After capturing the control room of the Kūnin Fortress Ankbandidian,
Kei Yamanaka left behind a [Flying Thunder God Mark]. The moment it was triggered, Minato Namikaze—who had been waiting outside the tropical rainforest for quite some time—immediately activated the [Group Flying Thunder God Transmission Formula].
In an instant, nearly a hundred direct Anbu operatives under the Hokage, over seventy highly trained combat unit members from Root, the Analysis Team, Second Squad, the Interrogation Unit, First Squad, and more than ten Logistics Research Division personnel were transported to the location, along with Jiraiya, tagging along just for kicks.
Only half an hour later,
All living beings within the fortress had been subdued by Konoha ninjas.
With full cooperation between the Interrogation Unit and the Analysis Team, the Logistics Research Division gathered enough intelligence in under an hour, then quickly took control of the Kūnin Fortress Ankbandidian and redirected it toward the Land of Fire.
As for the captured Kūnin still alive, they all became chakra sources for the fortress.
Based on information provided by the Interrogation and Analysis Teams, Minato immediately led his team toward the fleet hidden at sea by the Kūnin.
Launching an attack on Kirigakure in the Land of Water required large ships capable of ocean travel.
Although Kei could use his Wood Release to instantly create massive wooden vessels, how could wooden ships possibly rival steel warships or the airborne Ankbandidian fortress?
Minato used the [Flying Thunder God Technique] to visit Experiment Site Seven and brought along Orochimaru, who had been fully immersed in research.
After touring the core modules, Orochimaru's slender fingers lightly traced over the console, carefully sensing each structural detail.
"A sound design concept, but their chakra utilization method is far too crude. Efficiency doesn't even reach five percent."
Nowadays, Orochimaru's facial features had softened significantly compared to his former self.
His breathtaking figure rivaled even Tsunade's, and each movement radiated an almost hypnotic allure.
Jiraiya, having nothing better to do in Konoha and tagging along just for kicks, nearly popped his eyes out of his head when he saw Orochimaru.
If not for the familiar face,
He would've mistaken him for some mysterious dark fashion goddess out of nowhere!
Wh-What the hell...?
"Can this be improved?"
Kei turned to Orochimaru, the mastermind behind the core technology.
"Three days. I can raise the chakra efficiency to about seventy percent. Beyond that will require more delicate modifications, which would take too long."
Orochimaru gave a slight nod. Noticing Jiraiya repeatedly glancing his way,
He suddenly locked his cold, serpentine gaze on him, simultaneously making a sharp downward chopping motion with one hand—like drawing a blade across his throat.
Jiraiya felt a chill run straight up his spine.
He gave a violent shiver, quickly averting his gaze and pretending to examine the Kūnin stronghold.
"Alright then, I'll leave it to you."
"Kei-kun, may I ask something? How exactly did you accomplish that earlier? I didn't sense any chakra fluctuations at all. It was similar to... what happened with Danzo."
"Ahem… That wasn't chakra—it's another type of energy, far more advanced."
Seeing how scientifically curious Orochimaru was, Kei could only come up with an explanation.
Spiritual energy gathered at the tip of his fingers, condensing into a radiant beam of white light.
"This isn't chakra—it's a more advanced type of energy!" Let me try it?
Jiraiya said curiously as he stepped closer to Kei Yamanaka, wishing to eavesdrop or even join in and find out how Orochimaru had become this way.
Kei cast a glance at Orochimaru, who gave no indication he'd interfere. He silently pulled back nine-tenths of the energy from his fingertip, then flicked the remaining tenth into Jiraiya's body.
Unlike Tsunade, who used Ryuchi Cave's secret technique to rapidly reshape bodily cells, the initial form of spiritual energy remained calm and non-threatening. It gently flowed through Jiraiya's chakra pathways.
Given the typical dissipation rate of spiritual energy, this thin strand would probably vanish within two weeks.
But during that time, while being nourished by the energy,
Jiraiya might simply feel oddly invigorated.
Any further benefit would depend entirely on how Jiraiya chose to use that sliver of power!
In the midst of Jiraiya's stunned expression, Orochimaru suddenly grabbed his wrist. Closing his eyes, he carefully examined Jiraiya's condition using his own chakra, sensing the foreign energy within him.
Pure, refined, natural, full of vitality—and yet harboring terrifying destructive potential...
Moments later, when Orochimaru finally opened his eyes, Kei and Tsunade were already nowhere in sight, and as for Jiraiya...
"Wipe that blood off your nose. Assist me with some experiments."
His voice came out hoarse and strangely compelling, and he released Jiraiya's wrist with a clear expression of disgust.
"Experiments? Just don't slice me open... Hey, Orochimaru..." Do you remember what I told you back then?
"What did you say?"
"If I ever turned into a woman, I'd definitely let you—"
"Take that!"
Orochimaru immediately lashed out with [Many Hidden Shadow Snake Hands], striking Jiraiya beside him without hesitation!
————————————
In just six days,
Over seventy thousand ninja from Konoha, Kumogakure, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure gathered along the eastern coastline of the Land of Fire.
They always say, when people gather by the tens of thousands, they stretch as far as the eye can see.
Even Kei himself felt a thrill witnessing such a massive gathering of ninja.
But with so many shinobi assembled together,
Even if stationed camps were spaced apart, tensions were bound to flare up.
Had it not been for strict discipline enforced by the Kage themselves, punishing a few troublemakers severely,
The battlefield might have erupted among these tens of thousands even before Kei arrived.
Unlike Gaara—who had learned verbal persuasion techniques from Naruto—Kei wasn't a speechmaking master capable of uniting hearts through words alone.
He couldn't erase hatred and hostility with words alone.
Instead, he summoned two colossal [Thousand Hands Manipulation Force: Thrusts] and four massive [enhanced wooden giants], each standing hundreds of meters tall, from within the Boundless Realm.
Confronted with such tangible, immense, and unstoppable power, even the sanest among them knew precisely how to act.
After forcibly silencing all objections, A, the Third Raikage who was stationed at the camp, leapt onto the airborne fortress that had lowered its altitude. One hand gripped the Six Paths weapon, Kohaku no Johei, while the other held onto Yugito Nii. Pushing off suddenly with his feet, he launched himself upward.
Might Lord, who had ascended using the Light-and-Heavy Rock Technique—alongside Onoki and Kitsuchi—and Pakura, who rode atop sand particles along with Bunpuku, the One-Tail jinchuriki, arrived soon after.
Within just a few days, the grotesque faces once carved into the exterior of Ankbandidian had been entirely smoothed over and replaced by two large characters: "Expedition."
The roots and vines that had long been buried underground and grown over buildings were completely cleared away.
Now it looked truly imposing—a genuine war fortress soaring through the skies.
Undeterred, Tsunade later tried renaming the airborne fortress the "Five Elemental Radiance," inspired by the five chakra natures: Earth, Fire, Water, Wind, and Lightning.
Kei Yamanaka immediately rejected the name without hesitation.
Later, Tsunade attempted to rename it the "Cloud-Piercing Ship," but Shikaku Nara warned her that Kumogakure would certainly take issue with that.
Upon hearing this, Kei Yamanaka let out a small sigh of relief.
An arrow piercing the clouds summoning thousands of troops—it did sound impressive enough.
But he really didn't want people constantly linking this airborne fortress to that annoying little whip Star always used!
Tsunade pondered for quite a while afterward.
Finally, with a helpless shrug, she settled on naming the airborne fortress the "Expedition Ship."
Kei Yamanaka, Nara Shikaku, Kumogakure's Dodai, Iwagakure's Monya, and Sunagakure's Karura each led groups of sensor and communication ninja as they boarded the Expedition Ship one after another.
Together, they formed the command staff, leading the newly established Sensor and Communication Squads.
They began announcing the pre-planned lists of various "Shinobi Allied Forces."
The Surprise Attack Platoon, led by Minato Namikaze and Little A—the son of the Third Raikage—had gathered nearly five thousand members before setting out first, riding aboard steel warships seized from the Kūnin forces toward the Land of Water.
Jiraiya, B, and Han led the Second Division—nearly ten thousand strong—aboard massive ships sailing from the northern flank; Orochimaru, Roshi, and Toroi led the Third Division, flanking from the south.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, Kitsuchi, and Might Lord led the remaining forty-five thousand or so shinobi aboard Kumogakure's Turtle Island and scattered vessels, launching a direct assault on Kirigakure.
Meanwhile, the airborne fortress—the Expedition Ship—served as the central command center, advancing toward Kirigakure from above the battlefield.
Gathered aboard the Expedition Ship were top-tier fighters from every hidden village.
The command staff worked closely with the Sensor and Communication Squads, continuously adjusting and directing each unit's speed of advance.
After recalling two Thousand Hands Manipulation Force statues and four enhanced wooden giants, Kei Yamanaka flew back onto the Expedition Ship.
Yugito Nii, who had followed the Third Raikage onto the airborne fortress, saw Kei, and her wide eyes lit up with joy—she was in the best of moods.
Uncle moved way faster than she'd expected!
"The chakra from the One-Tail, Two-Tails, Four-Tails, Five-Tails, Seven-Tails, and Eight-Tails are all here. Oh, and the Hidden Waterfall Village wasn't very cooperative, so we only managed to get the full Seven-Tails."
A set down the large jar-shaped Six Paths artifact, Kohaku no Johei.
"Good work, everyone. You've all done well."
Kei Yamanaka nodded slightly, sighed inwardly. Kumo was just as domineering as ever.
The Hidden Waterfall didn't want to cooperate, so Kumo simply seized the Seven-Tails from them!
But he mused wryly, "Pot calling the kettle black."
Weren't their airborne fortress and naval fleet seized too?
"Where are the First Hokage and Senior Madara?" Pakura asked, turning her gaze toward Kei Yamanaka and Tsunade.
The Three-Tails and Nine-Tails were already in Konoha's possession. With the Ten-Tails' revival underway, all they needed now was the Six-Tails' chakra from Kirigakure.
At a moment like this, their absence unsettled her slightly.
Tsunade also turned her head toward Kei Yamanaka.
She'd been swamped lately and hadn't even seen Grandfather, Great-Uncle, or the others.
"I think I heard someone call my name and Madara's?"
Hashirama Senju's voice drifted from a window in the left tower of the airborne fortress.
In the next moment, the window opened, and Hashirama Senju, wearing a beige casual long robe, leaned halfway out the open window.
Beside him stood Uchiha Madara in a black long robe, Izuna Uchiha, and Tobirama Senju, his expression cold and sharp as ever. They all turned their heads in unison.
Clothes… faces… Not Impure World Reincarnation?!
Tsunade shot Kei Yamanaka a look of disbelief.
Next to her, A, the Third Raikage, Pakura, Onoki, and the others froze in shock!
"Onee-san! I'm home!"
A somewhat familiar young man's voice came from beside Hashirama Senju.
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
~ 100+ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
~ More *Free* Chapters and Books Available on Patreon!
patreon.com/Tansnovel
<><><><><><><><>