Chapter 145: Destination, Land of Whirlpools
The Land of Whirlpools had been destroyed in a single night.
But even before that, the clan's leadership had sensed something was wrong and had taken some precautions.
Kushi 's family had been sent out on a mission beforehand and thus avoided the massacre.
The location of the inheritance site, along with the seal needed to enter it, had been given to them — just in case the Uzumaki Clan ever faced catastrophe and needed a path to rise again.
In hindsight, the clan elders had shown foresight — they just hadn't expected the enemy to be so powerful. The Land of Whirlpools had been eradicated in one night, and all who didn't escape perished.
Thankfully, now they had Lord Li Yao. Kushi had placed all her hopes, and her daughter's future, in him.
"Inheritance site!"
Li Yao's eyes lit up. For him, a site filled with preserved knowledge was perfect — even better than being taught by someone directly. After all, memory fades, but records in books and scrolls endure with clarity and depth.
"Where is it? That site?" he asked eagerly.
"In the Land of Whirlpools," Kushi replied.
"Alright, then let's head there," Li Yao said with a smile.
But before they went, he needed to refill the massive sealing scroll with more chakra.
Li Yao hadn't forgotten that faint chakra silhouette he'd sensed earlier.
There was a big fight waiting for him in the future. He had to stock up chakra now — opportunities like this wouldn't come often.
Soon.
The black iron eagle soared toward the Grass frontline, five kilometers from the border with the Land of Waterfall. Along this line, Grass's outposts dotted the terrain like chess pieces.
Each outpost held anywhere from dozens to hundreds of shinobi.
This was the real front — the rear base only handled logistics and treating the wounded.
Nearly 80% of Grass's shinobi were gathered here. It was an all-in defense.
To Li Yao, these shinobi were just chakra-rich fruit waiting to be harvested.
He began from the outer edge, deploying shadow clones to each outpost below.
"Enemy—!"
"Enem—!"
"Water Style—!"
"Earth—!"
Wherever his clones went, the Grass shinobi didn't even have time to react — they dropped like wheat beneath a scythe. No resistance. No mercy.
Such was the terror of powerful genjutsu.
If you could resist — you lived.
If not — you died.
And not everyone was a Third Raikage who could develop something like Black Lightning to counter illusions.
These Grass ninja didn't stand a chance.
They were frozen in place, waiting for Li Yao's main body to come and extract their chakra.
Clink clink...!
From the sky, atop the black iron eagle, Li Yao unfurled the massive scroll, removed the seal, and directed countless Adamantine Chains to pierce the immobilized Grass ninja below and drain their chakra.
Once done, he didn't hesitate. The skull-popping technique was executed again.
Standing behind him, Kushi and Yuzu watched the blood mist rise into the air and smelled the heavy iron scent — but their eyes held only cold indifference.
The destruction of their homeland and the torment inflicted by Grass over the past year had shown them the world's deep malice toward the Uzumaki.
To survive, they had to kill anyone who wanted them dead.
Li Yao's massacre earned only silent approval from them — not discomfort, not disapproval.
His path was carved in blood.
After Grass came Waterfall.
In a world of extraordinary power, there was no "plot armor." Strength crushed weakness without exception.
Tales of underdogs reversing fate with sheer will were fantasy. In reality — at least in Li Yao's world — such things didn't happen.
His specialized Perception Severance Technique, derived from the Uchiha-slaying Genjutsu: Darkness Technique, left not a single Grass or Waterfall ninja capable of resistance.
Add to that the insane speed of his shadow clones...
Two hours later.
Without any surprises, all shinobi stationed along the Grass-Waterfall border were drained of chakra and killed with a clean headshot.
From above, the blood mist looked like a deep cut across the land — a wound from which the earth itself bled.
Watching it all unfold, Dan Kato — still observing from afar — nearly lost his composure more than once.
So much killing.
Li Yao killed without a shred of humanity. He didn't treat people like people — they were weeds to be cut, obstacles to be crushed.
No matter how strong a ninja's will, it was hard to match such cold-blooded slaughter.
Someone like Li Yao didn't deserve to be called human.
He was a demon — and demons belonged in hell.
"He must be killed as soon as possible."
Returning to his body 100 kilometers away, Dan Kato relayed everything Li Yao had done along the border. Biwako, upon hearing it, spoke heavily, "And the mother and daughter with him — they're from the Uzumaki Clan?"
She frowned.
Dan Kato nodded, heart heavy.
He had witnessed all the suffering they endured in Grass's rear base.
Yet, as a Konoha shinobi — a village allied with the Uzumaki for generations — he had done nothing.
It was Li Yao, the merciless killer, who saved them.
Even if there were details he didn't know, the fact remained: he had stood by and watched.
That shook the very foundation of Dan Kato's beliefs as a loyal follower of the Hokage.
Which was more important — the mission or saving comrades?
This time, he had chosen the mission.
But in his heart, he knew he wanted to save them.
If it had been Biwako or Inuzuka Akira in danger, would he abandon them too?
Dan Kato fell into deep thought.
Then Biwako's voice snapped him out of it.
"We don't report the mother and daughter to Konoha — I'll handle it with the Hokage."
"Understood," Inuzuka Akira replied instantly.
Dan hesitated, surprised at Biwako's stance, but under her stern gaze, he could only nod bitterly.
"Got it."
He understood her concern.
Right now, they needed Uzumaki Mito in Konoha — stable and cooperative.
If she found out there were survivors from her clan beside Li Yao, no one could predict how she might react.
This was vital intel — proof that Uzumaki descendants still lived after their homeland's fall.
It was too risky. Biwako couldn't bet on Mito's reaction.
Dan understood. But it didn't sit right with him.
Still — Li Yao's threat was undeniable. Their kill operation couldn't afford any complications.
Everything could be sorted out after Li Yao was dead.
Dan steadied his resolve.
The three of them continued tracking Li Yao from 100 kilometers away. Occasionally, Dan would use Spirit Transformation to monitor him up close and gather intelligence.
In Konoha.
The Third Hokage received Biwako's message and confirmed that Li Yao's next destination was an inheritance site in the Land of Whirlpools.
"The Land of Whirlpools, huh? A fitting place to bury him."
His eyes flickered. Once Li Yao found that site, the Five Kage Kill Plan would begin.
As for the mother and daughter with him… they didn't exist.
A cold glint flashed in his eyes.
Whether Li Yao saved them for personal reasons or not, if Mito learned that survivors of her clan were traveling with him, she might begin to hope — even knowing Li Yao had the power to possess and reincarnate.
That possibility could not be allowed.
Li Yao had to die this time.
That evening, the Third Hokage left the Senju compound with four scrolls, each created by Uzumaki Mito at great chakra cost.
If opened simultaneously, they could form the Four Red Yang Formation — a sealing barrier requiring four Kage to activate.
It would only last ten minutes.
But that would be enough. If five Kage couldn't kill Li Yao in ten minutes, then more time wouldn't help.
"Everything is ready. Now we wait for the other four Kage to respond."
On his way home, the Third Hokage looked to the sky, uneasy.
Even with the Daimyō's backing, no one had ever seen all Five Kage cooperate.
Until the confirmations came in, there were no guarantees.
(END CHAPTER)
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