Chapter 148: Unified Resolve
"Lord Hokage, Li Yao has entered the inheritance site."
Dan Kato's spirit returned to his body. As soon as he woke up, he reported Li Yao's status to Hiruzen, who immediately pulled out a map of the Land of Whirlpools and asked, "Where?"
Dan pointed to a small dot not far from Uzushiogakure on the map. "Here."
Hiruzen drew an X over it, then handed the map to Inuzuka Akira to show the other Kage.
"There was actually an inheritance site there. The Uzumaki Clan is truly sly — no wonder we didn't find any worthwhile sealing techniques last time."
"After we kill Li Yao, we mustn't overlook the sealing techniques in that site."
The Third Raikage exchanged a glance with the Third Tsuchikage — a silent understanding passed between them.
The Third Kazekage and Mizukage also took interest in the Uzumaki inheritance site.
"Gentlemen, Li Yao should stay there for a while. We'll set up our ambush centered around that location. Get as close to him as possible, trap him with a barrier, and then surround and kill him."
"A barrier technique? What barrier?"
The moment Hiruzen finished speaking, Ōnoki frowned. The other three Kage also glared at him with suspicion.
They came here to kill Li Yao, not to be trapped by Konoha.
If the Yuzu nin used a powerful barrier to trap them too, then this "Five Kage Alliance" would become a joke — and they'd be the fools who agreed to it.
"Relax. The Four Red Yang Formation barrier will be activated using four sealing scrolls created by Lady Mito. Four people must go to specific points to activate them," Hiruzen explained with a smile. "Those four can be chosen from each of your villages. Konoha won't participate. Your people can cancel the barrier anytime."
To prove his sincerity, Hiruzen was willing to let the other four villages control the formation.
"You serious?" The Third Raikage's eyes lit up. He could hardly believe Hiruzen would be so generous.
The Four Red Yang Formation was legendary in the Warring States Era, famous for its incredible defense — it had once even withstood the Nine Tails' Tailed Beast Bomb.
For Hiruzen to offer this so freely — even just one scroll — showed immense trust. The knowledge within alone was worth coveting.
"You're actually giving it up?" Ōnoki stared at him, astonished. The Hiruzen he remembered was never so "kind."
Hiruzen simply smiled. "To kill Li Yao, it's worth it."
Besides, the scrolls were single-use. Once activated, the barrier would destroy them. There was no way to reverse-engineer the formation from the scrolls.
Then the Third Kazekage spoke up, "Aren't you worried we might turn on you afterward?"
After all, the barrier would be under the other Kage's control. Killing Li Yao… and then turning on Hiruzen didn't sound far-fetched.
His words clearly stirred thoughts. The Raikage and others exchanged brief glances — clearly tempted.
Konoha was still considered the strongest of the Five Great Nations. If they could kill the Hokage here...
It would be an opportunity too good to pass up.
Hiruzen saw their silence and smirked slightly. "The Four Red Yang Formation only lasts ten minutes. After that, it'll automatically dissipate."
"In other words…" His gaze swept across the Kage, his expression solemn. "We only have ten minutes. If we can't kill Li Yao in that time, you all know what kind of monster we'll be facing next."
The Kage grew grim. The consequences of failure weighed heavily.
What kind of monster?
One that even the Five Kage couldn't kill in ten minutes.
Judging by Dan Kato's intel — and reports from ANBU who had seen the carnage along the Grass-Waterfall border — Li Yao wasn't human.
If they failed, and left such a bloodthirsty immortal on the loose...
Countless innocents across the Five Great Nations would fall.
"Li Yao must die!"
The Five Kage looked at each other. In that moment, their resolve became unified.
No matter what, everything else could wait. The priority now was to kill Li Yao.
"Let's move. We don't have time," Hiruzen said, pulling out the four sealing scrolls. "We don't know how long he'll stay put. If he moves, it'll be much harder to trap him."
A flying target like Li Yao — with massive chakra perception — would be almost impossible to ensnare once he started moving.
The four Kage nodded and each ordered one of their guards forward.
The Wind, Lightning, Water, and Earth villages each sent a shinobi to collect one scroll from Hiruzen.
Hiruzen marked four Xs on the map. He told them, "Li Yao's chakra perception range is about six kilometers. Reach these spots first. Dan will fire a signal flare above the inheritance site. When you see it, move in as quickly as possible. Shrink the barrier range and trap him in a tighter space."
"Understood?" he asked the four.
"Understood," they replied in unison.
Hiruzen rolled up the map. "Then go. Dan will guide you with markers."
The four set off toward their assigned locations.
Dan once again projected his spirit to mark the four coordinates for them.
Meanwhile, the Kage continued moving toward Li Yao's location in the Land of Whirlpools.
…
After passing through a long corridor, Li Yao and the others arrived at the Uzumaki Clan's legacy chamber.
Calling it a "sealed room" was a stretch — there wasn't even a door. Li Yao could see scrolls of all sizes hanging on the walls.
He didn't step in.
Using his chakra perception, he detected a faint golden barrier chakra enveloping the room — blocking all five walls.
Without his sensory skills, anyone else wouldn't even notice it and would likely charge straight in.
And that would result in one of two outcomes:
Either they'd be blocked.
Or they'd trigger a trap that destroyed them and the scrolls together.
Li Yao turned to Kushi , waiting for her to act.
He guessed only someone with the right "key" could deactivate the barrier and retrieve the sealing techniques inside safely.
But Kushi didn't notice his look. She and Yuzu simply walked through the barrier — as if it weren't there at all.
"…"
Li Yao fell silent.
The barrier was definitely there. He had sensed it.
Yet Kushi and her daughter passed through it easily, without triggering anything. Judging by their expressions, they didn't even sense it.
"Damn it."
Li Yao muttered to himself. He now realized the barrier must be capable of recognizing Uzumaki clan members.
If that was true…
"Come on in, Uncle!" Yuzu called out cheerfully from inside the chamber.
"Lord Li Yao—"
Kushi turned and was about to call out to him — then hesitated. Her expression shifted briefly but quickly returned to calm. She looked at him with hope and even a bit of pleading in her eyes.
"...Guess I'll try."
Li Yao made up his mind. If it didn't work, he'd just go find more Uzumaki survivors. After all, Kushi and Yuzu weren't Karin and her mother. There were still other options.
(END CHAPTER)
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