Uchiha Obito initially didn't care about the sudden appearance of Uchiha Kaede. However, the moment the chains were launched, a muffled explosion erupted beneath Kaede's feet.
Countless sparks of fire splashed in all directions!
His body transformed into a high-speed beast, chasing the sound of the wind. With a low roar, he charged toward his opponent, appearing before Obito in the blink of an eye.
Protected by Kamui, Obito naturally and harmoniously phased through the impact, meeting the challenge without flinching.
The air seemed to fill with afterimages; in a mere instant, Obito countered, seizing the initiative and closing in on Kaede. Just as a flame-wreathed punch passed through Obito's intangible face, the chains in Obito's hands lashed out.
The flames exploded, turning into a massive atmospheric vortex. Obito was shocked to find that the fire on Kaede's palms had transformed into an unseen silver radiance—one that actually made contact with his physical form.
The Absolute Zero Cold Flame was Shiraishi's secret weapon. In this world, the only person to have seen it in its entirety was the now-deceased Yamaji Mochun.
Obito, not having participated in the Land of Vegetables mission, was seeing this silver fire for the first time.
It possessed traits similar to Qingmu Shiraishi's Blue Flame and the Uchiha clan's Amaterasu, yet it carried the potent freezing power of Ice Style.
A combination of ice and fire?
Wary of this technique, Obito phased away to a different corner of the woods, shaking off the residual frost clinging to his cloak.
Facing this mysterious young powerhouse of the Uchiha, Obito's eyes were filled with caution. "You may call me Madara. It is merely a designation."
Still insisting he is Uchiha Madara?
Kaede frowned, but he made no further move. The two stood in a tense standoff within the dark forest. After a long silence, Kaede spoke slowly: "My name is Uchiha Kaede. I am the son of Uchiha Zhan."
Obito's mind quickly processed the introduction. So, this was the son of Uchiha Zhan—a man rumored to be in a precarious position within the clan.
As a member of the faction once close to the village leadership, Zhan had died on the Sand battlefield. He should have been buried with high honors, but Danzo's interference had led to a cold, dismissive attitude toward Kaede's family.
Such a stance had clearly embittered Kaede. Understanding the context, Obito's gaze held a trace of realization. "I see. You, too are filled with disappointment regarding the current Uchiha clan and Konoha."
"What I need most is to increase my own power," Kaede stated. "The Sharingan prowess that can control the Nine-Tails in this era fills me with curiosity and expectation."
Obito did not rush to respond. He was used to orchestrating the conflict between the Uchiha and Konoha with everything under his thumb, but Kaede's appearance had slightly disrupted his plans.
The mysterious freezing fire made him cautious, and since Kaede was the cousin of Uchiha Shisui, Obito dared not trust him easily.
"If you wish to delve deeper into the power of the Sharingan, I look forward to our meeting in a month."
Konoha had lost its Hokage; the village was bound to descend into chaos. The Uchiha, the high-ranking elders, and the other clans were about to be sucked into a massive whirlpool.
Furthermore, the injuries Obito sustained against Minato required time to heal. For now, he would retreat.
This interesting clansman... I will talk to him personally next time.
Kaede watched the masked man vanish. He found Obito's elusive abilities troublesome. As he sensed the masked man and the hidden sensory ninja leave, a sharp, piercing glint flashed in his eyes.
To think that a great ninja village like Konoha could be schemed against by such a "rat" hiding in the shadows—one who caused the deaths of Minato and Kushina, a couple even Shiraishi found formidable. The destructive potential of the Akatsuki was even greater than he had anticipated.
On the night of the Nine-Tails, sixteen holographic projections appeared within the Kazekage's office. These represented the Jonin stationed in various sectors, including Arakawa Arashi, Shikasa, and Morimoto Ryoji.
Facing his inner circle, the Kazekage's first sentence was a piece of news that would shake the entire world.
"Minato Namikaze is dead."
"Is the intelligence accurate?"
As the head of the Intelligence Department, Arashi hadn't even received word of an upheaval in Konoha. Had the Lord Kazekage mastered a channel for such critical first-hand information?
"Minato's wife was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Tonight, complications arose during childbirth. The Nine-Tails broke the seal and rampaged through the village."
After Shiraishi briefly explained the situation, the gathered Jonin felt their hearts skip a beat. The strongest of the nine beasts appearing in the heart of Konoha... one could imagine the desperation of the Leaf tonight.
"Take full control of the Land of Rivers," Shiraishi commanded. "Then move north and seize the Land of Artisans."
The Land of Artisans housed the Takumi Village. While the Four Celestial Symbols Men were skilled, they would be unable to resist a full-scale invasion by the Sand.
The massive warships currently stationed at the Land of Vegetables' port would soon arrive. Under Ryoji's lead, taking the country would be simple.
Meanwhile, the Land of Rivers Corps, led by Nagase Bizen, would sweep through the territory, officially annexing that fertile land.
"Perhaps we can annex the Land of Bears as well," someone suggested.
The Land of Bears was not weak, possessing the Hoshigakure (Hidden Star Village) and their "Peacock Method," which allowed chakra to take flight and form various attacks.
However, Arashi disagreed. "Annexing the Land of Bears would trigger a total backlash from Konoha. Even without a Hokage, a maddened Konoha is dangerous. Don't forget, the Rock and Cloud are also our enemies."
A "centipede dies but never falls"—though Konoha's morale was at its lowest, pushing too hard might lead to a triple-alliance against the Sand.
The Land of Bears was Konoha's greatest southeastern shield; losing it would leave the Leaf completely exposed.
"Control the Land of Artisans and the Land of Rivers first," Shiraishi finalized.
"Teacher," a student asked, "do we need to notify the Daimyo?"
Logically, the mobilization of troops required the authorization of the Daimyo of the Land of Wind. Shiraishi pondered for a moment. "As per the old rules: we deploy first, and have the Daimyo sign the supplementary agreement later."
"Will the Daimyo refuse to sign?"
"He won't," Shiraishi said, a slight smile playing on his lips. "The Daimyo is currently on his way to the Hidden Sand."
The Jonin couldn't help but chuckle. Not long ago, the Daimyo's seat of government had been struck by a "massive sandstorm" that leveled the area, leaving the once-prosperous desert city a ruin. Seizing the opportunity, the Sand had "invited" the Daimyo to relocate his administration to a brand-new palace built within the Hidden Sand Village.
The Daimyo had initially wanted to refuse, but Shiraishi's Jonin squads were very "efficient" and had already escorted him to the village.
By bringing the Daimyo into the Hidden Sand, Shiraishi was doing something no previous Kazekage had ever dared. But he didn't care.
The Daimyo's existence was merely a necessary foundation for the country's operation. Moreover, the Daimyo had been restless lately, contacting too many foreign powers. This was Shiraishi's definitive countermove.
"Aoki Shiraishi... how utterly audacious!"
At that very moment, within the walls of the Hidden Sand, the Daimyo of the Land of Wind ground his teeth as he spoke those words.
🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed. Claim early access on Patreon: Patreon.com/kazama677
🔓 You hold the keys to bonus chapters:💬 10 reviews ignite 1 bonus chapter🔷 60 Power Stones summon another
🔥 Your power determines how fast the tale unfolds.