Thanks to Tony's connections, Sunagakure was able to secure a massive shipment of food, sugar, and essential supplies, which were quickly transported back to the village.
This sudden move by the Fifth Kazekage caught many by surprise. While most jonin supported it, murmurs of dissent still echoed throughout the village. But when those supply caravans rolled in, even the loudest critics fell silent.
After all, Gaara didn't need to master the Magnet Release or pan for gold in the desert like his predecessor. He brought back tangible results—something even skeptics couldn't argue with.
The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, had resorted to gold mining just to keep the village afloat. Yet, despite his efforts, the neighboring nations remained cold, and the Wind Daimyo himself treated Sunagakure like an afterthought.
"Welcome back, Lord Kazekage!"
Maki had already mobilized a group of young admirers to greet Gaara upon his return—a clever tactic to strengthen his position and public image.
Mountains of goods were steadily being delivered into Sunagakure. For now, the village wouldn't need to worry about basic necessities for the next six months. But with the supplies came responsibility: a jonin council meeting was already on the schedule. Gaara's expedition and the results of the otherworldly exploration had to be formally reported.
Meanwhile, in Kumogakure, the Fourth Raikage returned in triumph, accompanied by Killer Bee and their team. Kumogakure had suffered two stinging defeats recently, bruising both their pride and morale. But this time, they brought back more than just tales—they returned with substantial resources.
Just like Sunagakure, Kumogakure had realized that no matter the strength of your shinobi, the demand for supplies remained universal.
In the Raikage's war room, he and Killer Bee sat with the village's think tanks, recounting everything from their mission into the other world.
"I expected high-tech weapons to be the biggest threat," Raikage A began, rubbing his arm thoughtfully. "But in the end, it was some bizarre woman. Damn near got myself killed."
Even now, the memory of Carol haunted him. Her strength was unnatural. Despite being shrouded in his signature Lightning Chakra Armor, she almost broke through it using nothing but borrowed strength. It wasn't a battle—it was humiliation.
"It seems Uchiha's warning wasn't exaggerated," Dodai muttered. "That other world… it's not just different—it's dangerous."
"And the real kicker," Raikage continued, "is that the only passage between our worlds is controlled by Uchiha Xiuyu."
Tsuchida nodded grimly. "So in the end… it was Uchiha Shisui who saved you, Lord Raikage?"
"Yeah. That damn Shunshin Shisui showed up just in time. But then, Xiuyu appeared and fought that woman to the moon."
The room went silent.
The sheer difference in strength was enough to make anyone rethink their ambitions.
"You mentioned some Heaven's Sent Formation in that world?" asked Dodai.
"I did," Raikage replied. "We wanted to test if our spatial ninjutsu could be used to travel there."
"And?"
"I tried," he said with frustration, "but it didn't work. Space ninjutsu that functions here… is completely useless there."
Everyone understood what that meant. The Raikage had entertained the idea of abandoning Konoha's alliance and staking Kumogakure's claim in that world alone. But reality was cruel—without Xiuyu's space-time channel, Kumogakure couldn't even enter that world.
"If Xiuyu hadn't shown up… I wouldn't be here right now. That woman—Carol—isn't someone regular shinobi can handle. Maybe she tolerates normal people, but anyone like me? Dead."
Dodai sighed. "Lord Raikage, I know I once taught you to be ambitious—but now's the time to adapt. We can't change the ninja world's hierarchy anymore. With Konoha where it is… the rest of us just follow."
"Konoha eats meat," he continued. "We should at least drink soup. Reduce the gap however we can."
The room shared a quiet, bitter chuckle.
After all, how do you catch up with destiny?
Konoha was blessed. First came Senju Hashirama, the so-called God of Shinobi. Then his genius brother, Senju Tobirama. And just when the world thought it had seen the peak—an Uchiha rose. Now it was the Fifth Hokage's turn, yet the so-called God of Shinobi still looked like a young man.
What could you do? Cry? Give up? No. You adapt.
That's what Kumogakure had to do—accept fate, and move with the tide.
Even so, many smaller countries were paying close attention to the shifting winds. But the one thing that had become undeniably clear: Konoha's barrier was impenetrable. Even Black Zetsu couldn't sneak in.
"Obito," whispered a voice from the shadows, "doesn't this feel… strange to you? The five major villages—weren't they about to clash? Why is everything suddenly so calm?"
"Don't call me Obito," he snapped. "I'm Madara now. And no, I don't know either. But I've been to Konoha recently. Their barrier caught me the moment I stepped inside. I barely escaped from Uchiha jonin chasing me."
"The Uzumaki's barrier techniques," he spat, "are an absolute menace. If the Uzumaki hadn't moved into Konoha, they'd have been wiped out by now."
Even Obito—no, Madara—had to admit it. Back when he released the Nine-Tails, Konoha's barrier was mediocre. But now? After Uchiha Fugaku's rise to power, the village's defenses became impenetrable.
The Uzumaki, who once refused to lift a finger, now poured everything into protecting the Leaf. Spying on them was nearly impossible.
"The plan continues as scheduled," Obito said coldly. "The Nine-Tails is the final step. We start with the One-Tail."
"And Nagato?"
"Join Akatsuki. He's still naive. He needs… shaping."
"Understood."
Far from the dark whisperings of war, two rogue figures wandered the Fire Temple's outskirts.
Kakuzu and Hidan, cloaked in black robes with red clouds, walked openly—unafraid, unwelcome, and uninterested in subtlety.
Kakuzu's mind was fixated on one thing: money.
The bounty on Monk Chiriku from the Fire Temple was a staggering 30 million ryo—the same as Asuma's.
Too tempting to ignore.
"Can I kill him now?" Hidan asked, eyes gleaming with twisted joy. "It's been too long. The evil god grows impatient!"
"Not yet," Kakuzu muttered. "We do this smart."
As they approached the temple gates, a monk stepped forward, eyes narrowing at the intruders.
"Halt! This is the Fire Temple. State your business, or leave immediately!"
Kakuzu didn't even blink. He reached into his cloak and pulled out a worn, wrinkled scroll with a rough sketch on it.
He raised the paper slowly, letting the monk see.
"Are you Chiriku?"
--------------------
"Who are you?" Chiriku's voice sharpened with alertness as he noticed something off. His eyes narrowed. "Everyone, be careful! These two aren't normal!"
Kakuzu, ever the silent killer, didn't waste time with words.
"Fire Style: Burning Devastation!"
Flames erupted from his mouth in a roaring wave, engulfing the surroundings and catching several monks off guard.
"Damn it!"
In an instant, several chakra-infused swords whistled through the air, intercepting Kakuzu and Hidan's path with sharp precision. From the shadows of the Fire Temple, a familiar voice called out.
"Is Chiriku okay? The enemy isn't ordinary—stay sharp."
Stepping out of the temple's entrance was Sarutobi Asuma. Once comrades-in-arms as part of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, Asuma and Chiriku shared a history—and a bond forged in battle.
Asuma hadn't planned to stay long. Today was meant to be a simple visit before returning to Konoha. After all, his aging father, Sarutobi Hiruzen, had already stepped down as Hokage. But fate had other plans.
Instead of a peaceful reunion, two dangerous individuals had come knocking. This wasn't a mere disturbance—this was a premeditated assault. Maybe even revenge.
"What's your deal?" Asuma demanded, eyeing the newcomers with a veteran's wariness. "This is the Fire Temple. You're making a big mistake."
"Hidan," Kakuzu growled, "you handle the monk. I'll take the bearded one."
When he recognized Asuma, Kakuzu's breath hitched in excitement.
Thirty-five million ryo.
A bounty hunter's dream stood right before him.
"Don't let either of them escape."
Hidan twirled his scythe with a grin, his voice dripping with fanaticism.
"Don't worry. They're both destined sacrifices for Lord Jashin today!"
Without warning, he lunged at Chiriku, while Kakuzu squared off against Asuma. Unlike his impulsive partner, Kakuzu was methodical—he didn't dive in recklessly. He had no intel on Asuma's full capabilities. All he could gauge so far was the strength of his opponent's Wind Chakra based on his swift movements and skilled footwork.
Asuma quickly drew his signature Chakra Blades – Flying Swallow, coating them with sharp Wind Chakra. With a swift dash, he closed the gap and slashed, slicing open Kakuzu's robe—but not drawing blood.
Kakuzu, experienced and composed, dodged at the last moment.
Suddenly, black tendrils burst from his body, lashing out toward Asuma like venomous snakes. They moved with terrifying speed and strength. Asuma's Wind Chakra could sever them—but only small segments at a time.
"These tentacles... what even are you?" Asuma muttered under his breath, weaving between attacks.
Kakuzu clearly wasn't fighting head-on. He was buying time. Dodging. Studying.
One of Asuma's probing strikes stabbed deep into the ground, shattering rock into dust. This wasn't just a test—it was a warning shot.
"Not human?" he muttered.
"Secret Technique—Earth Grudge Fear!"
With a crackling noise, three grotesque black masks burst from Kakuzu's back, each detaching and taking on a monstrous humanoid form. They hovered for a moment in mid-air before crashing down into the temple grounds with heavy thuds.
"What the hell are those things?" Asuma murmured, backing off instinctively. His instincts screamed danger.
One of the masked beasts opened its mouth—
"Water Style: Water Curtain Tent!"
A high-pressure jet of water blasted forward to intercept Asuma's next technique.
"Wind Style: Dust Storm Gale!"
Asuma exhaled a gust of high-velocity air laced with cutting particles. But the two elements collided, and the result was a muddy rain falling over the temple's stone floor.
His heart sank. Water counters wind… and now there are three of them.
Fire. Water. And probably more. Kakuzu's chakra arsenal wasn't natural.
Meanwhile, the clash between Chiriku and Hidan was escalating. But strangely, Hidan wasn't showing any unique techniques—just wild swings of his massive triple-bladed scythe.
Chiriku dodged and countered, all while glancing toward Asuma.
This guy's movement is clumsy… almost like a Genin playing tough.
In terms of raw skill, Hidan's taijutsu barely ranked as Special Jonin level. Every swing was telegraphed. Basic. Predictable.
Yet… something was off.
Despite taking multiple hits from Chiriku's fists and chakra-powered palm strikes, Hidan stood up over and over—laughing, mocking, and never slowing down. It wasn't endurance. It was something else.
"He doesn't feel pain…" Chiriku narrowed his eyes. "And he doesn't dodge. What kind of lunatic enjoys getting hit?"
"Come and welcome—Thousand-Handed Killer!"
A golden Buddha with countless arms materialized behind Chiriku, radiating divine chakra. With a deafening roar, its fists descended in a barrage of crushing strikes, smashing Hidan straight into the temple stone and leaving a crater.
Chiriku collapsed to one knee, panting heavily. The technique was powerful… but it drained too much chakra. His vision blurred slightly.
And that's when it happened.
Hidan's scythe slashed across Chiriku's foot—just barely, but enough.
"Hahahaha! I did it!" the Jashinist cackled, suddenly animated.
With maniacal glee, he began to draw a ritual circle on the ground with blood.
"Thank me, monk. You're about to become a divine offering to Lord Jashin!"
On the other side, Asuma was still locked in a desperate fight. The elemental monsters flanked him relentlessly—fire and water exploding from their mouths, while Kakuzu maintained a relentless barrage of tendrils and close-range counters.
Asuma's Wind Style gave him brief openings, but he couldn't land a decisive blow. The masked monsters weren't just chakra puppets—they were independent attackers. And Kakuzu still hadn't revealed all of his secrets.
But when Asuma noticed Hidan begin his ritual, his expression hardened. No time to drag this out.
Kakuzu, sensing Asuma's shift in momentum, made a calculated mistake—baiting him with an opening.
Asuma took it.
"Wind Style: Green Storm!"
He hurled his Flying Swallow at full speed. The chakra-imbued blade sliced cleanly through Kakuzu's chest—piercing one of his hearts.
Kakuzu staggered and collapsed, seemingly lifeless.
"Asuma!" Chiriku gasped, still struggling to move as the cursed formation beneath him began to glow.
But before anyone could react, Kakuzu's body twitched.
Black tendrils shot out like spears, impaling Asuma through the stomach.
"Ugh—"
He coughed up blood, eyes wide in disbelief.
"You…" he rasped, turning toward Kakuzu, who now stood back up as if nothing had happened. One of his masks crumbled into dust—sacrificed to revive a lost heart.
"You…" Asuma whispered again, his voice fading. "What… are you?"
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Check my Pâtreon for Advanced Chapters
Pâtreon .com/Fanficlord03
Change (â) to (a)
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
https://discord.gg/MntqcdpRZ9