A New Kazekage in Town

[Niro]

Tatsuo sat within the Kazekage's office adorned with the ceremonial robes of the position atop his armor along with the headwear as the Inauguration Event began outside its walls and horns sounded. Instead of the usual kanji for Rock or Sand, both were sat side by side to show a new union between the two villages. He had been reflecting on the last few weeks since Sunagakure no Sato had been captured while the military forces of Rock Country campaigned across the rest of the nation taking the remaining two cities.

Suna had not just been sacked but invaded and captured. It had fallen to Iwa while its allies floundered elsewhere. An anchor allowing himself access to this office had been quickly created once the city was successfully captured. He hadn't wasted any time in utilizing it after it was confirmed Konoha's forces had withdrawn from Rock Country in an attempt to help stabilize the command and orders flowing through the newly captured village. Towers and walls had fallen and the shinobi in charge weren't responding if not cut off entirely from communication. News spread quickly each defensive site and dug in defender had been destroyed and beaten, including the current Kazekage Sueatsu and the former Kazekage Hito, the morale of the shinobi defending the village had plummeted. Fighting had continued in pockets for a few days here and there across the city but those few remaining fights were either taken care of or driven away from the village and into the harsh deserts to fend for themselves.

Part of the Daimyos orders were the execution of Sueatsu and Hito as former Kazekages. Hito had vanished after the battle back into the desert but Sueatsu had been brutally wounded by the combatants he had faced and fallen into a coma. Tatsuo was able to take over as Kazekage as well which led to him studying Suna culture, religion, and history in his free time and then abusing Shadow Clones to continue studying even when he had to attend to his normal responsibilities as Tsuchikage. Whenever he had a question, he would visit either the Hizashi or Kouseki clan leaders who were securely hosted within Iwa General Hospital while recovering from their wounds suffered attempting to escape the city with the scrolls containing the village secrets. The other half dozen council members had been fried by Kaori's lightning with these two being the only two to survive the storm.

The clan leaders had been recalcitrant at first. Sueatsus looming execution had them worried and Tatsuo visiting them only exacerbated it. It grew to a fever pitch they'd succumb to when he had visited them one evening and told them they wouldn't be executed. However, their children would become wards of Iwa. Tatsuo was impressed by their volume when he had first told them but they fell silent once he informed them of the other option. They'd be killed and their children not wards of similarly proud clans but cattle to be used until dry by Iwa. Their families children came with cooperation after and Tatsuo would allow them to return to their council seats in exchange for their burgeoning loyalty. Considering the rest of council had been fried, Tatsuo felt immensely happy the only alive members were his men now. He gave them the task of finding new council members once they returned home and would vet their recommendations soon after. The Hizashi became wards of the Enkouten, the Kouseki wards of the Shoshiki, and the Naegi wards of the Kamizuru. Each decision was made with the hope of synergy forming between the two clans and something even greater would be birthed from their union.

The Suna secrets scrolls containing Kuuton, Kugutsu, and Sand had been copied by Tatsuo through the usage of the Chakra Library jutsu to ensure a copy for Iwa. He had mulled over holding them from Suna but instead decided against it. A rebellion so soon would do no good. Instead, he promised access to Iwas secrets if a Suna shinobi proved their loyalty and worth to him. Word had through through Suna already and he saw some here and there putting in extra effort towards the ongoing reconstruction.

Without the support from Sunagakure no Sato, the city of Sunanada had been sieged for days before breaking once the support of Iwagakure rejoined the main force of the campaign. The invading force swept through the city from there executing those who continued to fight until their last breath. Konishi, Asatsuya, the Wind Daimyo, had been captured after surrendering herself once the siege had been broken. The Rock Country forces established control over the entrances and exit around the city while patrols swept through the streets in an attempt to flush out any remaining resistance. The Konishi Dynasty was brought to Seiwa where they were judged and punished according to the will of the Rock Daimyo.

Asatsuya was exiled and striped of her titles and lands while her son was declared the new Daimyo and officially betrothed to the Rock Daimyos eldest daughter. Through this, their families would rule both countries and their children would have claim to both lands. Tatsuo found the compromise much too lenient; Asatsuya kept her head as long as she left Wind, her family was alive, and would continue to be royalty. He would've had them all killed as an example but the Daimyo was a gentler man than he.

He could hear the streets outside the tower bustling with nervous citizens and shinobi wondering if they should take the shot if they saw it. A lot had happened since Suna had surrendered and he was sure more was sure to follow in its wake. The event had fallen on the first day of Sunas Golden Week. Fitting, given the situation and coming change. A knock at the office door was followed by the appearance of his beautiful blonde wife Natsumi dressed in a silk purple press who he was sure was sent to retrieve him for the speech.

"It's time. Did you forget you have a whole new village to address?"

"Just got caught up writing my speech."

"And? How'd that go?"

"...I'm just going to wing it."

"..."

"..."

"You're serious?"

Tatsuo smiled sheepishly at her in response as if he wasnt the most dangerous man on the planet. She shook her head with a sigh before a small puff of smoke revealed Niddhog's shadow form reminiscent of a large iguana with wings who perched himself on Tatsuo's shoulder.

"At least let him show you off a little bit. I didn't get much of a chance to do so with them running away."

"Haha, that's fine. Let's go, Niddhog."

Tatsuo ascended the Kazekage towers inner staircase until he came to the roof exit. The stage for the speech was set on a balcony right below the window of his new office but there was not enough space for the dragon once he was truly summoned. Here, however, was fine. The beast took flight from his shoulder with a flap of its wings before an explosion of white smoke erupted around the flying lizard. Through the smoke, the shadow of Niddhogs true form shone through due to the desert sun. Tatsuo made a split second decision and, utilizing the smoke as a smokescreen, created a Shadow Clone of himself. He nodded to the clone who nodded back and leapt onto the dragons head as the smoke cleared and held his arms folded across his body as cheers and gasps erupted from the gathered crowd while he made his way elsewhere in the village to attend to someone who had run themselves to death to escape him. Only to fail in the end.

Purrs, clicks, snorts, and growls undulated from Niddhog's throat as he basked in the awe and fear of the people below him. Some shrieked in fear and ran while others fainted in shock where medical crews attending the event quickly shooed those effected like such to pre-prepared tents. And some even gazed up in true awe and admiration at such a magnificent beast. Tatsuo-clone let them crowd admire for half a minute before finally opening his mouth to address the village.

"Citizens of Sunagakure no Sato, today, I stand before you not merely as Tsuchikage or Kazekage but as a symbol of a new dawn, a herald of change that will echo through the corridors of history. Over the last decades you have had heretics and false idols walk among you as messengers. I come to you today as Her Light's Herald of Retribution; to punish those false idols who have led you astray and correct the impure path they have led you on. Our journey has already been long, our struggle arduous, and our resolve unwavering. It is only the start of something grand for Sunagakure no Sato.

To those who have stood with us, your courage and tenacity have been the bedrock of our triumph. Your sacrifices have not been in vain. We have overcome monumental challenges and now stand on the precipice of a new era. This victory is not just a testament to our strength but also a promise of what we can achieve together.

Let me be clear: our intent is to forge a path of prosperity and cooperation. We recognize the deep-seated traditions and values of the clans and people that have shaped this village. Our goal is to honor and build upon these foundations, not to erase them. We seek to create a future where all can thrive, where diversity is celebrated, and where our shared aspirations guide us forward. To the people of this city, I extend a hand of friendship and partnership. I understand your hesitation and disbelief and that change can be daunting and uncertainty can be unsettling. However, I assure you that our administration is committed to being fair and just. We are here to listen, to understand, and to work together towards a common vision of a brighter future.

Let us embrace the opportunity before us and write a new chapter in the annals of history, one where our combined values and shared prosperity illuminate our path. Together, we will face the challenges that lie ahead and celebrate the successes that will come. As we embark on this journey, remember that our strength lies not only in our numbers but in our unity of purpose. The spirit of this city, its resilience, and its rich cultural tapestry are now part of our collective heritage. Let us honor this heritage by working tirelessly to build a future that we can all be proud of.

Thank you, and may our shared journey be one of peace, progress, and boundless opportunity."

---

Tatsuo made his way across the village rooftops towards the clan compound of the Henrin family where former-Kazekage Kiyori's remains in the form of a Daruma were stored. As he traveled, more thoughts of the most recent events continued to flow through his mind. The war had ended in a flash. Konohas gamble hadn't worked to plan or if it did, the plan sucked. Suna still fell even without Tatsuo leading the charge against the village. Fanhos grandstanding and petty words had done nothing to assist Sueatsu or Hito as they fell under the onslaught of Iwa and, to a lesser degree, Kiri. Instead of working with Suna Kuuton users and taking advantage of the environment he would have to fight in where his physical strength would be less and more extensive to use, they had given him homefield advantage. They had thrown out their best chance at killing him by doing so. And, in the end, they hadn't even tried to fight. Who knew how many hundreds if not thousands of troops died while retreating from the mountain peaks Iwagakure was nestled within while their shinobi, familiar with the terrain and with specialized equipment to traverse it, gave chase.

Their largest ally ignored and conquered and more Konoha shinobi than Iwa shinobi dead all for a farce that didn't pay off in the end. Fanhos Hokageship was off to a great start as the clown of the international stage. Truly unprecedented times.

Moving too fast for most shinobi to even see, he was quick to arrive and land from the rooftops to the sandy earth outside of the compound. Tatsuo gazed at the doors before him guarded by a single clansmen before levying a smirk at the man. A profound sense of trust and friendliness assaulted the man's influence and with but an ask, Tatsuo was escorted to the Daruma room where Kiyori was stored.

Tatsuo promised the man no harm would come to the statues and although the man trusted him, it was obvious he was fighting back as he refused to exit the room when Tatsuo asked. Rolling his eyes, Tatsuo landed a quick blow to the man's temple and knocked him out before he could even register the Tsuchikage had moved. The man fell back with a thud and Tatsuo rolled him into the recovery position before beginning his walk along the rows of Daruma to find Kiyori.

[Niro]

Tatsuo stared down at the daruma of the former Kazekage, Kiyori. She had been the Kazekage when he had first taken the office of Tsuchikage and the one he had originally hoped to face in combat. Instead, she had ran from her responsibility to protect her people and now this is how he found her. As a clan artefact meant to pass down knowledge. Knowledge of what? How to be a coward? Tatsuo thought he'd do the clan a favor and smash the oversized paperweight right here and now but decided against it. Destroying clan artefacts, especially one of a former Kage, was only bound to piss off this particular clan even more and what he wanted more was cohesive not derision. Instead, he'd settle to gloat over her.

“Ah, the irony of it all. I hope you're looking down upon this shattered village and know that it stands as a monument to your cowardice. How quaint. How utterly predictable. You thought yourself a savior, a beacon of light. And what did you accomplish in the end? Absolutely nothing. You were no more than the briefest flicker of hope before the unrelenting tide of my inevitability snuffed it out. Sacrifice, they called it. Sacrifice! How deliciously naïve. You gave everything, all in a desperate bid to preserve your home, your people. But what did your gamble and the gamble of your allies truly achieve? Only a brief pause in the march of progress, a mere bump in the road of Rock Country's expansion.”

“Look at you, a monument to all of Sungakure's sins. Once the very image of hope, now a reminder of delusions. Your sacrifice and passing of knowledge, while grand in theory, proved utterly inconsequential in practice. For every act of defiance, every drop of blood spilled in resistance, we have only grown stronger. You may live on as a legend in the hearts of the misguided few, but legends are mere shadows against the blazing might of Iwagakure.”

Tatsuo paused to breath for but a moment, his chest rising and falling in concert with his excitement.

"I shall ensure your memory serves as a cautionary tale—a reminder of the futility of opposing the unstoppable tide. Eventually, all shall bow."

The urge to whip out his member and urinate all over Kiyori's standing grave nearly overwhelmed him but in the end, Tatsuo settled for hocking a mass of phlegm and snot across the statue's visage.

"Trash. At least Takeo had the guts to die on the battlefield, and for your pitiful village no less."

Tatsuo turned on his heel and made to leave the inner area of the clan compound. The guard who had escorted him in continued to enjoy his slumped slumber in the corner as he strode passed his limp form, the heels of his boots clicking against the tile as he walked away.

---

Tatsuo overlooked the city of Sunagakure from the Kazekage Tower while awaiting his guest.

The clans, secret technique, and extensions had been secured upon their take over of Sunagakure no Sato. The jinchuuriki of the Creation and Soul Genma were next on the list when it came to confirming assets. The Soul Jinchuuriki had been away from the village during the invasion but the Jinchuuriki of the Creation Genma was not. The boy, a Hizashi clan member, had been in the clan compound training during the attack and joined in during the defense in a bid to fend off Iwagakure forces.

It had not ended well for the boy. He had been subdued shortly after releasing the Genma's power by sheer numbers of Iwagakure shinobi before being maimed by a jutsu. He had been captured and secured with binding seals bound to a hospital bed until now. Now, Tatsuo had called for the boy whether he could walk or not. The faint whine of a poorly oiled wheelchair caught Tatsuo's ear before stopping at his door. A knock followed the halt and the door was opened by an Iwagakure jounin pushing the wheelchair-bound form of the host.

Tatsuo looked the white haired boy up and down and took in his gaunt form. The boy had been nearly broken learning the village had fallen and he had done nothing to prevent it. He had no idea if his friends or family were even alive at this point. It was painted across his face clearly.

"That's all I need to see. We'll proceed with extraction." Tatsuo dismissed the pair with a curt nod as the jounin wheeled away the boy who hadn't even registered the words which had came out of his mouth. From here, the Genma would be extracted and contained until a new host was found. Whether they'd be a Suna shinobi was to be seen for another day.