After hearing the report, Madara Uchiha also showed a surprised expression.
"That brat's growth has exceeded even my expectations. To think he actually repelled Kirigakure's offensive by himself?"
"Should I say Kirigakure is too useless, or that the brat is simply too monstrous?"
At this moment, Black Zetsu spoke up.
"Should we find a way to eliminate him in advance? I'm somewhat worried he may interfere with our plans in the future."
Although he instinctively felt there was no need for concern—after all, in the ninja world, the key to reaching the absolute peak was still the bloodline of the Ōtsutsuki clan—Akira's rapid rise still left him uncertain.
"No need!"
Madara waved his hand confidently.
"He's just a brat. Do you really think I'd fear him threatening me?"
Who was he?
He was Madara Uchiha.
"However… the Uchiha clan is about to arrive at the eastern frontline. That battlefield is connected to our plans, so we can't let Kirigakure simply retreat like this."
"We'll need to find an appropriate opportunity to control him. Without war, how will I select my successor?"
Clearly, Madara already had ideas forming in his mind.
However, timing was still required.
He needed to carefully plan things out.
Meanwhile, news of Akira slaughtering Kirigakure on the eastern battlefield—almost single-handedly repelling their first offensive while personally killing at least four to five hundred Kirigakure ninja, including the Three-Tails Jinchuriki—rapidly spread throughout the ninja world.
For a time, the entire ninja world was shaken.
"Trash!"
After receiving the news, the Third Raikage immediately exploded into furious cursing.
"Kirigakure is seriously this pathetic? Absolute garbage!"
Their incompetence was so outrageous that he almost wanted to personally lead troops to wipe Kirigakure out himself.
"Still, that brat called Akira has exceeded my expectations once again. We absolutely cannot allow him to continue growing. Otherwise, he may become another Hashirama Senju in the future."
No matter how useless Kirigakure might be, it was still one of the Five Great Ninja Villages.
As far as he knew, the force this time had included the Third Mizukage himself, two Jinchuriki, and another Kage-level expert.
Yet they still lost.
Kirigakure might be trash, but that brat called Akira was clearly anything but ordinary.
A threat like that needed to be eliminated as soon as possible.
On Iwagakure's side, Ōnoki also wore a speechless expression after receiving the news.
"Can Kirigakure become any more useless? An entire hidden village got pushed back by a seven-year-old brat? They've completely disgraced all of us great ninja villages. Tch!"
"Still, that Akira brat is too dangerous. He absolutely must be eliminated."
"Why haven't the bounty hunters achieved anything yet? Are all those underground bounty hunters just useless?"
Ōnoki was extremely dissatisfied with both the results and efficiency of the bounty hunters.
"Perhaps… I should contact that Akatsuki organization again and hire them to act?"
Previously, while Yahiko was still alive, Ōnoki had once hired Akatsuki.
Even now, he still remembered that naïve brat.
Still, their efficiency had indeed been decent.
Meanwhile, on Sunagakure's side, after hearing the news, Chiyo let out a long sigh toward the heavens.
"Why does Konoha have so many monstrous geniuses? Heavens, you are unfair!"
Then, her mood became somewhat complicated.
"Sasori… where exactly are you now? Was the Third Kazekage truly killed by you?"
In truth, not long after the Third Kazekage's death, Chiyo had already vaguely guessed that her grandson, Sasori, was most likely the culprit.
Ebizō had probably guessed the same thing.
But there was no point.
They could not find Sasori.
Moreover, revealing the truth would bring no benefits to the village whatsoever.
Redirecting the conflict and starting a war against Konoha had been the correct choice at the time.
Meanwhile, on the Iwagakure battlefield—
After receiving intelligence sent back by Root ninja from the eastern frontline, Danzo's expression darkened.
"Damn it! That brat is growing too quickly! This can't continue. We need to find a way to deal with him."
Unfortunately, the current Akira was no longer someone who could be handled by casually dispatching a few Root Jonin.
Unless Danzo personally took action.
Danzo still possessed great confidence in his own strength.
The right arm formed from Hashirama's cells, along with the Sharingan implanted into it, gave him tremendous confidence.
"No matter what, we at least cannot allow him to continue remaining on the frontline. Otherwise, White Fang will accumulate enormous military achievements. It's not impossible that his reputation could even surpass mine."
Thinking this, Danzo immediately wrote a letter and ordered someone to deliver it back to the Third Hokage.
He believed Hiruzen would understand.
And indeed, that was the case.
After receiving the eastern battlefield's victory report, the Third Hokage initially felt delighted.
But soon afterward, his brows furrowed tightly.
The reason was simple—
Akira's achievements were simply too eye-catching.
"That child seems to have hidden quite a lot of strength…"
The Third Hokage frowned deeply.
However, if things continued like this, the deployment of the Uchiha clan to the eastern battlefield would start seeming unnecessary.
Furthermore, he indeed shared Danzo's concerns.
"Hokage-sama!"
An Anbu suddenly appeared to report.
"Kumogakure has officially declared war against us. They have already advanced into the Land of Rivers. The force is being led by the Third Raikage personally, accompanied by the Kumogakure A-B Combination and the Two-Tails Jinchuriki. Our forces are currently suffering continuous defeats. Commander Kang Hisa has sent an urgent request for reinforcements."
"What?!"
The Third Hokage immediately stood up.
"Kumogakure has declared war on us?"
His expression instantly changed drastically.
"That's bad! There are only around a thousand ninja stationed there. They won't be able to hold the line!"
"Immediately send ninja hawks to notify Sakumo and Akira on the eastern battlefield. The moment they receive the message, they are to head immediately to the Kumogakure battlefield as reinforcements!"
"I'll personally contact Minato through special means and have him move ahead first."
There was no choice but to take this so seriously.
The Third Raikage's pressure alone was already overwhelming.
On top of that were two Jinchuriki and the Third Raikage's son, A.
Every single one of them possessed Kage-level combat power.
Since Kumogakure had already mobilized openly, their offensive would undoubtedly be ferocious. Konoha absolutely needed to dispatch sufficient high-level combat power in response.
Of course, the Third Hokage also harbored a small personal motive.
That was to seize this opportunity to transfer White Fang and Akira away from the Kirigakure battlefield.
First, it would place them against the even stronger Third Raikage and Kumogakure, preventing them from expanding their influence too quickly.
Second, the eastern battlefield could then be handed over to the Uchiha clan, allowing Konoha to simultaneously deal with Kirigakure while suppressing and weakening the Uchiha.
As expected of a qualified politician—even at a time like this, the Third Hokage could still think things through so "thoroughly."
The Anbu immediately acknowledged the order and vanished.
Meanwhile, the Third Hokage personally took out a Flying Thunder God kunai Minato had previously left behind, his expression growing serious.
Far away on the Sunagakure frontline, Minato Namikaze—who had just helped repel another wave of Sunagakure attacks together with Orochimaru and the others—suddenly changed expression slightly.
Orochimaru noticed immediately and asked, "What's wrong?"
Minato quickly explained.
"The Flying Thunder God mark I left with the Hokage-sama has been activated. It seems the Hokage-sama is urgently summoning me, though I'm not sure what happened."
If it were not an extremely critical matter, the Third Hokage would never summon him at a time like this.
After hearing this, even Orochimaru frowned.
"At present, because of Akira, the eastern battlefield has already gained overwhelming superiority. If something still went wrong elsewhere… then only the remaining two battlefields are left."
"Yes! Then I'll head out first!"
Minato nodded immediately.
"Swish!"
In the next instant, he vanished using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
After multiple consecutive teleportations, he finally returned to Konoha and appeared directly inside the Hokage's office.
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