Chapter 524 - 56-60

After sealing the One-Tail, Shūichi dispelled all his shadow clones and turned his gaze toward Chiyo.

He first stored away her puppets. As for Chiyo herself...

Shūichi glanced northward, a smile forming on his lips.

He deactivated his Fire Release Chakra Mode, sealed Chiyo, and then carried her back to the Land of Rivers. There, he sat down to rest in the forest.

"Hmm?"

Chiyo slowly regained consciousness, and upon seeing Shūichi sitting calmly, her expression shifted immediately. "Bunpuku and Shukaku..."

Shūichi opened his eyes. "The outcome is already obvious."

"How... how is this possible?"

Chiyo found it hard to accept.

Shūichi turned his head slightly to look at her, his voice calm: "There's nothing impossible about it."

"Years ago, the First Hokage divided the Tailed Beasts among the villages, and now I'm simply reclaiming what's rightfully ours."

Chiyo's eyes darkened, shocked, as she warned, "Do you realize what the consequences of this will be?"

"You're disrupting the balance of the shinobi world!"

Shūichi couldn't help but laugh. "Chiyo-senpai, may I ask how many wars have broken out since the death of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju?"

Without waiting for her to answer, Shūichi answered his own question: "Including the current one, this is the third."

"Even disregarding the present, weren't the previous two wars far larger in scale than any during the Warring States period?"

"Ever since the death of the First Hokage, the so-called balance of the shinobi world has been shattered."

"And the Tailed Beasts have long since become nothing more than tools of war for the great villages."

Chiyo looked at Shūichi and asked in a low voice, "So, do you want to return the world to the Warring States period?"

Shūichi chuckled. "Senpai, you give me too much credit. I don't have such grand ambitions."

"From my perspective, you're the invaders, and I'm merely defending myself. That's all."

"Besides, I despise war."

"Senpai, you should remember—I'm only twelve years old."

"That's why I want to end this war as quickly as possible."

Shūichi's words were a mix of truth and lies, but Chiyo remained silent, realizing how young Shūichi truly was.

After a brief pause, Chiyo asked, "What exactly do you intend to do?"

"Stealing the village's One-Tail—there's no way peace can follow."

"Do you plan to use me as a hostage, like you threatened the Third before, to pressure the Fourth Kazekage?"

"Your plan won't work. My life isn't worth the outcome of this war."

Shūichi smiled. "While you are indeed my hostage, you're only one of them."

"On your own, you may not be able to threaten the Fourth Kazekage, but what about the entire Sunagakure?"

Chiyo's heart trembled at the suggestion but then quickly calmed down. "You can't do that."

Shūichi gave a playful grin. "You witnessed my battle with Shukaku."

"I possess the means to counter a Tailed Beast Ball. Now, how many in the Sunagakure can withstand such a technique?"

"With the One-Tail in my possession, only the Fourth Kazekage could oppose me. But even then, he'd only have an advantage in the desert."

Chiyo immediately understood: "So you plan to hold off the Fourth Kazekage?"

"Do you think Konoha can secure a quick victory with only the Fourth Kazekage standing in the way?"

Shūichi shook his head. "Do you think the Fourth Kazekage can face me alone?"

"He's not enough!"

"I can move freely in the air, and I can draw on the One-Tail's chakra for my own use."

"Can the Kazekage outlast me?"

At that moment, Shūichi appeared supremely confident.

Once again, Chiyo fell silent. Although she didn't want to admit it, this young boy standing before her was already on par with the Kage of the major villages. Ordinary shinobi stood no chance against him.

Shūichi said no more, closing his eyes as he quietly recovered his chakra, drawing on the One-Tail's chakra through the Eight Trigrams Seal to restore his stamina.

He could easily handle sealing a small Four-Tails and still use the Yin Seal on his abdomen. But with a fully captured One-Tail, things were different.

Still, it didn't matter. With the One-Tail acting as a massive chakra reserve and with the Yin Seals on both his forehead and chest, while not at the level of someone like Hashirama Senju, it was more than enough for his current needs.

Time passed slowly.

Around 4 AM, Shūichi opened his eyes again.

His shadow clones had returned their memories— the Fourth Kazekage was approaching with his army.

Shūichi stood up, knocked Chiyo unconscious, and picked her up. He ascended into the sky, lotuses forming beneath his feet as he moved to meet the approaching forces of the Fourth Kazekage.

...

As the Fourth Kazekage marched with his army, his brow furrowed suddenly. He stopped in his tracks and raised his hand.

The Sand Ninja army behind him immediately halted as well, turning their eyes toward the figure walking through the air.

"Is that…?"

"Konoha's Blue Flash!"

"That brat, Shūichi Hoshita!"

Shouts of surprise rippled through the Sand Ninjas. Sharp-eyed ones soon noticed the figure Shūichi was holding, and their eyes widened.

"That's… Lady Chiyo!"

"He captured Lady Chiyo!"

In an instant, a wave of shock surged through the army, causing an uproar.

The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, narrowed his eyes, hiding his anger. "This guy…"

Shūichi soon arrived in front of the Sand Ninja army, smiling as he addressed Rasa and the crowd of shinobi. "Good evening, Lord Kazekage!"

"Didn't expect you'd already become the Kazekage since the last time we met."

Rasa glared at Shūichi. "I also didn't expect that the kid from back then would reach this level."

"Release Chiyo. Whatever your conditions are, we can negotiate."

Shūichi chuckled and asked, "How about a retreat?"

Rasa's expression darkened. "You know that's impossible."

Shūichi nodded. "Of course I know."

"That's why one Chiyo as a hostage isn't enough."

"So, Lord Kazekage, how about the entire Sunagakure as a hostage?"

At this, a Sand Ninja shouted angrily, "What nonsense is this brat spouting?"

"Release Lady Chiyo right now, or we won't let you get away with this!"

Shūichi's gaze shifted toward the Sand Ninja who spoke, his face turning cold. "I was speaking with the Kazekage. Who gave you the right to interrupt?"

"You don't know your place!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, a scream erupted.

The surrounding Sand Ninja were horrified to see their comrade engulfed in terrifying blue flames. Although the fire was quickly extinguished with a Wind Release technique, the ninja's skin had already suffered severe burns.

Suddenly, waves of golden sand shot into the air, attempting to capture Shūichi, but he easily dodged.

Hovering high above, Shūichi looked down at Rasa. "Lord Kazekage, I suppose I should show you a glimpse of my power."

With that, he raised his right hand. Chakra began to condense and expand, accompanied by a sharp, piercing sound.

Then, he infused it with Fire Release chakra.

Wind-Fire Rasenshuriken!

"The sheer amount of chakra…"

"This must be the technique from the intel—one that can rival the power of a Tailed Beast!"

The Sand Ninja jonin were visibly shaken, and they quickly ordered their subordinates to prepare Wind Release techniques.

In the air, Shūichi swung his arm, launching the Wind-Fire Rasenshuriken diagonally toward the Sand Ninja army below.

Under the jonin's command, the Sand Ninja responded:

Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!

Wind Release: Net!

Wind Release: Great Wind Net!

Wind Release: Sickle Weasel!

A massive storm of wind techniques converged, but to the Sand Ninjas' horror, Shūichi's Rasenshuriken easily sliced through the winds, completely unaffected.

Competing with Wind Release?

The Rasenshuriken was the pinnacle of Wind Release nature transformation!

Realizing this, Rasa immediately shouted, "Use kunai and explosive tags!"

The Sand Ninja quickly threw kunai laced with explosive tags into the air toward the Rasenshuriken.

Boom!

The series of explosions shook the Rasenshuriken, destabilizing it and causing it to expand in midair.

A blinding light formed a sphere, surging toward the Sand Ninja army. Rasa quickly raised his hands, and massive waves of gold dust shot upward, forming a protective shield.

At the same time, the Sand Ninja proficient in Earth Release raised walls of stone around the perimeter.

However, as the brilliant light engulfed the area, the walls began to crack and crumble.

Soon, the Rasenshuriken's power clashed with Rasa's gold dust, cutting through it with the wind's force and melting it with fire. Molten gold dripped to the ground as Rasa struggled to maintain the defense, constantly reinforcing it with more gold dust.

"The combination of Wind and Fire nature transformations… this guy is terrifying."

Rasa felt a heavy weight in his heart.

The attack hadn't even directly hit, and yet it was this powerful. If it landed a direct blow, it would be far more devastating.

"This brat said he'd use the entire village as hostage… Does that mean he plans to unleash this jutsu on the village?"

"I can't let that happen!"

Rasa withdrew the gold dust and looked up at Shūichi, but he felt a sense of helplessness. At this distance, there was no way to launch a sneak attack.

"And there's Shukaku… could it be…"

Rasa felt overwhelmed by the situation. "This bastard!"

"Lord Kazekage, you've seen it for yourself."

Shūichi grinned. "If I release this jutsu in the Sunagakure, it would be quite the spectacle, don't you think?"

"You bastard!"

"Absolutely not!"

"This brat has to be stopped!"

"Lord Kazekage, kill him!"

...

The Sand Ninjas were seething with rage.

Their families, loved ones, and children were all in the Sunagakure. If such a technique were unleashed, the casualties would be devastating, and ordinary ninjutsu would stand no chance of stopping it.

The magnitude of the potential disaster was unimaginable!

One by one, the Sand Ninjas glared at Shūichi with bloodshot eyes, as if they wanted to tear him apart.

Shūichi remained completely calm.

He enjoyed this—watching people hate him to the core, yet being powerless to do anything about it.

By now, Rasa fully understood that Shūichi was using this tactic to hold him and all the Sand Ninjas behind him at bay.

"Shūichi Hoshita, you have the One-Tail too, don't you?" Rasa asked.

Shūichi nodded honestly. "The One-Tail was originally assigned to the Sunagakure by the First Hokage. Now that the Sand Village has declared war on Konoha, it's only reasonable for me to reclaim it."

Rasa's heart sank. He had lost any leverage he might have had over Shūichi.

This brat had him in a chokehold!

The Sand Ninjas ground their teeth in fury, but there was nothing they could do.

At that moment, Shūichi tossed Chiyo from the air and turned toward the Sand Village. "Lord Kazekage, you don't want the Sunagakure to turn into a wasteland, do you?"

Rasa used his gold dust to catch Chiyo and handed her over to the ninjas behind him, his eyes still locked on Shūichi's retreating figure.

Chiyo quickly regained consciousness, but immediately shouted, "Stay away from me! Shūichi left some chakra inside me, it could explode at any moment."

The Sand Ninjas recoiled in fear and stepped back, their anger directed at Shūichi as he slowly walked toward the village.

"Lord Kazekage, what should we do now?"

"Yeah, are we really just going to let that bastard do whatever he wants?"

One after another, the Sand Ninjas spoke up.

Rasa responded in a deep voice, "For the sake of the village, everyone will return with me!"

"As for Kikyo Mountain, I trust they can handle it!"

The Sand Ninjas fell silent.

At this point, there was no other option.

So, the leading Sand Ninjas followed behind Shūichi, making their way back toward the Sunagakure.

Chiyo, lagging at the rear, couldn't help but glance back. In the morning sunlight, she looked at Shūichi's figure, which seemed almost inhuman, and felt a wave of bewilderment.

…

On the path of Konoha's retreat, Asuka couldn't help but turn back, her face full of worry. "Shisui, are you sure Shūichi won't do something reckless?"

Uchiha Shisui smiled gently. "Don't worry, he knows what he's doing."

"Besides, whether here or in the village, there are still people he can't let go of."

"You know how powerful the Flying Thunder God Technique is, right? No one can stop him."

Asuka silently nodded, though the worry in her heart still lingered.

As the sun rose higher, Kikyo Mountain came into view. Konoha's forward troops had already started engaging with the Sand Ninjas who had surrounded the mountain.

However, Koharu Utatane had received a message from Orochimaru and did not lead her forces to attack Kikyo Castle directly. Instead, they set up camp along the border of the Land of Fire, establishing defensive lines and forming a mutual support position with Orochimaru's forces inside Kikyo Castle.

This strategy not only provided internal and external protection but also ensured the security of their supply routes.

Half an hour later, the Sand Ninja reinforcements arrived, leveling the balance of forces once again, leading to a temporary standoff.

…

Outside the Sunagakure, at a Sand Ninja outpost, Shūichi brazenly took over the area and retrieved supplies, including nutrient water and soldier pills, from his sealing scroll.

Meanwhile, in the skies above the village, a hawk, which was actually one of Shūichi's shadow clones, circled overhead, watching the Sand Ninjas as they set up "anti-aircraft weapons."

They were just heavy crossbows.

But to Shūichi, they were hardly worth worrying about.

…

After a simple breakfast, Shūichi considered his options and sent out a shadow clone to leave quietly.

He needed to keep a close eye on the Sunagakure to ensure that the Kazekage couldn't leave and that the Sand Village lost all support in the ongoing war.

But he also needed to keep tabs on the Stone Ninjas.

In fact, Shūichi planned to ambush them at Kannabi Bridge.

He figured that the Stone Ninjas had likely stationed forces near the border to keep an eye on Kannabi Bridge.

But infiltrating the area wouldn't be particularly difficult for Shūichi.

"First, I'll scout the area. If an opportunity arises, I'll plant explosive tags and sever their supply lines at the right time."

Shūichi silently plotted.

Destroying Kannabi Bridge now wouldn't have much impact.

He needed to wait until the Stone Ninjas deployed their forces, entered the Land of Grass, and made Kannabi Bridge a crucial supply route—then it would have real strategic value!

Konoha Village, Hokage's Office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned as he read the intelligence report from the frontlines, feeling a throbbing at his temples.

That kid, Shūichi Hoshita, was just too capable!

He single-handedly held off the Fourth Kazekage and his thousand-strong ninja force, preventing any reinforcements from reaching the Sand Ninjas at Kikyo Mountain.

This was undoubtedly a very good thing.

However, the fact that he had taken the One-Tail and sealed it inside himself was a huge problem.

It wasn't just about the Sunagakure—there were still three other major ninja villages.

Shūichi would become the target of everyone!

But returning the beast…

If the Tailed Beast was extracted, Shūichi would be dead for sure!

Putting down the report, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the map, his gaze landing on Kikyo Mountain, which was circled in red.

This war must be won quickly!

Making up his mind, Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered Shinnosuke Sarutobi to send reinforcements to the Kikyo Mountain front once again.

...

Land of Earth, Iwagakure, Tsuchikage's Office.

It had taken a full three days for the Iwa Ninjas to confirm the intel and deliver it to Ōnoki.

Reading through the report, Ōnoki found it hard to believe: "That brat who defeated Rōshi—he's holding the Kazekage and his forces trapped in the village all by himself?"

Although Kitsuchi also found it unbelievable, the intel had been repeatedly verified under his orders, so he could only nod reluctantly. "That's exactly the case."

"We don't know the full details yet, but Konoha's Blue Flash, Shūichi Hoshita, is indeed outside the Sunagakure."

"Originally, after leading his army south, the Fourth Kazekage was supposed to crush Konoha's forces on the western front of the Land of Rivers, but he suddenly returned to the village instead."

"The most important detail… The One-Tail has disappeared from the battlefield and hasn't been seen since."

Ōnoki frowned, "The One-Tail has vanished… Is there a problem with the Jinchūriki?"

"Even if that were the case, there's no reason for the Kazekage to remain in the village instead of sending reinforcements to the frontlines. Konoha has already mobilized more troops."

"It seems like this is really because of that Shūichi… that kid…"

Ōnoki looked up at his son. "Do we have any more information about this kid?"

Kitsuchi shook his head. "Aside from a few previous encounters, we haven't had any direct confrontations with him. At that time, although he was already strong, he wasn't at this outrageous level."

"If we want more detailed intel, we'll have to gather it from the Sand or Mist Ninjas."

Ōnoki immediately commanded, "Then focus all efforts on obtaining information about that kid. If necessary, negotiate directly with the Hidden Sand and Hidden Mist to exchange intel."

Kitsuchi nodded solemnly and then asked, "Konoha has already begun reinforcing Kikyo Mountain. This is the perfect opportunity for us. Shouldn't we launch an attack?"

Ōnoki remained composed. "We need to secure intelligence on Shūichi as soon as possible."

"A person like that on the battlefield could change the course of the war."

"We must gather enough intel on him to plan a proper countermeasure."

Kitsuchi nodded. "I'll do everything I can to gather information on that guy."

...

Time passed, and before long, it was August.

Shūichi had almost settled outside the Sunagakure. He left his shadow clones to keep watch while he quietly trained and studied at the outpost.

Inside him, the bored Shukaku argued and bickered with Son Gokū, the Four-Tails, every day.

Shūichi paid them no mind, instead focusing on meditating and comprehending Shukaku's power.

He had already touched upon the power of Magnet Release.

In addition, he delved deeper into the study of the seals and symbols on Shukaku's body, gradually strengthening the sealing power of his Fire Nether Chains.

It was a pity that Monk Bunpuku had died after the Tailed Beast extraction. Otherwise, Shūichi could have studied his sealing techniques to add to his own arsenal.

"The soul…"

Shūichi furrowed his brow. "I'm still lacking in my research on the soul…"

"Where else can I find ninjutsu related to souls to study?"

"When I get back, I'll have to search thoroughly, maybe check the Scroll of Seals. Or perhaps I should study the Edo Tensei…"

"The technique that summons the souls of the dead from the Pure Land—it not only involves space-time, but also the soul."

With his current achievements, even Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn't have the nerve to refuse him access to the Edo Tensei.

Besides, Shūichi had always maintained a good reputation, and his research was always transparent.

While Shūichi continued his training, back in the Sunagakure, Rasa convened yet another meeting.

Kikyo Mountain was in a dire situation.

Konoha's reinforcements were arriving in waves, and the Sand Ninjas were now surrounded by Konoha's forces.

In fact, this was just one of many high-level meetings held recently, all aimed at finding a solution to the massive problem outside their village.

Unfortunately, despite the heated debates, the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, had yet to come up with any good strategies.

"If only Pakura were still here…"

Someone suddenly sighed.

Immediately, another person retorted, "There's no point in bringing that up. Even Pakura wouldn't be able to handle that guy."

"And according to intel from the Mist Ninjas, it's very likely that Pakura was saved by Shūichi himself."

…

The well-ordered meeting quickly devolved into a chaotic marketplace.

Rasa frowned and glanced at the silent Chiyo.

Chiyo, sensing Rasa's gaze, lowered her head and then opened her eyes to speak, "The Kazekage has no choice but to compromise for the sake of the village. Since that's the case, why not collaborate with forces outside the village?"

The room instantly fell silent, and someone soon asked, "Does Lady Chiyo mean we should join forces with the Mist Ninjas to take down Shūichi Hoshita?"

"But even the Mist Ninjas would need the Third Mizukage himself to come, wouldn't they?"

"The Hidden Mist doesn't have a Jinchūriki controlling a Tailed Beast."

Someone else chimed in, "And with Shūichi's Body Flicker Technique, we have no way to deal with him."

Chiyo calmly replied, "Not the Hidden Mist. The Iwa Ninjas."

"We will trade Shūichi's intel with Iwa… They've waited long enough; the Iwa Ninjas should be growing restless."

"If Iwa deploys their forces, the pressure at Kikyo Mountain will greatly lessen."

"Also, Iwa's Four-Tails Jinchūriki is capable of controlling the Tailed Beast's power. While it's said he lost to Shūichi once, a Jinchūriki is still a major threat to Konoha."

"In that case, Shūichi will likely be drawn away to deal with Iwa's Jinchūriki."

Rasa scanned the room and asked, "Does anyone have a better idea?"

The room remained silent. Rasa immediately made the decision, "Then it's settled!"

"Iwa is our enemy, and so is Konoha, but Konoha is in a more desperate position."

"Moreover, sending Shūichi to fight Iwa will weaken them as well."

"The best scenario is for both sides to suffer heavy losses."

This reasoning eased the discomfort some of the Sunagakure high-ups were feeling, and they all nodded in agreement.

That same night.

In the Tsuchikage's office, Ōnoki frowned as he reviewed the intelligence on Shūichi Hoshita.

A powerful combination of Wind and Fire Release techniques, comparable to a Tailed Beast Bomb.

Flight capabilities.

A Shunshin no Jutsu inherited from the Yellow Flash of Konoha.

Powerful sealing techniques!

Strong genjutsu, even surpassing the Uchiha Clan's Three-Tomoe Sharingan, capable of controlling both a Tailed Beast and a Jinchūriki for a period of time.

Lava Release Kekkei Genkai.

Extremely fast jutsu execution.

Mastery of Wind, Lightning, Fire, Water, Earth Release, genjutsu, and medical ninjutsu.

This… this intel has to be fake, right?

Ōnoki looked up at his son, Kitsuchi, his eyes full of doubt: "You're telling me this kid is 12 years old?"

"Isn't this the combined power of the Third Hokage and Minato Namikaze?"

Kitsuchi sighed at his father's expression. "As unbelievable as it seems, it's true."

"The Sand Ninjas need us to send troops to relieve their pressure."

"And this guy… he actually took the One-Tail from the Sand Ninjas. They've revealed that their Jinchūriki had already mastered the Tailed Beast's full power."

"Dad, you know what that means. Even Rōshi couldn't manage that. It's the same as the perfect Jinchūriki from the Hidden Cloud."

"Dad, should we still deploy our forces?"

Ōnoki's expression grew serious. "That kid…"

"It seems the Hidden Sand wants us to deal with this troublesome opponent for them!"

"But… he's neither Hashirama Senju nor Madara Uchiha!"

Ōnoki's expression returned to normal. "Deploy the troops."

"But Rōshi will need a team with him."

"And make sure there's a ninja proficient in genjutsu!"

As one of the Five Great Ninja Villages, how could they be scared off by a single kid?

Besides, that kid is still stuck over at the Sunagakure!

The Sunagakure wants to use Iwagakure to lure Shūichi away, but Ōnoki knew the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, too well.

With Konoha already gaining the upper hand at Kikyo Mountain, there was no way they'd let their efforts go to waste.

And that was Iwagakure's chance!

Even if they had to draw Shūichi away, it would only happen after they had thoroughly defeated the Hidden Sand.

...

With Ōnoki's command, Iwagakure's war machine roared into action that night, orders rapidly passed down through the ranks.

The Iwa ninja, who had been prepared for this moment, moved with remarkable speed.

That very night, troops were dispatched from the village to rendezvous with the border forces.

All of this was seen by Shūichi's flying ninja beast, which was actually one of his shadow clones.

In August of Konoha Year 45, Iwa finally made their move!

Outside Sunagakure, Shūichi received the memories from his clone and let out a breath of relief.

Finally, they've come!

He couldn't remember the exact timing of Iwa's original offensive, but he knew that the Battle of Kannabi Bridge was the year Kakashi became a jōnin, and Uchiha Obito finally became a chūnin.

It had to be after September of Konoha Year 45 because Kakashi's birthday was in September.

But now, with his presence, everything had changed.

"Kakashi should be about to become a jōnin by now, right?" Shūichi mused.

His teacher, Minato Namikaze's team, was still involved in various missions, especially in intelligence exchanges with the smaller ninja villages.

This was another front in the ongoing war.

"Kannabi Bridge… heh!" Shūichi chuckled coldly.

Let them send their forces! I'll blow them to pieces!

He placed his hand on the ground, spreading a sealing formula. A toad appeared.

It wasn't Gamabunta, but a messenger toad.

After passing the intel to the toad, Shūichi created another shadow clone, transforming it into a hawk and sending it off toward the Land of Grass.

He then glanced at the shadowed Sunagakure, contemplating for a moment before creating yet another clone to head toward the village.

As he approached, a piercing alarm sounded from within Sunagakure, and numerous figures appeared on the rooftops, watching Shūichi warily.

At the same time, large crossbows were rolled out.

At that moment, Shūichi felt like a villain.

"Relax, I'm just a clone," he said with a light laugh as he hovered in the air.

A Suna jōnin frowned and asked, "Shūichi Hoshita, what do you want?"

Shūichi replied seriously, "I came to have tea with your Kazekage. What, I'm not welcome?"

"Should I leave?"

"Haven't you lifted the curse mark on Chiyo yet?"

"If that curse mark explodes, it will be quite a spectacle."

"Like fireworks—an explosion of pure art."

Hearing this, the Suna ninja gritted their teeth in frustration.

This bastard spoke of such a deadly matter with ease and amusement, as if it were nothing!

"Stand down!"

The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, appeared.

Most of the Suna ninjas withdrew, though several jōnin remained behind.

Shūichi grinned, "Lord Kazekage, what I have to say is confidential. Isn't it inappropriate to discuss it here?"

"Besides, this is just a clone; I doubt I could harm you, Lord Kazekage."

Rasa's eyes narrowed, and he turned, "Follow me."

The remaining Suna jōnin were startled, but they had no choice but to follow as well.

Soon, Shūichi and Rasa arrived in the Kazekage's office.

Shūichi looked around before casually taking a seat.

Rasa, seated across from him, said, "Speak."

Shūichi nonchalantly began, "Iwa has deployed its forces. Do you think I'll be reassigned?"

Rasa remained expressionless.

Shūichi continued, "It seems, Lord Kazekage, that you don't fully understand the Third Hokage."

"While the glory of his past may have dimmed, he's still the Third Hokage. Konoha is on the verge of victory over Sunagakure—do you really think he'll let that slip away?"

"As for Iwa, I believe you've forgotten who my teacher is!"

Rasa responded flatly, "At the very least, Konoha's forces will be stretched thin due to Iwa's involvement."

"Moreover, with Iwa making a move, the Cloud Ninjas won't be far behind."

"You may have the One-Tail, but the Four-Tails and Eight-Tails aren't in your hands."

"And I've heard that the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki is a perfect Jinchūriki."

Shūichi nodded, "That's true."

"But that won't change Sunagakure's fate."

"Lord Kazekage, if Sunagakure loses this war, will the Daimyō of the Land of Wind be pleased?"

"Sunagakure's position will only grow more precarious. After all, you've lost the benefits of the Land of Rivers, and that's a serious blow to the Daimyō."

"In the past, Sunagakure was considered the second-strongest among the Five Great Ninja Villages. But after this war, starting with you, Lord Kazekage, it will be the weakest."

"With declining finances and resources, you won't be able to train more elite ninja. Sunagakure will only grow weaker, and the weaker it becomes, the less support it will receive."

"Do you really want Sunagakure to become the worst under your leadership?"

"The worst Kazekage in history?"

Rasa's eye twitched, and he suddenly asked, "Were you the one who killed the Third Kazekage?"

Shūichi nodded, "Yes."

"So, Lord Kazekage, you should thank me."

Rasa was surprised at how easily Shūichi admitted it.

Shūichi smiled, "The Third Kazekage and Sasori of the Red Sand teamed up to kill Sakumo-senpai. I killed them both to avenge him. It's only natural."

"Just as Sasori wanted to kill Sakumo-senpai and assassinate the Third Kazekage to avenge his parents."

Rasa was shocked. "Sasori of the Red Sand…"

Shūichi nodded, "Yes, it was Sasori who assassinated the Third Kazekage. But their strength wasn't enough, so I killed them."

Rasa stared at Shūichi, "Aren't you afraid that Sunagakure will continue to target Konoha for revenge over the Third Kazekage?"

Shūichi laughed and shook his head, "You're the Fourth, not the Third."

"The Third is dead, and the time for revenge has passed. Sending thousands to die for one person is foolish."

"Unless Sunagakure can kill me!"

"But looking at the current state of the ninja world, Sunagakure doesn't have many options."

"Right now is actually a great opportunity to invade the Land of Birds."

Shūichi persuaded, "Lord Kazekage, the Land of Rivers was the achievement of the Third Kazekage, but the Land of Birds could be yours."

He stood up to leave but then paused and turned back, speaking meaningfully, "The battle at Kikyo Mountain should be wrapping up soon."

"The decisions you make before and after that result will make a big difference."

"Also, I suspect the Cloud Ninjas will invade the Land of Earth. Opportunities like this are fleeting."

As Shūichi left, Rasa fell into deep thought.

He wasn't sure whether Shūichi's words were his own or came from the Third Hokage.

But even if it was just the former, Shūichi's strength was undeniable and influential within Konoha.

Most importantly, the benefits Shūichi had mentioned were compelling.

Though it was already late at night, the Hokage's office remained brightly lit.

Sarutobi Hiruzen had been stationed there constantly during this period.

Since Minato Namikaze was in the village, the intelligence transmitted by the messenger toad reached Sarutobi Hiruzen very quickly.

Even though more information had yet to arrive, the mere fact that Iwa had already deployed its forces was enough to catch Hiruzen's attention.

He immediately issued orders, dispatching an Anbu squad to the borders of the Land of Grass to alert the border defense forces and to inform Kusagakure to be on guard against a potential Iwa ambush.

Although Kusagakure had always played a balancing act among the great villages, and their recent ties with Iwa had become especially close, Sarutobi Hiruzen believed that Kusagakure would never allow Iwa to invade freely.

If they did, Kusagakure itself would cease to exist, which was a core interest of their village.

This situation was completely different from the Land of Rivers, which no longer had a shinobi village due to the loss of Amegakure.

Therefore, despite earlier warnings from Shūichi and Orochimaru, Hiruzen still believed that even if Iwa deployed its forces, crossing the Land of Grass wouldn't be easy for them, meaning there was still time to mobilize reinforcements.

This was why he had dared to divert troops to Kikyo Mountain multiple times before.

It was all a matter of strategic interests!

After issuing several more orders, Sarutobi Hiruzen smoked his pipe, his thoughts drifting toward the Land of Rain.

Aside from the Land of Grass, the Land of Rain was another point of concern for him.

Fortunately, Danzo was there.

With the Root division in place, it wouldn't be easy for Iwa to launch a surprise attack on the Fire Country's border through the Land of Rain.

Hiruzen's thoughts quickly shifted to the Cloud Ninjas.

Once Iwa went to war, Konoha's forces would be severely stretched, and the Cloud Ninjas would definitely be unable to resist taking action.

He stood up and walked to the map, his eyes scanning across it until they landed on Kikyo Mountain.

"The Sand Ninjas…"

Hiruzen's expression darkened.

He worried that the Cloud Ninjas might attack before the battle at Kikyo Mountain concluded, which would be extremely dangerous.

As for Shūichi Hoshita... After much deliberation, Hiruzen sighed, still unable to decide whether to recall him.

If Shūichi left, the Sand Ninjas would receive reinforcements, and the situation at Kikyo Mountain could change drastically.

"Shinnosuke, Minato hasn't left yet, has he?" Hiruzen asked.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke appeared immediately, "No, Minato is still here, worried that Shūichi might send more intelligence."

Hiruzen sighed, "They've worked hard."

"Have Minato send a message to Shūichi, asking him to propose peace talks with the Sand on my behalf. I will dispatch an official delegation to Sunagakure."

Shinnosuke was taken aback, "At this moment... According to Shūichi's previous intel, Iwa's quick deployment is partly due to the Sand. Sunagakure will likely demand unreasonable terms."

"If we can just hold on a little longer, once the battle at Kikyo Mountain is won, we can immediately reinforce the Land of Grass."

Hiruzen shook his head, "But the losses would be too great."

"And then there's the Cloud Ninjas. Their movements will only become more aggressive."

"To face attacks from four ninja villages simultaneously... just go!"

Shinnosuke sighed inwardly. Though he didn't fully agree with this strategy, he understood his father's difficult position and nodded before leaving.

He found Minato and carefully relayed Hiruzen's orders and considerations. Minato nodded seriously, "I'll have Mount Myoboku notify Shūichi immediately. With Shūichi's keen perception, this shouldn't be a difficult task for him."

Shinnosuke, however, smiled bitterly, "I'm afraid Shūichi won't act as the Third Hokage expects."

Minato paused for a moment, then reassured him, "Don't worry, Shūichi will handle such an important matter with care."

"Alright, I'll take care of it."

Shinnosuke nodded, watching Minato depart.

Minato went to a secluded location and immediately summoned Gamabunta, instructing him to deliver the message to Shūichi Hoshita.

After nodding in agreement, Gamabunta dispelled the summoning and returned to Mount Myoboku, where he immediately used reverse summoning.

Outside Sunagakure, Shūichi suddenly disappeared with a puff of smoke.

When he reappeared, he found himself in the vastly different landscape of Mount Myoboku.

Shūichi stood in Mount Myoboku for the first time, surveying his surroundings before turning to the massive Gamabunta in front of him. "Gamabunta, it seems Minato-sensei has some news."

Gamabunta nodded. "According to Minato, the Third Hokage wants you to propose peace talks with the Fourth Kazekage."

Shūichi chuckled. "I understand. Why not summon Minato-sensei here as well?"

"Uh... sure, I can do that."

With that, Gamabunta pressed his forelimbs together and performed the Reverse Summoning Technique. In an instant, Minato Namikaze appeared next to Shūichi.

"Shūichi!" Minato turned, smiling at his student, then held his hand up to gesture. "You've grown quite a bit taller!"

Shūichi laughed happily. "Minato-sensei, it's been almost six months since we last saw each other."

"Yes, it has," Minato nodded in agreement, a hint of emotion in his voice. "You've worked hard."

"So, I assume you already know about the Third Hokage's orders?"

Shūichi nodded, his smile fading as he got serious. "Actually, after I received news of Iwa's movements, I went to meet with the Fourth Kazekage. I used the Land of Birds as bait to lure him into sending troops north and forming an alliance with Konoha."

Minato was stunned. "But... Iwa and Suna must have made some kind of secret agreement, right?"

Shūichi smirked. "Minato-sensei, don't forget. In the eyes of most Sand shinobi, the disappearance—or death—of the Third Kazekage is linked to Iwa's Four-Tails Jinchuriki."

"Moreover, Iwa has actively attacked the Land of Wind."

"Additionally, Pakura, hailed as a hero in Sunagakure for her Scorch Release, was killed by Iwa shinobi."

"Of course, these aren't the most important factors. What matters most is that securing control over the Land of Birds would be credited to the Fourth Kazekage, whereas the conquest of the Land of Rivers was the legacy of the Third Kazekage."

"Given the current situation, Suna is doomed to lose the battle of Kikyo Mountain, whether or not Iwa and Kumo send additional forces."

"In order to protect his comrades and exact revenge on Iwa, the Fourth Kazekage's reputation will rise even further. If he secures the Land of Birds, the majority of the Sand shinobi will forget about the Third Kazekage and hail the Fourth Kazekage as the strongest Kazekage in history."

Minato furrowed his brows, pondering deeply before finally nodding. "Your analysis makes a lot of sense, Shūichi, but..."

Looking gravely at his talented student, Minato said seriously, "If we pursue peace talks, Suna will undoubtedly make demands, and the One-Tails will be part of those negotiations."

"Shūichi, you know what happens if a tailed beast is extracted."

Shūichi nodded with a smile. "Of course, Minato-sensei, I'm fully aware."

"We can return the One-Tails to Suna, but not immediately."

"We need to keep it for three years. Let's say we'll safeguard it for them during that time."

Minato looked puzzled. "Shūichi, you..."

Shūichi explained, "Minato-sensei, you know that Kushina-san and I have been researching the Reaper Death Seal, a technique that can seal souls."

"I've also mastered the Spiritualization Technique, which allows me to transform my spirit into a tangible form, carrying chakra to attack enemies from within."

"I've studied the Uzumaki clan's Adamantine Sealing Chains, and from that, I created my own sealing technique—the Fire Nether Chain. My original goal, however, was to develop a sealing technique capable of sealing souls."

"A soul-sealing technique..." Minato's expression shifted slightly. "Shūichi, are you planning to... split the tailed beasts?"

Gamabunta, who had been quietly listening, was shocked. He looked down at Shūichi with a wary gaze. "Minato's disciple is quite terrifying... not only incredibly talented but with such bold ideas—even daring to split the tailed beasts..."

Shūichi nodded confidently. "That's right. I plan to split the tailed beasts."

"The power of a tailed beast is too overwhelming."

"Kushina-san wants to control the Nine-Tails, maybe even tame it. To do that, the Nine-Tails must first be weakened."

Though Shūichi kept his true intentions hidden, he had indeed planned to split the Nine-Tails to help Kushina forcibly master the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.

Minato, however, was filled with both gratitude and concern. "Shūichi, I've also mastered the Reaper Death Seal, but sealing a soul is extremely difficult."

"The Reaper Death Seal relies on the power of that fearsome Shinigami... are you sure you can develop a technique like that without side effects within three years?"

Shūichi laughed. "Minato-sensei, you should have more faith in me. After all, I'm best at developing jutsu."

"I've already created a Spiritual Clone Technique based on the Spirit Transformation Technique, so I've taken the first step."

"I'm confident I can do it in three years. But I'll need you to request some additional soul-related techniques from the Third Hokage when you return to Konoha."

Minato chuckled wryly but then nodded seriously. "I'll do everything I can to make that happen."

"As for the alliance with Suna, I'll also petition the Third Hokage about it."

"Be careful in Sunagakure, Shūichi."

With that, Minato nodded to both Shūichi and Gamabunta, and then disappeared from sight.

Shūichi, too, left Mount Myoboku shortly after. Though he was intrigued by the place, now was not the time for exploration.

Meanwhile, Sarutobi Hiruzen faced a sleepless night. Despite his age, he hadn't lost his decisiveness, and after some thought, he approved Shūichi Hoshita's proposal.

After Shūichi reached a preliminary agreement with the Fourth Kazekage, a delegation would be sent to finalize the peace talks and alliance.

...

Outside Sunagakure, Shūichi calmly waited after receiving a response from Gamabunta. He knew that the Fourth Kazekage was probably unable to sleep at this moment as well.

In fact, the Fourth Kazekage was currently in a meeting.

The abruptness of the situation had caught many of the higher-ups in Sunagakure off guard.

Chiyo was the first to speak up, "I support the Fourth!"

Since Rasa had convened this meeting, his stance was already quite clear. Chiyo's support wasn't because of the "ticking time bomb" curse mark within her body or out of concern for her brother, who was fighting at Kikyo Mountain. Her decision was entirely based on the interests of Sunagakure.

However, there were those who disagreed. "Konoha proposed this alliance because Iwa has deployed troops. They're in deep trouble. If we hold our ground, Konoha will suffer a major defeat, and we might even reclaim the Land of Rivers."

Chiyo immediately countered, "We can't wait that long! The forces at Kikyo Mountain are on the verge of collapse."

"There are over two thousand troops there, and more than half of them are our elite."

"You should know that if we lose them, it will take us at least a decade to recover."

"Besides, since we're talking about a peace agreement, we can also aim for some gains—like getting back the One-Tails!"

The dissenting Sunagakure shinobi responded, "That's impossible!"

"Getting back the One-Tails would mean Shūichi Hoshita's certain death. Konoha would never agree to such a demand."

Chiyo shot back, "Then we should demand part of the Land of Rivers' benefits in return!"

This was her true objective.

It was also part of Rasa's plan.

Once the arguments had mostly subsided, Rasa firmly declared, "I've decided to negotiate peace with Konoha."

"Chiyo, you will negotiate with Shūichi Hoshita."

"Our terms are the return of the One-Tails, part of the Land of Rivers, and our comrades at Kikyo Castle."

Chiyo nodded immediately. "Understood!"

Without wasting any time, she got up and left the room, heading straight outside the village.

...

"You got here pretty quickly..." Shūichi smiled as he stood at his base.

A short while later, Chiyo appeared in his line of sight and entered the base.

"Shūichi Hoshita, you know why I'm here," Chiyo began bluntly. "So, what are Konoha's terms for peace and an alliance?"

Shūichi shook his head. "It's not that Konoha wants an alliance. I've simply offered you the chance for one."

"If you don't agree, it's no concern of mine. Konoha won't lose this war—at most, we'll suffer more casualties."

"But the other villages will lose even more because I have a strong sense of revenge."

Chiyo frowned. This kid was far more difficult to deal with than she had anticipated.

Shūichi continued, "The choice before Sunagakure is simple. Cooperate with Konoha, and maintain the appearance of a standoff at Kikyo Mountain."

"As soon as we engage Iwa on the Fire Nation's border, you'll move your forces north."

"The troops at Kikyo Mountain will head north to cut off Iwa's retreat, while your main force moves into the Land of Birds."

"Tell me, do you think Kumo will also attack Iwa at that point?"

Chiyo frowned again but reluctantly nodded. "But the effort we put in doesn't match the benefits. Our village's shinobi won't accept such an outcome easily."

Having lost the upper hand, Chiyo had no choice but to make a strong demand. "We can support Konoha's military actions and form an alliance, but Konoha must return the benefits of the Land of Rivers that rightfully belong to Sunagakure."

"And secondly, the One-Tails must be returned!"

Shūichi shook his head. "Returning the Land of Rivers is out of the question. That was the price you paid for attacking Konoha!"

"As for the One-Tails... it can be returned to you."

Chiyo was stunned and stared at Shūichi, completely taken aback. She even wondered if he had lost his mind.

But Shūichi continued, "There's no problem returning the One-Tails, but not immediately. You'll have to wait three years."

Chiyo's eyes narrowed. In an instant, she saw through Shūichi's intentions.

He planned to stall for time and renege later!

Shūichi smiled. "Rest assured, I won't go back on my word. I'm well aware that extracting a tailed beast would be fatal. But don't forget, I'm also a medical ninja."

His approach was calculated—telling people what they wanted to hear.

Why fight to the death with Sunagakure and Iwa when he could pit them against each other instead?

After splitting the One-Tails, if Madara Uchiha came looking for trouble later, let him deal with Sunagakure's Jinchuriki first!

Shūichi would take the power, but leave the consequences to them!

Still in shock at Shūichi's unexpected moves, Chiyo finally spoke after a moment of contemplation. "I'll report everything you said to the Kazekage as it is."

With that, she turned to leave.

Shūichi added with a smile, "To show my sincerity, I'll remove the curse mark."

He raised a single hand, and Chiyo immediately felt the chakra inside her dissipate.

She paused for a moment, then quickly disappeared.

Shūichi quietly watched her leave, thinking: Go fight Iwa with all you've got!

And perhaps… he could use Sunagakure to eliminate Kusagakure as well?

If Kusagakure allowed Iwa to march through, there would be no need for such an unruly subordinate to exist.

Destroy Kusagakure and divide the spoils of the Land of Grass.

Of course, this would leave Konoha with no buffer between it and Iwa's forces.

So, why not install a more obedient regime in Kusagakure instead?

One sinister idea after another began to take root in Shūichi Hoshita's mind.

In the Kazekage's office, Rasa fell into deep thought after hearing Chiyo's report.

"They're actually willing to return the One-Tails?"

After a moment, Rasa raised his eyes and asked, "Chiyo, do you think Shūichi is trustworthy?"

Chiyo pondered before replying, "Shūichi is no ordinary person. Not only is he incredibly strong, but he's also a medical ninja."

"Some of his jutsu clearly don't come from Konoha's typical teachings; it's highly likely that he invented them himself."

"And there's his Lava Release Kekkei Genkai... Konoha has never had such a Kekkei Genkai. The most plausible explanation is that he gained the Four-Tails' chakra and developed it from there."

"The Third Kazekage took over a decade of research to master Magnet Release!"

"Extracting a tailed beast would certainly be fatal, but medical ninjutsu might indeed solve that problem."

"After all, I've also thought about injecting life into puppets... While I haven't succeeded yet, I've made some progress."

Rasa was slightly taken aback, then nodded. "Alright, agree to the alliance."

"Chiyo, you will represent me in meeting with Shūichi Hoshita, then head to Kikyo Mountain. I'll leave the situation there to you."

Chiyo nodded. "Understood!"

…

At the base, after hearing Chiyo's words, Shūichi nodded with a smile. "Very good!"

He stood up, stretching his back. "Finally, I can leave this place."

"I'll go notify everyone of the ceasefire. You should head out as soon as possible!"

"Of course, for now, we need to keep up appearances and maintain the standoff to confuse Iwa."

"As for the Kazekage's attack, personally, I think the best time would be when Kumo moves against Iwa."

After leaving a shadow clone behind to communicate with the Kazekage, Shūichi's figure vanished from Chiyo's sight.

Without wasting any time, Chiyo, along with a small squad of Suna-nin, headed straight for the Land of Rivers.

…

At Kikyo Castle on the eastern border of the Land of Rivers, Shūichi appeared beside his shadow clone, which was recovering its chakra.

"It seems my mission is complete…"

The shadow clone opened its eyes and immediately dispelled itself without transforming.

Though the memories were sealed away, the exhaustion still weighed heavily on Shūichi's body, especially mentally.

"Using shadow clones for extended periods is definitely not a good idea…"

He massaged his temples. Fortunately, the Strength of a Hundred Seal was continuously nurturing his brain cells with chakra.

But even that wasn't foolproof.

After a brief rest, Shūichi used the Body Flicker Technique to arrive outside Orochimaru's office.

"Shūichi-kun, come in," Orochimaru's voice called from within.

Shūichi stepped in and said, "Orochimaru-sama, it's time to stop the fighting."

Looking over a map, Orochimaru raised his head in mild surprise. "The old man wants peace talks?"

Shūichi nodded. "I've already negotiated with the Fourth Kazekage."

Orochimaru squinted his eyes. "This is your real body?"

"And you actually agreed to the talks?"

"Didn't Sunagakure demand the return of the One-Tails?"

Orochimaru was skeptical.

Shūichi smiled. "As long as the benefits are enough, nothing is impossible."

"Suna agreed to join us in attacking Iwa. The Fourth Kazekage wants to claim benefits in the Land of Birds, preserve his forces at Kikyo Mountain, and, of course, retrieve the One-Tails. That's a tempting offer."

"And all we have to give up is the One-Tails. I'm confident we can return it in three years."

Orochimaru chuckled in understanding. "I never doubted your abilities, Shūichi-kun."

"This deal is certainly a good one. I thought we'd have to give up our interests in the Land of Rivers as well!"

Shūichi shook his head. "Giving up the Land of Rivers would mean all the comrades who died in battle did so in vain."

Besides, he held the upper hand. Why give up so much?

If Sunagakure wanted more, they could try taking it from Iwa.

The opportunity had been given. If they couldn't seize it, it would be their own incompetence.

Orochimaru nodded in agreement. "In that case, we'll cease hostilities for now and maintain the standoff."

"For Sunagakure, it's best if you go there yourself."

Shūichi nodded, then left the office. With a few quick flickers, he arrived at the front lines.

The Suna-nin hidden in the darkness were on high alert, and upon seeing Shūichi, they couldn't help but break into cold sweats.

Shūichi paused. "Bring Ebizō out."

A moment later, Ebizō appeared. "What business do you have with me?"

Shūichi stepped forward, and though Ebizō nervously swallowed, he managed to maintain his composure. However, the other Suna-nin behind him were on edge, ready to form seals for ninjutsu at any moment.

Standing in front of Ebizō, Shūichi said quietly, "Konoha and Sunagakure have reached an agreement to form an alliance. From now on, we will cease fighting and maintain a standoff to deceive Iwa."

"Additionally, Lady Chiyo is already on her way."

Ebizō was stunned.

Shūichi finished speaking and turned to leave.

It took Ebizō a while to recover.

Is this a trick?

No, that's impossible.

Sunagakure no longer had the strength to attack anyway.

Back at Kikyo Castle, Shūichi first reported to Orochimaru, then headed over to the medical camp.

It was late at night, but Yakushi Nono, Asuka, and Shizune were still hard at work.

Asuka was the first to react, delighted. "Shūichi, is this your real body?"

Shūichi smiled and nodded. "Of course."

"That's great!"

Asuka, overwhelmed with joy, rushed forward and hugged Shūichi.

Yakushi Nono smiled, her worries finally easing.

It wasn't until Asuka blushed and let go of Shūichi that Shizune stepped up, comparing heights. "Shūichi, you've grown taller again."

Shūichi's shadow clone had remained the same, but his real body had clearly grown, making the difference more noticeable.

"Well, it has been a while!" Shūichi chuckled, then said, "Alright, let's treat the patients first."

Asuka and Shizune both nodded eagerly, and everyone got back to work.

Meanwhile, back at Sunagakure's command tent, Ebizō and the Suna-nin were silent, caught between disbelief, relief, and uncertainty—a mix of emotions running high.

The night felt both short and endless.

As dawn broke, Shūichi and the medical team finally finished their tasks for the time being.

After cleaning the surgical tools, Shūichi smiled. "Time to rest. The war's over, for now."

Shizune blinked in surprise. "Eh? Has Sunagakure been defeated?"

Shūichi shook his head. "That's a secret for now."

"Let's go!"

He grabbed Shizune by the hand and led her out of the tent. Then, finding Yakushi Nono and Asuka, he pulled them away from their work as well to get some rest.

Unexpectedly, all three of them shared the same room. Shūichi hadn't noticed this earlier with his shadow clone.

Not caring much, Shūichi flopped down and immediately went to sleep.

Yakushi Nono gave him a playful scold but didn't kick him out. Instead, she arranged for Asuka and Shizune to sleep on either side of Shūichi, while she slept next to Asuka.

Blushing, Shizune held onto one of Shūichi's arms, her eyes closed but her long lashes trembling.

...

Shūichi slept soundly and contentedly, while Chiyo, having worked tirelessly through the night, had to push through her exhaustion to make various arrangements on the Sand Village's side.

First, she needed to relay the Fourth Kazekage's orders, ensuring that each Jonin understood the purpose and significance of the village's peace talks.

Next, she had to arrange the defensive lines in a proper manner.

However...

While Shūichi's main body was resting, his shadow clones were still working hard.

By dawn, the first vanguard of 300 Rock Ninjas had already reached the border between the Land of Earth and the Land of Grass. After just an hour of rest, they entered the Land of Grass.

At the same time, a second wave of 500 Rock Ninjas had set out from the village.

All of this information was swiftly sent back to Konoha by Shūichi's shadow clones, using the communication toads from Mount Myōboku.

Meanwhile, in the Cloud Village.

Early in the morning, the Third Raikage was pacing back and forth in excitement, unable to sit still.

He knew that if he stopped pacing, he might not be able to resist launching an attack right away, though his adviser and his secretary both advised waiting a little longer.

The Rock Ninjas had only just begun their mobilization and hadn't yet engaged Konoha.

They suggested that the optimal moment to strike would be when both Konoha and the Rock Ninjas had fully committed their forces in battle, increasing their numbers in a drawn-out conflict.

Time ticked by.

Shūichi's main body remained at Kikyō Mountain, continuing his work as a medical ninja, but his shadow clones were constantly on the move, keeping a close eye on the Rock Ninjas and Cloud Ninjas alike.

The Rock Ninjas had a solid grasp of blitzkrieg tactics. On that same day, they swiftly crossed through the small Land of Grass and launched a surprise attack on the Fire Country's border.

With that, the Rock Ninjas and Konoha officially entered into war!

Shūichi was not at all surprised, especially since the Rock Ninjas' movements were being carefully monitored by his shadow clones.

However, for Sarutobi Hiruzen, it was a significant blow.

Even though he had Shūichi's intelligence to rely on, moving troops took time, and Konoha couldn't react as quickly as the Rock Ninjas.

The Rock Ninjas launched one wave of attacks after another.

By the second day, their forces had crossed the Land of Grass and grown to over a thousand soldiers, while Konoha could only send 200 reinforcements from the village, bringing the total to just 500 when combined with the 300 soldiers already defending the border.

If Konoha hadn't already secured a ceasefire with the Sand Village, this defensive line would have been overrun by the Rock Ninjas!

Thus, on the second day of the Rock Ninjas' assault on the Fire Country's border, Orochimaru led his army north.

Meanwhile, Koharu Utatane, acting as Konoha's representative, had already set out for the Sand Village the previous day.

After Shūichi and his team headed north, the Sand Ninjas, under the leadership of Chiyo and Ebizō, also moved northward to cut off the Rock Ninjas' retreat.

The situation was changing rapidly, leaving everyone scrambling to keep up.

By evening, Onoki received the news and jumped to his feet in shock. "What?"

Crack!

His body stiffened, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

Damn it, I threw my back out!

His son, Kitsuchi, didn't notice and assumed his father was merely stunned by the news. He quickly reported, "The front lines have already collapsed. We're tangled in battle with both the Sand and Leaf Ninjas within the Land of Grass."

"Father, we need to send reinforcements immediately to break through their blockade."

Onoki gritted his teeth. "The Sand Ninjas... Fourth Kazekage, damn it!"

"Mobilize the troops immediately!"

"And notify the southern forces to be on guard against any surprise attacks from the Sand Ninjas!"

"Also, Shūichi—he's probably on the battlefield as well, right?"

Kitsuchi nodded. "Yes, though we haven't confirmed if it's his main body or a shadow clone."

"But the chances of it being his main body are high."

Onoki's face darkened. "Whether it's his main body or a clone, send Rōshi to deal with him."

Kitsuchi quickly left to make the necessary arrangements.

Onoki sat down, massaging his aching back, but he couldn't wrap his head around why the Sand Village had allied with Konoha at this critical moment.

The One-Tail was taken by Konoha. Could it be they promised to return it?

But if they do return it, that would spell the end for Shūichi!

Could it really be that they had no choice but to compromise after being cornered by that Shūichi at their village gates?

...

The Cloud Ninjas received the intelligence later than the Rock Ninjas, and the Third Raikage was just as stunned by the sudden turn of events. He asked, "Tsuchidai, why have the Sand Ninjas suddenly allied with Konoha?"

Tsuchidai shook his head. "We don't have any concrete information yet, but it's already a fact."

The Third Raikage nodded and quickly made a decision. "Tsuchidai, accompany the A-B Combo in attacking Konoha from the south. I will personally lead an assault on the Land of Earth."

Tsuchidai was startled and hurriedly said, "Third Raikage-sama, there's no need for you to personally take action, is there?"

"The Rock Ninjas are in significant trouble, but their forces haven't been heavily depleted yet."

"Konoha, on the other hand, though they've allied with the Sand Village, is still struggling with a shortage of troops."

"Wouldn't it be better to attack the Fire Country first? We could overrun the Land of Rice Fields or even the Land of the Moon, and force Konoha to relinquish some of their territory in the Fire Country."

At this moment, the Third Raikage was calm and composed as he replied, "The Rock Ninjas may not have suffered heavy losses yet, but with the Sand Ninjas now allied with Konoha, the Sand will undoubtedly strike again in the Land of Birds."

"You will proceed with the assault on the Fire Country. That is an order!"

Tsuchidai had no choice but to obey.

He wasn't against attacking the Land of Earth, but he was firmly opposed to the Third Raikage personally leading the assault.

...

August 15, Year 45 of the Konoha Calendar.

On the fifth day of the Rock Ninja's invasion of the Fire Country, the Cloud Ninjas moved south, heading straight for the Fire Country.

At this point, all five major ninja villages were now embroiled in the war.

The Land of Grass, serving as the main battlefield, had descended into utter chaos. Neither the entire Land of Grass nor even the Grass Ninja Village was a safe place anymore.

The Grass Ninja Village was now facing a difficult choice.

Should they support the Rock Ninjas, or should they side with Konoha and the Sand Ninjas to fight against them?

Sitting on the fence?

Shūichi wouldn't allow it.

Of course, he would never admit that he had subtly influenced the Sand Village to shift the battlefield toward the Grass Ninja Village.

In truth, even without his intervention, the entire Land of Grass would inevitably become a battlefield.

The Rock Ninjas, now temporarily at a disadvantage, had no choice but to use the terrain of the Land of Grass to expand the battlefield and gain more strategic depth.

...

Deep within the Land of Grass, on a low mountain, Shūichi stood alongside Asuka and Uchiha Shisui.

On the opposite side stood Rōshi, the Jinchūriki of the Four-Tails, accompanied by a squad of Rock Ninjas.

The moment their enemies met, their eyes blazed with fury.

Rōshi's gaze locked onto Shūichi, who had grown much taller since their last encounter. Battle lust surged within him.

Inside him, the Four-Tails, Son Gokū, opened his eyes and spoke, "This guy... He holds my power!"

Son Gokū had sensed it!

Rōshi snorted internally. "So it was him last time... That means he was the one who killed the Third Kazekage, huh?"

"Damn it, pretending to be me."

"But wouldn't it be interesting if the Sand Ninjas found out it was him who killed their Third Kazekage?"

Son Gokū mocked, "Do you really think the higher-ups in the Sand Village don't already know?"

Rōshi had no response.

Son Gokū continued, "I also sense the presence of Shukaku. Heh, you'd better be careful. I wouldn't mind switching hosts."

"But you're as good as dead!"

Rōshi's face darkened.

Although he had control over the Four-Tails' power, he wasn't a perfect Jinchūriki.

His state was more akin to Naruto's early use of the Nine-Tails' chakra mode, where he forcibly drew on the Four-Tails' power.

Suppressing his irritation, Rōshi barked, "Hey, do you really want to share a space with that lunatic One Tails?"

"We've been together for so long, after all."

Son Gokū responded indifferently, "If I share a space with Shukaku, at least I can insult him whenever I want!"

Rōshi was too irritated to continue arguing with him.

He had initially hoped to use the tension between him and Shukaku to convince Son Gokū to cooperate, but now that plan was ruined.

This damned ape, no backbone at all!

Nevertheless...

Rōshi's eyes focused sharply on Shūichi across from him, his gaze fierce and ruthless. "I'm not that old monk, Bunpuku. If you underestimate me, you'll regret it..."

Konoha Village, Hokage's Office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at the map in deep thought.

Although the alliance with Sunagakure had greatly eased the strain on Konoha's military forces, the pressure from Iwagakure, Kirigakure, and Kumogakure's attacks remained immense.

Especially with Kumogakure recently joining the fray. Their morale was high, and their forces were overwhelming.

Konoha's defenses had been repeatedly breached, forcing a steady retreat.

"We must end one of these battlefronts as soon as possible..."

Sarutobi's gaze settled on the Land of Grass.

Currently, Konoha and Sunagakure held a clear advantage in that region.

At the onset, Iwagakure's forces had launched a surprise attack on the Fire Nation's border, but they had been surrounded. With the arrival of 1,000 reinforcements from Iwagakure, the forces of all three factions were now entangled in a fierce battle, causing the war to expand further.

"Kannabi Bridge..."

Sarutobi's eyes fixed on a critical location previously mentioned by Shūichi Hoshita.

It was a strategic stronghold held by Iwagakure that needed to be destroyed as part of the plan.

If Kannabi Bridge was destroyed, it would severely weaken Iwagakure's war potential, as it would disrupt their supply routes.

However, the presence of Sunagakure made Hiruzen Sarutobi sigh inwardly.

As allies, even though he wanted to swiftly end the conflict with Iwagakure, Sunagakure might not share the same urgency.

And the frontlines with Kirigakure were already stretched too thin, making that conflict even more challenging.

But they had to try!

After a long period of deliberation, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally spoke: "Seeker!"

"Yes, Lord Third Hokage!"

The masked figure of Chihiro appeared in the office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered, "Inform Minato and Kakashi to come see me."

"Understood!"

Chihiro nodded and left.

A short while later, Minato Namikaze and Kakashi arrived at the Hokage's office.

Without preamble, Hiruzen Sarutobi said, "Minato, I need you to head to the Kirigakure battlefield. Assist Jiraiya and the others in completely crushing Kirigakure, forcing them into negotiations and withdrawal."

Minato instantly understood Sarutobi's intent. This was a move to end one battlefront so Konoha could focus on the other two.

"Understood. I will give it my all," Minato responded earnestly with a firm nod.

Hiruzen nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Kakashi and said, "Kakashi, you will lead a team as a jonin. Your mission is to head to the Land of Grass, avoid the main battlefront, and work with Shūichi's clone to destroy the crucial supply route at Kannabi Bridge, held by Iwagakure."

Kakashi was momentarily stunned, not expecting to be separated from his mentor Minato and lead a team on his own.

Hiruzen Sarutobi asked, "Kakashi, do you have the confidence to lead a team and complete this mission on your own?"

Minato glanced at Kakashi with slight concern, but since Kakashi had already achieved the rank of jonin at the age of just under twelve, it was only natural for him to handle such responsibilities.

Kakashi quickly regained his composure and responded, "Rest assured, Lord Third Hokage. I will complete the mission."

Hiruzen smiled and nodded. "Be careful. Shūichi will be the main force in this mission."

"Lead your team to the forward camp and meet up with Shūichi. Follow his instructions."

Kakashi nodded without hesitation, "Understood, Lord Hokage!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded in approval. "Go, then!"

…

Outside the Hokage building, Minato turned to Kakashi and said, "Kakashi, this is your first time leading a team, so be extra cautious."

Minato smiled to himself as he spoke, "But since you've already developed the Chidori technique, you should be fine."

Kakashi nodded confidently. "Don't worry, Sensei. I'll get it done."

Minato nodded and added, "Make sure to bring Obito and Rin back safely too."

Kakashi froze for a moment before nodding seriously.

"Alright then, I'll go make my preparations."

"Kakashi, good luck!"

After giving Kakashi a final pat on the shoulder, Minato's figure disappeared.

Kakashi immediately created a shadow clone to notify Obito Uchiha and Rin Nohara, then returned home to pack his things.

Half an hour later, Kakashi, Obito, and Rin met at the village gate.

"Let's move out!"

Kakashi gave the order.

Obito blinked in surprise and asked, "Aren't we waiting for Minato-sensei?"

Without looking back, Kakashi replied, "I'm the captain for this mission. Hurry up and follow!"

Obito was momentarily taken aback, then pouted, muttering under his breath, "This guy is so full of himself!"

"Come on, Obito! Let's go!" Rin giggled, tugging Obito along as she leaped forward to catch up with Kakashi.

Obito quickly followed, though he was clearly still a bit disgruntled.

...

Land of Grass

By Shūichi's side, Asuka asked, "Shūichi, are we also going to take the Four-Tails from this guy?"

Shūichi nodded. "If possible, of course."

Having already taken the One-Tail, adding the Four-Tails wouldn't be a problem.

Besides, to be honest, Roshi and the Four-Tails weren't necessarily stronger than the One-Tail and Bunpuku.

It wasn't that Roshi and the Four-Tails lacked power, but their level of coordination was far inferior to that of the One-Tail and Bunpuku.

"There should be a genjutsu expert near Roshi. Shisui, you'll need to handle them later," Shūichi instructed. "Asuka, you'll assist me in controlling the Four-Tails."

Asuka and Uchiha Shisui both nodded in agreement.

"Alright then, time to go all out!"

A blue light illuminated Shūichi's forehead, and at the same time, the Yin Seal on his chest activated, instantly entering the Fire Release Chakra Mode.

Then, the dazzling light of the Bijuu sealing Mark bloomed as purple lotus flowers appeared on the surface of his chakra cloak.

Beside him, Uchiha Shisui also activated his Bijuu Sealing Mark, his face marked with blue lotus patterns, and his three-tomoe Sharingan spinning into action.

Across from them, Roshi narrowed his eyes. "Here they come!"

"And there's an Uchiha too!"

The three Iwagakure shinobi beside him also wore grim expressions.

"This is troublesome… a three-tomoe Uchiha, and a genjutsu master to boot!"

Sensing danger, the genjutsu specialist, Tobu Wataru, spoke up, "You two keep those two occupied. I'll help Roshi fend off Shūichi's genjutsu!"

The other two jonin nodded in unison.

At that moment, Roshi immediately transformed into his Four-Tails state and shouted, "Wataru, get on my shoulder!"

"Understood!"

Tobu Wataru leaped up, landing on the Four-Tails' massive shoulder.

Meanwhile, Shūichi had already created two shadow clones, and in the next instant, he launched his ninjutsu.

Inferno Lotus!

A blue flame suddenly ignited on all of them, including the transformed Four-Tails and Roshi.

However, the Four-Tails' Lava Release easily dispelled the flames, and the three Iwagakure jonin, being seasoned veterans, sensed the danger in time. Although they didn't use Body Flicker to evade, they all substituted with Earth Clones to escape the attack.

Shūichi didn't mind, his real body now hurtling through the air, with the blooming lotus flowers accelerating him as he charged toward the transformed Roshi.

At the same time, Uchiha Shisui vanished from his original spot, but Shūichi's two shadow clones and Asuka remained where they were, unmoved.

The Four-Tails-possessed Roshi opened his mouth, launching a barrage of massive lava balls, but Shūichi deftly dodged them.

Immediately after, the Four-Tails' long tails shot forward like spears, aiming to skewer the rapidly approaching Shūichi.

Although fast, Shūichi was equally agile, dodging each strike while closing the distance to Roshi.

At that moment, Tobu Wataru on the Four-Tails' shoulder finished weaving hand seals. He spat out a stream of stone bullets that rapidly expanded and accelerated, hurtling toward Shūichi.

Rock Cannon!

Like a graceful butterfly, Shūichi danced around the projectiles, avoiding each one.

Just then, the Four-Tails' arms, coated in molten lava, slammed together in an attempt to crush him.

Boom!

Molten rock exploded in all directions, and shockwaves rippled through the air.

The Four-Tails' palms struck nothing as Shūichi soared upward, flinging several Flying Thunder God Kunai in midair.

Whizz, whizz, whizz!

The Four-Tails' tails lashed out, swatting away the kunai.

Meanwhile, Tobu Wataru finished casting a genjutsu on Shūichi, but to his shock, there was no reaction.

"How is that possible?"

Tobu Wataru was stunned.

In the next moment, darkness enveloped his vision. As he tried to form hand seals to dispel the genjutsu, his body froze.

"Paralysis... so strong!"

Tobu Wataru struggled, realizing just how powerful this genjutsu was. "Damn it… even his basic genjutsu is this overwhelming!"

He naturally assumed the technique used amid such intense combat was an ordinary genjutsu.

And it was, technically speaking—just the basic Binding Jutsu.

However, Shūichi had already mastered the Genjustu Master tag!

While Shūichi effortlessly dealt with this minor nuisance, his two shadow clones simultaneously teleported to the Flying Thunder God Kunai. Before the Four-Tails' tails could strike, they unleashed chains of Fire Nether Chains, which shot from their backs, binding the Four-Tails' tails.

"You won't succeed!"

Roshi roared as he triggered his Lava Release, melting the surrounding terrain into magma while pressing his palms down.

Bind!

Shūichi cast the Binding Jutsu, momentarily freezing the Four-Tails in place.

However, this basic genjutsu couldn't fully restrain a Tailed Beast in its transformed state, and the Four-Tails quickly broke free using its immense chakra.

But that brief moment was all Shūichi needed.

He appeared above the Four-Tails, clasping his hands together.

Spiritualization Jutsu!

Shūichi's spirit left his body, and in the instant the Four-Tails broke free from the Binding Jutsu, he pulled both Roshi and the Four-Tails into a genjutsu world.

Demon Realm: Palace of Memories!

The Four-Tails froze completely, and Shūichi's two shadow clones swiftly secured its body with the Fire Nether Chains, starting the process of extracting its power.

At the same time, Asuka, who had been waiting, rushed forward as soon as Shūichi used the Spiritualization Jutsu.

The two Iwagakure jonin, who had been battling Uchiha Shisui, were shocked to see that Roshi had been subdued so quickly. Even Tobu Wataru, their genjutsu expert, had barely put up a fight, leaving them utterly alarmed. One of them immediately turned to rush to Roshi's aid.

"Your opponent is me!"

Uchiha Shisui shouted, his movements blurring as he split into several clones, surrounding the two Iwagakure shinobi.

Meanwhile, Asuka reached the top of the Four-Tails' head and activated the Adamantine Sealing Chains, binding Tobu Wataru and locking down the Four-Tails with four chains.

In terms of raw chakra, the Four-Tails far exceeded the One-Tail.

After Asuka successfully restrained the Four-Tails, Shūichi's two shadow clones began working together to extract its power.

Although Roshi was easier to handle than Bunpuku and the One-Tail, stealing the Four-Tails itself was proving much more difficult.

From a distance, on the trunk of a large tree, a face emerged from the bark.

White Zetsu stared at the colossal form of the Four-Tails and muttered, "It's over! It's over!"

"The Four-Tails is about to be taken by this Shūichi Hoshita too!"

"I told them to take this kid seriously, but Madara didn't care."

"He said something about how it would be easier to catch the Tailed Beasts if they were all gathered in one place."

White Zetsu grumbled on, "But really, if he's going to stuff two of these massive creatures into his body, won't he explode?"

"What about eating? How does he even eat?"

"Does that mean he won't need to eat, like me?"

"If he doesn't need to eat, does that mean he doesn't need to… you know, poop?"

"What does pooping even feel like, anyway?"

…

Shūichi focused entirely on subduing the Four-Tails, with no attention left to spare for his surroundings.

Meanwhile, although Asuka was periodically using her sensory abilities, she failed to detect the presence of White Zetsu, who had merged with the nearby trees.

After all, her sensory technique, Kagura's Mind Eye, was based on chakra detection.

On the other side of the battlefield, Uchiha Shisui had swiftly dealt with his two opponents. He immediately used the Body Flicker Technique to teleport onto the Four-Tails and eliminate Tobu, the genjutsu specialist who had been under control.

The lurking threat was now completely neutralized.

...

At the Konoha frontline headquarters on the borders of the Land of Grass.

Kakashi and his team arrived and were first greeted by their commanding officer, Orochimaru.

"Kannabi Bridge?"

Orochimaru eyed Kakashi and said, "I had expected Minato to come here personally."

Kakashi quickly explained, "Minato Sensei has gone to the Mist battlefield."

Orochimaru nodded, asking no further questions. "Shūichi is currently on the front lines, dealing with the Four-Tails jinchūriki, though he left a clone behind in the medical unit."

"This mission is incredibly dangerous. Iwagakure must realize how important Kannabi Bridge is, so they'll likely have elite jōnin defending it."

"But to be honest, you should trust in Shūichi's abilities."

Kakashi, however, wasn't swayed by a few words, not even by someone like Orochimaru.

"Orochimaru-sama, we will assist Shūichi in completing this mission," Kakashi stated firmly.

Orochimaru smiled faintly. "Very well then, head to the medical unit."

After bowing, Kakashi left the tent, accompanied by Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin. They soon arrived at the medical camp, where they found Shūichi.

Seeing the three of them, Shūichi couldn't help but be momentarily distracted.

The butterfly effects had already stirred quite the storm—how had things returned to this point again?

Moreover, even though Kannabi Bridge was heavily guarded, his main body had long made preparations.

"Shūichi?" Kakashi called out.

Shūichi snapped back to reality and, after a brief thought, said, "Kakashi, Obito, the two of you should head north along the border and cross into the Land of Grass from the Land of Waterfalls before proceeding to Kannabi Bridge."

Kakashi nodded. Obito quickly interjected, "What about Rin?"

Shūichi turned to Nohara Rin. "Rin will stay in the medical unit—there are many injured people here."

Rin glanced at Kakashi before nodding. "Understood!"

She then turned to Kakashi and Obito, saying, "Be careful, you two. Work together, okay?"

Obito nodded earnestly, while Kakashi also nodded, though he added, "As long as he doesn't slow me down, we'll be fine."

Obito's fists clenched instantly. "Damn it, Kakashi, you arrogant jerk! I won't hold you back."

Rin chided softly, "Kakashi!"

With that bit of banter over, Kakashi turned and said, "Let's go."

Obito, fighting back the urge to cry, smiled at Rin and waved. "Don't worry, Rin! We'll complete the mission!"

"Wait a second!"

Shūichi suddenly called out, stepping forward and placing a Flying Thunder God seal on both Kakashi and Obito. "This way, my clone will be able to sense you," he explained.

Both Kakashi and Obito nodded before setting off.

As he watched the two of them disappear into the forest, Shūichi turned to Rin and said, "Don't worry. They're more than capable."

He wasn't planning to play the babysitter role—not by a long shot.

If Madara Uchiha had truly set his sights on Obito, then unless Obito stayed locked away indoors, or Madara and Black Zetsu were taken down, there was no solving that problem.

And even if Obito was the chosen pawn, Rin's fate was still difficult to alter. However, perhaps he could plant a seed ahead of time.

That said, was Madara really dead set on Obito as his only option?

...

As Kakashi and his team embarked on their path to growth, Shūichi gradually pulled the Four-Tails out from within Rōshi.

Inside the genjutsu realm, despite his tough exterior, both Rōshi and the Four-Tails were desperately trying to break free from the illusion.

But when it came to countering genjutsu, they were even worse off than the One-Tail and its jinchūriki, Bunpuku.

After nearly an hour of struggle, Shūichi finally extracted the Four-Tails from Rōshi's body.

"Damn it... I can't believe I actually..."

Rōshi collapsed to the ground, unwilling to accept his defeat.

"Shisui!" Shūichi called.

Handing the sealing scroll to Uchiha Shisui, Shūichi summoned chains from his abdomen. They lashed out, binding the Four-Tails that had been restrained by his clone and Asuka, and began pulling it into his body.

Without a jinchūriki host, the Memory Palace genjutsu was enough to completely subdue the Four-Tails, leaving it powerless to resist.

Sizzle!

With the burning sensation of chakra coursing through his body, the Four-Tails was fully sealed within his abdomen, merging with the small version of itself already inside.

Just like with the One-Tail, the process involved heavy chains, followed by a reinforced cage to imprison the beast completely.