With the addition of the Iron Soldiers, the assault from the Ten Tails' split forms was held back.
However, the Ten-Tails itself remains a massive threat.
Moreover, even the Great Wall Guardians have no way to inflict any real damage on the Ten-Tails.
At this moment, Su Ye, who had been joyriding on Mount Akina, finally dropped off Mature and Vice at a safe location.
Leaving behind the two fighters who were somewhat delirious from excessive dehydration, Su Ye turned around and returned to the battlefield once again.
At this moment, the shockwaves extended two to three hundred kilometers around the volcano.
Even Osaka Castle, 400 kilometers from Tokyo, experienced violent building tremors.
The disaster caused by the Ten Tails was no longer confined to a single area—it was about to spread across the entire county of Japan.
On the distant sea, a helicopter slowly landed on the deck of a large warship.
Due to certain reasons, Japan was forbidden from possessing aircraft carriers.
But they had never truly given up on war, so under the guise of regulations, they built a large side-decked ship with a full-load displacement of nearly 20,000 tons—a helicopter carrier.
At full capacity, it can carry 18 helicopters.
Although helicopters are not as fast as fighter jets, they are relatively more maneuverable and flexible, with a decent payload capacity, making them highly suitable for short-range assault missions.
We do not arbitrarily elevate others while belittling ourselves, but we also cannot be blindly arrogant and disregard everything else.
A dog tied at our doorstep may appear to be a harmless Akita, but in reality, it is an extremely fierce Tosa.
This type of dog appears calm on the surface, rarely barking even when angry or fighting.
It is very patient, known for its composure and bravery, highly intelligent, clean, gentle with family and children, and friendly to guests.
But deep down, it has a fierce nature, born to fight, highly skilled at ambush, and terrifying in combat.
If you're fooled by its friendly façade and let down your guard, you'll pay dearly.
After landing, the Prime Minister finally let out a sigh of relief.
No matter how chaotic the battle on the island was, at least they were safe.
"Sir, what are your orders?"
The captain led his men forward to greet him.
The Prime Minister's first words were to order the ship to retreat.
"Retreat more than 500 nautical miles! We must maintain an absolute safe distance!"
After hearing this, the captain's expression turned somewhat grim.
"Sir, shouldn't we be carrying out a rescue mission at this time? If we hurry over now, we might still make it. Saving even one person is still saving someone."
A nearby staff officer couldn't help but speak up.
The Prime Minister raised his hand and slapped him across the face.
"Aid? Aid what? The entire island is covered in electromagnetic interference. I had to go out to sea just to contact Joe for help. If your ship goes there, it'll stall out on the spot. Can you take responsibility for this whole crew?"
The officer chose to stay silent.
He couldn't take responsibility for anything—if that happened, he'd die there himself, let alone worry about anyone else.
In the face of disaster, self-preservation is always these people's first priority.
"Have the Great Wall Guardians arrived?"
At this point, the Izumo was already far from the coastline, making it impossible to observe with the naked eye. They could only rely on radar and video signals for confirmation.
Soon, a communications officer came to report.
"The Great Wall Guardians have arrived and have engaged the giant tree monster. The monster's attack has been halted."
"Yes!"
The people nearby let out a suppressed yet deep cheer.
Although the entire island nation was on the verge of destruction by the giant tree monster, having even a sliver of hope was something worth celebrating.
However, before they could celebrate for long, a massive plume of smoke suddenly shot up into the sky in the distance.
Even though they couldn't see the coastline, they could still see the smoke plume, indicating just how enormous it was.
"This is… a volcano!"
"The volcano has erupted!"
"No, this can't be happening!"
Everyone knew Mount Fuji was an active volcano.
But it had been dormant for so long that everyone had grown used to its presence.
They even built a massive city at the foot of Mount Fuji.
Living there was probably like living on a heated bed.
And it was a self-heating bed that didn't require adding firewood—it heated itself. Not environmentally friendly, but very energy-efficient.
But now, the bed had been stuffed with too much firewood, burning so hot that even the bedboard had collapsed. One could easily imagine what would happen to the people lying on it.
The Prime Minister immediately became furious.
"What are these Great Wall Guardians even doing? They can't even defeat a mere tree monster? They all act like they're so powerful, yet they've wasted so much of our trust!"
"And that Alexander Pierce—after taking so many benefits from us, he only sent over this bunch of useless drunks? This is outright fraud!"
"No way—I want a refund. We don't agree to this kind of deal!"
The Prime Minister was thinking about the benefits he promised Alexander Pierce, but the soldiers aboard were thinking of their families.
These people came from different parts of Japan, with only a few originating from Tokyo.
So, while the destruction caused by the Ten-Tails had worried them, they hadn't taken it too seriously.
But now, with the volcanic eruption, the affected area was much larger.
Whether it was Hokkaido, Kyushu, or Shikoku, all these regions would be affected.
For a moment, the entire ship's crew was mourning as if they had lost their parents.
No, it wasn't just like mourning—they were practically facing a real catastrophe.
At this moment, with the volcanic eruption, the entire island nation was experiencing a rain of molten lava. The ground kept upheaving, and starting from the volcano's vicinity, the destruction quickly spread across the entire Honshu Island.
Even the straits couldn't stop the tremors from spreading. Hokkaido, Shikoku, and Kyushu all experienced violent disturbances.
At the very center of the storm, near the foot of the volcano, the ongoing battle was inevitably interrupted.
After all, the Ten-Tails' true form was a tree.
And all trees feared fire.
Previously, the flames of Kyo Kusanagi, Iori Yagami, and Mai Shiranui hadn't managed to harm it, simply because their abilities weren't strong enough.
Even after reaching the Absolute Domain level, they could only scratch its surface.
If they had mastered the Ultimate Power, turning Kyo's and Iori's flames into the unquenchable Crimson Flame and the destructive Azure Flame—fire that could only be extinguished by their own will—then they might have had a chance against the Ten-Tails.
But right now, it was just a drizzle of fire—nothing significant.
However, the flames from the volcanic eruption were different. They carried terrifying temperatures from deep underground, containing immense power. Even the Ten-Tails had no way to resist such natural force.
The Ten-Tails wanted to flee, and so did Uchiha Obito and Uchiha Madara.
But someone didn't want them to leave.
"You've already come all this way, why the rush?"
Su Ye appeared in his true form, standing before Madara and Obito.
"He's the Fourth Hokage's son?"
Madara asked.
Obito nodded but said nothing this time.
Ignoring the Edo Tensei-revived Madara, Su Ye turned to look at Obito and the figure behind him—Orochimaru.
"Orochimaru?"
Seeing Orochimaru, Su Ye was somewhat surprised.
Logically, this development aligned with the Fourth Shinobi World War in the original Naruto series, where Kabuto, acting as a "wish-granting angel," used Edo Tensei to resurrect many long-dead individuals.
These revived individuals would use their short return to the world to resolve past regrets and fulfill long-held wishes while also helping the living come to terms with unresolved emotions.
This included, but was not limited to, allowing the protagonist Naruto to experience parental love for the first time.
However, Su Ye had heard from Neji that in this world, Kabuto had gone to university, then entered a research institute, now working on scientific studies far beyond the understanding of ordinary people, and was no longer active in the ninja world.
Su Ye had thought that the story in this world should have ended with Obito.
Once Obito was defeated, the Naruto story could be wrapped up.
As long as Su Ye didn't have children, there wouldn't be any forced continuation like Boruto.
But unexpectedly, Orochimaru showed up and even brought an Edo Tensei-revived Madara.
"I'm already getting tired of this. Why are you coming here just to add more trouble for me?!"
Su Ye really wasn't interested in going through another battle arc. It was boring, nobody watched it, and he'd rather focus on daily life instead.
He was even considering, once this was over, moving to Los Angeles or San Francisco—somewhere less affected by battles—to live a shamelessly relaxed life with his girlfriends.
Slice-of-life stories might get censored easily, but they had high subscription rates!
If you don't create drama, how are you going to make money and survive?
Across from him, after hearing Su Ye's words, Orochimaru's face darkened.
"You brat! Jiraiya and I were fellow disciples, your dad had to call me 'uncle,' and here you are barking orders at me?!"
"Believe it or not, I'll tell your father about your behavior, and he'll spank you!"
"..."
Su Ye's face darkened. Orochimaru wasn't wrong—despite having turned himself into a snake-human hybrid for research, he technically was Su Ye's grand-master in terms of lineage.
But he was a traitor!
He…
Su Ye recalled what Neji had told him about this world's timeline. In this version, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had retired peacefully and was not killed by a rebellious disciple.
So, even though Orochimaru had turned himself into something grotesque, he hadn't actually committed any heinous crimes.
There was no way Su Ye could avoid greeting him.
Since childhood, his father had taught him to respect teachers and elders—to greet them properly when meeting and bid farewell when leaving.
His father was a very traditional Chinese-style parent, especially particular about etiquette and customs.
With no other choice, Su Ye bowed respectfully.
"Greetings, Grand-Uncle Master…"
It was all his father's fault for not forcing Orochimaru into becoming a complete villain. If he had, Su Ye wouldn't have to bow and scrape like this.
Seeing this, Orochimaru beamed with satisfaction, completely lacking any awareness that he was the weakest one here. Anyone present could crush him effortlessly.
"Enough of this boring chit-chat! Su Ye, are you going to release the Nine-Tails inside you yourself, or should I do it for you?!"
Obito interrupted the awkward moment with a deep, commanding voice.
"Trust me, you don't want me to do it myself. That kind of experience… you won't be able to handle it!"
After hearing Obito's words, Su Ye turned slightly and bowed again, "Greetings, Senior Brother!"
"I…" Obito froze momentarily, then, as if realizing something, instinctively returned the greeting.
"You are too courteous, Junior Brother!"
Some things are ingrained in one's very bones—such as etiquette, or the fear of a certain man.
Obito, too, had a teacher—Su Ye's father.
And he was the only student that Su Ye's father had ever taken under his wing.
Ever since that great battle years ago, when two out of his three students perished, Su Ye's father had never taken on another apprentice.
Over the years, even as Obito plotted and schemed, his respect and fear for Su Ye's father never diminished.
Thus, this return bow was not just for Su Ye—it was a tribute to his master as well.
Madara, standing to the side, narrowed his eyes.
So, you all are throwing around titles like "Grandmaster Uncle" and "Senior Brother"—and I'm the only outsider here?
Never one to consider himself inferior to anyone, Madara held back for a long time before finally speaking.
"I was a sworn brother to the First Hokage!"
The First Hokage and the Second Hokage were brothers, the Second Hokage was the teacher of the Third Hokage, the Third Hokage taught Jiraiya and Orochimaru, and Jiraiya was Su Ye's father's teacher.
Following this lineage, even Orochimaru technically had to call Madara "Grandmaster Uncle."
While Su Ye and Obito were still calculating their correct titles for Madara, Orochimaru simply bowed deeply and said, "Greetings, Grandmaster Uncle!"
"I…"
Madara was stunned for a moment. Seeing Su Ye and Obito about to bow as well, he quickly let out a cold snort.
"Enough! I didn't come here to exchange pleasantries!"
Su Ye scratched his head. Orochimaru's interruption had almost made him forget what he was doing.
"So, Senior Brother," Su Ye looked at Obito. Since he had already called him that, he might as well stick with it.
"Can you tell me what you're really trying to accomplish?"
"With Grandmaster Uncle and even the Grandmaster Uncle of Grandmaster Uncle here, you should speak clearly in front of everyone. If I can help, I will."
Obito thought for a moment before finally speaking.
"I want to create a new world—a peaceful world where Rin exists!"
Everyone here was connected by their master-disciple lineage, so Obito saw no need to hide his intentions.
Su Ye immediately laughed.
"Even if you use this method to create a world where Sister Rin exists, it's still fake. Don't you want the real Rin back?"
Obito's eyes widened in shock.
"What did you just say?!"
---------------------------------
Got it Wrong, Don't Read This Yet
"Whew..."
After meeting with Pain in the temple, Sazuke sat at the top of the stairs outside the temple gate, leaning sideways on one elbow against the steps, watching the greedy demon Kakuzu viciously beat up Hidan, who already owed IOUs.
So far, three teams of Akatsuki had arrived: Pain, who had captured the Six-Tails alone; the immortal duo who had just defeated and captured the Two-Tails; and Zuo Zhu and Konan, who had dragged back the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki.
The other members had already contacted Pain, saying they had completed their missions and were on their way to the Land of Fire.
It was only because of Pain's lockdown order that Kakuzu had time to "play" with Hidan. Otherwise, he would have already gone to the neighboring capital of the Land of Fire, the Inaba family's duel arena, to make some extra money by fixing matches.
"There are food supplies in the temple. The other members should all arrive within two days."
After speaking with Pain, Konan walked out of the temple and sat down next to Zuo Zhu, calmly informing him of the situation. At the same time, she slowly infused her chakra into the Fire Temple, activating her Paper Secret Technique to convert wooden structures into paper.
Pain had strictly forbidden Konan from interfering in the fight with the masked man, wanting to handle him alone.
However, Konan ignored Pain's warning and decided to join the final battle. She knew all too well how troublesome the masked man's abilities were, and she wasn't sure if Pain alone could outlast the masked man's secret techniques.
"Woohoo~ Boss lady!"
As Konan was setting up traps, a young man's voice rang out from the sky. A golden-haired youth with a single ponytail descended on a white flying dragon. Alongside him, a massive three-tailed turtle covered in bony armor crashed onto the ground as the dragon descended.
Thick mucus dripped from Isobu's mouth as the Three-Tails lay half-dead on the ground, belly up.
Deidara, his face full of excitement, enthusiastically greeted Konan while pointing at the Three-Tails behind him. "The big turtle can now appreciate beauty! It has experienced the fleeting artistry I create and even acknowledges my aesthetic!"
The ones responsible for capturing the Three-Tails were Deidara and Sasori, though it was mainly Deidara who took action. Like blasting fish out of water, he bombed the lake where the Three-Tails lived, flipping it over completely. He then used nano-sized micro bombs to severely damage Isobu's internal organs.
He continuously maintained the nano-bombs, detonating them again whenever the Three-Tails showed signs of recovery, keeping it subdued from the Land of Water all the way to the Land of Fire.
"Hmm... welcome back."
Konan gave a slight nod, acknowledging the power of Deidara's explosive clay.
Unlike in the original timeline where he was captured by Uchiha Itachi, in this version, Deidara had been on a top-secret mission for the Iwagakure explosion unit, attempting to steal the Uchiha bloodline when Konan's explosive tags forcefully stopped him.
As soon as he joined Akatsuki, Deidara immediately submitted, recognizing Konan as his big boss.
Back then, the young and naive Deidara had suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Konan, who was also a practitioner of fleeting, spectacular art. This encounter made him feel like he had finally found a kindred spirit in the art of explosions. The moment he saw Konan, he acted as if he had found an older sister.
Although Deidara believed that with his current strength, he could now defeat Konan, he still greatly respected his former boss… mainly because Konan's explosive tag technique was incredibly convenient. The tags could be summoned at will, and as long as her chakra didn't run dry, she could keep bombing indefinitely.
Deidara's explosive clay, on the other hand, was different. It wasn't directly tied to his chakra; he needed time to prepare the clay beforehand. Only after sculpting it could he infuse a small amount of chakra to create his exquisite explosions!
Because of this, Deidara deeply envied Konan's abilities. If he could share his art anytime, anywhere, his "Fleeting Art" cult wouldn't be so lacking in members.
"He is Inaba Tenwei of the Inaba family, also known as 'Kūchén,' a member of our Akatsuki."
After greeting Deidara, Konan introduced Zuo Zhu to both him and Sasori.
Within Akatsuki, aside from the masked man, the most mysterious member was Kūchén, who had never attended a meeting.
The previous holder of the Kūchén ring had been Orochimaru, but after his departure, the ring had gone missing. The only thing the Akatsuki members knew was that it now had a new owner.
Now, seeing Zuo Zhu appear wearing a white spiral mask under the identity of Inaba Tenwei…
Anyone even slightly aware of ninja world affairs would understand why Kūchén never showed his face or attended any Akatsuki meetings… because his identity made him completely unsuitable for public presence in the organization.
He was the second-largest feudal lord of the Land of Fire, the controller of the black markets in both the Land of Fire and the Land of Water. A leader who held power over the nation's clothing, food, housing, and entertainment industries… yet in secret, he was a member of the Akatsuki war corps.
If this information were leaked, Inaba Tenwei would undoubtedly be branded a traitor. Either the Inaba family's power would be purged, or Konoha would retaliate against both Amegakure and the Akatsuki.
Sasori believed that between the Inaba family and Akatsuki, the Land of Fire would not hesitate to strike against Akatsuki first, using the incident to cover up Inaba's crimes before dealing with the family afterward.
If Inaba Tenwei were to suddenly die, internal turmoil in the Land of Fire would be inevitable… because he was involved in far too many industries. If he fell, the Inaba family would descend into chaos, and all the interest groups and resources under their control would be seized in a frenzy.
Even Konoha would not be spared from the consequences.
"Akatsuki really is impressive…" Sasori said calmly, looking at Inaba Tenwei. "To think you've already infiltrated Konoha's decision-making level. No wonder the leader chose this place for the Tailed Beast exchange…"
The Inaba family was too big to fail. After the Uchiha clan's Fifth Hokage took office, he directly stripped the Inaba family of their industries and restructured them under Konoha's Finance Department. Sasori had originally thought this was an act of suppression by the Fire Daimyō and the Hokage.
But now, he saw the truth—there was no suppression at all. The Inaba family had always been incredibly wealthy, and by integrating into Konoha, they gained indirect influence over the strongest military force in the land.
After calmly remarking on the ambitions of Pain and Inaba Tenwei, Sasori followed Deidara into the temple to submit their mission report and imprison the Three-Tails Isobu in the mountains behind the Land of Fire.
Afterward, they returned to the steps of the Fire Temple to find a quiet place to rest.
With the lockdown order in place, no one could leave the Fire Temple once inside. Until the Tailed Beasts were sealed, Akatsuki members were restricted from coming and going freely. Meanwhile, many monks from the Fire Temple who had been captured were still imprisoned inside.
No one really wanted to squeeze inside, except for Hidan, who had wanted to go in but was forbidden by Pain from randomly killing people.
Nobody knew what Pain was planning, but there must have been a reason for keeping so many prisoners alive.
Everyone sat on the temple steps, minding their own business. Only Deidara and Kakuzu occasionally approached Konan and Zuo Zhu.
Deidara came over to show off his artistic skills, while Kakuzu came to sell various snacks and supplies—one million per item.
By nightfall, one of the remaining Akatsuki teams—Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame—scaled the walls of the Fire Temple, carrying the near-dead Five-Tails Jinchuriki with them.
From hundreds of meters away, Uchiha Itachi immediately noticed Inaba Tenwei and the scarlet Three-Tomoe Sharingan beneath his swirling white mask.