Take away a Tailed Beast?
The ANBU were stunned by the statement—after all, they were Tailed Beasts.
"Don't be surprised. This was our strategy for dealing with them."
"Minato was responsible for the Four-Tails. Kazuyama Gekkō handled the Five-Tails."
"He hasn't come back yet."
But just as Tsunade finished speaking, a figure suddenly appeared beside her, still dripping wet.
"Damn it, finally made it back. Why did I fly so far?"
"Huh? What's with those looks? Why's everyone staring at me?"
"Wait, isn't that ANBU? What, things got so bad they had to send you guys to the front?"
Kazuyama's sudden return caught everyone off guard.
The ANBU even drew their blades on instinct, ready for action.
"Whoa, whoa! Let's talk, alright? No need for swords!"
"Don't think I don't have one too."
Kazuyama casually drew the Kusanagi sword from his back, its icy gleam clearly beyond that of an ordinary weapon.
"Kazuyama, you're back. What happened to the Five-Tails?"
"The Five-Tails? No idea."
The actor was in full form. Kazuyama replied nonchalantly, his attitude calm and careless, as if he hadn't just yeeted a Tailed Beast off the map.
His tone made Tsunade frown hard, her fists clenching.
"You bastard! Don't joke around. You used the Flying Thunder God Technique to send the Five-Tails away. Where did you send it?"
"And why are you just getting back now?"
Tsunade shot a glance at the surrounding ANBU, then grilled Kazuyama sternly.
He looked at the ANBU too, quickly piecing things together. Their presence at the front meant only one thing—it had to be about his teacher.
"Where did I send it?"
"Using Senjutsu energy, I hurled the Five-Tails into the sea."
"Probably still swimming around out there—assuming the Jinchūriki can swim."
Kazuyama grinned wickedly, his words laced with amusement.
Everyone, Tsunade included, shivered at the casual cruelty of it.
They all thought: Holy crap. He really just chucked a Tailed Beast into the ocean? And from this far away?
Even Minato nearly bit his tongue. The distance alone was unthinkable.
Some doubted it at first, but remembering what Senjutsu could do, they let it go.
Tsunade and Jiraiya didn't doubt him for a second—they had seen Kazuyama's Sage Mode firsthand.
And with Jiraiya himself training in Senjutsu, he understood well how natural energy, beyond ordinary chakra, could empower a practitioner immensely.
Kazuyama had played his role flawlessly—his Sage Mode display on the battlefield had been for this exact moment.
"As for why I was late... come on."
"I needed to rest. You know how far the sea is from here?"
"I can't stay in Sage Mode forever. The Snake Princess in Ryūchi Cave would have my head."
His words effectively erased any lingering suspicion.
[Ding! Host's acting has successfully fooled everyone. Minato Namikaze is now acutely aware of his own shortcomings. Senjutsu has become his obsession. Special reward: Rasengan.]
Wait—Rasengan?
No way. That's the signature technique of Naruto!
Whenever there's trouble—bam, Rasengan. One not enough? Big Rasengan. Still not enough? Sage Rasengan. Still doesn't work? Tailed Beast Rasengan.
It's the crown jewel of the protagonist's toolkit. And right now, Minato hasn't even invented it yet.
Poor guy. He doesn't even know his future invention's already been jacked.
Meanwhile, Minato had made up his mind—he was going to master Senjutsu too. Style was one thing, but power? That was everything.
"Alright then. Now that Kazuyama Gekkō is back, Lady Tsunade, he'll be returning to the village as well."
"As for the front line, the Hokage has already made arrangements."
"Reinforcements are on the way. Their departure won't weaken our defenses."
Tsunade nodded in response.
"Kazuyama, you'll return to the village with Jiraiya and Minato."
"They'll explain everything that's happened."
Kazuyama Gekkō shrugged, signaling that he understood.
With that, the group began their journey back toward the village.
"So my teacher defected? Oh man, I'm screwed."
"He's gone, what am I supposed to do?"
"This is gonna ruin me! The Gekkō clan's been quietly farming in the village for years—working hard, never causing trouble."
"I finally bought my own place... crap, the Hokage's not gonna seize it, right?"
All the way back, Kazuyama acted like a panicked wreck. His dramatic, tearful display had everyone around him twitching with secondhand embarrassment.
But it also made them believe he really was just an unfortunate bystander.
Orochimaru: ...Right, totally innocent. If it weren't for him, I probably wouldn't have defected for another few years!
"What if I get—"
"Kazuyama..."
"It's over... Aaaaahhh..."
"Kazuyama Gekkō!"
Minato finally couldn't take it and cut him off mid-wail.
"You'll be fine, okay? Just stop crying already."
"Really?"
"Really. Absolutely. You're you, and he's him. Lord Hokage won't do anything to you."
Kazuyama actually knew Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn't lay a hand on him. At worst, he'd be sidelined for a while.
But he had to sell the act—how else was he going to distance himself from this mess?
...
Meanwhile, in the Land of Grass—
Shibito Azuma and a group of Iwa Jōnin stood with grim expressions, facing none other than the Demi-God of the Rain, Hanzō of the Salamander.
"I honestly didn't expect it. A man known as a Demi-God, and you couldn't even handle one brat?"
"I've already reported everything back to the village. Whether we continue cooperating with Amegakure or cut ties, that's for Lord Tsuchikage to decide."
Faced with the Iwa shinobi's cold ridicule, Hanzō's eyes gleamed with icy contempt. He raised his sickle—once razor-sharp, now broken in half.
It reminded him of that damned kid.
"Hmph. If you all were so capable, why bring me in at all?"
"Wasn't it because you couldn't stand up to Konoha on your own?"
"Bunch of amateurs."
Coming from Hanzō, that insult stung even more.
He turned and walked away, completely ignoring the Iwa shinobi's reactions.
"Damn it! Mahiru, have Han and Rōshi made it back yet?"
Mahiru shook his head. The two Jinchūriki were still missing—another bad omen for Iwagakure.
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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