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"Watch out!" the Fourth Raikage immediately warned.
Darui and the others reacted quickly. The forest created by the Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence was incredibly vast. When the vines came pouring in from all directions, they were forced to stop and counterattack.
Storm Release: Laser Circus! Darui quickly formed hand signs. Several strands of laser-like lightning, mixed with moisture, shot out from his hands. Under his control, they struck the vines converging from all sides. The others were no slower. Various Ninjutsu flashed, weaving a complex pattern in the air, mostly Lightning Release techniques.
But the Fourth Raikage did not assist them. His figure flashed, turning into a blur of purple light, and he slammed his elbow toward Sasame. Heavy Lariat! When the Lightning Release Chakra Mode was activated, the Fourth Raikage was like a Saiyan; his entire body was a weapon. This was his Nintaijutsu, using Lightning Release Chakra to activate his cells, achieving astonishing effects in a short time. The side effects were minimal and well within acceptable limits. Aside from a few overpowered shinobi, very few people could stand against the Fourth Raikage. He was a perfect six-attribute warrior, but he lacked a Kekkei Genkai.
The Fourth Raikage's idea was simple. The Wood Release was being cast by Sasame. If he could defeat him, he could naturally save the other shinobi. It was, undoubtedly, a correct strategy. But Sasame happened to be one of those overpowered shinobi. Especially with his Sage Body. Even with the Lightning Release Chakra Mode, the Fourth Raikage still couldn't compare to him.
Sasame felt the tremendous impact force generated by the Taijutsu rush. He smiled faintly and punched out. The Fourth Raikage scoffed, thinking Sasame was courting death.
Fist met elbow. Boom! A huge sound transformed into shockwaves radiating in all directions. The Fourth Raikage's face was filled with horror. An irresistible force slammed into him. His body was forcefully pushed back. His proud attack seemed to have met the hardest substance in the world and could not break through at all.
Just then, screams rang out. The Fourth Raikage looked back. Except for Darui, everyone else was completely entangled by the vines and immobilized. Impossible! A look of disbelief appeared on the Fourth Raikage's face. Many of the Hidden Cloud's elite were here. And one man took them all down? The Fourth Raikage would rather believe he was under a Genjutsu.
Since the Third Great Ninja War, his confidence had grown increasingly inflated. The reason was the overall increase in the Hidden Cloud Village's strength. If not for Sasame's emergence, the Hidden Leaf Village would certainly not have been their match. Of course, that was assuming the protagonist, Naruto Uzumaki, was not involved.
"Who are you, sir?" the Fourth Raikage asked, taking a deep breath. After the brief exchange, he realized he couldn't defeat Sasame. Now, a group of his people had been captured. The Fourth Raikage was reckless, but not brainless. If the fight continued, the Hidden Cloud Village risked total annihilation. Furthermore, he didn't understand this mysterious organization's purpose, or why they wanted to capture Killer B. And did the Wood Release master before him have any ties to the Hidden Leaf Village?
Sasame was a little surprised. He hadn't expected the Fourth Raikage to stop fighting. But it was reasonable. Sasame smiled faintly, not answering his question. Although he could wipe out the Hidden Cloud Village right now, his plan was to let the Akatsuki cause some trouble first. And he wanted to see what choice the Fourth Raikage would make. It would definitely be different from the original story, which would allow Sasame to harvest a considerable amount of Destiny Value.
He looked in Kakuzu's direction. He had already vanished. Seeing this, Sasame's figure flashed and disappeared. As he left, the vines lost their control. The Fourth Raikage's expression changed, as he hadn't anticipated Sasame's rapid departure. He immediately transformed into a flash of lightning and pursued Kakuzu. He could only hope to catch up now.
But an hour later, he returned to the canyon. Empty-handed. He had failed completely. His face was grim. The Hidden Cloud Village had first lost Yugito Nii, the Two-Tails Jinchuriki, and now Killer B, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki. Their strength had been reduced to its lowest point. The other shinobi, no matter how strong, had their limits and were far inferior to the Jinchuriki. On top of that, a mysterious powerhouse was now targeting them.
"Lord Raikage," Darui stepped forward, his face pale. "Samui is missing."
"Missing? What do you mean?" the Fourth Raikage regained his composure and frowned. The Wood Release shinobi hadn't taken anyone with him when he left. And even if he had, why Samui of all people?
"We can't find her," Darui said, perplexed. "Everyone was entangled at the time, so no one noticed her. When we recovered, we realized she was gone."
The Fourth Raikage instinctively clenched his fist. A person doesn't just go missing for no reason. The only possibility was that the Wood Release powerhouse had taken her. Although he didn't know why, she was now in the same situation as Killer B—her fate unknown. The Fourth Raikage suppressed his anger and said grimly, "Return now. We will convene a meeting and have the Anbu search for them."
It was the most desperate measure. But he knew the hope was slim. A powerful, mysterious organization had suddenly appeared. Since there was no prior information, finding them would be extremely difficult. And even if they were found, saving them was another matter entirely. Remembering Sasame's terrifying strength, the usually fearless Fourth Raikage felt a sense of confusion. But no matter what, they had to rescue their people. The immediate problem was the lack of clues.
Soon after, a meeting was formally convened in the Hidden Cloud Village's council hall. The participating shinobi were all Jonin, including Tsuchidai, Cee, Mabui, Omoi, and others. After Darui explained the situation, the room fell into stunned silence. They never imagined that the thriving Hidden Cloud Village would suddenly suffer such a disaster. Killer B and Samui were both missing, especially the former—the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki and the strongest fighting force in the Hidden Cloud Village after the Fourth Raikage. Just how terrifying must the enemy be to defeat him?
"The problem now is that we know nothing about them," the Fourth Raikage surveyed the room. "If anyone has any thoughts, please share them."
The council hall fell into silence. With no information, how were they supposed to strategize or figure out a solution? Finally, many people looked toward Mabui, the Raikage's secretary and his external brain. With her pale hair and dark skin, wearing a suit jacket and a pencil skirt, she looked young and beautiful, yet she was full of intellect and wisdom. In the original story, she served as a joint commander with Shikaku Nara during the Fourth Great Ninja War and tragically died at the hands of the Ten-Tails.
"The mysterious organization's target is the Tailed Beasts," Mabui said calmly. "Tailed Beasts are not only held by the Hidden Cloud Village, but by the other ninja villages as well."
"Are you suggesting we're not the only ones under attack?" Darui couldn't help but ask, his face showing shock. If Mabui was right, it meant they were simultaneously attacking several Jinchuriki. The existence of such a powerful mysterious organization that had developed under the noses of the Five Great Nations was truly terrifying. Darui wasn't the only one who realized this; everyone else did, too. The council hall fell silent again.
"Yes," Mabui nodded, analyzing the situation. "If it were purely an act of revenge, they could have simply killed Killer B, but they didn't. This suggests their purpose is the Tailed Beasts."
"Then we must wait for news from the other villages," the Fourth Raikage said gravely. They didn't have to wait long. Tailed Beast battles were impossible to conceal, as they generated massive commotion. And the Hidden Cloud Village had informants in every village. Such a major event would naturally be reported.
"Both Jinchuriki from the Hidden Stone Village have been captured. It seems Mabui was right; their target is the Tailed Beasts," the Fourth Raikage said, setting down the intelligence report, his face grim. The strength of this mysterious organization exceeded his wildest imagination. Six individuals, all possessing strength comparable to the Kage of the Five Great Nations. And they didn't even know if there were more members.
"Could this matter be related to the Hidden Leaf Village?" Darui, standing behind the Fourth Raikage, asked. "The Hidden Leaf Village hosted the joint Chunin Exam, drawing a lot of attention. Logic dictates that with Sasame in the Hidden Mist Village, and the Hidden Leaf Village vulnerable, they should have gone after the Nine-Tails, the strongest Tailed Beast. Why didn't they?"
"That's right," Tsuchidai couldn't help but nod. "And the person who attacked us used Wood Release. Everyone knows that Wood Release is the Hidden Leaf Village's signature Kekkei Genkai."
The Fourth Raikage's eyes narrowed. It certainly sounded plausible. He had long held a grudge against the Hidden Leaf Village. The animosity between the two villages went back a long time, and the Hidden Leaf Village had a clear motive to attack. Furthermore, judging by Sasame's battle record against the Hidden Sand Village, he certainly had the power to defeat Killer B. The only puzzle was the origin of the other five powerhouses. The Fourth Raikage was familiar with the prominent shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village, and none of them fit the description.
"I won't dismiss the possibility," Mabui sighed. "But we are currently helpless against the Hidden Leaf Village."
The Fourth Raikage wanted to argue but couldn't. Although he didn't want to admit it, it was the truth. If he started a war, would the Hidden Cloud Village win? If both sides lacked Tailed Beasts, the Fourth Raikage would be confident. But the Hidden Leaf Village possessed the most powerful Nine-Tails, and the Hidden Sand Village, who were their allies, had the One-Tail. Two Tailed Beasts, combined with Sasame's strength—the outcome of a war was predictable.
"Our current course of action is to seek an alliance. Send people to contact the Hidden Stone Village," Mabui continued. "Then, we wait. If the mysterious organization is not being controlled by the Hidden Leaf Village, they will inevitably strike again."
"And if they don't strike?" Darui looked at her. "Does that mean the Hidden Leaf Village is responsible?"
"It's highly likely," Mabui nodded. "In that case, the Hidden Cloud and Hidden Stone Villages should jointly question the Hidden Leaf Village."
"Just question them?" Tsuchidai couldn't help but interject. "What about Killer B and Samui?"
Mabui fell silent. She and the Fourth Raikage shared the same thought. Could they win a war?
In the Uchiha Clan compound in the Hidden Leaf Village, Sasame appeared with a slight spatial fluctuation. Behind him was the unconscious Samui. He waved his hand, and guided by his chakra, she was gently placed on a bed. Sasame glanced over her curvy figure and slowly backed out of the room.
He and Kakuzu had not brought Yugito Nii to the Hidden Cloud Village. She was currently in her own room. Sasame knocked on the door. He hadn't originally intended to bring Samui back, but he thought Black Cat might be lonely alone, so he decided to get her a "Golden Cat" as a companion. The two would keep each other company. Besides, Samui's personality seemed less proud and unyielding than Yugito Nii's.
However, Sasame didn't have time to play with her. He was quite busy now. Samui wasn't his primary concern. Therefore, he decided to leave her in Yugito Nii's care.
The door opened. Yugito Nii saw Sasame and was stunned. She was surprised, as he should have been in the Hidden Mist Village. Has the joint Chunin Exam finished already? Yugito Nii quickly stepped forward. "Master," she called out. She wasn't wearing her Catwoman suit or her Anbu uniform, but ordinary casual clothes, which made her look very much like a girl.
Sasame stroked her head. "I have a gift for you."
Yugito Nii was slightly taken aback, then looked at him with confusion.
"Go to the room next to yours. You know what to do," Sasame said, glancing at her before disappearing.
Yugito Nii stood frozen for a moment, then looked toward the door of the adjacent room. She walked over, pushed it open, and froze again. Samui. What is going on? Did something happen in the Hidden Cloud Village? Yugito Nii would never believe Sasame had kidnapped her simply because she was bored. If that were the case, he wouldn't have waited until now.
She looked at the unconscious Samui, speechless for a moment. Seeing an old friend was certainly a happy occasion, but meeting in the Hidden Leaf Village was truly bewildering. Is this good fortune? Or misfortune? Regardless, she thought, just stay alive. There was always hope as long as they were alive. Furthermore, Sasame left her in charge, implying he wouldn't resort to extreme measures. As long as Samui was obedient, she should be fine.
In the Hidden Mist Village, Sasame found that the joint Chunin Exam was still ongoing. It had reached its most exciting part. The remaining Genin were only Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Gaara, and Hinata Hyuga. Everyone else had failed and had their ranking finalized. Sasame wasn't surprised by the result. Those like Temari, Ino Yamanaka, and Neji Hyuga were not weak, but they were still within the normal range. Rock Lee, who had fulfilled his wish to fight Naruto Uzumaki, was also out. In the original story, he opened the Fifth Gate of the Eight Gates Formation and fought Gaara to a draw, but the exhaustion from the Fifth Gate forced him to be bedridden for a long time until Tsunade returned to the village and cured him. This time, Sasame had specifically instructed Might Guy to let Rock Lee only open the Fourth Gate at most. He predictably lost to Naruto Uzumaki.
Sasame looked up at Yūgao Uzuki, who was disguised as him. He didn't bother to switch places with her, instead finding a random spot to watch the rest of the matches. Meanwhile, the Destiny Holy Ring notification sounded. His trip had been very profitable, netting him five hundred and twenty points of Destiny Value.
At that moment, the arena screen flashed with the next match-up: Gaara vs. Hinata Hyuga.
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