336-340

Chapter 336: You Have No Choice But to Submit 

The Shodai Raikage hurriedly pleaded with Kazama, “I was wrong, I was totally wrong! I’m ready to submit to you now, please, can you spare me?” 

Seeing the Raikage’s surrender, the remaining Tsuchikage, Mizukage, and Kazekage dropped to their knees before Kazama with a thud. They begged endlessly, hoping he’d show them mercy. 

Kazama, noticing they were finally done opposing him, broke into a grin. “Alright, since you’re sincerely submitting to me, I’ll let you live. But listen up—your submission is secondary. My real goal is for you to maintain peace in the Shinobi World. You, along with Konoha, represent the ninja of the Five Great Nations. If you can unite, the Shinobi World will know lasting peace!” 

“We get it, of course!” the four Kage, along with Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama, nodded eagerly at Kazama’s words. 

After all, maintaining peace in the Shinobi World had been Hashirama and Madara’s lifelong dream. They knew, despite their immense strength, they couldn’t force every shinobi to follow them. But Kazama had done it. With his own power, he’d brought peace to the entire Shinobi World, which thrilled Hashirama and Madara. 

But just as the Five Great Nations formed their alliance, something unexpected happened. A dark, shadowy substance enveloped the four Kage. In an instant, their once-bright eyes turned pitch black. Then, with cold smirks, they turned to Kazama. 

“Heh, Kazama, you little punk, remember me?” one of them sneered. 

“Zetsu, you bastard!” Kazama snapped. Though he couldn’t clearly see the figure, he knew only Kuro Zetsu could manipulate others with such mental fusion techniques. 

“Not bad, it’s your old pal!” Kuro Zetsu shot back, enraged by Kazama’s insult. “Listen up, punk. My power’s nothing like before, and now I’ve got these four Kage under my control. I don’t believe you can take me down. If you’re smart, you’ll kneel and beg for mercy. If you don’t, I’ll tear you to pieces and scatter your ashes!” 

“Haha, that’s hilarious!” Before Kazama could respond, Hashirama and Madara burst out laughing at Kuro Zetsu. 

They knew Zetsu was Kazama’s defeated foe. For this loser to strut around acting tough now was laughable. Pointing at Zetsu, Hashirama and Madara barked, “Listen, Zetsu, our buddy Kazama already beat you to a pulp single-handedly before. He was kind enough to let you crawl away with your sorry life. But now you’re back, still clueless, and daring to act all high and mighty in front of him? Are you even human? You’re nothing but a filthy bastard!” 

Chapter 337: Kuro Zetsu Scared Silly 

“Cut the crap!” Kuro Zetsu snapped. 

Having taken control of the four Kage, Zetsu’s arrogance was through the roof. He didn’t even give Senju Hashirama, Uchiha Madara, or Kazama a second thought. With a cold sneer, he taunted, “I, Kuro Zetsu, fear nothing and no one. You ants don’t even register to me!” 

“Sure, Kazama beat me black and blue before, but it wasn’t because he spared me. I escaped because of my own skill!” Zetsu boasted. “A gentleman’s revenge can wait ten years. I fled back then, but now I’m back, and my only goal is to grind you all to dust!” 

With that, Zetsu commanded the four Kage to charge at Kazama. Hashirama and Madara jumped in to help, clashing with the controlled Kage. But what they didn’t expect was Zetsu’s next move—he used his mental fusion technique again, seizing control of both Hashirama and Madara. 

Now dominating all six shinobi, Zetsu cackled wildly. “How’s that, you little punk? I told you my power’s on a whole new level! My mental fusion is insanely strong, unbeatable. You don’t stand a chance!” 

“Hah, listen up, you bastard,” Kazama shot back. “Killing you is child’s play for me. Don’t think controlling these Kage makes you hot stuff!” 

“Quit yapping and prove it!” Zetsu sneered. “If you’ve got the guts, come at me!” 

Zetsu lunged at Kazama again, but Kazama held his ground. In just a few exchanges, they were locked in a fierce, even battle. 

Zetsu had been confident. With the four Kage, plus powerhouses like Madara and Hashirama under his control, he thought crushing Kazama would be easy. But he hadn’t anticipated Kazama’s strength—it was beyond anything he’d imagined. Even with six elite shinobi, they couldn’t land a single hit on Kazama. 

Shock gripped Zetsu’s heart. Kazama seized the moment, growling, “Listen, Zetsu. If you want to live, release them right now. Otherwise, I’ll make you wish you were never born!” 

“Haha, you’re killing me!” Zetsu scoffed. Despite knowing Kazama’s strength, he refused to take him seriously. “I know you’re tough, Kazama, and yeah, you’re impressive. But no matter how strong you are, you can’t beat me. Go ahead, try to kill me. But if you do, everyone I’m controlling dies with me!” 

That pushed Kazama over the edge. Zetsu’s smug arrogance was infuriating. Without hesitation, Kazama unleashed his Ika no Teien (Emperor Flame). This flame had a natural dominance over Zetsu, and Kazama’s mastery of it was unmatched. 

In a move so subtle no one noticed, Kazama sent the Emperor Flame into the bodies of the Raikage, Kazekage, Tsuchikage, Mizukage, Hashirama, and Madara. In mere moments, the flames burned away Zetsu’s cells within them, freeing them from his control. 

Zetsu was stunned. He never dreamed Kazama could break his mental hold over them. Cold sweat poured down his face. Zetsu himself had no real combat power—his strength lay in his mental fusion, controlling others to fight for him. But now, Kazama had shattered his trump card, leaving Zetsu trembling in fear. 

Chapter 338: Shocking the Crowd  

“Black Zetsu, your time’s up!” 

In a single move, Kazama lunged at Black Zetsu, ready to finish him off. He’d already purged the Black Zetsu cells from Hashirama and the others, so now he could go all out, no holds barred. 

But just as Kazama thought he had Black Zetsu cornered, something unbelievable happened. Behind Black Zetsu, a massive army of ninja appeared—thousands upon thousands of them.  

Kazama and the Kage-level shinobi were stunned. These weren’t just any ninja; they were from the Five Great Shinobi Nations’ villages. 

“What the hell is going on?” Senju Hashirama, Uchiha Madara, and the others blurted out, their voices filled with confusion. 

“Heh, you pathetic dogs,” Black Zetsu sneered at Kazama and the group. “Did you really think I’d face you without a plan?” 

He turned to Kazama, his voice dripping with mockery. “Listen up, Kazama, you little punk. I know you’re strong. I know I can’t take you down on my own. That’s why, before I even got here, I set up a little insurance policy in the Five Great Nations’ villages. I injected my Black Zetsu cells into their ninja. Now, every single one of them follows my orders!” 

“No way. That’s impossible!”  

Before Black Zetsu could even finish, the hotheaded Shodai Raikage roared in defiance. “I don’t know about the other villages, but the ninja of Kumogakure in the Land of Lightning? They’re loyal to me, their brothers! There’s no way they’d ever obey you!” 

“Hold up, Raikage, what’s that supposed to mean?”  

Before Black Zetsu could respond, the Shodai Mizukage, Kazekage, Tsuchikage, along with Hashirama and Madara, turned on him, their voices sharp with anger. “Are you saying Kumogakure’s ninja are loyal, but the rest of our villages are full of traitors?” 

“Whoa, whoa, that’s not what I meant!” The Shodai Raikage, realizing he’d put his foot in his mouth, started backpedaling, bowing and apologizing to the others. 

“Enough!” Black Zetsu snapped, cutting through their bickering. “Quit your pathetic squabbling, you idiots. I don’t care how loyal your ninja were before. Once my Black Zetsu cells are in them, they obey me, no questions asked!” 

“Bullshit! Black Zetsu cells? Never heard of ‘em, and I don’t buy it!” The Shodai Raikage, refusing to believe it, charged straight at Black Zetsu. 

Black Zetsu just smirked, completely unfazed. With a single command, he sent the Kumogakure ninja behind him to attack the Shodai Raikage. 

“What the—? No way!”  

The Shodai Raikage was floored. He couldn’t believe it—his own Kumogakure ninja were turning on him. Furious, he shouted at them, his voice raw with betrayal. “You bastards! Open your damn eyes and look at me! I’m your leader, the Shodai Raikage of Kumogakure! How dare you attack me? This is straight-up treason!” 

Chapter 339: I Don’t Believe You’re That Badass  

At this moment, no matter how much the Shodai Raikage (First Raikage) roared and cursed at his Kumogakure shinobi, none of his subordinates paid him any attention. They kept relentlessly attacking their own leader. 

With the Raikage’s original strength, he could’ve easily wiped the floor with these subordinates. But he knew the grim truth: his shinobi were under Kurozetsu’s (Black Zetsu’s) control. They’d lost all sense of self, their minds completely gone. If he struck them down, it’d be like slaughtering the lifeblood of his own village—a catastrophic loss no village leader could justify. 

So, the Shodai Raikage had no choice but to fight defensively, retreating step by step. 

Meanwhile, the other Kage—the Mizukage, Tsuchikage, and Kazekage—had initially thought there was no way Kurozetsu could control their village shinobi. But seeing the Shodai Raikage getting pummeled and pushed back by his own people made them realize Kurozetsu’s threat was no bluff. They exchanged uneasy glances, completely at a loss for what to do. 

In the end, they turned their hopes back to Kazama. 

After all, Kazama was the only one with the power to counter Kurozetsu—a fact they’d already confirmed time and again. 

“Kazama, little brother, please save us!” one of them pleaded. 

“Yeah, Kazama, we’re out of options!” another added. “Sure, we could easily take down our own shinobi, but you know they’re still our people. If we kill them, we’d just be playing into Kurozetsu’s twisted plan. He’d have us by the throat, laughing in our faces!” 

“Don’t worry, everyone. I’ve got this,” Kazama said, giving them a firm nod. 

Even if they hadn’t begged him, Kazama would’ve stepped up to take on Kurozetsu anyway. That guy was a filthy scumbag, a villain beyond redemption who’d sparked countless wars in the Shinobi World. Kazama, who longed for peace, couldn’t stand by and let a lowlife like Kurozetsu run rampant, acting all high and mighty. 

Without hesitation, Kazama leaped forward, facing the army under Kurozetsu’s control. 

The moment Kurozetsu saw Kazama make his move, his heart skipped a beat. Sure, he was confident Kazama couldn’t instantly free everyone from his grip, but he also knew Kazama’s strength was downright monstrous. Deep down, Kurozetsu was terrified of him. 

Before Kazama could even say a word, Kurozetsu shouted, “You little punk, finally couldn’t hold back, huh? Well, let me tell you something: I’m not controlling just a few people this time—it’s thousands! And yeah, I know you’ve got some trick to break my hold. So, let me make this clear: if you even try to free them, I’ll order them to slaughter each other!” 

“Even if they can’t kill you, I’ll make sure you’re the one blamed for their deaths. Let’s see who comes out worse for wear then, haha!” Kurozetsu cackled. 

Kazama’s blood boiled at those words. He hadn’t expected Kurozetsu to sink this low. 

In a flash, Kazama unleashed his ultimate technique: the Ika no Teien (Emperor’s Flame), his most powerful move, ready to face the enemy head-on. 

Chapter 340: I’m Seriously Badass  

At that moment, Kurozetsu saw that he had clearly warned Kazama, saying he’d kill all those people. 

But what he didn’t expect was that Kazama completely ignored his warning. 

Instead, Kazama fearlessly prepared to unleash Teien on him, which left Kurozetsu both furious and fuming. 

“Kazama, you little punk! Didn’t you hear what I just said? I’ll wipe out all these people in an instant, so you’d better behave yourself!” 

“Cut the crap,” Kazama shot back. “Let me tell you something—I, Kazama, hate being threatened more than anything. And you, daring to threaten me over and over? Fine, today I’ll show you my true power!” 

With that, Kazama thrust out a single hand. 

A massive wave of Teien surged forward, roaring toward the thousands of ninja in the army ahead. 

In the blink of an eye, it reduced the ninja from the Five Great Nations’ villages to nothing but ash. 

Seeing Kazama’s ruthless move, Kurozetsu was so shocked that cold sweat poured down his face. 

He immediately tried to seize the chance to escape. 

But too bad for him—he’d already crossed Kazama’s line by threatening him. 

There was no way Kazama would let him slip away. 

In an instant, Kazama used Teien to block Kurozetsu’s escape route, surrounding him completely. 

Meanwhile, down below, the four Kage—along with Senju Hashirama, Uchiha Madara, and others—watched in stunned disbelief as Kazama burned their ninja forces to nothing. 

The First Raikage leaped forward, pointing at Kazama’s face and demanding answers. 

“Hey, Kazama! We know you’re crazy strong, but did you really have to take it out on our people?” 

“Exactly!” another chimed in. “Sure, our ninja were being controlled by that bastard Kurozetsu, but they didn’t have a choice! Even if we had to deal with them, we should’ve just restrained them, not killed them!” 

The group kept piling on, blaming Kazama left and right. 

But what they didn’t know was that Kazama wasn’t some bloodthirsty maniac. 

If Kazama dared to wipe out their ninja, he had the confidence to bring them back. 

After all, Kazama possessed the Seirei no Honoo, a technique that could revive the dead. 

At that moment, Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, who trusted that Kazama wasn’t a mindless killer, stepped up beside him. They turned to the First Raikage and the others and said, “Everyone, you might be misunderstanding Kazama. I’m sure he has a reason for doing this.” 

“Reason? What reason?!” someone snapped. “Kazama’s just a murderous lunatic!” 

Kurozetsu, seizing the moment, started stirring the pot. 

Since he couldn’t take Kazama down himself, he figured he’d rile up the others to turn on him. 

“Everyone, this is the real Kazama you’re seeing right now. Let’s be honest—he’s a pathetic, bloodthirsty coward. If you don’t believe me, just look at what he did to your people!” 

“Now that you’ve seen your ninja mercilessly cut down by Kazama, don’t you believe me?” 

“Well…” 

Hearing this, the Raikage, Kazekage, Tsuchikage, and Mizukage—all four Kage-level shinobi—nodded gravely.