Chapter 146: The Five Kage Begin to Move
Cowhorn Peninsula.
Iwagakure encampment.
Inside a cave with glossy black rock formations, lit by over a dozen oil lamps, the makeshift Tsuchikage war office stretched about 100 square meters.
Floating mid-air, the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, held the letter from the Land of Earth's Daimyō in one hand while listening silently to the ANBU's intelligence report.
"In summary, the Daimyō is telling the truth. The Fire Daimyō really did send classified messages to the daimyō of the other four great nations. The contents should be roughly the same as what was sent to you."
"Understood. You may leave."
Ōnoki waved his hand, and the ANBU departed, leaving the cave in silence. He once again pulled out the Third Hokage's letter and reread it.
"Li Yao… he really has an immortality technique?"
Two days earlier, both the Third Hokage's letter and the Daimyō's had arrived together, hand-delivered by the Daimyō's own steward — a sign of how seriously the matter was being taken.
Ōnoki hadn't dared ignore them, though he was puzzled: why would the Hokage's letter be delivered under the Daimyō's name?
Only after reading the Daimyō's message did it all make sense.
He was being asked to join forces with the Kage of the other four great nations… to kill Li Yao.
Ōnoki felt instantly insulted.
Yes, he hated Li Yao.
Yes, he acknowledged that Li Yao, with his Wood Release, was terrifying.
But compared to Hashirama Senju, the God of Shinobi? Nowhere close.
The only reason he hadn't killed Li Yao already was because he couldn't confirm his location, and because he was still locked in a standoff with the Third Raikage. Otherwise, he alone would've been enough.
That was the confidence Dust Release — the only known Kekkei Tōta — gave him.
Li Yao's Wood Release couldn't possibly be stronger than his Dust Release.
Ōnoki had originally planned to reject the Daimyō's ludicrous request. But then he read further: that Li Yao possessed a technique capable of body possession and continuous reincarnation — a path to immortality.
That made him serious.
The Daimyō was terrified of Li Yao's ability to live forever by stealing bodies. He demanded the Five Kage work together to kill him — or else Iwagakure's status as a legitimate shinobi village within the Land of Earth might be revoked.
That kind of pressure couldn't be ignored.
Still skeptical, Ōnoki opened the Hokage's letter.
It was far more detailed.
It stated that Li Yao's current body belonged to a child named Mukura Yao, who had never left Konoha until age six. His activities before that were fully traceable.
At age six, he was discovered by the Third Hokage to be a possessor and was detained for half a year in the ANBU's secret chambers, interrogated about his reincarnation technique.
Then, Danzo held him in secret confinement for over five years.
His Wood Release came from Hashirama's cells implanted during captivity.
His Shadow Clone Technique was learned from his father.
Aside from that, all he knew were the basic academy jutsu.
Yet when he escaped Konoha, he suddenly unleashed black iron chains on par with Uzumaki Mito's Adamantine Sealing Chains.
Later, he revealed the actual Adamantine Sealing Chains.
Then came Black Lightning — a secret technique developed by the Third Raikage himself.
Then even Konoha's own secret Super Beast Imitating Drawing.
So tell me — if he were truly Mukura Yao, a kid who never left Konoha before age six and was imprisoned from then on, how could he possibly know secret techniques from Konoha, Uzushiogakure, and Kumogakure?
Unless… he could copy jutsu just by seeing them?
Impossible.
Everyone knew — only basic elemental jutsu could be copied like that. Secret techniques were an entirely different matter.
Techniques like Black Lightning, Super Beast Imitating Drawing, and Adamantine Chains were notoriously hard to learn.
Only two or three people per generation could master them.
The chakra nature manipulation required was so advanced that even with full manuals and training, most people still couldn't learn them — let alone by sight.
By now, Ōnoki had realized how terrifying Li Yao's continued existence really was.
Not just because he could reincarnate.
Immortality alone wasn't scary. A rat that lives forever is still just a rat.
But if Li Yao could reincarnate and retain — or even learn — all of his hosts' jutsu…
Or if his talent was so monstrous that he could master these techniques during each reincarnation…
That was frightening.
Black Lightning, for instance, was still exclusive to the Third Raikage. Others in Kumo had trained in it, but none had succeeded.
And yet Li Yao had.
Whether by reincarnation or talent, one thing was certain — with time, Li Yao would continue to accumulate more powerful techniques.
He had Black Lightning today. Tomorrow, he might possess a body with a Kekkei Genkai.
And if he ever accumulated four or five different Kekkei Genkai...
Then a new God of Shinobi would be born.
Now Ōnoki understood the Daimyō's urgency.
Let Li Yao keep going, and the entire world would be at risk — especially with his murderous personality.
Back when his daughter was taken in that town, many civilians died. That alone showed Li Yao had no respect for life.
A monster like that, alive, was a threat to all.
Ōnoki, though finally swayed, still sent someone to verify the Hokage's claims.
His ANBU confirmed: Konoha did have a boy named Mukura Yao who had been presumed dead at age six, killed by a spy.
From then on, the evidence lined up.
It was true.
"Heh..."
Ōnoki chuckled. "Never thought I'd live to see the day the Five Kage teamed up — and during a world war no less. How rare."
"Li Yao… to be the man who forces five Kage to join hands… not even Madara or Hashirama had that honor."
"So this time, you die. For what you did to my daughter, even without the alliance, I would've killed you myself."
A murderous glint filled Ōnoki's eyes.
He wrote back to the Daimyō, confirming his participation in the joint operation to kill Li Yao.
At the same time…
The Third Kazekage and the Third Mizukage also received the Hokage's letter and, upon confirming its truth, agreed to join the alliance.
But both demanded a share of Li Yao's body and cells afterward.
The Third Raikage had made the same request. He was actually the first to agree — as the one who best understood how dangerous Li Yao really was.
Unlike the others, the Raikage didn't fear Li Yao's reincarnation technique.
He feared something else entirely — that Li Yao truly could copy jutsu by seeing them.
That was what pushed him to support the alliance.
Three days later.
With all four responses received, the Third Hokage finalized the plan for ambushing Li Yao in the Land of Whirlpools.
At that time, Li Yao was still en route and hadn't reached his destination.
Lacking a map, he could only follow Kushi 's path step by step, flying slowly to accommodate her and her daughter's health.
Meanwhile, the Five Kage each began moving with their personal guards, heading for the Land of Whirlpools.
Along the way, Dan Kato continuously fed them Li Yao's location in real time.
Li Yao, aware that a major battle was approaching, had no idea just how major it truly was.
The Five Kage joining forces — something not seen until the Fourth Great Ninja War — was happening early.
And the target… was him.
If he had known, he'd have fled long ago.
One Kage? Fine.
Two? Still manageable.
But three? That was pushing his limits.
Five — with Ōnoki among them?
There was no chance.
He wasn't Edo Tensei Madara with infinite chakra.
Against the Five Kage…
Li Yao was walking into death.
(END CHAPTER)
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