Nanga Shrine
"Nanga Shrine?"
Xu Fan was more than familiar with that name.
In fact, the first time he met Uchiha Itachi had been on a dark and windy night, about a month ago, right near the Naka Shrine.
More than just a sacred place, Naka Shrine was the heart of the Uchiha compound. It was where Fugaku Uchiha and the clan elders had held countless secret meetings. It was also the birthplace of the Uchiha coup d'état—the plans to overthrow Konoha's government had all started there.
But most importantly...
The system's sign-in rewards weren't entirely random. They corresponded to the location where he signed in.
For example, when he signed in at the Hyuga Clan's residence, he had obtained their bloodline limit—Byakugan.
"Sharingan…"
Xu Fan couldn't help but think of the Three Tomoe Sharingan—and even the Mangekyō Sharingan.
If he could awaken the Sharingan, it would be a massive boost to his strength.
And if he managed to evolve it into a Mangekyō Sharingan…
With a Zanpakutō in one hand and a towering Susanoo under his control, his combat power would skyrocket.
Thinking of this, Xu Fan was eager to return to Konohagakure immediately.
Fortunately, Hiruzen Sarutobi had no intention of lingering in the Land of Iron either.
With tensions between Kumogakure and Konoha reaching a boiling point, war was inevitable. The sooner they returned, the sooner they could prepare for it.
Moreover, with Danzo now dead, there was a real chance that the Uchiha Clan would seize the opportunity to stage their long-planned uprising.
No matter how he looked at it, Sarutobi Hiruzen needed to return to the village—quickly.
He had no choice. The situation was unstable and could erupt at any moment.
Mifune, the leader of the samurai and head of the Land of Iron, understood well that there was no way to keep them there.
"…Escort them."
After a brief moment of contemplation, Mifune accepted the situation. He ordered his lieutenant, Rijō, to escort Sarutobi and his party safely out of the Land of Iron.
"I hope you will keep your promise," Mifune said as Rijō prepared to lead the group out.
"This is a conflict between Konohagakure and Kumogakure. It has nothing to do with the Land of Iron."
He fixed his gaze on Sarutobi Hiruzen, his tone solemn.
The message was clear: no matter what happened next, the Land of Iron would remain a neutral party. Neither he nor his samurai would intervene.
"I understand," Hiruzen replied, giving Mifune a final look before turning and walking away.
Once their figures disappeared into the snowy horizon, Mifune exhaled heavily. He immediately summoned several elite samurai and began heading toward the route the Fourth Raikage had taken.
---
Deep Mountains, Land of Iron
"Damn it…"
Darui unleashed another Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu, scattering the incoming volley of arrows that rained from the treetops.
He and C, the sensory ninja, were escorting the unconscious Fourth Raikage back to Kumogakure. But the path was riddled with traps, slowing them down significantly.
"No one's pursuing us…" C murmured, still catching his breath. Ever since they had been forced to retreat, his sensory perception had remained active, draining his chakra.
Thankfully, he was not only a sensory-type but also well-versed in medical ninjutsu.
Under his repeated checks, he confirmed that Lord Raikage hadn't suffered fatal injuries—just a severe concussion that rendered him unconscious.
"When will he wake up?" Darui asked, panting. He was growing exhausted from fending off traps while protecting the Raikage.
Right on cue, the Fourth Raikage stirred.
"Lord Raikage!" C's voice was filled with relief.
"Ugh… Darui?" A stirred, his vision hazy and head pounding.
Though C moved to support him, A stubbornly pushed his hand away and sat up by sheer force of will.
He grunted and clutched his head, flashes of fragmented memories flying past. The last thing he remembered was a Lightning Release sparring match against Xu Fan… and then nothing.
"Where's Yugito Nii?"
He looked around and saw only C and Darui.
At her name, both of their expressions turned grim.
"She stayed behind… to prevent Xu Fan from chasing us," C finally said.
"You're saying I lost?" A's voice trembled with disbelief. Since the Third Great Ninja War, he had never been this humiliated.
But… was it possible?
Xu Fan, despite being of Senju descent, didn't even use Wood Release. He had defeated the Raikage with Lightning Release—a domain A had prided himself on mastering.
What's worse, his demeanor during the fight… it was as if he wasn't even trying.
The realization hit him like a punch to the gut.
And Yugito… she had sacrificed herself, just like his father had during the last war, holding back thousands of enemy shinobi to protect his village.
"Unforgivable..."
A growled. He slammed his fist into the ground with fury.
BOOM!
A blast of thunder echoed, and the earth beneath him cracked. C and Darui stumbled, barely keeping their footing.
"If Konoha wants war… then let it come!"
A's voice was low and deadly. He was ready to turn back and retrieve Yugito by force.
But before he could act, a group of figures emerged from the forest.
"Lord Raikage!"
Darui and C snapped into a defensive formation.
"Relax—it's me."
Mifune stepped into the clearing, snow crunching under his boots. The only reason he caught up so quickly was because Darui had already cleared a path through the traps.
"Mifune?"
A looked at him sharply. "Where's Yugito? What happened?"
"…That's why I came."
Mifune sighed. "After she lost to Xu Fan, she was taken back to Konoha."
"And Xu Fan, along with Hiruzen Sarutobi, asked me to deliver a message to you."
Mifune paused, then began to relay Xu Fan's words—word for word.
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