The Divine Tree's consciousness seemed to be perceiving itself.
It answered only after a moment:
"Still not enough, the fruit... needs more nutrients."
"The bit of life energy in my body... is too little, it is not yet mature."
"How much more is needed?"
"A lot, more of... the same aura as me, or many, many lives."
The Divine Tree's consciousness paused, as if thinking about how to express it.
"Those small things below are also fine, but a great, great deal is needed."
Gento understood its meaning.
Sacrificing an Otsutsuki bloodline like Toneri's had allowed the Divine Tree to complete a qualitative change, but the quantitative change was still insufficient.
Clearly, compared to a pure-blooded Otsutsuki, Toneri's Otsutsuki bloodline still had a very large gap.
The Divine Tree Fruit required an immense amount of life energy to condense.
It either required sacrificing another pure-blooded Otsutsuki, or filling the void with a sea of ordinary lives.
"I see."
Gento said to the Divine Tree's consciousness.
"Digest these things first."
Saying that, Gento opened the Yomotsu space.
Inside lay both Moryo and Yomi, whom he had captured in the Land of Ogres.
There were also the descendants of Hamura's clan who had just been knocked unconscious on the moon.
Those unconscious clansmen of Hamura were spat out from the space, landing on the ground covered by the Divine Tree's roots.
The roots of the Divine Tree surged up frantically, wrapping around those bodies layer upon layer, enveloping them into pale cocoons.
Moryo was still struggling when released from the Yomotsu space, black mist churning as it attempted to escape.
A thick root of the Divine Tree directly pierced its core, and Moryo let out a miserable shriek, subsequent to which its entire body was absorbed by the root, transforming into a clump of energy that flowed into the trunk.
Yomi had even less of an ability to resist, swallowed up by a sweep of the Divine Tree's roots and silenced instantly.
Half a day later, the Divine Tree had finished absorbing all the nutrients spat out from the Yomotsu space.
"It is still far from enough."
The Divine Tree's conscious voice carried a hint of dissatisfaction.
Gento nodded.
"Continue to grow. As for the nutrients, I will find a way."
"Okay."
The Divine Tree's conscious voice carried a hint of anticipation.
"I will... wait for you."
The Divine Tree restored its tranquility once more.
Gento turned around, looking at Mirai who was still hiding behind him, and smiled.
"Let us go. It is time to return and whip up a bloodbath."
Getting him to sacrifice another Otsutsuki was something he could not do right now.
But as for sacrificing a massive amount of lives, he had more than enough confidence.
...
Not many days after Gento returned to the Hidden Gento Village, news that shocked the entire shinobi world swept through.
Without any warning, the shinobi of the Hidden Cloud Village formed an army and launched a fierce offensive against their neighboring country, Crescent Island.
Crescent Island was merely a small country sandwiched between the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Lightning, lacking both national strength and military power.
Facing the Hidden Cloud's sudden assault, they had almost no power to fight back.
Within a mere three days, Crescent Island's border defense lines collapsed entirely, and the Hidden Cloud shinobi drove straight in, pressing directly toward Crescent Island's Feudal Lord Mansion.
The high-ranking officials of Crescent Island were nearly massacred to completion by the Hidden Cloud Village's shinobi.
The Feudal Lord was personally killed by the Raikage during his flight, and several princes and princesses failed to escape the same fate.
Only a few members of the royal family traveling abroad fortunately survived, but they dared not return to their country.
When the news reached the Land of Hot Water, the merchants were filled with panic and anxiety, worrying that the war would spill over into the Land of Hot Water.
The commoners fell into a flurry of discussion, accusing the Hidden Cloud Village of wanton invasion.
As Gento listened to Mabui's report, a faint smile curled at the corners of his lips.
"The time has come."
He stood up and threw on his outer robe.
Immediately following that, the Land of Hot Water rapidly dispatched troops under the pretext of "maintaining regional stability."
Gento personally led the team, and the elites of the Uchiha clan turned out in full force.
With Shisui and Itachi on his left and right, their Susanoo manifested on the border.
The green giant and the red giant stood side by side, scaring the Hidden Cloud's vanguard troops into a panicked retreat.
Gento "fought fiercely" with the Raikage for three days and three nights, battling until the sky turned dark and the earth grew dim.
In the end, in the early hours of the fourth day, the Hidden Cloud army withdrew "in defeat," leaving behind a large amount of supplies and baggage, as well as a small number of rear-guard prisoners.
Crescent Island's territory was liberated, but it was riddled with scars, and the people's minds were plagued with panic.
Flying the flag of humanitarian aid, Gento personally led the Anbu to station themselves on Crescent Island, stating that "to protect the safety of Crescent Island's citizens," the Hidden Gento Village would temporarily station shinobi on Crescent Island.
They repaired roads, distributed food, treated the wounded, and maintained order.
The commoners of Crescent Island gradually went from their initial wariness to trust.
A month later, after confirming that the Hidden Cloud Village would not double back, Gento prepared to withdraw the stationed forces from Crescent Island "according to the agreement."
However, something that caught everyone totally off guard occurred.
The remaining nobles of Crescent Island blocked the entrance to Gento's temporary quarters, tears streaming down their old faces as they knelt and begged the shinobi of the Hidden Gento Village to stay.
The populace also surged onto the streets, crying and shouting, "Don't leave!"
A white-haired old noble clutched Gento's hand and choked with emotion:
"Now that Gento is here, Crescent Island has peace!"
"Gento! If you leave, what will we do if the Hidden Cloud comes again?"
"Crescent Island no longer has an army. We beg you, do not abandon us!"
Gento showed a troubled expression:
"This... Crescent Island is an independent country. Having the army of the Land of Hot Water stationed here for the long term is, I'm afraid, inappropriate."
"It is appropriate! It is appropriate!"
Another noble said in a hurry.
"We are willing to revere Gento as Crescent Island's new Feudal Lord! Please, you must stay!"
Gento waved his hands repeatedly:
"No, no, I already hold the position of Feudal Lord of the Land of Hot Water, how could I concurrently hold the post of another country..."
After a round of "declining" and "gentle refusals," Gento ultimately agreed to the pleas of Crescent Island's nobles and commoners with "no other choice."
The Land of Hot Water and Crescent Island merged, with Crescent Island becoming a territory of the Land of Hot Water.
A "Crescent Prefecture" was established on the former territory of Crescent Island, under Gento's direct jurisdiction.
Crescent Island's nobles were granted noble titles of the Land of Hot Water, enjoying equal treatment, and the commoners' taxes were reduced to half of what they were in the past.
As the news spread, the shinobi world fell into a clamor of discussion.
Some said that the Hidden Gento Village was benevolent, dispatching troops to aid a neighboring country, and even being tearfully begged by the commoners to stay, which was the will of the people.
Others asserted that there must be a conspiracy in this, claiming that Gento Uchiha possessed wild ambitions and that the tragedy on Crescent Island was likely directed and acted out by himself.
However, the vast majority of discussions were condemnations targeting the Hidden Cloud Village's sudden military action against Crescent Island.
"Is the Raikage mad? Attacking a small nation for no reason at all?"
"Isn't this an obvious invasion? The Hidden Cloud Village is far too arrogant!"
The Feudal Lord of the Land of Lightning was also furious.
For a military action of such scale, the Raikage actually had not notified him beforehand!
Even after the war ended, the Raikage had not reported the situation to him, the Feudal Lord!
Sitting in the luxurious study of the Feudal Lord Mansion, he smashed the tea bowl in his hand to pieces.
"Idiot! That reckless brute of a Raikage, does he even respect me as the Feudal Lord!"
He immediately issued an imperial decree, ordering messengers to rush to the Hidden Cloud Village post-haste.
He wanted the Raikage to immediately come to the Feudal Lord Mansion to plead guilty; otherwise, he would cut off the Hidden Cloud Village's financial funding!
The Feudal Lord of the Land of Lightning felt that everything was progressing according to his expectations.
Though the Hidden Cloud Village possessed strong military power, its finances were highly dependent on the Feudal Lord's funding.
As long as he held the purse strings tight, no matter how arrogant the Raikage was, he would still have to bow his head.
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