The broadcast continued.
[Kinkaku's body was wrapped in a crimson cloak of Nine-Tails chakra as he fought Tobirama Senju head-on, the Banana Fan in his hand.]
[Using the Six Paths Ninja Tools, Kinkaku launched one relentless attack after another, while Tobirama relied on the Flying Thunder God Technique to evade and strike back.]
[The battle raged on, neither side able to gain a clear advantage.]
[In the end—]
[Kinkaku and Tobirama Senju fell together.]
…
In the Pure Land—
[Madara Uchiha: Tobirama Senju… looks like peace and comfort dulled you.]
[Izuna Uchiha: Seriously? You were brought down by two nobodies? That's Konoha's Second Hokage?]
[Tobirama Senju: …]
Tobirama's expression darkened on the spot.
But the most irritating part was that he had no way to argue back.
With the Flying Thunder God Technique—a top-tier space-time ninjutsu—how had he lost to Kinkaku and Ginkaku?
It made no sense.
Even with the Six Paths Ninja Tools, they should not have been able to corner him like that.
Back then, he should have held the advantage.
So how had it ended this way?
Tobirama frowned deeply, unable to make sense of it.
Did I make some mistake?
How did I end up dying to those two?
No matter how he thought about it, he could not understand.
[Hashirama Senju: Their own strength may not have been overwhelming, but those tools were extraordinary. Your defeat isn't completely unreasonable…]
[Madara Uchiha: A loss is a loss. What's the point of making excuses?]
[Izuna Uchiha: Exactly! You lost to two nobodies. Even I'm embarrassed for you!]
[Hashirama Senju: Oh? Have you forgotten how you died?]
[Izuna Uchiha: …]
Izuna fell silent instantly.
Right.
He himself had died by Tobirama's hand.
If Kinkaku and Ginkaku were nobodies—
then what did that make him?
Realizing that, Izuna shut his mouth for good.
At that moment—
A beam of white light shot out from the ranking.
Golden text appeared in the sky once again.
[Sinister Ranking — Rank 9: Kinkaku and Ginkaku]
[Deeds: Betrayed their own village, murdered their leader, killed the Second Hokage of Konoha during alliance negotiations, and attempted to ignite another war.]
[Reward: Two Breakthrough Pills]
[Breakthrough Pill: Upon consumption, it increases the user's chakra capacity tenfold and doubles their ninjutsu power.]
The moment the reward appeared, the entire shinobi world erupted again.
Ten times the chakra.
Double the ninjutsu power.
This was no longer merely impressive—
it was outrageous.
If someone like Kakashi took a pill like that, his strength would rise to an entirely different level.
And at that moment, the attitudes of every major faction changed.
Just moments ago, they had been condemning the people on the Sinister Ranking.
But now?
They were almost hoping someone from their own village would make the list.
Why?
Because the rewards were simply too tempting.
Kirigakure
Mei Terumī turned toward Chōjūrō.
"Go check the village records. See if we have any truly vile criminals. Bring me a report."
"…Yes!"
Chōjūrō understood immediately.
Sunagakure
Chiyo sighed.
"What a pity… Our village doesn't have anyone that despicable. Looks like we won't be getting rewards like these."
Kumogakure
The Fourth Raikage frowned.
"Mabui, do we have anyone in the village who's committed crimes like murdering their own parents?"
Mabui pressed a hand to her forehead.
"My lord… under our laws, people like that are executed immediately. There wouldn't be anyone left."
The Raikage paused.
"…Right. That's true. What a waste."
Iwagakure
Ōnoki issued an order at once.
"Akatsuchi, go to the prison. See if there are any criminals guilty of betrayal, patricide, or crimes like that. Bring me a report immediately!"
"Yes!"
Akatsuki Base
The atmosphere turned strange.
The members began glancing at one another, almost as if they hoped someone among them would qualify as a "sinister individual."
After all, they were all on the same side.
As long as no one betrayed the organization, what did it matter?
And if one of them made the list, the reward could still benefit everyone.
For a while, the mood became strangely expectant.
"Ahem."
Pain broke the silence.
"There's no need to speculate. None of you qualify for this ranking."
"I can assure you—you're simply a group of lunatics… and 'artists.' You have nothing to do with the word sinister."
He gave the word artists a slight pause.
At that, everyone looked disappointed.
Their expressions practically said:
What? None of us count as sinister schemers?
Pain's eyelid twitched.
Since when had people started hoping their teammates were treacherous villains?
In the Pure Land—
[Hashirama Senju: A pill that increases chakra capacity tenfold? Something like that really exists?!]
[Madara Uchiha: I've never seen such a thing either… but given how mysterious this ranking is, a treasure like that probably does exist.]
Madara's thoughts drifted.
Could there… be a pill that brings the dead back to life?
If something like that existed… I would never have needed to go through all those elaborate schemes…
Back in the world of the living—
A mechanical voice suddenly echoed throughout the entire shinobi world.
[Ding! Breakthrough Pills have been distributed!]
[Ding! Kinkaku and Ginkaku are deceased. Their rewards have been automatically delivered to the Pure Land!]
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