Chapter 160: Learning of the Calamity
Although the attitudes of the Four-Tails and Five-Tails Jinchūriki didn't seem particularly friendly…
It was obvious that they were only exchanging greetings with the people here out of respect for Uchiha Dali.
Still, at the very least, they had genuinely submitted to Uchiha Dali.
Taking advantage of the moment, Yagura Karatachi seized the opportunity to further solidify his ties with the suzerain nation.
He promptly extended an invitation to the three of them. "Fourth Hokage, please come to our estate as a guest. We've already prepared a lavish banquet to welcome you and your companions."
Uchiha Dali had no interest in such a thing.
After all, even major nations suffered from a scarcity of resources and limited culinary skills. This place was essentially a gastronomic wasteland.
Since he wasn't interested, the Four-Tails and Five-Tails Jinchūriki were even less inclined to participate.
Not wanting to waste any time here, Uchiha Dali declined, "I have important matters that require my return to the village. I won't impose."
"Get ready to embrace the transformation of an economic boom."
His words instantly reinvigorated countless ninjas and citizens of the Land of Water.
Behind him, Rōshi and Han were also stirred by what he said.
Though their words still carried a bit of defiance, they had seen too much along the way. The more they learned about Uchiha Dali, the more their inner doubts were shaken.
Everything pointed to one possibility: this man might truly be capable of uniting the fragmented shinobi world.
If he could genuinely bring together all the shinobi nations as well as non-shinobi nations, perhaps peace really would arrive.
Yagura certainly didn't dare to force Uchiha Dali to stay.
Seeing that he declined, he could only courteously see him off.
However, just as Uchiha Dali was about to leave, two figures suddenly appeared behind him.
Everyone turned to look and saw two Konoha Anbu kneeling on one knee.
"What is it?"
Sensing something was wrong, Uchiha Dali immediately asked.
"Fourth Hokage, the village has suffered an invasion."
"Members of the Akatsuki attacked, released the Nine-Tails, and caused a devastating disaster…"
The Anbu proceeded to explain how, in Uchiha Dali's absence, Uchiha Obito had launched a surprise attack on Uzumaki Kushina.
Upon hearing this, Uchiha Dali's eyes instantly gleamed with murderous light.
"That bastard really has the audacity to provoke me like this!"
"To strike while my guard is down…"
Thinking this, Uchiha Dali resolved to teach the Akatsuki a lesson they wouldn't forget.
The surrounding crowd, of course, overheard what the two Anbu had reported.
The Four-Tails and Five-Tails Jinchūriki both had flickers of shock and suspicion in their eyes.
Previously, Uchiha Dali had warned them about a group called "Akatsuki" that was hunting tailed beasts and attacking major shinobi villages—ambitious, treacherous, and sinister.
They had been skeptical about that claim.
After all, they hadn't seen any Akatsuki members with their own eyes.
But now, hearing that even Konoha had been attacked, that the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki had died, and the village had suffered heavy losses…
They began to believe.
"The Akatsuki is truly lawless! Are they trying to start a war?!"
"Fourth Hokage, if there's anything you need from us, just say the word. The Hidden Mist Village will never back down!"
Yagura immediately seized the opportunity to reaffirm his loyalty.
Of course, he also wanted to show his worth.
Putting aside the fact that the Land of Water was now a vassal of the Land of Fire and that, as a subordinate, he was duty-bound to share Uchiha Dali's burdens…
There was also the matter of how Uchiha Obito had once used his Sharingan's genjutsu to control him, dragging the Hidden Mist Village into a hellish catastrophe.
Yagura hadn't forgotten that in the slightest.
Had Uchiha Dali not intervened back then, the Hidden Mist Village would have long since been doomed beyond redemption.
So now, faced with the chance to personally exact revenge, how could he possibly let it slip away?
"Focus on stabilizing the foundation of the Land of Water first. If I need your help, I'll send word."
Uchiha Dali replied to Yagura.
Hearing that, Yagura felt a slight pang of disappointment deep down, but he still respected Uchiha Dali's decision and nodded, "Understood, Fourth Hokage."
"Let's go!"
With that command, Uchiha Dali decisively activated the Flying Thunder God Technique, vanishing with the two Anbu and the Four-Tails and Five-Tails Jinchūriki in an instant.
Seeing him display such power once again—transporting four people including himself in the blink of an eye—left the onlookers in awe and envy.
"Incredible… In an instant, he took four people with him. You couldn't even see the movement!"
"There was absolutely no chakra signature—it's definitely beyond any normal body flicker technique."
"In any case, when it comes to the Fourth Hokage, nothing he does is surprising anymore. After all, he is the new God of Shinobi."
…
Previously, due to being in the Land of Water, the two Anbu had instinctively withheld details in front of Yagura and the others.
But once back in Konoha, after settling the Four-Tails and Five-Tails Jinchūriki, Uchiha Dali convened a meeting of all elite ninja.
Hiruzen Sarutobi personally gave a detailed account of the events.
It was only then that the full picture became clear.
In short, the Nine-Tails Rampage had occurred.
It resembled the version from the original story, but with key differences.
Uchiha Obito had still succeeded in attacking Uzumaki Kushina and released the Nine-Tails, unleashing havoc upon the village.
The Nine-Tails was responsible for the destruction, while Obito took on the looting.
He abducted the child of Minato Namikaze and Uzumaki Kushina—Naruto—and disappeared.
Without the Nine-Tails, Kushina perished. Minato took Kakashi and used Kamui to enter a separate dimension in an attempt to track Obito or other members of Akatsuki.
As for the rampaging Nine-Tails, it was subdued by Shisui Uchiha, who had returned to the village in time. It was now securely confined and closely guarded by a large team of Anbu, sealing units, and barrier squads—completely immobilized.
Upon learning all this, Uchiha Dali fell into deep thought.
Minato was a genius ninja, exceptionally wise and tactically sharp.
Kakashi wasn't a fool, either.
With the two of them teaming up to track Uchiha Obito, unless they encountered the entire Akatsuki, they should be fine.
If they did catch up, the chances of retrieving Naruto were high.
Plus, he had already promised Kakashi that he would give him the opportunity to try persuading Uchiha Obito.
So for now, Uchiha Dali decided to let them handle it. If they failed, he would step in himself.
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