That was how the night passed.
When the sounds from outside grew gradually louder and closer, Kushina sleeping on the bed suddenly awoke. She must've slept too deeply—she still hadn't quite shaken off that groggy feeling.
So she just stared wide-eyed at the canvas ceiling, lost in a short daze.
Who was she? Where was she? What was she supposed to do?
Those familiar three philosophical questions helped her slowly regain her senses, her vision sharpening until clarity finally returned.
"Minato?"
She reached out her hand to touch beside the bed, only to find that the familiar presence was already gone.
Expected, but still, a trace of disappointment rose from the bottom of her heart.
Slowly sitting up, the sky outside appeared just faintly bright, suggesting it was still early.
Another possibility was that it could have been raining outside, making everything look so gloomy.
However, no rain sounds reached her ears, nor could she smell that unique earthy fragrance after rainfall, so she ruled out that possibility.
She gave her face a few light slaps to wake herself up, then looked around the tent.
Naruto was still asleep, his breathing deep, his blanket kicked off during the night—he must have been mischievous again last night.
Although already an eight-year-old boy, his personality remained wild, probably dreaming about something joyful.
Tiptoeing off the bed, she first covered Naruto with the blanket, then walked out of the tent to freshen up.
After her brief talk with Minato last night, she felt much more at ease—this was a good start indeed.
People were already moving around outside; medical ninja responsible for care wandered between tents, holding bandages and replacement anti-inflammatory medicine in their hands.
Another busy day indeed.
Seeing them move about, Kushina couldn't help but smile.
There was still guilt, yes—but more importantly, a sense of belonging and recognition replaced it.
Without wasting any time, she finished her morning routine, grabbed a bite to eat, and brought some back for Naruto. Then she was ready to jump right into the day's work.
"Good morning, Tsunade-sama, Shizune."
As expected, upon entering the largest "ward," she immediately saw the busy master-apprentice duo and other medical ninja already working.
"Here you go, come give us a hand. Today's job is simply changing their dressings and checking recovery conditions. Compared to those desperate days earlier, this feels quite relaxing."
Tsunade clearly noticed Kushina was in a much better mood than before, and gave instructions with a warm smile.
It was still early, but most patients had already woken up.
Or perhaps, part of them hadn't even managed to fall asleep through the pain, thus waiting eagerly on their beds for the medical ninja's "salvation."
For medical ninjas, saving lives and treating injuries was just part of their everyday job.
Though monotonous and repetitive, this work held immense importance for the whole Konoha village.
Everyone knew another large-scale war threatening the entire shinobi world was drawing near; naturally, they supporting medical ninjas couldn't afford to slow down the overall pace.
By finishing up with the wounded, they're making sure they don't become a burden to anyone else.
In fact, given the current situation, even highly skilled individuals like Tsunade or Kushina are no longer required to stay here unnecessarily, but out of concern for the injured, they still insist on remaining at the frontlines.
"The Kazekage, sir, the unit dispatched to assist Konoha has already set off—three hundred and one personnel in total."
A ninja wearing a head wrap and partially concealed face reported to Rasa.
"Hmm, it's Elder Ebizō leading the group?"
Seated at his desk, Rasa placed his right hand on the table, fingers tapping thoughtfully as he appeared deep in thought.
This was the Kazekage's Office.
From the outside, it looked like a rundown gourd-shaped shack, but the inside was elegantly furnished.
There was a desk, sofas, a coffee table, and bookshelves packed full of books. Several portraits hung on the walls, showcasing the village's culture.
"Yes, the elder personally requested this mission."
The ninja gave a slight nod; the visible half of his face remained expressionless, the purple markings barely noticeable under the dim light.
"This mission is somewhat special, but if it's Elder Ebizō, there won't be any problems."
Rasa stopped tapping his fingers. That Konoha had actively requested help was something they hadn't expected.
However, considering the unprecedented alliance and the fact that large-scale military action had already begun, the request appeared routine enough.
Looking at it another way, Konoha's losses this time were far greater than anticipated, which is why they reluctantly sought assistance.
But no one would underestimate Konoha's strength because of this.
At the very least, even severely weakened, Konoha still far surpassed Sunagakure and Kirigakure at present—this was an undeniable truth.
"Has the Daimyo responded yet?"
After a moment of silence, Rasa brought up another matter.
Upon hearing this, his expression immediately darkened.
Every war required the Daimyo's support before they could commit fully without worrying about the consequences.
With resources scarce, the Daimyo controlled Sunagakure's lifeline.
Their loss during the Third Great Ninja War caused the Daimyo to lose faith in Sunagakure.
Not only was the annual budget for training new ninjas reduced, but many missions were instead assigned to Konoha, causing Sunagakure's income to steadily decline until it was spending more than it earned, forcing them to implement the Elite Ninja Training Plan.
Being located in the desert, Sunagakure Village had always struggled with scarce natural resources. Without each successive Kazekage possessing Magnet Release [a rare chakra nature allowing manipulation of metal-based substances] to provide economic stability, they would have long been at the Daimyo's mercy.
And now, with war imminent, they had no choice but to report to the Daimyo and request strategic resource support.
Hearing Rasa's question, the ninja standing before him hesitated, lips twitching a few times before finally replying weakly, "The Daimyo says he needs a few more days to think it over and will give an answer later."
Bang!
Rasa slammed his fist onto the desk, his face dark with fury.
"I knew it! That stupid pig! By the time he gives an answer, Akatsuki will already be stepping on our heads!"
Baki didn't dare respond. Ever since the Third Great Ninja War, the Daimyo of the Land of Wind had kept Sunagakure at arm's length—never truly close, yet not outright hostile.
In recent years, many of the village's requests to expand its military strength had been firmly rejected by higher authorities, breeding growing resentment among the ninja ranks.
Although the village wished to train more ninja, it lacked the necessary resources to support such expansion, leaving them with no option but to keep postponing it.
"Keep sending people to contact the Daimyo's mansion for now; that's all we can do. But this time he won't hold us back too long unless he wants to die early—the Akatsuki won't play by his old rules."
Though Rasa was somewhat angry, he clearly understood the situation.
While the Daimyo was nothing more than an ignorant fool, he would ultimately approve any request already accepted by other major nations through their respective hidden villages.
At times, Rasa couldn't help but wonder why ninjas always had to obey orders from civilian authorities like the Daimyo and nobles.
It was a question that had troubled him for years.
"I understand," Baki said, lowering his head.
"Go down first. When Baki returns, call him to see me—I have something I need him to handle."
Rasa waved his hand, signaling the man to leave the office.
Sunagakure's strength was nearly the weakest among all the great villages. This time, only slightly more than 8,000 ninja could be mobilized, most of whom were Chunin, with a significant number of Genin as well.
The reason so many ninja could be mobilized this time was because he had recruited back many retired ninja who had once remained stuck at the Genin or Chunin level for years before reluctantly giving up their ninja careers.
Though it was cruel, Rasa had made the dangers clear when recruiting them—he hadn't resorted to deception.
Despite knowing the risks, they still chose firmly to rejoin the mobilized forces. This deeply moved Rasa.
According to Akatsuki's development plan, everything hinged on this decisive moment—it was already time to give it their all.
This was also one of the reasons behind his decision, and those who joined likely understood that.
Knock! Knock!
A knocking sound interrupted his thoughts.
Rasa raised his head and said, "Come in!"
Creak—
The door slowly opened, producing an ear-piercing squeak. A frail figure stepped slowly into the room.
It was Elder Chiyo.
Rasa's expression tightened slightly, and he immediately stood up.
Throughout the entire village, there were two presences whose power even the Kazekage could not ignore.
They were Elder Chiyo and her younger brother Ebizō.
As elder figures of the village, the two had survived since the founding of Sunagakure.
They had played a huge role in helping the village reach its current scale.
"Elder Chiyo."
"Hello, Kazekage."
Elder Chiyo responded with narrowed eyes, then walked directly over and sat down on the sofa.
"I heard Konoha has requested aid from us?"
Due to her advanced age, the skin on her face appeared somewhat saggy, making her look just like an ordinary old lady.
Her tone wasn't loud, but carried an air of seriousness and rigidity, making it difficult for others to casually respond.
"That's correct. Led by Elder Ebizō, three hundred ninja will be sent to assist Konoha."
Rasa sat across from Chiyo and poured her a cup of hot tea.
Chiyo's eyelids flickered slightly, but she kept both hands resting on her thighs without moving.
"In my old woman's opinion," she said, "we shouldn't be helping Konoha."
Rasa paid no attention to Chiyo's tone. Deep down, he already knew the reason behind her resentment.
He could also tell this was just an angry remark rather than a serious objection, so he explained,
"This enemy is no ordinary threat. Besides, Konoha isn't only borrowing our ninjas—they've also requested aid elsewhere."
"Sasori is in that organization as well, isn't he?"
Instead of continuing the topic, Chiyo shifted gears and asked another question.
"That's right. We've confirmed that the attacker from last time was indeed Sasori. Based on intelligence we've gathered over the past few weeks, he's one of Akatsuki's core members—codenamed Jade Maiden."
Looking at the elderly woman before him who remained calm, Rasa told her everything he knew.
"Then count me in for this mission. It's been ages since I last saw him. I wonder what he looks like these days."
Staring at the tea Rasa had placed on the coffee table, Chiyo's gaze followed the rising steam somewhere distant. Deep within her sunken eye sockets, memories stirred faintly.
"All right."
There was no way Rasa could refuse, nor would he ever want to.
Though Chiyo was already in her seventies or eighties, currently there were almost no one in the village who could surpass her skills, whether it came to Medical Ninjutsu or puppet control.
"I heard Daimyo is still holding up our resources for this mission. I'll go meet with him personally shortly. You don't need to worry about this issue anymore."
Chiyo reached out to take the teacup, slowly sipping from its rim before speaking.
Upon hearing this, Rasa's face lit up.
Though he'd expected the Daimyo would eventually agree, how much time and supplies they'd lose during the delay had been completely uncertain.
If support from there could come through sooner, the village could make preparations earlier, which might significantly reduce future losses.
So he straightened his body and respectfully clenched his fist toward Chiyo in gratitude.
"Thank you, Elder."
"We're all doing this for the sake of our village. Since that's settled, I won't stay any longer. I need to go back and prepare myself before heading out directly."
Putting down the teacup, Chiyo stood and headed toward the door.
She had come here today to confirm one thing directly from the Kazekage—whether her long-gone grandson truly belonged to Akatsuki.
Now that she had received the answer she needed, there was no point remaining here.
Her next move, then, was clear—convince the Daimyo to approve the village's wartime supplies as soon as possible if she wanted to see her grandson again soon.
After living so many years and witnessing countless rises and falls, most of her desires had long faded away.
One of her lingering wishes was simply to meet Sasori once more and catch up with him.
That remained her sole wish for the rest of her days.
As for other matters? Well, weren't those problems for the younger generations to handle themselves?
"[Sasori of Red Sand]…" Rasa murmured silently to himself as he stared at the door Chiyo had closed behind her.
He hadn't told Chiyo earlier that the Third Kazekage's death had also been closely related to Sasori, and during the recent Eight-Tails incident, he'd even reappeared in the form of a [Human Puppet].
But at the same time, he clearly understood that Chiyo no longer cared about these things now, so there was no point bringing up such a mood-killing matter.
"Well then, everything's ready. Now we just need to wait for the results of the second meeting in a few days."
Leaning back against the sofa, Rasa looked at the ceiling with an extremely profound gaze.
...
"Elder Fukasaku."
Ameyuri Ringo faced the overweight old man sitting across from her, a slight expression of admiration showing on her face.
Despite having retired long ago, the old man had once again taken charge of affairs with decisive action when such a major upheaval occurred within the village—saving it from the brink of collapse. She truly respected him for that.
"You've worked hard."
Wen leaned back in his chair, appearing half-asleep as he spoke slowly and without urgency.
Though his eyes looked blurred and tired as he gazed at the Acting Mizukage, there was still something unusually sharp within them—capable of piercing through masks and confronting one's true nature directly.
Originally, the Hozuki clan had long coveted the position of Mizukage. After all, since the time of the Second, no member of their family had held the title.
However, for the sake of temporary balance, he could only choose someone outside the major clans who possessed adequate status, background, and strength.
Therefore, Ameyuri Ringo had ultimately been appointed as the current Acting Mizukage.
As for what happened afterward, they could deal with that later after this stage was over.
Only then would there be time and energy for internal conflicts and mutual blame-shifting.
"I've already informed all the major clans," said Ameyuri. "The available combat units inside the village are being rapidly mobilized and will be assembled shortly. As for the Daimyo, I sent messengers to inform him earlier as well—he fully supports our actions, and war supplies have already started arriving steadily."
Sensing Ameyuri's faint but unmistakable gaze upon him, Wen shifted topics casually.
Although everyone clearly understood this Acting Mizukage position carried an air of controversy, at least officially, she needed to be informed of everything.
"Understood."
Ameyuri Ringo answered seriously. Since Wen had already arranged everything, what she needed to do now was simply play her role properly on this prepared 'stage,' putting on a performance fitting her position.
She naturally understood exactly what role she played, and deep down, she didn't resent being used.
It was all for the future of the Hidden Mist Village.
"I've already inserted Hozuki clan ninjas into the forces temporarily loaned to Konoha previously. For the next meeting, you can select a few from among these ninjas to join your personal guards. The Kage's safety must be given additional attention to ensure absolutely no mishaps occur."
Wen took a puff from his pipe, then exhaled a ring of white smoke. His facial features gradually became obscured by its haze.
The Raikage's recent death had cast a dark shadow over many people's hearts, which is why Wen paid particular attention to the Acting Mizukage's security.
To put it bluntly, nothing must go wrong—at least not before the official start of the war!
"I understand. I'll also pay extra attention to my own safety."
Ameyuri grinned, revealing her sharp teeth.
"Let me know before you leave, will ya? I won't hang around here to trouble you anymore. Getting old makes a man drowsy. Back in my youth, like yours, I was The First's former aide — rested just four hours a day."
Wen put away his pipe and gripped the dragon-headed cane leaning against the wall. Then he steadily stood up and slowly walked away, vanishing into the distance.
His voice gradually faded as he moved farther away, becoming weaker and weaker until it vanished entirely.
Several dark shadows followed closely behind him and also disappeared without a trace.
Ameyuri didn't move, sitting in place and quietly staring at her feet with a gradually widening smirk on her lips.
He urgently wanted to cut off that guy Saitama Uchiha's head to honor the deceased Terumi Mei and Yagura.
And now, that time seemed increasingly near.
Boom—
A jagged, distorted lightning flash lit up outside the window, followed instantly by a drizzle of pattering rain.
The preparations by Mist were already entering their final phase.
Ever since confirming Yagura's incident, Wen had been methodically getting everything ready step by step.
In his eyes, an alliance among the Five Great Villages was inevitable.
Their tolerance toward Akatsuki had nearly reached its breaking point—only lacking just a little push.
And that push came during the recent Five Kage Summit.
So as soon as Ameyuri returned to the village, all preliminary preparations for war had basically been completed.
Their determination was stronger than ever before.
...
Time pressed on, and the second summit of the Five Kages quietly began in River Country.
Attending this summit were not only Grass Village, Takigakure, Snow Village, Hot Spring Village, Artisan Village, and other minor hidden villages.
Of course, there were also the remnants of an era—the Samurai Forces of the Land of Iron, which had long maintained neutrality.
Naturally, the Akatsuki was also well aware of the situation here.
White Zetsu's infiltration was everywhere.
Even at such tightly secured occasions, if he wished, he could still sit calmly participating unnoticed.
After completing the sealing of the Eight-Tails, even though Nagato required everyone to remain within Amegakure, Saitama still arrived at Orochimaru's territory.
Shortly after their last hurried meeting, Saitama sought out Orochimaru again.
Easily entering Orochimaru's base, he saw a tall figure standing straight wearing a white lab coat.
Surrounding them were countless glass containers; human organs—or seemingly human ones, or clearly non-human parts—looked like individual exhibits preserved inside transparent tanks.
Alone, they weren't all that shocking. But seeing independent organs beat rhythmically—like they were alive—it sent chills down your spine. This was the real horror of this world.
Saitama had become so accustomed to this scenery that internally, he felt no noticeable reaction.
He strolled toward Orochimaru, his soft footsteps echoing inside the empty chamber.
Certainly, he had no need to conceal his arrival.
"You're finally here."
Orochimaru turned around, wearing a sickly smile that triggered Saitama's long-buried memories of creepy old men.
"Hmm, you're here."
Saitama stopped three meters away, his body completely relaxed, as though he wasn't even cautious.
"You may find my latest creation fascinating."
Orochimaru slightly stepped aside, gesturing for him to come forward and take a look.
Shrugging, Saitama walked over, immediately captivated by what lay inside the long glass container.
White, tentacle-like growths sprouted from what appeared to be a piece of desiccated wood.
Three thick white tentacles, marked with red patterns, gave the whole thing an eerie appearance. At their base, an egg-shaped fleshy mass constantly writhed as if it were breathing.
Saitama immediately recognized the object as a fragment of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
"Fascinating, isn't it? Just a broken-off fragment—and yet, given nearly endless energy, it's grown this much."
Orochimaru spoke in a raspy tone, eyes gleaming with deep fascination and excitement.
Hearing his explanation, Saitama now noticed countless Ninjutsu runes and pipes surrounding the container holding the fragment of the Demonic Statue.
Scanning his gaze across those pipes, he quickly spotted each one connected to other glass chambers containing bizarre figures.
It seemed Orochimaru had been channeling energy from talisman-powered test subjects into this fragment of the Demonic Statue.
"This could be the ultimate form of chakra—the deepest secret of the Shinobi World."
Orochimaru stared intently at the white, tentacle-like organism within the container.
Although each tentacle was only a few inches long, altogether they didn't even cover the palm of a hand—but their overwhelming chakra presence seeped past multiple spirit-sealing talismans.
He rubbed his fingers against the glass, admiring the writhing mass within, pure delight flashing in his eyes.
Saitama didn't refute Orochimaru's claim.
Indeed, this creature rapidly grown from the Demonic Statue bore some resemblance to the chubby white figure Saitama remembered as the Ten-Tails. It lacked tails for now, but still looked eerily similar.
"What do you think the Tailed Beasts are?"
Orochimaru lowered his head, staring at the small, plump white figure while suddenly asking.
"Chakra."
"Not quite accurate."
Orochimaru shifted his gaze from the container to look directly at Saitama, whose expression remained calm, before continuing, "The Tailed Beasts are formed from Chakra, yes—but they consist of more than just Chakra alone. Within them exists a special willpower, perhaps that which you previously called the Ten-Tails—or even the legendary goddess."
"At first, I supplied it with massive amounts of energy, yet apart from briefly bursting with vitality, it showed little change. However, everything changed once I ground up the Eight-Tails' horn obtained years ago and mixed it in—it started growing, consuming the fragments of the Demonic Statue I provided until reaching its current state."
"It has already stopped growing, hasn't it?"
Saitama had somehow already activated his Sharingan. An ancient, intricate ritual circle glowed with a sinister crimson light within his eyes.
He stared at the creature that resembled a Ten-Tails clone and quickly noticed something Orochimaru hadn't mentioned.
"Yes, it has stopped growing. This seems to be its current maximum size."
There was a hint of regret in Orochimaru's voice, though not much surprise. He had expected this all along.
"Perhaps the power of other tailed beasts could still promote further growth..."
Saitama closed and then reopened his eyes. The Mangekyou pattern vanished from his gaze as he carefully spoke.
"I was thinking the same thing."
Orochimaru let out a low chuckle, his chilling aura spreading outward and steadily lowering the temperature of the chamber.
Other than the Nine-Tails, all other tailed beasts had already been captured by Akatsuki, leaving only one possible target for Orochimaru.
The Nine-Tails?
No, Saitama immediately thought of another "Nine-Tails."
"There's no way I can go after the Nine-Tails jinchuriki in Konoha. Not only would dealing with Konoha itself be impossible, but Akatsuki probably wouldn't approve either. So I spent some time looking for two very interesting individuals."
Orochimaru's voice sounded just at the right moment, laced with a teasing tone.
"Kinkaku and Ginkaku from Kumo."
"Correct. I didn't expect you to know them. These two died long before you were born—back when I was still playing in the mud with Jiraiya."
Orochimaru seemed genuinely surprised that Saitama recognized these names.
The Golden and Silver Brothers—Kumo's most notorious rogue ninja. They had consumed the 'flesh' of the Nine-Tails and killed both the Second Raikage and the Second Hokage.
Moreover, they possessed the legendary bloodline of the Sage of Six Paths and wielded the Five Great Ninja Tools left behind by him. At one point, they were revered as "the two lights of Kumo."
Precisely because they had eaten the 'flesh' of the Nine-Tails, they were partially assimilated by its chakra, enabling them to generate Nine-Tails chakra within their own bodies—essentially miniature versions of the Nine-Tails themselves.
But as a result of that transformation, though, they became arrogant and cruel.
Saitama smiled slightly. Naturally, he knew all about those two brothers.
In the original story, Obito used them as sacrifices in the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path to revive a partial form of the Ten-Tails.
Therefore, Orochimaru now intended to use these two brothers to further develop the young Ten-Tails. From a theoretical standpoint, it seemed like it could work.
"Not quite yet though—the little thing hasn't reached full energy absorption capacity."
Orochimaru turned his gaze toward the pipes channeling in energy, then leaned casually against the vessel.
"Whatever you want. I came here today for you alone—you know why. I can't wait any longer; I need to eliminate this threat right away."
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