Chapter 166: S-Rank Mission [The Founder of Konoha]!
"How could Uchiha Madara be in the Land of Waterfalls?"
Nara Keisuke wasn't against teaming up with Minato to fight a boss, but he was worried his partner had clearly gone to the wrong map. According to Uchiha Kagami's testimony, he had been on a mission in the Land of Waterfalls when he was defeated and subsequently found by Madara. It was only logical for Minato to go there to search for traces of him.
However, in Keisuke's original prediction, Minato's search should have yielded nothing. Although he didn't know Madara's precise location, based on all the intelligence he had gathered and analyzed, the man's base was definitely not in the Land of Waterfalls, but in the neighboring Land of Iron.
To forge his Nature Masks, Keisuke had commissioned the cat merchants to purchase countless SSS-rank miscellaneous items—"Branches of the Divine Tree"—from the Land of Iron. In the entire ninja world, what other tree besides the Divine Tree (the Gedo Mazō) could produce such branches?
The location of the Gedo Mazō was the location of Uchiha Madara.
"Minato found Madara in the Land of Waterfalls... is this a trap set by the old man?"
Keisuke ended his experiment and dispelled his various clones. He left only the controlled White Zetsu behind to guard his "self" and watch over the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, Han. The Shadow Creature shot into the sky, and Keisuke returned to the Konoha camp.
After discovering the suspected location, Minato had not returned to camp himself, instead relaying the information via a summoning toad. When Keisuke arrived, the small, goggle-wearing toad was waiting for him.
"Nara-sama," Kōsuke the toad said, handing over two small scrolls. "These are from Minato-sama and the Third Hokage-sama. Your Shadow Doppelganger has already reviewed their contents."
"Your name is Kōsuke, right? You'll be coming with me. Maintain contact with Minato-san at all times," Keisuke said, taking the scrolls. He waved to his three teammates who had come over upon hearing the news. "Shisui, Retsu, Shizune, I have a small mission to take care of. You three focus on practicing the two jutsu I gave you."
He said it so casually that Retsu and Shizune weren't too concerned. Shisui, however, had a vague feeling that his captain's mission was likely related to his father. But since the village hadn't ordered him to go, he could only suppress his thoughts.
Keisuke bid his team farewell and left the camp with Kōsuke. The toad put on its goggles and dutifully clung to the back of the Shadow Creature. Keisuke sat at the front and carefully read the scroll from Minato. It gave a rough account of what had happened and included a simple map of the Land of Waterfalls, with Madara's supposed location marked by a comma-shaped symbol.
Keisuke maneuvered the Shadow Creature, adjusting its course for the Land of Waterfalls. He put down Minato's scroll and picked up the one from Hiruzen.
'This is... a mission?'
The moment he glanced at it, a notification popped up on his panel.
[S-Rank Ninja Commissioned Mission has been detected!]
[S-Rank Mission: The Founder of Konoha]
[Mission Content: Proceed to the Land of Waterfalls and investigate the situation regarding Uchiha Madara with Minato Namikaze. Upon confirmation of identity, kill him.]
[Mission Reward: One S-Rank Shinobi Secret Scroll]
'Another S-rank mission, and an assassination-type one at that...'
Keisuke's eyes lit up. Even with the most generous estimate, Old Man Madara's current power level couldn't be higher than A-rank. Teaming up with Minato to fight this boss, Keisuke had been mentally prepared for an A-rank mission at most, possibly even just a B-rank. He never expected Hiruzen to issue an S-rank order. The mission difficulty remained the same, but the reward level was boosted.
Keisuke was delighted.
'Although, 'confirm identity, then kill on sight'... that's the ninja way, I suppose.' With a thought, he increased his speed.
In the Land of Waterfalls, near a large cascade...
Minato was hidden in a forest, carefully scouting the area ahead. According to his earlier sensory sweeps, there was a chakra signature inside the waterfall that was identical to the one in the special kunai. If he wasn't mistaken, the mastermind's lair should be right behind that curtain of water.
'Could it be Uchiha Madara?'
Minato cautiously suppressed his own chakra to avoid being detected. Sensor ninja could be mutually attracted to—ahem, sensor ninja could sense each other's presence. If one sensor detected another, the second could use the first's probing to lock onto their position. Minato wasn't sure if Madara was a sensor type, but he was certain his own earlier scan had not been detected in return. In other words, he likely hadn't been exposed yet.
The roar of the waterfall was deafening, masking any small sounds. Minato glanced up at the sky.
'I wonder how much longer until Keisuke arrives...'
Minato knew this wasn't a solo mission. Considering the unique circumstances surrounding Madara and Kagami, the village had specifically assigned Keisuke, who was privy to the situation, to join him. After the previous battle, Minato held Keisuke's strength in high regard. With his help, their chances of success would be much greater.
'No matter what, if the one behind all this is truly Uchiha Madara...' Minato looked at the waterfall again, a flicker of determination in his blue eyes. 'This mission must be completed!'
Just as Minato was steadying his resolve, a familiar chakra signature suddenly entered his sensory range.
'This is...'
Minato's pupils shrank, a deep anger flashing in his eyes.
'Kagami-senpai's chakra! The mastermind summoned him from the Pure Land again! To so shamelessly toy with the souls of the dead... unforgivable!'
Inside the rushing waterfall, hidden in a cave that was nearly impossible to spot, Uchiha Kagami's eyes opened in a daze. He felt as if he had just blinked, only to find himself in a new location.
"Edo Tensei again?" He raised his right hand, looking at the cracks covering his palm, and clenched his fist a few times. "Compared to last time, the amount of power I can wield doesn't seem to have changed much..."
"We meet again, Kagami," an ancient voice came from the side.
Kagami looked up and saw the white-haired, wrinkled Uchiha Madara sitting on his wooden throne, his single three-tomoe Sharingan fixed on him.
"Lord Madara," Kagami knelt on one knee, bowing respectfully. "My previous mission was a failure..."
"Your failure extends beyond just that," Madara said, his gaze shifting. A White Zetsu approached with the special kunai and inserted it into the back of the unresisting Kagami's head. "I need your body to solve the trouble you've caused."
With the insertion of the kunai, all emotion vanished from Kagami's dead face. Madara began to manipulate Kagami's body, familiarizing himself with its abilities. Not long after, another White Zetsu emerged from the side.
"Nara Keisuke has entered the Land of Waterfalls."
The controlled Kagami shot out of the cave. The near-infinite chakra granted by the Edo Tensei was converted into Water Style and poured into the river below.
"Water Release: Water Severing Wave!"
Swish—
A thin, tightly-compressed jet of water shot from Kagami's mouth. Like an ultimate blade that could cut through steel like mud, it sliced with incredible speed and force toward the dense forest surrounding the waterfall.
Hidden in the trees, Minato had already sensed something was wrong when the man burst out of the waterfall. Seeing the attack, he instantly flickered away, leaping down from the branches.
Crash—
The ultra-high-pressure water jet cut through the forest like a hot knife through butter. Swathes of trees collapsed under the jutsu, leaving an ugly, clear-cut patch of stumps. The massive trunks crashed to the ground, the impact of wood on soil creating a continuous, deafening roar.
'The same terrifying power as last time, but... why did Kagami-senpai choose to attack directly this time?' Minato stood on the ground, his brow furrowed. 'Did he detect me? But when...'
Sensing that Kagami had stopped moving after unleashing the jutsu, Minato also remained still, expanding his own sensory range. But at that moment, a strange feeling erupted from within his body. A mass of white tissue, feeding on his chakra, began to expand and grow on his skin.
"What is this?!"
Minato was shocked. A glimpse from the corner of his eye revealed the form of the white substance, and he immediately used his space-time ninjutsu to escape.
"Flying Thunder God Technique!"
His figure instantly vanished, evading the white creature's assault. He reappeared in an intact section of the forest on the other side of the waterfall, his brow furrowed in a deep frown.
"The kunai I was using to sense the enemy's position... it's gone!"
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