A fierce battle abruptly came to an end.
Neither Shion nor Kitsuchi and the others had anticipated this outcome; even the process completely exceeded their expectations.
In their prediction, they were supposed to stop the Ghost Army, and Shion would sacrifice her life to seal Mōryō.
Now, Kitazawa released Mōryō's physical body and then used Wood Release to suppress it forcefully. This turn of events caught them completely off guard.
Kitazawa ignored the stunned crowd, who were shocked by the Wood Release. He opened the Storage Summoning Scroll and took out his bow.
Kitazawa raised his head and looked at Mōryō. After thinking for a moment, he leaped up, climbed along the Wood Dragon's body, and finally stood on the Wood Dragon's head.
Seeing Mōryō up close, it was incredibly ugly. Fortunately, when using it as a spirit weapon, there was no need to care about its beauty or ugliness.
Kitazawa placed the bow on the ground and began performing hand seals.
Four Symbols Seal! Black cursed markings surged toward Mōryō along with the Chakra.
Mōryō, screaming, sensed danger and struggled even harder, trying to break free from the Wood Dragon's restraints.
But its actions were destined to be useless. Kurama, who was infinitely stronger than it, could only scream when facing the Wood Dragon, completely helpless.
Once the cursed markings covered Mōryō's body, it suddenly trembled, and under the pull of the Chakra, it drilled into the bow like a plume of thick smoke.
The dim bow immediately radiated a purplish-black light, adding a touch of strangeness and mystery compared to before.
Kitazawa continued performing hand seals. Two Four Symbols Seals formed an Eight Trigrams Sealing Style, completely sealing Mōryō within the bow.
Kitazawa looked at the bow and pondered its name. He was always terrible at naming things, so after thinking for a while, he decided on a simple and straightforward name: Demon Slaying Bow.
Mōryō was called a demon creature, so it was fitting for this bow, which sealed Mōryō, to be called the Demon Slaying Bow.
Kitazawa put away the bow. He didn't test the bow; this wasn't the right place. He would test it after returning to the village.
[Current Mission: Stir up the Ninja World, successfully help Yomi release Mōryō.]
[Mission Reward: Wood Release: Spontaneous Tree Summoning.]
[Host has completed the mission, reward issued.]
Kitazawa nodded slightly. Although Wood Release: Spontaneous Tree Summoning was not a high-level Wood Release Ninjutsu, it had decent power.
Kitazawa currently knew relatively few Wood Release Ninjutsu. This was mainly because he spent a lot of time learning Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence and Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique.
The power of these two Wood Release Ninjutsu goes without saying, but they consume a lot of Chakra.
Kitazawa couldn't possibly use them every time he fought. That would be overkill.
[Current Mission: Defeat Mōryō.]
[Mission Reward: Edo Tensei (Impure World Reincarnation).]
[Host has completed the mission, reward issued.]
Three lines of text appeared before Kitazawa again. This time, he received a large amount of information.
Edo Tensei is an S-rank forbidden jutsu, much more complex than Wood Release: Spontaneous Tree Summoning.
In the original work, the presence of Edo Tensei was overwhelming. During the Fourth Great Ninja War, Kabuto summoned a large number of deceased Ninja using Edo Tensei.
They engaged in a desperate fight against the Allied Shinobi Forces, composed mainly of the Five Great Villages.
Kabuto was thus called the Master of Dream Fulfillment because the Ninjas resurrected by Edo Tensei were mostly from the Five Great Villages.
Although it involved friends and relatives killing each other, being able to chat with deceased friends and relatives could be considered a form of dream fulfillment.
However, the Edo Tensei used by Kabuto was his modified version. The Edo Tensei (Impure World Reincarnation) Kitazawa received was the original version.
How should I put it? The original version was quite mediocre.
The Ninja resurrected by Edo Tensei couldn't fully possess their power from when they were alive, probably not even half of it.
In fact, this could be seen from how Senju Tobirama used it. He had a forbidden jutsu used in conjunction with Edo Tensei, called Mutually Multiplying Exploding Tags.
Simply put, it involved affixing exploding tags to the Edo Tensei Ninja and having them self-destruct against the enemy.
If White Zetsu, who possessed Hashirama cells, were used as a sacrifice, the resurrected Ninja would be close to their power when they were alive.
For example, Orochimaru used White Zetsu to Edo Tensei Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama in the original story. But only close.
Kitazawa waited for a moment and found that there was no prompt for the completion of a third system mission.
His third system mission was for Wood Release to become famous throughout the Ninja World.
Kitazawa pondered for a moment and roughly understood the reason. Currently, only Kitsuchi and Baki knew of his Wood Release, and the news had not yet fully spread throughout the Ninja World.
It would take time for it to become famous, waiting for them to return to their villages, plus the promotion from the Land of Demons.
Kitazawa descended from the air, stepping on the Wood Dragon.
Kitsuchi, Baki, and the others subconsciously backed away. They couldn't help it; the Wood Dragon was too massive, giving them the illusion of seeing a Tailed Beast.
In the original story, the Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique performed by Senju Hashirama was not inferior in size to the Nine-Tailed.
Furthermore, their Ninja Villages had grudges with Konoha Village. What if Kitazawa started a massacre?
"So cool!" Naruto couldn't help but say excitedly when he saw this scene.
This Wood Dragon was far more majestic and powerful than Summoning Beasts like Doki or Chameleon Summon, Shiromari.
Sasuke nodded in agreement. Although he didn't care much about Summoning Beasts, if there was a Summoning Beast like the Wood Dragon, he definitely wouldn't miss it.
It was powerful and cool—it had no flaws.
"This is a true powerhouse!" Neji clenched the Fate Breaking Bow, feeling like he had found his future goal.
If he could be as strong as Kitazawa, his destiny would surely change.
Hinata didn't have many thoughts. In her heart, Kitazawa had always been omnipotent. His use of Wood Release to beat Mōryō only deepened this impression once again.
Kitazawa leaped down from the Wood Dragon's head. After landing steadily, he canceled Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence and Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique.
With the disappearance of the Wood Dragon and the forest, Demon Sealing Mountain returned to its previous appearance.
However, there was a difference. That was the addition of dense terracotta warriors.
Since Mōryō was sealed, the terracotta warriors lost control and became true terracotta warriors.
If Mōryō were ever released one day again, they could come back to life. But this time was different from before; it was sealed inside Kitazawa's bow.
Theoretically, it would never be free again.
"Kitazawa-sama." Kitsuchi was the first to recover. He stepped forward and said, "The mission is complete. We shall take our leave."
This was a lie. For him now, the mission was no longer important; what mattered was returning to the village as quickly as possible.
And informing his father, the Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki, that Kitazawa could use Wood Release.
"Us too." Ao and Baki reacted upon hearing this.
After greeting Kitazawa, they left immediately without even speaking to Shion. Once the mission was completed, Shion was no longer their employer, so they didn't need to pay her much attention.
"Kitazawa-sama!" Shion rushed up to Kitazawa and asked, "Where is Mōryō?"
"Mōryō has been sealed by me," Kitazawa replied. "I will take it back to Konoha Village."
"Really?" Shion couldn't help but show an excited expression.
This not only meant she didn't have to sacrifice herself to seal Mōryō, but it also meant the Land of Demons no longer had to worry about the Mōryō Disturbance.
Simply put, Kitazawa had solved the Mōryō problem for them once and for all.
"Naturally, it's true," Kitazawa said with a smile.
"Thank you!" Shion quickly said. "You will forever be a guest of our Land of Demons. Whatever you need, the Land of Demons can satisfy you!"
"Lady Shion, you are too kind. I merely completed my mission." Kitazawa didn't react much to her promise.
After all, given his current strength and status, the Land of Demons couldn't give him anything of value. In his opinion, Mōryō was the most valuable thing the Land of Demons had.
"If you truly want to repay me, you can sign an alliance treaty with Konoha Village." Kitazawa thought for a moment and said.
The Land of Demons is still a country, and it generates quite a few missions throughout the year.
Previously, it was a neutral country, and missions were divided equally among the major Ninja Villages.
After signing the alliance, they could prioritize entrusting missions to the Konoha Village Ninja.
Furthermore, the location of the Land of Demons is excellent. To the east is the Land of Earth, and to the south is the Land of Wind.
If there is another Shinobi World War in the future, they can borrow a path through the Land of Demons.
"No problem!" Shion immediately agreed.
Taruho, next to her, also didn't say much. Although signing an alliance with Konoha Village would mean the Land of Demons was no longer neutral, it was worth it.
Because the Mōryō problem was solved for the Land of Demons, future Priestesses would no longer have to sacrifice themselves.
"Kitazawa-sensei!" Naruto ran up and asked, "Can we learn Wood Release? Especially that dragon just now, it was incredibly cool!"
Sasuke curled his lip upon hearing this. What an idiot.
That was Wood Release, not Wind Release or Fire Release. Was it that easy to learn? Konoha Village has been established for so long, and currently, the only recorded Wood Release Ninja are Senju Hashirama and Kitazawa.
Sasuke didn't know Yamato, so he didn't count him.
"You can't learn it now, but maybe in the future," Kitazawa said with a smile.
"Kitazawa-sama," Shion spoke up. "You all worked hard. Please come back with me to the Land of Demons to attend the celebration."
"What celebration?" Naruto asked curiously.
"Because you helped our Land of Demons defeat Mōryō, I plan to establish a festival." Shion thought for a moment and asked, "How about calling it the Kitazawa Festival?"
"As expected of Kitazawa-sensei!" Naruto said, looking longingly. "I want to have my own festival in the future too! I'll call it the Youth Festival!"
Sasuke and Neji exchanged glances, both seeing helplessness in the other's eyes.
"Kitazawa Festival is a bit strange," Kitazawa paused, then suggested, "How about calling it the Summer Festival?"
It was July now, which was summer.
"Alright then," Shion nodded and said.
"Alright, we'll return after participating in the celebration." Kitazawa was not in a hurry, and Wood Release needed time to gain fame.
Even if Kitsuchi and Baki traveled quickly, it would still take them a day to rush back to their respective Ninja Villages.
"That's great!" Naruto said excitedly.
A celebration was not only lively but also featured lots of food and games. For his age, it was very appealing.
Moreover, this celebration was specifically held for them, which would be a different experience.
"You can eat and drink for free at the celebration," Shion said with a smile.
Previously, she had been quite worried because of the Priestess's mandatory duty to seal Mōryō.
Now that Mōryō was completely dealt with, she returned to her true nature. After all, she was just an eight or nine-year-old girl.
Kitazawa glanced at her and thought of a question. Could he poach her into the Genius Class?
Although Shion looked like an ordinary little girl, she was actually a genius with great power. However, her power was sealed away.
In the original story, Miroku gave her a bell. The purpose of this bell was to suppress the Priestess Power within her body.
Based on her performance in the original story, Shion was almost another Yakumo, with astonishing potential.
But her identity was special; in the Land of Demons, the Priestess was equivalent to the Daimyo. However, he could look for an opportunity to ask her.
Kitazawa and the others returned to the Land of Demons.
As the news of Mōryō's defeat spread, the Land of Demons erupted in cheers. At Shion's command, the Land of Demons immediately became busy preparing for the celebration.
Kitazawa and the others couldn't stay for more than two days; the celebration was scheduled to start at nine o'clock the morning after next.
With only a day and a half to arrange a celebration, time was tight. However, Kitazawa and his group had some free time.
---
Time moved to the next day.
Konoha Village, Hokage Building.
The first person to receive the news was not Ōnoki or Rasa, but Tsunade. After Kitazawa sealed Mōryō, he immediately sent Uchiha Itachi back to Konoha Village.
"Hokage-sama." Itachi took out a scroll and said, "This is the mission report detailing how Kitazawa-sama led the team to seal Mōryō."
As a Ninja, he always adhered to the rules in everything he did. If it were Kitazawa, he would have been too lazy to write a mission report and would have just verbally recounted it to Tsunade.
Tsunade opened the scroll and began reading. Itachi had written it in great detail.
Although she hadn't witnessed it herself, she could roughly reconstruct the great battle between Kitazawa and Mōryō in her mind.
"Kitazawa did very well," Tsunade said with a beaming smile after finishing the report.
Itachi noticed her expression and secretly thought that she must have known long ago that Kitazawa had mastered Wood Release.
Because if she hadn't known beforehand, she wouldn't have been so calm.
"When will he return?" Tsunade closed the scroll and asked.
"Kitazawa-sama said he would return after attending the Land of Demons' celebration tomorrow," Itachi replied.
"Mhm." Tsunade nodded and added, "Have the Anbu notify everyone about this matter."
"Yes, Hokage-sama." Itachi's heart trembled slightly.
What would happen once the entire Konoha Village knew that Kitazawa had mastered Wood Release was naturally self-evident.
But regardless of the perspective, it was good news. For the residents and Ninja of Konoha Village, the reappearance of Wood Release would greatly boost morale.
As for the Uchiha Clan, the rebellious intentions of certain clan members would be completely suppressed. After all, this was Wood Release.
Uchiha Madara, the strongest person in the Uchiha Clan's history, had lost to Senju Hashirama's Wood Release. They wouldn't dare challenge Wood Release.
Uchiha Itachi bowed slightly and left the Hokage Office. He skillfully made his way to the Anbu Office.
"Itachi, is that you?" Asuma saw him and greeted him with a smile, "Long time no see."
Since Kitazawa was out on a mission, Asuma was temporarily in charge of the Anbu.
"Asuma-senpai." Itachi stepped forward and spoke.
"Does Hokage-sama have something for me?" Asuma asked proactively.
"Hokage-sama has ordered that this matter be announced to the entire village." Itachi handed him the scroll he was holding.
Asuma opened the scroll and glanced at it, instantly freezing. What did he just see?
Kitazawa defeated Mōryō, the demon of the Land of Demons, using Wood Release? Asuma subconsciously raised his head and looked at Itachi.
"It is true." Although he hadn't spoken, Itachi already guessed what he wanted to say.
"This… this is simply too hard to believe!" Asuma couldn't help but complain, "Kitazawa hid this really well; not a single person discovered he could use Wood Release!"
"Perhaps Kitazawa-sama hadn't encountered an enemy that required him to use Wood Release before," Itachi thought for a moment and said.
"Comparing yourself to others will just drive you crazy." Asuma sighed and said, "I will immediately have the Anbu spread the word."
"Thank you, Asuma-senpai." Itachi did not stay and turned to leave.
One reason was that he was no longer a member of the Anbu. The second reason was that he had one more thing to do.
Itachi arrived at the Konoha Military Police Force headquarters and met Uchiha Fugaku.
"I remember you and Kitazawa went to the Land of Demons. When did you return?" Uchiha Fugaku looked at him and asked.
"Just returned." Itachi replied, "I came to tell you something that will soon spread throughout Konoha."
"What is it?" Fugaku raised an eyebrow, vaguely sensing that it was a major event.
"Kitazawa-sama has mastered Wood Release," Itachi said slowly.
"???" Fugaku's eyes suddenly widened, his face full of question marks.
"I witnessed it myself," Itachi added.
"Why does Kitazawa have Wood Release? Is he a Ninja from the Senju Clan?" It took Uchiha Fugaku a long time to recover.
"I do not know." Itachi shook his head and replied.
"Hokage-sama revealing Kitazawa's Wood Release at this time must be to pave the way for him. It seems the next Hokage will definitely be Kitazawa."
Uchiha Fugaku said, feeling very fortunate, "It's a good thing our Uchiha Clan has maintained a good relationship with Kitazawa."
"Even if Kitazawa-sama didn't have Wood Release, it would be difficult for anyone to compete with him for the next Hokage position," Itachi said gravely.
"That may be true, but having Wood Release changes the significance entirely." Fugaku thought for a moment and said, "Some people in the clan need to settle down. From now on, we will fully support Kitazawa."
Has he finally made up his mind? Itachi couldn't help but feel relieved.
With Tsunade and Kitazawa present, the Uchiha Clan and Konoha Village would enjoy a long period of peace. His and Uchiha Shisui's wish was already halfway fulfilled.
While the father and son were talking, the news that Kitazawa had mastered Wood Release spread throughout Konoha Village at an unprecedented speed.
The atmosphere in Konoha Village was like the New Year, and many people were already celebrating.
After all, Wood Release not only carried special significance but also implied the presence of a powerhouse standing at the apex of the Ninja World.
Both the residents and the Ninja of Konoha Village felt that Konoha's future was bright.
---
Ninja Academy.
Although Kitazawa had taken leave, the Genius Class training continued as usual. Hiruzen, Kakashi, Kurenai, Chen, and Maruboshi Kosuke were, as always, instructing the students on the Training Ground.
Just then, a figure approached from a distance and landed before them. It was ANBU Ninja Haru.
"Haru, I haven't seen you in a while. Does Tsunade need me for something?" Hiruzen asked cheerfully upon seeing him.
"Hokage-sama has ordered me to inform everyone of something." Haru bowed slightly and said, "Kitazawa-sama has mastered Wood Release and has defeated Mōryō of the Land of Demons."
Hiruzen's expression changed drastically on the spot. Kosuke, Kakashi, and the others were equally stunned.
Only Kurenai remained unfazed. As someone who knew Kitazawa's background intimately, she had known for a long.
"This is what happened." Haru recounted the details of Kitazawa's battle with Mōryō.
"He actually mastered Wood Release?" After listening, Sarutobi Hiruzen immediately understood that Kitazawa's Wood Release was fundamentally different from Yamato's.
With Yamato's level of Wood Release, it would be utterly impossible to suppress a demon like Mōryō—whose power rivaled that of a Tailed Beast—with such ease.
Although Kitazawa's Wood Release still couldn't compare to Senju Hashirama's, its power was already terrifying.
Sarutobi Hiruzen stroked his beard. Just how had Kitazawa managed to master Wood Release?
He knew Kitazawa's background better than anyone—Kitazawa had no connection whatsoever to the Senju Clan.
"Kurenai." Kosuke asked, "Why didn't you and Kitazawa reveal even the slightest hint beforehand?"
"I was simply following Hokage-sama's orders," Kurenai replied with a smile.
"Announcing it beforehand would have easily attracted the attention of other Ninja Villages," Kakashi mused. "Now that Kitazawa has fully mastered it, revealing it at this moment will have the intended effect."
"No matter what, this is tremendous news!" Chen said excitedly.
"Indeed!" Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled, "Konoha Village will have no hidden worries from now on!"
Kosuke, Chen, and the others all nodded. They did not consider Hiruzen's judgment exaggerated. After all, the value of Wood Release needed no explanation.
---
Iwagakure — Land of Earth.
Because the Land of Earth bordered the Land of Demons, Kitsuchi arrived back at his Ninja Village earlier than Baki and Ao.
After sending his three teammates back to rest, he headed straight for the Tsuchikage Building.
Tsuchikage Office.
Kitsuchi subconsciously pushed the door open and walked in.
"Kitsuchi, what happened? Did the mission fail, and Mōryō escape?" Ōnoki asked, startled.
Kitsuchi was steady by nature and rarely lost composure. For him to rush in without knocking was extremely abnormal.
"The mission was successful." Kitsuchi took a deep breath, calmed himself, and said, "Mōryō has been sealed."
"Then why do you look like that?" Ōnoki asked, confused.
"Konoha's representative this time was Kitazawa." Kitsuchi said gravely, "Kitazawa used Wood Release during his battle with Mōryō."
"What did you say?"
Ōnoki instantly stood up—only to cry out the next second as pain shot through his back. He clutched his waist tightly, grimacing.
"Are you alright, Father?" Kitsuchi asked anxiously.
"I'm fine. It's just my old ailment," Ōnoki shook his head before asking again, "Are you certain he used Wood Release?"
"There is no need for confirmation." Kitsuchi sighed and explained everything that had happened.
Whether it was Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence or Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique, the scale alone was astonishing—and in the modern Ninja World, there was only one person known to possess such power.
Even if someone tried to imitate Wood Release, it would be impossible to replicate.
Ōnoki pressed his back and slowly sat down again, utterly stunned.
"The power of Kitazawa's Wood Release far surpasses ordinary Bloodline Limits… it may even rival Senju Hashirama's Wood Release," Kitsuchi said without thinking.
The impression Kitazawa's techniques left on him was simply too overwhelming.
"It doesn't rival it." Ōnoki shook his head. "You did not live through Senju Hashirama's era. His Wood Release was far more terrifying than Kitazawa's."
When Ōnoki was young, Senju Hashirama had still been alive. He and his teacher, Second Tsuchikage Mū, had once encountered Uchiha Madara—and were nearly killed.
And the "invincible" Uchiha Madara had been repeatedly overwhelmed by Senju Hashirama.
Judging from Kitsuchi's description, Kitazawa's Wood Release was indeed formidable, but it hadn't reached the level of sheer terror. At most, it was Kage level.
But even that alone was extremely troublesome. In Iwagakure, only Ōnoki and their two Jinchūriki could compete with such power.
"No wonder Senju Hashirama was called the God of Shinobi." Kitsuchi couldn't help but exclaim.
His impression of Hashirama had only been legend—stories of a man who used Wood Release to end the Warring States era.
But after witnessing Kitazawa's Wood Release, he finally gained a concrete sense of what that power represented.
If Wood Release of this scale was still only a fraction of Hashirama's strength… then Hashirama was truly beyond comprehension.
"Kitazawa being inferior to Hashirama is, in fact, a fortunate thing." Ōnoki sighed.
"That's true." Kitsuchi agreed.
If Kitazawa's Wood Release were on par with Hashirama's, the other Ninja Villages might as well surrender—just like in ancient times.
"Compared to Konoha Village, our Iwagakure is severely lacking new talent." Ōnoki rubbed his aching back. "If someone could inherit my Dust Release, I could finally retire in peace."
"I apologize." Kitsuchi said, embarrassed, "My talent is limited."
"It's not your fault. Dust Release is inherently difficult to master." Ōnoki shook his head. "For now, we can only see if Deidara or Kurotsuchi can inherit it."
"There is one more thing." Thinking of the four students Kitazawa had brought, Kitsuchi told about them.
"Why does Konoha Village always have so many geniuses?" After listening, Ōnoki felt a headache coming on.
He originally thought it was already quite good for Iwagakure to have produced two geniuses, but who could have imagined that Konoha Village had even more?
"We must call Deidara back and increase the intensity of training for the younger generation." Kitsuchi pondered for a moment and suggested, "Just like Konoha Village's Genius Class."
"Alright." Ōnoki exhaled and said, "We will also establish a Genius Class."
"Then what should we do about Kitazawa?" Kitsuchi brought the topic back.
"What can we do about him? With his strength, unless I personally go to Konoha Village, no one can kill him." Ōnoki paused, then added, "Let's wait and see for now. If Konoha Village starts a war, we'll ally with the other Ninja Villages."
---
Hidden Sand Village, Land of Wind.
Baki and the others arrived two or three hours after Kitsuchi.
This was because a small country—the Land of Bears—sat between the Land of Demons and the Land of Wind, unlike the Land of Earth, which bordered it directly.
As soon as he arrived at Hidden Sand Village, Baki headed straight to the Kazekage Office. He knocked, received permission, and entered.
"Kazekage-sama." Baki spoke immediately, "Kitazawa has mastered Wood Release!"
"Kitazawa? Wood Release?" Rasa instinctively felt suspicious and asked, "Are you joking? Isn't Kitazawa skilled in Water Release and Medical Ninjutsu?"
"I led a team to the Land of Demons for the mission to seal Mōryō." Baki spoke quickly and urgently, "Konoha Village sent Kitazawa, and he suppressed Mōryō using Wood Release Ninjutsu!"
"…Tell me everything in detail." Rasa froze for two seconds before recovering enough to speak.
Baki quickly recounted everything that had happened.
"His Wood Release is already no weaker than my Magnet Release," Rasa said in shock after listening.
His Magnet Release could suppress One-Tail Shukaku. And although Mōryō was not as strong as Shukaku, it was close.
"Kazekage-sama, what should we do?" Baki couldn't help but ask.
"Konoha Village has too many strong people; it would be extremely difficult for Hidden Sand Village to compete with them," Rasa said with a helpless expression.
As Kazekage, admitting inferiority to Konoha was humiliating—yet undeniably the truth.
Hearing this, Baki fell silent.
Konoha Village had Kitazawa, as well as Hiruzen, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade.
Meanwhile, Hidden Sand Village had only Rasa and two retired advisors, Chiyo and Ebizō. The gap in top-tier power was massive.
Even their younger generation lacked pillars. Among the entire village, only Gaara truly possessed Kage-level potential.
"The only path is to wait and see how things develop." Rasa sighed deeply.
Leaving aside top powerhouses, Hidden Sand Village lagged behind Konoha in overall strength as well.
Lacking funds, they were forced onto the so-called "elite path." Although it sounded impressive, it was actually miserable—limited resources were concentrated on a handful of Ninja, while the rest could barely survive.
"Kazekage-sama, we can emulate Konoha Village and establish a Genius Class." Like Kitsuchi, Baki reported the performances of Uchiha Sasuke and Naruto.
"Konoha Village is truly blessed by nature." Rasa was silent for two seconds before saying, "Then I leave the matter of the Genius Class to you."
"Yes, Kazekage-sama." Baki nodded.
---
Afternoon — Hidden Mist Village, Land of Water.
Ao rushed into the Mizukage Office without hesitation. Mei Terumī looked at him suspiciously.
"Kitazawa has mastered Wood Release!" Ao stated bluntly.
"What?" Terumī Mei cried out immediately.
Ao truthfully recounted everything that had happened in the Land of Demons.
"I thought his strength had already reached its peak; I didn't expect he was hiding Wood Release as well…" Mei sighed.
Although shocked, her reaction was calmer than Ōnoki's or Rasa's. After all, Hidden Mist Village had already lost to Konoha Village.
She had decided long ago: as long as Tsunade and Kitazawa lived, Hidden Mist Village would remain Konoha's ally.
Now that Kitazawa possessed Wood Release, it simply reaffirmed that her strategy was the correct one.
"In short, until our strength catches up, Hidden Mist Village must not provoke Konoha Village," Mei concluded.
Ao nodded helplessly.
---
The Ninja World was shaken by the reappearance of Wood Release, while Kitazawa and his students attended the celebration in the Land of Demons.
How should one describe it? It wasn't much different from a Konoha festival.
After walking around for an hour, Kitazawa allowed Sasuke and Naruto to roam freely. He headed to the Priestess Shrine and met Shion.
"Kitazawa-dono." Shion quickly stood up to greet him.
"Lady Priestess, what are you looking at? Why aren't you attending the celebration?" Kitazawa nodded and asked.
"This is the alliance treaty drafted between the Land of Demons and Konoha Village." Shion replied, "Once I confirm there are no issues, I will send a delegation to Konoha."
"Aren't you going?" Kitazawa countered.
"Me?" Shion looked stunned.
She was the Priestess of the Land of Demons—the equivalent of its Daimyō. Under normal circumstances, she could never leave the country.
"Now that Mōryō has been sealed, the Land of Demons is no longer in danger. Don't you want to go out and see the world?" Kitazawa asked with a smile.
"This… this…" Shion looked hesitant.
She had grown up inside the Priestess Shrine her entire life. Leaving the Land of Demons—let alone the shrine—was something she had never once experienced.
Hearing Kitazawa's words, she was instantly tempted.
"I'll discuss it with them!" Shion made up her mind and happily said, "If possible, I will go to Konoha Village to play for two days!"
"Konoha Village welcomes your arrival." Kitazawa did not directly state his true purpose.
"When the time comes, I definitely want to visit the Ninja Academy!"
Shion had witnessed the strength of Naruto and Sasuke firsthand, which made her very curious about the Ninja Academy.
"You won't be disappointed." Kitazawa smiled, feeling that his plan had already succeeded more than halfway.
Although Shion was the Priestess of the Land of Demons, she was still just a little girl. After experiencing the prosperity of Konoha Village and the atmosphere of its Ninja Academy, she definitely wouldn't want to leave.
At that point, if Kitazawa mentioned the Genius Class to her, it would likely be easy to finalize.
"I'm going to find Taruho and the others right now!" Shion ran out impatiently.
After watching her leave, Kitazawa left the Land of Demons Metropolis. He wasn't interested in the celebration, so he simply went out to practice Wood Release.
High-level Wood Release, such as Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence and Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique, were already sufficient for now.
So he planned to learn some Wood Release techniques suitable for daily use—for example, Wood Release: Wood Transformation Technique, Wood Release: Wood Clone Technique, and Wood Release: Multiple Wood Clone Technique.
Compared to the ordinary Transformation Technique, Clone Technique, and Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu, these Wood Release Ninjutsu would have far superior effects.
The next day, the celebration ended, and Kitazawa and his group began their return journey. Accompanying them was the delegation from the Land of Demons led by Shion.
Because the delegation consisted mostly of ordinary people, the return journey took twice as long. By the time they reached Konoha Village, it was already August.
In other words, this trip to the Land of Demons had taken about half a month in total.
[Current Mission: Let the Ninja World know the name of your Wood Release.]
[Mission Reward: Five Cards of Chakra.]
[The Host has completed the mission; the reward is being issued.]
Kitazawa felt the change in the Chakra within his body and nodded with satisfaction.
From now on, his normal Chakra capacity reached a staggering twenty cards. If he activated the Yang Release Chakra Mode, it could double.
In the entire Ninja World, aside from Uzumaki Clan members like Nagato, no one should be able to surpass him in Chakra capacity.
"So many people!" Shion looked around excitedly.
As one of the Five Great Villages, Konoha Village far surpassed the Land of Demons Metropolis in land area and population.
Although Shion was the Daimyō of a small country, coming to Konoha still filled her with awe and novelty.
"Kitazawa." Nara Shikaku approached to greet him.
Although the Land of Demons was a small country, the necessary formalities could not be overlooked.
Tsunade had appointed Nara Shikaku to be in charge of receiving the delegation and signing the alliance treaty.
"Shikaku-senpai." Kitazawa chuckled and said, "I guessed Teacher Tsunade would have you take charge of this matter."
"These are minor tasks." Nara Shikaku sighed. "Your Wood Release is the major event that has shaken the Ninja World recently."
"It's nothing worth mentioning," Kitazawa said modestly.
"…" Nara Shikaku's mouth twitched. If Wood Release was nothing worth mentioning, then what was?
"Let me introduce you." Kitazawa lightly coughed and said, "This is Shion, the Priestess of the Land of Demons."
"Priestess-sama, it is an honor to meet you." Nara Shikaku greeted her politely. "I am Nara Shikaku, a Hokage advisor, and I will be responsible for signing the alliance treaty with your Land of Demons."
"They traveled for about a week. Let them rest first—we can discuss matters tomorrow." Kitazawa reminded him.
"Priestess-sama, please follow me." Nara Shikaku nodded. "Konoha Village has already prepared accommodations for you."
"Thank you." After exchanging greetings with Kitazawa, Shion led Taruho and the others away with Nara Shikaku.
"The four of you have also worked hard. Go back and rest." Kitazawa said to Sasuke, Hinata, and the others.
"Yes, Kitazawa-sensei." The four responded and went home.
Kitazawa thought for a moment, decided not to see Tsunade yet, and instead went to a nearby Training Ground.
He took out his Demon Slaying Bow, preparing to test its power.
Kitazawa pulled the bowstring, and a Yin Release Arrow manifested out of thin air. He released the string—the arrow instantly pierced through a wooden stake on the Training Ground.
Kitazawa nodded slightly.
Even without applying Chakra, the Demon Slaying Bow performed slightly better than the Fate Breaking Bow and the Moon Chasing Bow.
This was due to the spirit sealed within the bow. If he were to rank them from strongest to weakest, it would be Mōryō, Satori, and Zero Tails.
As for Mōryō's abilities, he had already experienced them; they were somewhat similar to Satori's.
Kitazawa felt that Explosive Arrow would also be suitable for the Demon Slaying Bow.
Thinking this, he drew the bowstring again. Purplish-black Chakra surged forth, forming a special Yin Release Arrow.
Boom!
Upon striking the wooden stake, the Yin Release Arrow exploded. Nearby stakes shattered instantly, and an invisible mental shockwave spread outward.
Kitazawa did not resist and immediately felt a splitting headache.
He hurriedly raised his hand to his forehead. Light green Chakra flowed in, finally dispersing the discomfort.
--
--
Show your support with Power Stones, guys!
If we make it into the top 20 rankings at the week's end, I'll drop 2 bonus chapters as a thank-you!
P@atreon/Arvinstorm (40+ Advanced Chapters)