Chapter 97-98: Is Konoha Returning to the Past?
"You bastard!"
In front of the Tsuchikage's office building, Ōnoki trembled as he looked at the structure, which was bound in countless wooden tendrils and engulfed in raging flames.
"Who did this? I'll tear them to pieces!"
The sheer scale of the destruction was beyond anything he had ever imagined. His rage was boiling over!
The "Kage Office" was a symbol of authority for the Five Great Shinobi Villages—a political and military landmark.
Even though Konoha had the Hokage Rock, it was only symbolic. The Hokage Office itself was irreplaceable.
Ōnoki didn't know the state of the other villages' offices, but right now, his own was burning—right in front of him!
"What the hell happened? Speak!"
Ōnoki roared at the surrounding Iwa-nin. His presence alone was enough to make them tremble in fear.
Even Deidara, who had rushed over eagerly at the sight of the fire, shivered.
It was the first time he had seen the old man this furious. Even he, who feared nothing, couldn't help but feel uneasy.
"You're here too, Deidara-nii?"
Kurotsuchi spotted Deidara, who was lingering at the edge of the crowd, hesitant to approach. She quickly ran over.
Truthfully, even she couldn't handle her grandfather's current intensity. But she also knew the situation was dire.
"What's going on? And is the old man okay?"
Deidara sighed and lowered his voice.
"Grandpa's fine!"
Kurotsuchi glared at him before shaking her head.
"We're not sure about the details yet, but tonight… we might be in serious trouble."
"Trouble?"
Deidara's eyes lit up.
That was great news! He had been bored to death training under the old man every day.
Now there was finally some action—finally a chance to unleash his art!
"What?! Wood Release?!"
Just then, Ōnoki's furious roar echoed through the area.
Both Deidara and Kurotsuchi turned toward him in shock.
They had heard many stories about Wood Release from Ōnoki. And they also knew that Hōki had been captured using it.
But wasn't Wood Release exclusive to Konoha?
How had it appeared within Iwagakure?!
"Yes, Lord Tsuchikage… It was Wood Release."
The Iwa-nin reporting the situation was trembling, but she mustered the courage to continue.
"We only saw the ground suddenly sprout a massive forest, completely engulfing the Tsuchikage's office… and then—"
"No need to say more. I understand."
Ōnoki's expression darkened.
As far as he knew, only one person in Konoha currently wielded Wood Release—a subordinate of Danzo!
He had already heard Haruta's analysis and had his doubts.
If it were him, someone with such talent would be brought directly under his command.
But given the relationship between Danzo and Hiruzen…
Not even Hiruzen's personal involvement in peace talks had stopped Danzo from scheming.
So who could say where this Wood Release user's loyalties truly lay?
Now, though, it seemed highly likely he was working for Danzo—especially since Danzo had been unhappy with the final peace agreement.
"But why is he acting so recklessly?"
Ōnoki couldn't understand. This was nothing short of insanity!
Was it an attempt to pressure Iwagakure into some political maneuver?
Or was there some other hidden agenda?
Whatever the reason, Ōnoki wasn't about to sit around and analyze it.
He had only one thought—
"I will kill them.
I will not let them escape!"
Clenching his fists, he was about to charge forward—
But at that moment, another Anbu rushed over.
"Lord Tsuchikage, bad news!"
"Now what?!"
Ōnoki felt his blood pressure rising.
Tonight was getting worse by the second!
"The forest behind the village—"
The Anbu hesitated, but Ōnoki cut him off.
"I know! It's on fire! That means they have accomplices! What are you standing around for? Put out the flames and catch them!"
"But, Lord Tsuchikage… Lord Han is there!"
"Han? That's even better. So what—"
Ōnoki's words trailed off, and his face instantly changed.
ROAR—
At that moment, a deafening roar echoed across Iwagakure!
Everyone turned toward the burning mountain behind the village.
A massive white beast leaped from the flames, howling toward the silver moon above.
---
"Senpai, where are we going now?"
"Shut up. Let me think!"
Before Ōnoki could reach the battlefield, Kakashi and Yamato had already disguised themselves as Iwa-nin and were slipping away.
With a Mangekyō Sharingan at their disposal, all they had to do was pick a direction and run. Anyone in their way was swiftly knocked out with genjutsu.
At least for now, they were making a clean escape.
Most importantly, they had no intention of turning back to admire their handiwork.
Unlike classic detective story villains, Kakashi had no desire to return to the scene of the crime.
All he wanted to do was run as far as possible.
Because he knew—they had seriously messed up this time.
"I am so screwed…"
Just thinking about the burning Tsuchikage's office sent shivers down his spine.
If something like this happened in Konoha… it would be absolute chaos!
He was already regretting it.
Why, why had he used Fire Release to help Tenzo burn down the Tsuchikage's office?!
"Senpai, careful! More people ahead!"
Kakashi's mind was a mess, but Yamato was still fully alert. He immediately signaled Kakashi to stop as they hid.
After waiting for the coast to clear, they resumed their escape.
"This isn't working."
Kakashi sighed.
The number of Iwa-nin patrolling was increasing, and their chances of escaping were shrinking.
If any sensor ninja checked them, their disguise would be instantly exposed.
Looking toward the burning forest, he knew what he had to do.
"Let's head for the mountains. Shisui and Yugao should be there. We'll regroup and wait for Haruta's backup."
"Good idea," Yamato agreed but still voiced his concern.
"But that area will be crawling with people…"
"Then we'll just be careful."
They moved quickly toward the mountains.
But as they got closer, something felt… off.
There were Iwa-nin collapsed everywhere.
And in the burning mountains, a powerful chakra surged.
"What the hell is going on…?"
And then, they saw it—
A towering green figure holding down a massive, five-tailed beast.
Iwagakure's Five-Tails, pinned down and under the effects of a genjutsu!
"Sigh, you guys made it?"
Shisui seemed to sense someone approaching and immediately turned his head. After all, they were deep in Iwagakure territory, and even though Yugao was handling the external situation, he couldn't afford to be careless.
"Kakashi-senpai, Tenzo."
Yugao emerged from the side, looking somewhat disheveled. It was clear she'd taken down quite a few Iwa-nin along the way.
Kakashi gave Yugao a numb nod, his gaze never leaving the Five-Tails, while Tenzo responded with a much more enthusiastic nod.
"Perfect timing. Tenzo, get over here!"
Shisui had no time for small talk. His eyes weren't in the best condition right now. Quickly wiping the blood from the corner of his eye, he called out.
"You can use Wood Release—come help me suppress this thing. Its resistance is too strong for me to control with genjutsu alone."
"Understood!"
Tenzo nodded and rushed over, while Kakashi, standing nearby, was utterly dumbfounded.
"Hey, hey, hey! What are you trying to do? Don't mess around!"
"Relax. I know what I'm doing."
Shisui spoke calmly. Tenzo had already formed hand seals, using Wood Release to swiftly restrain the Five-Tails. Then, Shisui smiled and continued.
"We followed Jiraiya-sama here, and since he's not around right now, our job is to cover for him, right?"
"The Five-Tails is a great asset—we can't just let it go to waste!"
"…"
Kakashi's expression turned incredulous. Are you insane? Since when did you start acting like Haruta?
Did you join Root too?!
He turned his head, hoping Yugao would help him stop Shisui's madness.
This is a Tailed Beast! If we lose control for even a second, we're all screwed!
But to his dismay, Yugao stood silently by, making no effort to intervene. It was a crushing realization. His ears were filled only with Shisui and Tenzo's discussion.
"It's done, Shisui-senpai."
"Good. Thanks for the help—Wood Release really is something else. Now, it's my turn!"
When Kakashi snapped back to reality and turned his head, he saw the strange creature—a mix between a dolphin and a horse—its pupils beginning to lose focus.
The intricate pattern of Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan surfaced, growing clearer and clearer.
The beast's struggle slowed. Its roars weakened. Eventually, all signs of resistance ceased.
It lifted its head to look at them, and in that moment, its eyes had completely transformed into Shisui's Mangekyō pattern!
"Alright, now we can finally stretch our legs a little…"
Shisui stepped forward and leapt onto the Five-Tails' back. But he quickly realized his wording was off and immediately corrected himself.
"No, I mean—we can properly assist Jiraiya-sama in his mission!"
"…"
Kakashi stood frozen, watching the whole thing unfold in numb disbelief.
Even worse, Tenzo excitedly climbed up after Shisui, while Yugao carefully followed suit.
At that moment, Kakashi began questioning everything.
Am I the outsider here?
A five-man squad, and I'm the only one who doesn't fit in?
Is my way of thinking wrong, or am I the only normal person on this team?!
"Kakashi-senpai, what are you waiting for?"
Shisui looked at the motionless Kakashi and asked with confusion.
"Hurry up—we still have a mission to complete."
"…Right."
Dragging his feet, Kakashi walked toward the Five-Tails. But the closer he got, the more he felt a sinking despair.
Feeling the terrifying aura emanating from the beast, his heart was dead inside.
When we get back… we're so screwed.
---
Kakashi and the others' predicament was unknown to Haruta, because right now, he was experiencing something completely new!
A golden figure flickered rapidly across the battlefield, locked in a fierce fight against Orochimaru and the newly arrived Akatsuki members.
Explosions thundered through the air. Trees and boulders collapsed under the impact of their battle.
But the strangest part? Even though Haruta was facing four enemies at once… he was still dominating the fight.
Because his speed was simply too fast!
"This sensation… it's amazing."
As he launched another attack, Haruta couldn't help but murmur to himself.
Yang Release: Chakra Mode.
He had been researching this technique for a long time—ever since obtaining the Lightning Release: Chakra Mode, he had been constantly refining and merging it.
Until now, he had never been entirely sure of the final result, as many details still needed fine-tuning.
But today, he decided it was time for a real test.
"I've grasped the key point. Even if the fusion isn't perfect yet, I can refine it through battle. And now is the best opportunity!"
Golden light surged across Haruta's body, making him look like a blazing sun in the dark night.
In this moment, his speed, strength, perception, and even the power of his jutsu had all been enhanced!
Thanks to the Cursed Seal, he fully inherited Sage abilities. Combined with the energy boost from the Dragon Vein, his chakra intensity and potency had skyrocketed.
But the real game-changer was Yang Release. The explosion and infusion of Yang chakra amplified his already enhanced power even further!
"The only issue is… this consumes a lot of energy, and I can't maintain it for long."
This was expected. After all, the techniques he fused weren't originally on the same level.
His control still had gaps, and this was his first full activation of the mode.
It was essentially a beta version, not even worthy of system recognition yet.
Clearly, there were still many flaws to fix—but that could all be adjusted mid-battle!
Regardless, the three Akatsuki members and Orochimaru were struggling to keep up.
"Konan… it's you?"
Meanwhile, as Haruta battled, Jiraiya was intercepted by a familiar figure.
The moment he saw her, he was completely stunned, his face filled with disbelief.
"What's going on? I received intel saying you three were dead! Why are you here? Why did you join this organization?"
"…"
Konan gazed at Jiraiya indifferently. She had always known this reunion was inevitable.
But she hadn't expected it to come so soon. The realization stirred complicated emotions within her.
"Hey, Jiraiya, what's going on?"
Gamabunta asked in confusion, and Jiraiya immediately responded.
"Don't you remember? I had three students in the Land of Rain. Later, Mount Myōboku sent word that they had died. What kind of garbage intel was that?"
"…"
Gamabunta had no retort—he vaguely recalled the incident but didn't know the details.
The information had come from Mount Myōboku, but… it was clearly incorrect.
"Konan, since you're alive, come back to Konoha with me!"
Jiraiya's voice was sincere—he truly wanted to save her.
"The village is already targeting this organization. They won't let you go. Don't do something you'll regret!"
"A mistake?"
Konan sighed. In an instant, her body scattered into countless paper fragments.
She wasn't sure how to deal with her former teacher. Maybe she needed to discuss it with Nagato first.
But she knew Jiraiya wouldn't let her leave so easily. She was prepared.
"Sensei… you've made far more mistakes than we ever have."
The moment she spoke, thousands of paper blades shot toward Jiraiya.
"Needle Jizō!"
Jiraiya reacted instantly, his hair hardening into a shield.
"Konan, don't be stubborn—"
"You have no idea what we've been through. Stop forcing your beliefs onto us!"
Konan wasn't interested in Jiraiya's words. Without hesitation, she launched another attack.
Seeing this, Jiraiya felt a deep pain in his heart.
He never imagined that after all these years, he would meet Konan again like this—and that she would be so resolute.
"Looks like… I won't be reinforcing Haruta anytime soon."
Jiraiya sighed and focused on the battle, but as he glanced at Haruta's fight…
His expression twitched.
Did Haruta even need reinforcements?
"Damn it, who the hell is this brat?"
For the first time, Biwa Jūzō faced Haruta in battle. The sheer intensity of the attacks left him cursing.
He couldn't understand how this kid was moving so fast, nor what those golden lights surrounding him were.
Still, his hands never stopped forming seals. The moment Haruta moved, he had already activated his jutsu.
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
A raging torrent erupted instantly. Despite the Land of Earth's scarce water sources, it was still better than the Wind Country.
For a ninja of Biwa Jūzō's caliber, summoning enough water for battle in this environment was no problem.
"Hmph, Magnet Release: Iron Sand Drizzle!"
Sasori didn't hesitate either. Having fought Haruta before, he had suffered heavy losses each time.
Against such a troublesome opponent, he immediately launched an overwhelming offensive.
Countless black iron grains, manipulated by the Third Kazekage's power, turned into a deadly iron rain, raining down furiously toward Haruta.
However, as he attacked, he turned to Orochimaru.
"Hey, you're a traitor from Konoha. You should know more about this brat's techniques. Think of a way to counter him!"
"I know."
Orochimaru licked his lips. His body was still covered in sticky fluids, showing that he had already used the Body Shedding Technique once.
His eyes gleamed with a sinister light—not just from Haruta's strength but from the words Haruta had said earlier, which had struck a nerve.
"Danzo… you really are willing to use any means necessary…"
He didn't know what exactly was going through Haruta's mind or how Danzo had indoctrinated him. But at this moment, that hardly mattered.
"Be careful. That brat can use Wood Release to perform Flying Thunder God. Maintain your distance and monitor the water's surface."
Orochimaru wasn't particularly keen on working with the Akatsuki members, but since they were all tied up in this battle together, he didn't mind using them.
"Tch, what a hassle."
Haruta, of course, heard Orochimaru's warning. While evading attacks, he shook his head.
He didn't mind that his secret had been exposed, but Orochimaru's observation skills were frightening.
At least the Fourth Raikage had taken a beating without figuring it out. Yet Orochimaru had pieced it together after just a few exchanges?
"Looks like I need to hit harder!"
As he dodged, Haruta raised one hand in a seal, chakra surging within him.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Having already acquired Kakuzu's Fire Release heart, Haruta's fire jutsu had been significantly amplified. Even though he rarely used it, his proficiency was unquestionable.
Not to mention that in his current Yang Release: Chakra Mode, his overall power was even more ridiculous.
If he had a proper excuse, he would have used Scorch Release already.
But even without it, the sheer force of his Fire Release was already on par with most Scorch Release techniques!
"What kind of Fire Release is this?!"
Biwa Jūzō stared in shock at the massive fireball that had suddenly appeared—it had to be at least ten meters in radius!
The scorching heat instantly evaporated the water from his earlier jutsu, sending beads of cold sweat down his forehead.
Is this guy even human?!
"Stop standing there—defend!"
Sasori shouted, immediately commanding the Third Kazekage puppet to erect a barrier. At the same time, he brought his defensive puppets even closer to himself.
After multiple battles with Haruta, he had learned his lesson. To avoid getting ambushed by Flying Thunder God, he had specially crafted several high-defense puppets after their last fight.
These puppets stayed close, forming an impenetrable shield around him, leaving no openings for Haruta to get near!
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
Orochimaru and Kakuzu didn't need any instructions—they both used the remaining water from Jūzō's technique to set up defenses.
Still, Kakuzu felt uneasy.
With an attack like that… my new boss isn't trying to kill me, right?
But then he reassured himself—he still had a Flying Thunder God seal on him. If Haruta really wanted to kill him, he would've been dead already.
Even if he lost a heart or two, there was a high chance his boss would compensate him for it.
BOOM!
The colossal fireball clashed with the combined Water Release defenses, sending out a deafening roar that left their ears ringing.
Thick steam billowed into the air, instantly covering the entire battlefield in an impenetrable mist.
"This Fire Release… this kid…"
Orochimaru panted slightly, still feeling the aftereffects of using the Body Shedding Technique.
Jūzō and Sasori remained silent—they had no words to describe what they had just witnessed.
Especially Sasori.
He still remembered how absurd Haruta's Earth Release had been when they first fought. And now, his Fire Release was just as overwhelming?!
Guess it's true—he really is a Senju descendant…
"It seems like your Water Release isn't all that great, huh?"
Haruta's voice suddenly echoed through the mist, drawing all eyes toward him.
Kakuzu immediately used Wind Release to disperse the steam, revealing Haruta—standing calmly, one hand raised in a seal once again.
"You guys are fighting four against one. Not that it really makes a difference to me, but I do prefer fair fights."
Haruta's tone carried a playful edge. Then, the next moment—
Three identical copies of himself emerged beside him.
As the three clones fully formed, Haruta's voice rang out again.
"Guess what—can they use the same abilities as me?"
"Wood Clones?!"
Even Orochimaru looked bewildered. But the moment they saw golden light flicker across the clones' bodies, their expressions changed drastically.
Buzz—
Haruta and his three clones charged forward together.
Wood Clones were ridiculously powerful. According to his memories, Uchiha Madara had once used them to wield Susanoo in battle.
Though Haruta wasn't fully proficient in his Yang Release: Chakra Mode, making his clones use it together wasn't an issue.
Besides, if they got destroyed, it would just help him gather more experience. It was an efficient way to test his technique while conserving his own energy.
BOOM!
Explosions erupted one after another. Shockwaves rippled across the battlefield, shaking the entire valley!
The valley walls cracked. Countless trees were torn apart by the force of the blasts.
Even Jiraiya, standing atop Gamabunta, felt the impact.
"This guy… is too much."
Jiraiya had been keeping an eye on Haruta's fight. While his battle with Konan was tricky, it wasn't that difficult.
The real challenge was capturing her without harming her.
After all, Konan wasn't weak—and her Paper Release granted her the ability to fly, making her even harder to deal with.
But the amount of destruction Haruta was causing was just absurd.
"Wood Clones… used like this? And combined with that unique Chakra Mode?"
Jiraiya couldn't help but mutter to himself.
He had never seen a Chakra Mode like Haruta's before. But one thing was clear—beneath it, there were traces of Sage Mode!
"Wait… does this kid know Sage Mode?!"
Jiraiya felt a pang of frustration.
He had trained for so long to learn Sage Mode, and even now, he still couldn't enter it instantly.
He needed the help of the toads from Mount Myōboku to maintain it.
Yet Haruta seemed to wield this power effortlessly—merging it seamlessly with other abilities.
Even Gamabunta looked bewildered.
"This brat's Chakra Mode… it kinda reminds me of the people recorded in ancient texts."
Mount Myōboku wasn't just home to ordinary toads—it had a history of aiding powerful figures.
Gamamaru, the Great Toad Sage, had once assisted the Sage of Six Paths.
And over the centuries, they had encountered descendants of Asura.
They had documented many things. And as Gamabunta recalled those records… Haruta's current state felt eerily similar.
"Could this brat be…?"
Gamabunta pondered for a moment, deciding to observe further before reporting back.
Besides, with Manda already gone, he was eager to return home anyway.
Especially since Jiraiya and Konan were still using his head as their battlefield.
"You're out of chances, Konan!"
Jiraiya didn't know what Gamabunta was thinking. He continued fighting while keeping an eye on the overall situation.
At the same time, he tried once again to persuade Konan.
"Don't be stubborn. Come back with me!"
"Paper Release: Paper Shuriken!"
Konan's response was another barrage of attacks.
Jiraiya sighed helplessly.
"Why… is everyone like this?"
He could only shake his head and focus on the battle.
—
Meanwhile, as Haruta's Wood Clones unleashed a relentless assault on Orochimaru, Sasori, and Jūzō…
His real body had already slipped away to Kakuzu's side, taking a break.
"Not bad, Kakuzu."
"…"
Kakuzu dodged an incoming attack, listening to the explosions all around them. Finally, he forced a smile.
"Boss… this is getting a little dangerous, don't you think?"
"I know. But your mission is done, and my mission is done. It's a win-win."
Haruta nodded seriously, but Kakuzu's lips twitched.
Win-win?
You mean you won big, right?!
"And get ready to run."
Haruta suddenly whispered, making Kakuzu pause. But Haruta continued.
"With all this noise, Ōnoki will be here soon. And we're leaving. I'll give you some time."
Even though Haruta had the upper hand, he knew it was time to wrap things up.
The mission objectives had been met. The Akatsuki and Orochimaru had wreaked havoc in Iwagakure.
Jiraiya had played his role perfectly.
Any more fighting would just be unnecessary.
As for killing the Akatsuki members—sure, he could.
But what would be the point?
If they died now, who would he farm Freedom Points from in the future?
Haruta understood the importance of sustainable farming.
Besides, he had heard rumors in his past life about certain 'county of bear' up north funding their own opposition groups.
If they could do it, why not him?
Besides… apart from Nagato, most of the Akatsuki are probably just my toys.
"But if I let them go, I need to give them a good excuse."
As he prepared to stage his retreat, an idea struck him—one that made him grin under his mask.
However, his grin froze when Kakuzu suddenly spoke.
"Boss, since I took such a big risk bringing them here and helping you against Orochimaru… can we discuss payment?"
"…?"
Haruta stared at Kakuzu.
After a long pause, he sighed and gave a reluctant nod.
"Fine. You'll get your cut."
Money wasn't an issue—especially since Haruta was part of the "Special Investigation Unit."
As long as he kept feeding Konoha intel on the Akatsuki and periodically provided information on Obito, he could keep milking them for funds.
"Still, scamming mission funds isn't as efficient as taking a direct cut… Danzo-sama, I really need to speed things up for you."
With that thought, Haruta's gaze grew resolute. He swiftly distanced himself and signaled Kakuzu to prepare for retreat.
Kakuzu understood immediately and quickly moved back. At that moment, Haruta's hands began forming seals at high speed.
"I'll use the remaining duration of this state to see if I can pull this off!"
As that thought settled, his chakra surged violently, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
"Wood Release: Wood Human Technique!"
Boom!
The earth trembled violently as countless trees burst forth, intertwining and merging rapidly!
"What's happening… this guy?!"
Orochimaru and the others stared in shock as Haruta's Wood Clones withdrew, fusing together into massive, interwoven wooden structures.
From beneath the battlefield, a colossal wooden giant took shape, exuding a terrifying aura.
"T-This is…"
Even Sasori, despite his fully puppetized body, felt an eerie chill.
"What kind of monster is this…?"
Jūzō coughed up blood, his body battered and exhausted. Even his Executioner's Blade had been broken—though thankfully, it was self-repairing.
Still, he barely paid it any mind, staring instead at the towering wooden behemoth that loomed over them, emanating an oppressive presence.
"This... is Wood Release awakening on its own?"
Orochimaru licked his lips, his eyes filled with excitement and fanaticism. He finally understood why Danzo was so obsessed with this power!
"This brat..."
Jiraiya was utterly dumbfounded. A unique chakra mode, Wood Clones, and now he was even summoning wooden giants?
Just how many secrets was this guy hiding?
At this moment, Jiraiya felt like he finally understood why his teacher had once said that Haruta might end up as his bodyguard. This guy was truly absurd!
Roar—
Right then, the ground trembled violently. In the next moment, a strange beast—white in color, resembling a fusion of a dolphin and a horse, with five tails behind it—charged over.
With a heavy thud, it landed on the ground, scanned the surroundings, and then ran straight to Haruta's wooden giant.
"Hmm?"
Haruta looked puzzled. He recognized this creature as the Five-Tails, but something about it seemed off.
Looking closer, he immediately spotted Yuyane, Shisui, and a very excited Tenzo standing on the Five-Tails' back—along with Kakashi, whose face was filled with mixed emotions.
"You guys... what are you—"
"Haruta, we're late."
Shisui waved at Haruta. The massive Tailed Beast stood like a mountain, perfectly aligned with the wooden giant, and this scene completely shattered the last bit of composure the Akatsuki members had.
A Tailed Beast—controlled?!
"Retreat!"
Konan immediately took to the sky, flying higher. Seeing the current situation, she knew there was no point in continuing the fight.
If they didn't leave now, they might never get another chance!
The rest of the Akatsuki members, even Orochimaru, hesitated for a moment before preparing to escape.
"Damn it!"
Just then, a furious voice echoed from the sky. Under the moonlight, a short figure was seen flying toward them.
However, he quickly halted midair, stopping some distance away as he took in the scene.
"Ōnoki?"
Jiraiya snapped back to reality. When the Five-Tails had charged in, he had already been stunned.
But when he realized that the Five-Tails was controlled by their own people, he nearly wanted to die from frustration.
And now, seeing Ōnoki's arrival, he turned to glance at Haruta's Wood Release, the Five-Tails under Shisui's control, and Gamabunta beneath his own feet.
At that moment, it hit him—
They were absolutely screwed!
Yet, what Jiraiya didn't know was that Ōnoki was having the exact same thought.
"It's over... Is Iwagakure doomed tonight?"
Looking at the three monstrous entities before him, cold sweat trickled down Ōnoki's forehead.
A ridiculous thought suddenly popped into his mind—
"Damn it, is Konoha returning to the past?!"
---
Chapter 98: A Senju Hashirama with Uchiha Madara's Personality?
It wasn't strange that Ōnoki had this thought—because the lineup before him was downright terrifying.
A wooden giant, a controlled Five-Tails, and a massive toad the size of a mountain. If they were to wreak havoc in Iwagakure, even he would be powerless to stop them!
What was he supposed to do? Recklessly unleash Particle Style inside the village?
If he did, he didn't even want to imagine how many of his own people would die in the process!
"What the hell is Konoha trying to do?!"
Ōnoki cursed internally. He didn't dare to act rashly, but then his sharp eyes caught sight of the Akatsuki members nearby.
"Them? Wait… is that Orochimaru?"
Seeing this, Ōnoki started to piece things together, understanding why these people had come here. Even so, he wasn't willing to take any risks.
Teaming up with Akatsuki to take down these brats?
Easier said than done—he had to consider the reality of the situation.
This was Iwagakure. Just as he couldn't recklessly use Particle Style, he also couldn't afford to start a large-scale battle within the village.
If this were outside, he would have already dragged Akatsuki into the fight!
"You..."
Ōnoki struggled to keep his emotions in check, his trembling hand pointing at the group below.
"You've got some nerve, causing chaos in Iwagakure! You—"
"Uh…"
Jiraiya wanted to explain, but before he could, Kakuzu suddenly shouted loudly.
"They're being stalled by Ōnoki! Let's go!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Kakuzu immediately used Earth Release to sink into the ground, vanishing from sight.
The other Akatsuki members hesitated for a brief moment but didn't waste time—they had been wanting to escape for a while now.
Even though Iwagakure had business dealings with them, now was not the time to think about that. They had been utterly beaten by Haruta!
"Hmph!"
Konan didn't hesitate either. With a flap of her paper wings, she disappeared into the night sky.
"Konan!"
Jiraiya instinctively called out, but she didn't even look back. He also knew he couldn't act rashly.
Ōnoki was watching them closely, and the surrounding Iwa-nin had begun closing in. Sweat trickled down Jiraiya's forehead.
"Uh, Lord Tsuchikage, I think there's been a misunderstanding..."
"Oh?"
Ōnoki's face remained cold, but internally, he let out a sigh of relief.
This Jiraiya seemed easier to handle than expected.
He had actually been worried about an immediate conflict—things would get messy if that happened!
"Captain Jiraiya, is that really the case?"
Suddenly, the boy standing atop the wooden giant spoke up.
"Those people just now were from Akatsuki. You've read their basic intel, right?"
"But what you might not know is that the Third Tsuchikage and this organization are closely linked."
"He has often hired Akatsuki to eliminate rebel groups in the smaller nations around Iwagakure, wiping them out completely."
"Lord Kitsuchi personally admitted to this when he visited Konoha as a guest."
"..."
Jiraiya turned his head mechanically to look at Haruta.
At that moment, he understood what the kid meant by "Captain."
Meanwhile, Kitsuchi—who had been rushing over—shuddered upon hearing these words.
"Damn it, like Konoha hasn't done the same?!
Especially you, you little bastard! Following Danzo, you've done even worse things than us!"
And the worst part? This kid had used chakra to amplify his voice, making sure everyone around them heard it loud and clear!
Even the surrounding Iwa-nin had picked up on it!
"Kitsuchi…"
Ōnoki's face darkened.
"You idiot, why would you admit to that?"
Even if it was true, did you have to blurt it out—especially in front of the enemy?!
Of course, he knew his son wasn't stupid. He must have been tricked into saying it.
"That's nonsense! Iwagakure is upright and honorable—we would never—"
Before he could finish, Haruta cut him off.
"Lord Tsuchikage, we understand. After all, every village has done similar things."
"For the sake of their people, leaders sometimes have to make difficult choices. It's painful, but necessary."
"..."
Ōnoki's eye twitched.
"What the hell do you mean by that?"
Then it dawned on him—Haruta wasn't helping him at all.
"No, wait… he's shifting the blame to Danzo! This brat is one of Danzo's people!"
At that moment, his gaze turned cold.
"Damn you, Danzo! What kind of little monster did you raise?!"
"I don't know what you're getting at, and I don't care to listen!"
Ōnoki refused to engage any further.
He didn't want Haruta to spill any more intelligence, so he quickly changed the topic.
"You bastards, what exactly did you do in Iwagakure?!"
"You captured and controlled the Five-Tails, set fire to the Tsuchikage's office—you're damn well going to pay for this!"
As his furious roar echoed, more Iwa-nin surrounded them, forming a semi-circle blockade.
The rising flames painted the night sky red, and even from afar, Jiraiya and the others could feel the growing hostility.
"...What?"
Jiraiya turned to look at Haruta in shock.
Haruta's expression was equally stunned.
"What the hell just happened?!"
Capturing the Five-Tails—Haruta admitted to that. Clearly, this was Shisui's "final act of madness" in the ANBU. Besides, capturing the Five-Tails wasn't a big deal; it could always be returned.
But setting the Tsuchikage's office on fire—what the hell was that about?
Haruta distinctly remembered instructing his people to create chaos, not to burn down the Tsuchikage's Tower!
"I think… there might be some misunderstanding here?"
After a moment of contemplation, Haruta looked at Ōnoki, who was already tense and prepared to strike, and suddenly lowered his voice.
"Lord Ōnoki, I hope you understand one thing. Our mission was to investigate Orochimaru. According to reliable intelligence, he was spotted in Iwagakure, and if I'm not mistaken, he was hired by you."
"We came here to investigate—why would we escalate things to this extent?"
At this point, Haruta had no choice but to outright deny everything!
Even though he had just taken a subtle jab at Danzo earlier, throwing him under the bus, Haruta knew how to weigh his options. As much as it was a shame, he would never admit to this.
"Bullshit! Who the hell hired Orochimaru?!"
Ōnoki was furious. First, Orochimaru had sneaked in. Then, Akatsuki had snuck in.
And now, Konoha's troublemakers had slipped in too.
What the hell was Iwagakure's security even doing?!
Besides, he prided himself on having principles. Hiring Akatsuki for certain tasks was one thing, but hiring a rogue ninja like Orochimaru? That was ridiculous!
"Then explain why he's here?"
Haruta tilted his head slightly—before he even realized it, he had taken over the negotiations from Jiraiya.
"Isn't that right, Captain Jiraiya? Besides, we have concrete evidence proving that Lord Tsuchikage has hired these individuals and organizations. It's hard not to make certain associations."
"Yes, yes!"
Jiraiya quickly nodded. The current situation was giving him a headache—never in his entire career had he encountered something like this.
And since Haruta's reasoning was sound, he didn't even bother trying to take back control. Honestly, if he were the one leading the conversation, he might not even handle it as well as Haruta.
"Lord Tsuchikage, we're only here to investigate and gather evidence. So tell us—why is Orochimaru here?"
"How the hell would I know?!"
Ōnoki felt utterly wronged. He had no idea what was going on either! But soon, he snapped back to his senses.
"Wait a minute—who said I was here to discuss Orochimaru with you?! You bastards should be answering for your own crimes first!"
"But… we didn't do anything," Haruta spread his hands, looking genuinely helpless.
"And like I said, we're here under Captain Jiraiya's command to investigate Orochimaru. Anything else has nothing to do with us."
"Then explain—what happened to Han?"
Ōnoki's gaze sharpened, and he looked ready to fight.
"And what about the Wood Release spotted near the Tsuchikage's Tower? How do you explain that?"
Wood Release—that was his strongest piece of evidence against Konoha.
If he weren't wary of their strength, he would have attacked already instead of wasting words.
For now, though, he wanted to see what kind of ridiculous excuse they would come up with.
As for what would happen next?
That depended on how things played out.
With so many Iwa-nin gathering, anyone with half a brain knew the top priority now was to evacuate civilians.
After all, Konoha's Nine-Tails Incident had served as a wake-up call for everyone—every village had developed emergency plans for Tailed Beast outbreaks.
This situation was arguably worse than a Tailed Beast going berserk, but some things had to be done regardless.
That said, these people could still escape—after all, they had Flying Thunder God.
If necessary, to minimize casualties, even Ōnoki knew he would have to make some concessions.
"Wood Release…"
Jiraiya's mouth twitched. He felt like his world was crumbling.
The only two people in Konoha capable of using Wood Release were standing right here—what the hell was he supposed to say?!
"Wood Release?"
Compared to Jiraiya's grim expression, Haruta looked much calmer.
After a brief moment of contemplation, he spoke with a solemn tone.
"That means… he must be here. No wonder we didn't encounter him in battle earlier—he was planning to ambush us!"
"He?"
Ōnoki couldn't tell if Haruta was bluffing or if there was more to the story. He remained silent, observing carefully.
Shisui, however, instantly understood Haruta's intent and spoke up.
"Haruta, are you talking about Uchiha Obito?"
Uchiha Obito?
Ōnoki froze for a moment at this name—it was both familiar and unfamiliar.
Unfamiliar, because there was little reliable intel on him.
But familiar…
The Hero of Kannabi Bridge, the Uchiha ninja who supposedly died and came back to life, a Konoha rogue ninja under heavy surveillance.
All these scattered pieces of intel added up—it was impossible not to recognize the name.
Especially since Konoha's bounty on him was extensive but strangely vague, making other villages highly curious.
"It must be him. He's the only one who could pull this off."
Haruta nodded seriously, making Kakashi's eyes widen in disbelief.
He glanced at Tenzo, who stood there as if nothing unusual was happening, then at Shisui, who was fully cooperating, and finally at Yuyane, who remained silent.
For a moment, his mind was in complete chaos.
Did they just dump all of this onto Obito?
"You little brat—what kind of trick are you pulling this time?"
Ōnoki frowned at Haruta, not sure what was going on.
Haruta, however, simply sighed.
"Lord Tsuchikage, this matter is an absolute Konoha secret. I'm sorry, but I don't have the authority to reveal it."
With that, he turned to look at Jiraiya—Ōnoki did the same.
"Jiraiya! You'd better explain this properly, or we will have a problem!"
"Captain Jiraiya, it's all on you now."
Haruta added casually before shifting into a battle stance.
The wooden giant beneath him stirred, causing the very ground to tremble. At the same time, Shisui controlled the Five-Tails to turn, its gaze fierce as it scanned the surroundings.
"…"
Jiraiya swallowed hard.
He suddenly realized that the last thing he ever wanted to hear again was the word Captain.
Because every time he became Captain, it meant he was about to take the blame.
But now, he had no choice.
"Uchiha Obito's intel… is one of Konoha's most classified and frustrating pieces of information."
Jiraiya sighed. After a brief moment of hesitation, he decided to speak—though he kept his voice as low as possible.
"That guy… somehow possesses the same eyes as Shisui and the same abilities as Haruta!
"Not only does he have something similar to Flying Thunder God, but also the power he just used—"
Jiraiya tried to phrase it as vaguely as possible, given the sensitive nature of the intel.
But even so, his explanation was essentially useless—Ōnoki instantly saw through it.
"Are you seriously expecting me to believe that a resurrected Uchiha has both Senju Hashirama's power and Uchiha Madara's, plus Tobirama's techniques?"
Ōnoki's expression darkened, his eyes filled with mockery.
"Can you at least make your lies more believable?"
"I—"
Jiraiya opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Haruta spoke up instead.
"Lord Tsuchikage, I know Captain Jiraiya's explanation is hard to believe, but surely you trust the integrity of the Legendary Sannin?"
"Besides, if the situation weren't this severe, Konoha wouldn't have issued a massive bounty on him, would we?
"Clearly, even we don't think normal shinobi can handle him—and if we ever get our hands on his body, we must bring it back to Konoha!"
Ōnoki frowned. That… actually made some sense.
Indeed, if it weren't a serious problem, Konoha wouldn't have gone to such lengths.
And thinking about it—Akatsuki had always been recruiting rogue ninjas.
Uchiha Obito was a rogue ninja from Konoha.
Could this actually be true?
Maybe Akatsuki did have Obito, and they came to Iwagakure to recruit Orochimaru?
"Lord Tsuchikage, what do you think of our squad?"
Suddenly, Haruta changed the topic, lowering his voice.
"Captain Jiraiya leading a team with me, Uchiha Shisui, and Kakashi—what do you think our objective is?
"It's simple. We're here to investigate Uchiha Obito. We've always suspected that rogue traitor joined Akatsuki.
"And we came to Iwagakure because we tracked Akatsuki's movements—they might have been contacting Orochimaru.
"And now, everything seems to confirm our suspicions."
"Nonsense! I haven't seen anything!"
Ōnoki huffed, but deep down, he was starting to consider the possibility.
"Lord Tsuchikage, I know this is hard to believe, but let me ask you something—"
Haruta sighed, lifting his gaze.
"Konoha has no intention of waging war against Iwagakure. But Lord Tsuchikage, don't push us too far.
"Looking at our lineup—if we went wild in Iwagakure, what do you think would happen?"
"You—!"
Ōnoki's face darkened instantly.
Jiraiya's face also turned pale.
"Damn it, why did this suddenly turn into a threat?!"
"Hey, don't bring Danzo's tactics into this," Jiraiya immediately tried to intervene.
Haruta glanced at him before sighing.
"I understand, Captain Jiraiya. I was just making a point. Lord Tsuchikage, rest assured—we're not insane.
"Yes, we did create some distractions, like setting a few fires.
"But that's all. Even controlling the Five-Tails was an accident. Regardless, we can release it.
"Konoha has no intention of going to war with Iwagakure—we're only here to track Akatsuki and Orochimaru. We mean no harm.
"And really, Lord Tsuchikage, hiring a rogue ninja of Konoha's caliber—isn't that the real mistake here?
"But now that things have come to this, I believe we should both compromise.
"If you're willing to trust us, we won't need to fight. I can even ensure the two Konoha spies currently hiding in Iwagakure withdraw, minimizing your losses.
"At the same time, I'll persuade Captain Jiraiya to share more intel on Uchiha Obito. You can even discuss the matter with Lord Hokage directly.
"I'm sure Hokage-sama would be open to offering some form of compensation—after all, we didn't notify you in advance."
Haruta's gaze sharpened.
"But if not…"
Ignoring Jiraiya's warning look, Haruta suddenly pressed his palms together, his chakra surging.
"Wood Release: Wood Dragon Jutsu!"
Roar—!
With a mighty roar, a massive wooden dragon burst forth, coiling around the wooden giant.
At the same time, Shisui commanded the Five-Tails to open its mouth, gathering an overwhelming amount of chakra as it locked onto the surrounding Iwa-nin.
"Then, we'll just have to settle this in battle."
Haruta crossed his arms, standing atop the wooden giant, meeting Ōnoki's gaze.
Shisui, from his position on the Five-Tails, did the same.
"Konoha survived the Night of the Nine-Tails. I wonder… can Iwagakure do the same?"
Jiraiya fell into complete silence.
For the first time, he had the same thought as Kakashi.
"If we make it back to Konoha… we're screwed."
Ōnoki wasn't faring much better. Cold sweat dripped down his forehead.
"This damned brat—he's really ready to fight at the slightest provocation?!"
"Who the hell let him become a ninja?!"
"Oh… right. Danzo."
"Damn you, Danzo!"
---
Konoha, Hokage's Office.
Sarutobi Hiruzen puffed on his pipe, eyes scanning the scroll before him.
But his thoughts kept drifting.
"Jiraiya and the others have been gone for a while now… I wonder how things are going?"
It wasn't that he didn't trust Jiraiya.
But Haruta… Haruta was far too good at stirring up trouble.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had to admit—this kid had outstanding strength, exceptional abilities, and an incredibly sharp mind.
But the problem was… Haruta was ridiculously extreme in everything he did!
Even he, recalling all of Haruta's past actions, couldn't help but feel the urge to curse.
Granted, everything the boy did was for Konoha's benefit—that much was undeniable.
But there were many ways to serve Konoha—why did he have to follow in Danzo's footsteps?!
"Danzo, huh…"
Just thinking about his old friend gave Hiruzen a headache.
Not only had that man schemed behind his back, but he had also shaped Haruta—who was once just a normal kid—into such an extremist. The more Hiruzen thought about it, the angrier he became.
"Forget it. No use dwelling on it."
He sighed, trying to clear his mind.
Just then, a knock came at the door. Hiruzen quickly adjusted his thoughts.
"Come in."
The door opened, and upon seeing who entered, Hiruzen's expression turned slightly odd.
It wasn't just anyone—it was one of his "good students"… Tsunade!
Since when did Tsunade ever politely knock before entering?
"Sensei, do you have a moment?"
Tsunade carefully observed Hiruzen before flashing what she believed to be a sweet smile.
"Just say what you need to say."
But Hiruzen, upon seeing her expression, felt a sudden pang of unease in his chest.
He knew his students far too well.
Under normal circumstances, they would just call him "old man".
They respected him, sure—but that respect was mostly internal. Aside from Orochimaru, none of them had any proper decorum.
This was one of the reasons why he had favored Orochimaru so much back in the day…
Now, seeing Tsunade act all proper?
Hiruzen's instincts screamed that something was very wrong.
"Oi, old man, what's with that face?"
Tsunade's irritation flared up at his reaction, but after hesitating for a moment, she sighed.
"ANBU just delivered an update from the front lines. I think you should… mentally prepare yourself."
"ANBU… the front lines?"
Hiruzen's mind blanked for a second before it all clicked.
And just like that, an ominous feeling settled in his chest.
What did she mean?
What happened in Iwagakure?
"You know Haruta's in the field, right? Of course, I'd be concerned about my clanmate and student, so I came here to check on things."
Tsunade continued explaining as she pulled out a scroll.
"I just happened to run into an ANBU who was coming to report, so I took the liberty of bringing this to you myself."
"You've already read it?" Hiruzen's expression darkened slightly. "So? What exactly happened?"
"Well… you should just read it yourself. But I think there's definitely some kind of misunderstanding…"
Tsunade smiled again as she handed the document over.
But the more she smiled, the more uneasy Hiruzen felt.
He swiftly took the scroll, unrolled it, and read.
For a moment, it felt like his heart had stopped beating.
Fire set to the Tsuchikage's Tower?!
The Five-Tails taken under control?!
A Wooden Giant facing off against a massive toad and a controlled Five-Tails, standing against Ōnoki?!
Hiruzen felt his blood pressure skyrocket!
They were supposed to be investigating Orochimaru—so why the hell did it look like they were launching a full-scale invasion of Iwagakure?!
Where the hell was Jiraiya?!
Jiraiya, what the hell happened?!
Wasn't your job to keep them in check and make sure things didn't spiral out of control?!
Why are you acting just as crazy as they are?!
Hiruzen's hands trembled as he slowly looked up at Tsunade.
"This… this is the 'misunderstanding' you were talking about?"
"There's gotta be some misunderstanding in all this, right?"
Tsunade struggled to find the right words but still tried to smooth things over.
"After all, Jiraiya was leading the team—maybe there's some hidden context we don't know about?"
Hidden context?!
*The entire damn village is about to go to war with Iwagakure—*what the hell kind of hidden context could justify this?!
Hiruzen's body trembled as he stood up.
But before he could even speak—
His vision suddenly blurred, and his entire body slumped forward onto the desk.
"Oi! Old man, are you okay?!"
Tsunade's expression shifted as she quickly rushed over.
Seeing this, Hiruzen's heavy heart felt slightly better.
Despite all her gambling and recklessness, Tsunade did care about him.
"I…"
Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly heard her mutter under her breath—
"Tch. Got so angry he passed out? What a weak heart…"
"…!"
"Tsunade!!!"
"Relax, you'll be fine. I'm here, after all. No way I'm letting you die—I don't wanna be Hokage yet. You still gotta stick around for Jiraiya."
"…!"
---
At the Border of the Land of Earth and the Land of Rain.
Akatsuki's members surveyed their surroundings, ensuring there were no pursuers before finally exhaling in relief.
They had no idea what had gotten into Iwagakure, but the village had suddenly gone berserk, launching a massive hunt for them.
It was insane!
Under normal circumstances, they wouldn't be afraid of any ordinary pursuit.
After all, they were rogue ninjas—strong, fearless, and seasoned fighters.
But the problem was…
They had already been beaten half to death by Haruta.
Then, before they could recover, they were forced to go on the run.
They were already in terrible condition.
And then, Iwagakure—like a pack of rabid dogs—had come after them full force, giving them no chance to rest!
Between their injuries worsening and their chakra reserves depleting, even they were at their limit.
Fortunately, they were almost at their destination.
"Oi, Orochimaru… what the hell is up with that brat?"
Kakuzu glanced around at his battered companions.
Aside from Konan—who could fly—he was actually in the best condition.
Trying to shift the attention elsewhere, he turned to Orochimaru.
Of course, he also wanted to distance himself from suspicion—after all, he was the one who had sold Akatsuki out.
"That kid's strength is way too absurd. And how did he find you?"
"Wood Release. Flying Thunder God. Combine those two techniques… and on top of that, he's likely a Senju descendant."
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes at Kakuzu, his gaze betraying his lingering resentment.
After all, this bastard had gagged him and prevented him from speaking earlier.
But there was no point dwelling on that now.
Haruta had left an overwhelming impression on him. And frankly, Orochimaru was in an extremely bad mood.
"As for how he found me… I suspect Danzo had a hand in it."
"Oh?"
Everyone turned to him—including Konan, who landed nearby.
This mission had been a complete disaster.
They had accidentally run into Konoha's forces, including Jiraiya, and gotten completely wrecked.
This was, without a doubt, a catastrophic failure.
However, it wasn't a total failure—at the very least, Kakuzu's intel had been accurate.
They had successfully located Orochimaru.
But why had Konoha found him too?
Orochimaru's words seemed to dismiss the idea that it was mere coincidence.
"They were sent here on Danzo's orders."
"After all… my presence in Iwagakure was also arranged by Danzo."
"Oh?"
Everyone's eyes were on Orochimaru now—even Konan, who had just landed.
This mission had turned into a disastrous success.
They had unexpectedly run into Konoha's forces—including Jiraiya—and ended up beaten to a pulp.
A complete failure.
But not entirely—at least Kakuzu's intel had been accurate. They did find Orochimaru.
Still, how had Konoha found him too?
Orochimaru's words suggested this wasn't just a coincidence.
"They came because of Danzo. After all, I was sent here… by Danzo."
Orochimaru didn't want to elaborate—frankly, this whole situation was humiliating.
But his frustration toward Danzo had reached its peak.
He had no problem throwing Danzo under the bus.
And if Haruta was proving too troublesome to deal with… well, letting Akatsuki have some fun with him wasn't a bad idea either.
"Even though I left Konoha, Danzo and I still had certain… arrangements.
"He provided me with valuable materials, and in return, I handled certain tasks for him—things he couldn't deal with openly.
"Like this mission."
"You mean… you know too much about Danzo, so now he's trying to cut ties with you?"
Konan frowned.
Orochimaru, however, shook his head dismissively.
"No. He's trying to make me Haruta's target—so that brat remains under his control forever."
"What do you mean?"
"That kid… can be controlled?"
"Are you joking?"
The others looked skeptical.
How could someone that strong be manipulated?
If they were in his position, they'd have long since turned around and killed whoever tried to control them.
Even Kakuzu—who technically had a working relationship with Haruta—thought it was ridiculous. Their arrangement was strictly business, nothing more.
"You don't understand Haruta."
Orochimaru let out a cold laugh.
"He's an orphan. His only real attachments are his former caretaker and the fellow orphans he trained with in Root.
"But he's growing too powerful, and Danzo is worried he'll soon be beyond control.
"So what do you do with someone like that?
"You give them a phantom enemy—one that's just out of reach, one they can never quite destroy.
"And you know what my mission in Iwagakure really was?"
Orochimaru paused, licking his lips before continuing.
After briefly explaining the situation with Kabuto and Nonō Yakushi, he finally revealed his true purpose.
"I was here to witness Haruta's former caretaker and one of his childhood friends kill each other… and to clean up the mess afterward."
"So in other words…"
Sasori's expression darkened.
"If Haruta came here, he had to run into you."
"And once he saw you as his true enemy…"
Biwa added.
"If you escaped, the only person he could rely on… was Danzo?"
Kakuzu's small, beady eyes gleamed.
"So the intel I received… was deliberately leaked by Danzo?"
"He wanted us to help you escape?"
Everything suddenly clicked.
Orochimaru was sent to handle the clean-up.
Haruta would arrive, witness the tragedy, and fixate on Orochimaru.
Akatsuki—unknowingly playing along—would ensure Orochimaru got away.
And just like that, Haruta would have a lifelong boogeyman to chase after.
It all made sense now.
Danzo had played everyone—turning even the most self-important shinobi into pawns in his grand design.
"A truly terrifying man…"
Sasori's eyes glinted with murderous intent.
Beside him, Biwa tightened his grip on the Executioner's Blade.
"I've heard of the infamous 'Darkness of the Shinobi World' before, but experiencing it firsthand is truly unforgettable!"
Konan's gaze was filled with cold resentment. The damage Danzo had inflicted on them was something she could never forget. And now, she had witnessed his true methods.
It was deeply unsettling.
What a truly insidious man.
"..."
Kakuzu, however, felt a bit awkward.
After all, he knew the truth—Danzo wasn't as godlike as they were making him out to be.
But he didn't dare say much. Instead, he deliberately asked, "If that's the case, why didn't you just tell that brat the truth? Maybe he would've killed Danzo himself!"
"Hmph. You think I didn't try?"
Orochimaru shot Kakuzu a cold look before shaking his head.
"I did tell him. But with Jiraiya's sudden appearance, I wasn't sure about the fate of those two. One might be dead, or one might still be alive.
"But no matter what, I knew I couldn't wash my hands clean of this mess. After all, I was right there.
"Besides, that brat trusts Danzo completely.
"For all I know, his orders from Danzo explicitly included eliminating me on sight."
Orochimaru hadn't forgotten Haruta's words—'Lord Danzo sends his regards.'
It had felt off at the time, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why.
One thing was clear, though—Danzo had played all of them like chess pieces.
"Danzo, oh Danzo… I never expected your reach and ambition to be this vast."
Orochimaru's eyes darkened.
Just then, he abruptly turned to look behind them.
Not just him—the others noticed as well.
More Iwa-nin had appeared in the distance.
Their expressions instantly soured.
They were about to be chased again.
And at that moment, everyone—except for Kakuzu—had the exact same thought:
"Danzo Shimura… you truly deserve to die."
---
Iwagakure – The Tsuchikage's Residence
"Father, you're really going to just let them leave?"
In Ōnoki's courtyard, Kitsuchi glanced toward his daughter, who was training seriously, and then at Deidara—who was fuming with frustration.
Cautiously, he turned back to his father.
Truthfully, he shared Deidara's frustration.
The village had been wrecked, yet they hadn't retaliated against those Konoha bastards. Instead, they had turned their attention to hunting Akatsuki.
Had his father placed too much trust in those Konoha scumbags?
Sure, their so-called "goodwill" seemed genuine for now, but who could say for certain whether the information they provided was real or fake?
And to top it off, they had even taken two of Iwagakure's spies back with them.
It was a blatant loss!
"Hmph. And what would you have me do? Not let them leave?"
Ōnoki turned and glared at his son.
For a moment, he considered smacking him upside the head—but ultimately held back.
The boy was already dumb enough. Any more hits, and he'd be beyond saving…
"That brat threatened us! He had the Wooden Giant and Wood Dragon aimed right at our forces! If we hadn't made a decision then, it would have been too late, you idiot!"
Ōnoki was still fuming.
For a moment, he felt like his blood pressure was about to skyrocket.
It was downright despicable.
Controlling a Tailed Beast, using Wood Release, and pointing it all at enemy shinobi—acting as if he would storm the village if things didn't go his way…
Honestly, Ōnoki almost missed Hashirama.
Uchiha Madara may have been a menace, but at least Hashirama had been reasonable.
At least he wouldn't have pulled something like this.
But now…
Another Hashirama had appeared—one who had grown incredibly powerful.
Yet, somehow… why the hell did he act more like a damn Uchiha?!
"Are you really Hashirama's successor… or Madara's?"
"Still… our losses weren't as bad as they could have been."
Suppressing his anger, Ōnoki continued.
He wasn't referring to the Tsuchikage's Tower—that topic was now forbidden in Iwagakure.
"Sure, they took back two of their spies. But it takes years to infiltrate spies into enemy territory.
"Konoha probably lost far more in extracting them than we did."
"And then… there's the intel on Uchiha Obito.
"We can verify it ourselves and ensure the rest of the shinobi world learns about this individual."
"Father, are you saying…" Kitsuchi hesitated. "You plan to leak the intel?"
"Hmph. If we're going to be humiliated, we might as well take Konoha down with us."
Ōnoki scoffed, his eyes glinting.
"A combination of the ultimate Uchiha and Senju powers… along with a technique similar to, or even stronger than, Flying Thunder God.
"And he's hostile toward Konoha.
"Such a figure is bound to draw a lot of attention—enough to make Konoha lose sleep over it."
"Besides, this gives us an opportunity to demand compensation… and test Sarutobi Hiruzen's stance."
"More importantly, I've confirmed one crucial thing…"
Ōnoki's eyes darkened once more.
Haruta…
He was completely Danzo's pawn.
There were far too many irregularities in this operation.
And without a doubt, Danzo was somehow involved.
The mere thought of it made Ōnoki's fists clench.
"Danzo Shimura…"
"You son of a bitch…"
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Currently this fic has upto 145 chapter.
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