The sudden appearance of a colossal, shimmering castle in the heart of the Forest of Death sent shockwaves through Konohagakure.
It was impossible to miss, a beacon of impossible grandeur against the familiar, verdant backdrop.
Sentries on the village walls pointed, their voices hoarse with disbelief.
News traveled like wildfire, and within minutes, the entire village was abuzz.
In his office, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, stood by the window, his pipe long forgotten. His eyes, usually filled with a grandfatherly warmth, were now sharp with concern.
"A castle… in the Forest of Death?" he murmured, a grim line forming on his lips. "This is unprecedented."
Shikaku Nara, head of the Nara clan and the village's chief strategist, stood beside him, his expression thoughtful.
"The chakra signature emanating from it is immense, Hokage-sama. Unlike anything we've ever encountered. It feels… divine, yet utterly foreign."
Danzo Shimura, leader of the Root, a shadowy organization operating outside the normal chain of command, scoffed.
"Divine or not, it's a direct threat to Konoha's security. We must ascertain its purpose and eliminate any potential danger immediately." His single visible eye gleamed with a predatory light.
Hiruzen turned, his gaze hardening.
"Danzo, your impetuousness could lead to disaster. We know nothing about this entity. A frontal assault would be foolish."
"And inaction is worse,"
Danzo retorted, his voice low and guttural.
"My Root operatives are already deployed. They will gather intelligence and, if necessary, neutralize the threat."
"Danzo!"
Hiruzen's voice boomed, but it was too late.
Danzo had already turned and exited the room, his cloak swirling behind him.
Deep within the Forest of Death, the Root operatives, clad in their signature masks, moved with silent precision.
They were the elite of the elite, trained to infiltrate and eliminate without a trace.
As they approached the castle, a sense of unease settled over them.
The air grew heavy, and a strange, ancient chakra pressed down on them, making their movements sluggish.
"What is this?" one of the operatives whispered, his voice strained. "My chakra… it feels suppressed."
Their leader, a stoic man known only as 'Ibuki,' held up a hand, signaling them to stop.
He peered through the dense foliage, his eyes widening behind his mask.
The castle loomed before them, its spires piercing the canopy. And then, he saw her.
Standing motionless at the castle's gates was a figure of impossible beauty and terrifying power.
Long white hair flowed down her back, and two prominent horns protruded from her forehead.
Her Byakugan eyes, usually a sign of keen sight, were now devoid of all emotion, staring into the distance as if seeing through worlds. It was Kaguya.
"Impossible," Ibuki breathed, his training momentarily forgotten.
He knew the legends, the stories of the Rabbit Goddess, the progenitor of chakra.
But she was just that—a legend.
As the Root operatives hesitated, a wave of pure, unadulterated chakra erupted from Kaguya.
It wasn't an attack, not in the traditional sense, but an overwhelming surge of power that crushed their wills and bodies alike.
They felt their own chakra pathways seize, their muscles lock, and their minds shatter under the sheer force of her presence.
There was no pain, no struggle—just an instantaneous, absolute wipeout. They simply ceased to be.
Back in Konoha, Hiruzen received the grim report.
"All Root operatives… gone?" he whispered, his face ashen. "Not a single survivor?"
The Anbu captain, his voice devoid of emotion, confirmed it.
"Yes, Hokage-sama. Their chakra signatures simply vanished. It was as if they were… erased."
Hiruzen closed his eyes, a heavy sigh escaping him. Danzo's recklessness had cost him dearly.
"Send a team of Anbu. Do not engage. Observe only. I want to know who or what is behind this, and why they chose the Forest of Death."
Days turned into a week.
The Anbu maintained a discreet distance, their reports detailing strange occurrences.
They saw figures moving within the castle, figures that resembled Tsunade, Nawaki, Shizune, and even Anko.
And always, there was the spectral guardian, Kaguya, standing watch, her presence a constant, chilling reminder of the castle's impenetrable defenses.
"Tsunade-hime… protected by Kaguya?"
Hiruzen mused, poring over the latest report. It defied all logic. Why would the legendary Sannin be with the very entity that had so casually annihilated Root?
News of the impossible castle and the disappearance of Danzo's Root operatives spread like wildfire across the elemental nations.
The hidden villages, always wary of Konoha's power, saw this as an opportunity or a new threat.
In Sunagakure, the Kazekage, Rasa, scowled.
"A castle, appearing out of thin air? And reports of Konoha's elite being wiped out without a fight? This is a serious development."
He turned to his advisors.
"Send our best. Infiltrate, gather information. Do not engage unless absolutely necessary."
In Iwagakure, the Tsuchikage, Onoki, grumbled, his ancient face wrinkled with suspicion.
"Konoha's playing a dangerous game. This 'castle' could be a new weapon. Send a reconnaissance team. I want to know everything."
Even in Kumo and Kiri, similar orders were given.
Elite shinobi, masters of stealth and espionage, were dispatched, all converging on the Forest of Death.
They came with varied intentions: to gather intelligence, to exploit Konoha's perceived weakness, or simply to understand the anomaly.
Within the grand halls of his newly manifested castle, Sullivan observed the approaching shinobi with amusement.
He sat on a throne that seemed to be woven from starlight, a playful smirk on his face.
Tsunade, Nawaki, Shizune, and Anko were exploring the vast interiors, marveling at its impossible architecture and endless amenities.
"Looks like we have some new visitors,"
Sullivan announced, his voice echoing slightly in the immense chamber.
Tsunade, who had just discovered a fully stocked medical wing with equipment far beyond anything known in the shinobi world, frowned.
"More of Konoha's forces?"
"And others," Sullivan clarified, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"From all the major villages. They're curious, of course. And perhaps a little greedy."
He snapped his fingers, and a shimmering, ethereal map of the Forest of Death appeared before them, showing glowing dots representing the approaching shinobi.
"You see," Sullivan continued, his voice taking on a theatrical tone, "this castle is not merely a safe house. It's a statement. A declaration. And I intend to have some fun with it."
He leaned forward, his eyes twinkling.
"Imagine, if you will, the whispers that will spread. Whispers of untold power, of forbidden techniques, of legendary artifacts hidden within these walls."
Anko, who was initially terrified of Kaguya, was now oddly fascinated by Sullivan's theatrics.
"You're going to make them think there's treasure?"
"Precisely!" Sullivan clapped his hands together. "Shinobi are always after power, aren't they? And what better bait than the promise of unimaginable riches and strength?"
He let out a low, conspiratorial chuckle.
"I'll subtly plant the idea in their minds, through various… convenient 'leaks' of information. A few well-placed illusions, some fabricated whispers carried on the wind. They'll convince themselves this castle is a vault, a prize waiting to be claimed."
Nawaki, who had been listening intently, seemed to grasp the implications.
"So, they'll fight each other for it?"
"Oh, absolutely," Sullivan grinned.
"They'll send their best, their most desperate. And in their greed, they'll reveal their true intentions, their weaknesses. It will be quite the spectacle."
Tsunade, despite her initial apprehension, found a strange sense of amusement creeping in.
"You're playing a dangerous game, Sullivan."
"Dangerous? Perhaps for them,"
Sullivan replied, gesturing dismissively towards the approaching shinobi on the ethereal map.
"For us, it's merely entertainment. And a valuable distraction while I make my 'arrangements.'"
He rose from his throne, his gaze distant, as if looking beyond the castle walls, beyond this dimension itself.
"Let them covet. Let them scheme. Let them believe they can conquer divine power. It will only make their eventual downfall that much more satisfying."
A subtle, imperceptible shift in the chakra within the forest occurred. Sullivan's influence spread, not as an overt attack, but as a subtle suggestion, a tempting whisper directly into the minds of the approaching shinobi.
Precious treasures… unimaginable power… within the impenetrable walls… a challenge for the ages…
The idea, once planted, began to take root, blossoming into a tantalizing obsession for many of the arriving shinobi.
The game had truly begun, and Sullivan, the ultimate puppet master, pulled the strings with a devilish grin.
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Craze: Sullivan is going to meet the fake god enel!