[Hidden Cloud Village Prison]
Samui looked at the suddenly busy ninjas and asked,
"What happened?"
No one answered.
Everyone was busy working, who had time to answer a traitor's question?
If not for old ties, they would've already spat in her face.
"Ryosuke is here."
Killer B appeared in front of the cell, once again handing over a can of beer. But compared to his usual playful look, today there wasn't the slightest hint of a smile, his face was incomparably serious.
"He's less than sixty li away from the village, bringing the White Snake Sage's head."
"Big Brother has initiated war mobilization. War… is about to begin."
With every sentence Killer B spoke, Samui's mind buzzed once, until at the end, her thoughts were completely blank.
"Then… we… this…"
Logically speaking, Ryosuke alone, coming to Hidden Cloud's territory, they shouldn't possibly lose.
But in Killer B's heart, there was always a deep unease. So he came specially to see his big disciple in prison one last time, even if he really died, at least he would have seen the people he should see, and could go with peace of mind.
"Don't wear such a bitter face."
Killer B grinned wide, "A true man recognizes the will of his opponent in battle. Maybe while fighting Ryosuke, we'll end up becoming friends, you know."
He laughed.
The laughter grew more and more forced, until it returned to silence.
Killer B slapped his thigh, suddenly stood up, and in a strange rhythm said, "Yo! Face checked out yo, words done said yo, Killer B's steps gonna stride out yo gotta bring the oil!"
"How's my inspiration?"
Samui's eyes reddened, "Terrible."
Killer B laughed loudly once, then left the prison. He walked inside Hidden Cloud Village, where everywhere he went, ninjas were running back and forth.
The intel team had found the battlefield where Ryosuke fought the White Snake Sage.
This wasn't hard. The Ryuchi Cave was indeed mysterious, its location hidden, but after a quivering shift spanning hundreds of kilometres, with the land rolling like ocean waves, someone was bound to notice.
No matter who caused that upheaval, it was enough for Hidden Cloud to treat as a threat.
But no one felt fear.
Everyone was like a cog, thrown into this war machine called Hidden Cloud Village.
Killer B moved forward all the way until he reached the war formation. Fourth Raikage A had pulled up a chair, sitting at the very front. Less than five hundred meters ahead was a river.
According to intel, Ryosuke and Sasuke were sitting on a small boat, drifting downriver, expected to arrive in ten minutes.
"Big Brother."
Killer B leaned in and asked, "Are we really gonna fight?"
A's thick brows rose, and with a cold snort he said, "That depends on Ryosuke's attitude. If he feels remorse and decides to join Hidden Cloud, then of course there's no need to fight.
But if he treats Hidden Cloud as he did the Ryuchi Cave, then he can only leave his life here. Look..."
A pulled out a stack of photos and handed them to Killer B.
Killer B glanced over them. All were girls around eighteen or nineteen, with dark skin, broad builds, and especially full hips.
"I've already picked women out for Sasuke. First build relationships, then in a few years, we can start mass-producing… birthing Uchihas."
Killer B's mouth hung half-open. He wanted to ask, "Sasuke is only nine, isn't this too early?" But knowing his big brother's absolute, unquestioned personality, he could only sigh.
As the two spoke, suddenly, they heard crisp birdsong.
Following the sound, they saw at the horizon a small boat slowly drifting forward. Behind the boat trailed a massive pale snake head, its snake eyes staring dead ahead at Hidden Cloud's side.
Behind the snake head were fat fish. In the sky circled all kinds of birds. On the shore bounded little deer, tigers, squirrels.
A's gaze swept across the birds and beasts, finally resting on the figure sitting calmly on the boat, like a traveler leisurely sightseeing, sipping tea, enjoying the scenery. Ryosuke.
"That… is Ryosuke!"
Ahead lay Hidden Cloud Village, thousands of ninjas clad in armor and weapons, all in battle-ready state. Every single one was a killing expert. Gathered together, their killing intent shook the heavens.
But Ryosuke just came.
With no intent to hide.
Bringing the White Snake Sage's head from the Ryuchi Cave, bringing Sasuke, Hidden Cloud's target, he came openly, directly, to demand justice.
Killer B sighed lightly.
Though the two sides were enemies, this bearing…
'No wonder he could make Samui betray the village.'
Many people had this thought.
"Ryosuke."
A's voice was loud. "Why have you come to Hidden Cloud?"
Ryosuke held a teacup. His voice wasn't loud, yet carried in ripples so that thousands of ninjas could hear it clearly,
"I've come to Hidden Cloud to demand an explanation."
"An explanation?"
A scowled. "You stole our Hidden Cloud secrets, killed our Jinchuriki, and now you come here demanding an explanation? Or is it that…"
A suddenly stood, smashing his teacup to the ground. His eyes locked on Ryosuke, voice growing louder, "You think killing one stinking snake makes you invincible."
"You think our Hidden Cloud is full of trash, and so many people still can't kill you?!"
With A's smashed cup as signal, the Hidden Cloud ninjas moved.
Defense barriers.
Joint ninjutsu.
Every hidden village had these.
And many large-scale arrow and kunai launchers, pure war weapons, each wrapped in explosive tags, capable of massive bombardment.
Hidden Cloud bared its sharp fangs. All that military funding now turned into their confidence.
The ninjas of Hidden Cloud truly believed they were invincible.
Confidence, pride, and ridicule at Ryosuke daring to charge in alone…
All these complex emotions arose in their hearts, until...
Click!
Ryosuke set down his teacup.
He stood up, and from the "gap" of the boat drew out the Ruin Greatsword.
Hidden Cloud ninjas swallowed hard.
Their hearts felt as though a hand gripped them, slowly squeezing.
They didn't know why, but from the moment Ryosuke stood, pride, arrogance, mockery, all vanished, like a salary on payday against credit card bills.
This wasn't weakness.
Hidden Cloud was unlike other villages. It had no weak leaders. Its governance was open and pragmatic, no family, no background mattered, only ability. The strong rose, the weak fell.
From that environment, ninjas grew with various personalities, but beneath, all shared the same core, immense toughness.
Their fear now came from biological instinct.
Just like when humans see humanlike puppets and instinctively feel the uncanny valley.
Seeing Ryosuke drag the White Snake Sage's head, standing in battle posture, they instinctively felt the threat of death.
Ryosuke stood on the boat, his gaze sweeping across ninja after ninja frozen in fear, and he asked softly, "The cause and effect of this matter, none of you are fools. I imagine you know well enough how it all came to be."
"Now… who wants to step forward?"
Cold sweat drenched the backs of the ninjas.
Though only one man stood there, in this moment he pressed down the aura of thousands.
A sensed something wrong. Without hesitation, he gave the command, "Ninjutsu squad! Fire!"
"Yes!"
The ninjutsu squad charged with joint jutsu formed seals at once, eyes locked on Ryosuke on the boat.
The boat rocked gently.
Only Sasuke remained, boiling water for tea.
But Ryosuke was nowhere in sight.
Just then, Ryosuke's voice came from behind them.
"Since you're prepared."
"Then let's begin."
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