The activation of Steel Release made Shinnosuke feel as though an insurmountable mountain had appeared before him. Even after drinking the so-called "Hero Water"—which claimed to boost chakra tenfold—what could he possibly do? In the end, he was still just a mere mortal. How could he stand against Kakuzu?
"Storm Release: Thunderclap Spear!"
A piercing, bird-like screech resounded across the battlefield. Where the lightning passed, corpses littered the ground. The surrounding Takigakure shinobi trembled, wanting to rush forward but too afraid to make a move. Kakuzu didn't even spare them a glance. Instead, he spoke in an indifferent tone.
"I was born here too. If you don't want to die in your own homeland, then stay out of my way."
His words fell like a heavy hammer, shattering the psychological defenses of many Takigakure shinobi. The man before them was a monster. He had mastered Gentle Fist, Steel Release, and Storm Release. How could they possibly fight against such a being?
And yet, Kakuzu's words also felt like an act of mercy. As long as they didn't interfere, he would spare their lives.
Relief washed over many of them as their legs gave out, causing them to collapse onto the ground. At this moment, fear and reverence took root in their hearts. And that was exactly why Kakuzu was willing to let them live—only fear and awe could truly silence them.
Unlike Hashirama Senju, Kakuzu knew he couldn't win people over with benevolence. He had his own methods. Endless generosity wouldn't achieve his goals. Compared to Hashirama, Kakuzu had chosen an entirely different path.
His gaze shifted to the distant Shinnosuke.
There was no longer any need for Kakuzu to make a move. After the intense battle, Shinnosuke was utterly drained. The effects of the Hero Water had already begun to wane, leaving him to suffer the inevitable backlash.
Most of his subordinates had fled in scattered groups. Now, only Shinnosuke remained, powerless and slumped on the ground, awaiting his fate.
Perhaps, knowing that his death was inevitable, Shinnosuke raised his head one last time, his eyes filled with unwillingness as he stared at Kakuzu. He resented him for interfering. But after today's battle, he also realized that this man was far more terrifying than he had imagined—far beyond his ability to oppose.
Yet, even now, he refused to accept this outcome. He couldn't accept that the village he had just seized would slip through his fingers so easily.
"K-Kakuzu... D-Don't think this is over just because you defeated me. The Five Great Nations won't let you off!"
With nothing left but curses, Shinnosuke spat his final defiance.
Kakuzu, hearing this, smirked and glanced at his own arm. A faint sneer played on his lips.
"If I could fully master the Flying Thunder God Technique, I wouldn't mind taking you on a little trip to see the current state of the Five Great Nations."
...
Meanwhile, in Konohagakure – Hokage's Office
A heated argument was taking place.
Koharu Utatane grabbed Danzo's arm. "Danzo, enough! Stop arguing over something so trivial."
"No!" Danzo roared, shaking off her grip and glaring at Hiruzen Sarutobi with fury. His hand slashed through the air as he practically spat his words. "Hiruzen, you. Regret. This!"
Across from him, Homura Mitokado didn't intervene physically, but his expression was equally displeased. Hiruzen, however, merely pointed at himself and retorted coldly.
"Danzo. I. Hokage!"
And just like that, this high-stakes political clash ended with an absurdly childish exchange.
It might seem ridiculous, but people often forgot that these men had once been just kids fighting their way through the wars. Their conflicts had shaped a unique understanding between them over the years.
In the end, Danzo stormed out, slamming the door behind him in frustration. But the moment he stepped into the shadows beneath the trees outside, his expression returned to its usual calm.
A soft breeze passed through as several masked figures, clad in battle gear, emerged from the darkness. They stood behind him, silently awaiting his orders.
These were the operatives of Root.
After a long silence, Danzo finally spoke.
"Hiruzen is preparing to send envoys to Takigakure to negotiate a settlement."
He paused, then continued coldly, "Follow the envoys. If the Takigakure leadership truly seeks their help…"
Danzo made a slicing gesture across his throat.
The Root operatives bowed in understanding before vanishing into the shadows.
A sinister smile crept onto Danzo's lips.
"That fool Shinnosuke really thought Konoha would come to his rescue? The moment Kakuzu set foot in Takigakure, our intelligence network knew about it. Shinnosuke should've realized—he was just a pawn in our deal. Did he honestly believe that forming an alliance with Konoha meant anything?"
Danzo continued walking deeper into the shadows, his mind filled with schemes.
The reason he had set up Takigakure was for security. Last time, when Kakuzu came for Hashirama's cells, they had struck a deal. Danzo wanted Kakuzu to apply pressure on Iwagakure to ease Konoha's burden.
After all, during the Second Shinobi World War, the death of Senju Momoka had completely severed relations between Konoha and Iwagakure, making them bitter enemies. The Rock Village had remained a constant threat.
Kakuzu had kept his word. He was doing exactly what had been agreed upon.
Yet, as Danzo reflected on this, he involuntarily came to a halt. He stared into the distance, his thoughts momentarily shaken.
For the first time since taking his position, an eerie tremor flickered through his eyes.
"Lord Kakuzu… You are still as terrifying as ever…"
Perhaps even Danzo hadn't expected that Kakuzu's way of helping would be to outright declare war on Takikagure. While it was just a small nation, a single man waging war against an entire country was nothing short of historic.
...
Iwagakure, Tsuchikage's Office.
Ōnoki stared at the intelligence report in his hands. To say he wasn't shaken would be a lie. If Kakuzu truly conquered Takikagure, wouldn't that mean their borders would now be directly connected to Iwagakure? That was not a good sign.
"Keep using sensory techniques to monitor the situation. Report any updates immediately!"
"Understood!" An Iwa shinobi responded and turned to leave. However, he hesitated for a moment before turning back to Ōnoki.
"Tsuchikage-sama, the envoy from Takigakure should already be on the way with an official request for aid. Should we consider sending reinforcements—"
"What are you thinking? The envoy hasn't even arrived yet. If we mobilize our forces now, it would be a direct violation of protocol!"
Ōnoki floated into the air, waving a hand dismissively at the shinobi as if shooing away an annoying pest.
"Go on, get back to your duties. Stop wasting time with nonsense."
The shinobi could only nod and withdraw. Once everyone had left the office, Ōnoki finally let out a long sigh, grabbing the teacup on his desk and downing its contents in one gulp.
The truth was, he had no intention of aiding Shinnosuke. There was an important reason for that—the intelligence about Kakuzu's rogue-nin status, the very piece of information that had sparked this war, had Ōnoki's fingerprints all over it.
Ever since Kakuzu had assisted Konoha in repelling Iwagakure's forces and even killed Gari, Ōnoki had harbored resentment. This time, he had simply wanted to make things difficult for Kakuzu, to throw a wrench in his plans. But never in his wildest dreams did he expect Kakuzu to be so brazen—to immediately launch an attack without hesitation. This outcome had exceeded even Ōnoki's expectations.
Floating toward his bed, he gazed out at the vast, blackened lands beneath Iwagakure. As far as he was concerned, as long as Kakuzu didn't march into the Land of Earth, it wasn't really his problem.
But then he thought of Kakuzu's terrifying strength.
"Ahhh..."
His body hovered as he clutched his old waist, a pained expression flashing across his face. This lower back injury was Madara's doing, and Ōnoki had never truly recovered. After finally rising to the rank of Tsuchikage, he had hoped to enjoy the many pleasures Iwagakure had to offer. Yet, on his very first visit to one such establishment, his back had nearly given out before he had even started.
The young lady attending to him had struggled to contain her laughter, barely managing to keep a straight face. It was as if she had the words "Tsuchikage-sama is a cripple" written all over her expression. That humiliation still haunted him to this day.
Fortunately, he had fathered children early. Otherwise, he might have been completely wiped out by Madara's handiwork. But even now, whenever he saw the vibrant nightlife and the graceful figures dancing under the lanterns, he couldn't help but curse Madara in the darkness of his mind.
Yet, ironically, Madara had actually died. And not just him—Hashirama Senju had gone with him. Two Konoha powerhouses, gone.
Despite his lingering back pain, Ōnoki had made a point to celebrate their demise more than once.
But now, standing at his window, a shiver ran down his spine.
Senju Hashirama was dead. Uchiha Madara was dead.
Who in this world could stop Kakuzu now?
The thought sent chills through him. For the first time in years, Ōnoki almost wished Madara were still alive.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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