not an option!"

Souta knelt down and said, "Yes, my lord. I will guard your back—even death cannot pass through my defense."

..........

The time had come. Meiji marched to the forefront of the army, his voice rising over the din of the storm. "Everyone! Today, we do not fight for glory or conquest. We fight for our freedom—for our loved ones, for our future!"

He raised his katana high, the blade streaked the sky. "We will not kneel. We will not fall. Together, we will show my brother—and the oppressors—that no force can shatter a people united by hope and driven by the fire of freedom that cannot be extinguished!"

The army erupted in a deafening roar, their cries shaking the earth.

Ken watched from afar, his grin widening. "Let's see how long that fire lasts, little brother. Let's see how far your hope will carry you fufufufu..."