"Mazō, Hikō, Ōishi, Suma-shi."
At Rōshi's command, a line of Iwagakure shinobi dropped to one knee behind him.
"You're young, but each of you is already among the elite of the Chūnin," Rōshi said gravely.
"I recalled you from the front lines because you're about to undertake a mission that will determine the future of Iwagakure."
All four lowered their heads. They could already sense the gravity of what was coming.
"This is a mandatory mission.
No disclosure.
No questions.
No failure."
Rōshi handed a scroll to Mazō.
"You're the squad leader. Read the contents—then burn it immediately."
"Yes, sir."
Mazō accepted the scroll and withdrew with the others. Rōshi then called out again:
"Tōshinin, Fumiga, Ippan, Kari, Hán."
Another five Iwa shinobi knelt.
"Prepare yourselves. Before long, you'll accompany me to intercept the Third Raikage and the Kumogakure forces."
"I'll allow you to withdraw now—while I still haven't changed my mind."
"…."
The group remained silent.
"Lord Tsuchikage," one of them finally said, "we are not afraid to die."
Rōshi nodded. "Good. The operation will begin within the week. Be ready."
"Yes!"
Once everyone had left, the Tsuchikage's aide spoke anxiously:
"My lord, facing the Raikage is too dangerous. And your injuries haven't fully healed yet. Shouldn't someone else—"
"No need," Rōshi interrupted, shaking his head.
"The recovery ability of a jinchūriki is beyond your expectations. With medical ninjutsu, my injuries are already insignificant."
"And the enemy is the Raikage—the leader of an entire village. I must be there."
"Our morale is at its lowest point in history. If I don't go, they'll break before the battle even begins. Desertion would be rampant."
"Do you remember how that man and the Ame ninja left Iwagakure?"
"Thousands of Iwa shinobi stood outside the village—yet not one dared to attack."
"He advanced one step forward, and we retreated one step back… until we were forced to clear a path for them."
The aide lowered his head.
That bleak, broken reality was exactly what Iwagakure had become.
"We need a victory," Rōshi said quietly. "Do you understand?"
"And if I don't go, why would the Third Raikage take the bait? He may be reckless—but he's not stupid."
"Using myself as the lure is the safest option."
"But the Raikage's strength…" the aide hesitated.
"That's not something you need to worry about," Rōshi replied calmly.
"I already have a plan."
"After this, the village will be in your hands. And the political administrators—how's the recruitment going?"
"I've found some suitable candidates. Others are already being trained."
"Good. I'll leave everything to you."
Soon after, the aide left the building.
Rōshi remained alone.
He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.
His consciousness sank into another space.
---
A towering stone wall loomed ahead.
A massive crimson ape—the Four-Tails, Son Gokū—was bound tightly by iron chains.
"You didn't come here just to chat, did you?" Son Gokū growled.
"Humans… I love that look you get when you beg for power.
Go on—show me that pathetic gaze."
"If you satisfy my mood, I might lend you my power."
"Hahaha!"
Despite the mockery, Rōshi's expression never changed.
"I do need your power," he said calmly. "But this time, I'm not begging."
"…Oh?"
"There's a battle I absolutely cannot lose."
"If you help me, then when I step down as Tsuchikage, I'll release you."
"As long as you don't harm the Land of Earth, I swear that Iwagakure will never hunt you again."
"Your freedom will never be interfered with by us."
For the first time, Son Gokū looked at Rōshi seriously.
Something about him had changed.
"You do realize," Son Gokū said slowly, "that once a Tailed Beast leaves its jinchūriki, the host dies."
"Of course," Rōshi replied.
"At most thirty years. I'll step down by then."
"I swear this in the name of the Fourth Tsuchikage."
...
Son Gokū fell silent.
"…Another one of those meaningless human bonds?"
Rōshi shook his head.
"It's something I'll protect—even if it costs me my life."
"…Interesting."
---
Elsewhere — Takigakure's Front Line...
Kunai flew through the air as the Takigakure forces surged forward.
Their commanding jōnin wore an expression of wild excitement.
"Move in! Surround him!"
"To think we'd encounter our village's S-rank traitor here—and he's badly wounded!"
"Heh. Enjoy it while you can," Kakuzu muttered, blood dripping from his mouth as he glanced at the explosive tag in his hand.
He remembered Hanzo's words.
[I sealed my forbidden jutsu into that tag.]
[Once you release it, you'll have thirty seconds to escape.]
[Move fast. Even the weakened version isn't weak.]
[I warned you—don't blame me if you get blown apart.]
—
Even Kakuzu's hand had trembled when he took it.
His instincts screamed that once it detonated, even a hundred lives wouldn't save him.
"Damn it… Hanzo dumped all the dirty work on me."
"Kill the traitor!"
The shouting snapped him back.
Suppressing his injuries, Kakuzu unleashed a Wind Style that sliced an attacker into eight pieces.
"Traitor… huh."
So those old fools really buried everything.
A black tendril lashed out, binding another Taki shinobi and dragging him close.
"I'll ask once. Answer well, and I might grant mercy."
"Spit!" the man snarled.
"You thief who stole our village's treasures!"
"You slaughtered half the elders, looted our wealth, then fled!"
"And after that—you even tried to assassinate the First Hokage!"
"You nearly destroyed Takigakure!"
"Scum like you will never get answers from me!"
Rip.
The tendril crushed him into pulp.
Kakuzu had already gotten all the answers he needed.
"Looted our wealth."
"Assassinated the Hokage after leaving."
"Betrayed the village's interests."
"Heh… hahahaha!"
He laughed maniacally on the battlefield.
"I've changed my mind."
Black tendrils erupted from his body as he straightened, all four masks attaching themselves.
"A village like this… I'll wipe it out myself."
"Using a forbidden jutsu on trash like you would be an insult."
To Kakuzu, every Takigakure shinobi present was worth less than a single forbidden jutsu.
Hanzo's technique could sell for billions.
These soldiers? Worthless filth.
"Two thousand men? I can handle that."
"As long as Hanzo gets results."
Black tendrils stabbed into the corpses, draining chakra nonstop.
Kakuzu's chakra surged explosively.
This was Earth Grudge Fear's true nature.
His body no longer needed food—only chakra.
As long as there was chakra, he could fight endlessly.
Every Takigakure shinobi here was nothing more than fuel.
"Barrier Ninjutsu: Black Tendril Forest."
The tendrils pierced the ground, then erupted upward like massive trees, trapping the entire army.
The Takigakure commander finally realized the trap—but it was too late.
"This'll take some time," Kakuzu said coldly.
"I'm going to strangle every last one of you."
Five mouths opened at once.
Five elemental natures merged into a single beam.
"Earth Grudge Fear: Final Shot."
Screams and slaughter echoed inside the barrier.
---
From a distant ridge, Hanzo watched.
"This isn't how I planned it… but the outcome's the same."
"At least this completely clears Amegakure of suspicion."
"Assuming anyone survives to report it."
"Not that it matters."
He turned towards the Ame Village.
The Ame forces had already departed three days earlier.
He needed to catch up.
Because after the war…
Something far more important awaited.
------------------------------///
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