331-335

Chapter 331: The Conspiracy of the Four Kage  

"What the heck just happened?!" 

The four Kage-level shinobi were utterly floored by Kazama’s latest moves, their jaws practically hitting the ground. They never could’ve imagined that Kazama could instantly swap positions like that. His actions had completely shattered their worldview and blown their minds. 

Down below, Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama were just as stunned. They had no idea Kazama had a trick like Tenshu Ryoku up his sleeve. Cold sweat dripped down their faces, especially Madara’s. He’d fought Kazama for hundreds of rounds before, and Kazama had never used this technique against him. 

Madara’s mind raced. If Kazama had used that skill on me, all my attacks would’ve hit myself. I’d probably be dead by now! The thought alone made him admire Kazama even more, practically in awe of the guy. 

Meanwhile, Kazama turned to the four shocked Kage and said, "So, what do you think now? Ready to admit I’m the real deal?" 

"Uh, well…" The four Kage exchanged awkward glances, each looking at the others in silence. Logically, they knew they couldn’t beat Kazama. But submitting to him? That was a tough pill to swallow. After all, Kazama was just a young guy, while they were grown adults—seasoned leaders. How could they, as Kage, bow to someone so young? 

No way were they okay with that. So, the four Kage huddled together, whispering among themselves to figure out their next move. 

"What do we do now, guys?" one of them asked. 

"How about we just make a run for it?" another suggested. 

"Are you kidding?" the other three snapped, shaking their heads like rattling drums. "Don’t you get it? Kazama gathered us here to make us submit to him. If we try to escape instead of agreeing, he’ll probably go after our villages. We might dodge him for now, but we can’t outrun the consequences forever." 

"Yeah, you’re right," the first admitted. "But submitting to a kid like him? I’m not exactly thrilled about it." 

"Then let’s give him a challenge—a task so tough he can’t possibly pull it off," another proposed. "That way, we don’t have to submit, and we save face." 

"What kind of task?" the others asked, intrigued. 

The Shodai Raikage smirked and leaned in. "It’s simple. You know how the shinobi world has nine powerful Bijū scattered around, right? The Kyūbi, the Nine-Tails, is already under Uchiha Madara’s control. But the other eight, from the Ichibi to the Hachibi, are still out there, untamed, and their power is no joke. We tell Kazama he has to capture all eight of those Bijū. Only then will we agree to follow him. That punk will fall for it, guaranteed." 

"But what if he fails to capture them?" one of the Kage asked. 

"Yeah, Kazama’s not an idiot," another pointed out, skeptical of the Raikage’s plan. 

Chapter 332: Taming the Tailed Beasts  

“That’s perfect! If he doesn’t agree, we’ve got a legit reason not to bow to him, and we save face. But even if he does agree, there’s no way he can pull it off, so we still don’t have to follow him!” the First Raikage schemed. 

“Exactly!” the other three Kage nodded with sly grins. 

“Kazama’s just a kid,” the First Raikage continued, smirking. “Young guys like him always fall for a good taunt. This is in the bag.” 

With a cold laugh, he turned to Kazama and said, “Listen up, Kazama. You want us to follow you? Fine. But you know we’re the leaders of our ninja villages. Even if we were okay with bowing to you, our people sure as hell wouldn’t be.” 

“Enough talk,” Kazama cut in, sounding fed up. “Just tell me what I’ve gotta do to make you all submit.” 

“Oh, that’s simple!” the First Raikage said, barely hiding his glee. He could tell Kazama was about to take the bait. 

He leaned in and continued, “You know there are nine Bijū (Tailed Beasts) roaming the ninja world. The Kyūbi (Nine-Tails) has already been tamed by Konoha’s Uchiha Madara. So, here’s the deal: if you can tame the other eight Bijū, we’ll all swear loyalty to you.” 

“What?! Are you kidding me?!”  

Before Kazama could even respond, Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama exploded, glaring at the First Raikage. 

“You’re such a snake, First Raikage!” Hashirama snapped. 

“Yeah!” Madara added. “Don’t act like you don’t know how terrifyingly powerful those Bijū are. Forget one village—even if all five great ninja nations teamed up, we couldn’t take on eight Bijū at once! Plus, those beasts are bloodthirsty monsters with no sense of reason. There’s no way anyone could tame them. You’re just setting Kazama up to fail!” 

“Hah! Spare me the lecture!” the First Raikage shot back, smirking. He wasn’t fazed by their outburst. His whole plan was to push Kazama into refusing the challenge. If Kazama backed down, the Raikage could refuse to follow him without losing face. 

But what he didn’t expect was Kazama’s response. While the Raikage was busy arguing with Hashirama and Madara, Kazama stepped forward, a cold smirk on his face, and said, “Fine. I’ll tame the eight Bijū.” 

“What?! Are you serious?!” The First Raikage’s eyes lit up with glee, thinking he’d already won. 

“Kid, did you get kicked in the head by a donkey or something?!” the First Mizukage jeered, joined by the First Tsuchikage and First Kazekage, who all burst into mocking laughter. 

“Kazama, you little brat, don’t go making promises you can’t keep!” the First Kazekage taunted. “You might’ve beaten us black and blue, but those Bijū? They’re on a whole other level. Their power can wipe out mountains and reshape the world!” 

“Enough chatter,” Kazama said, brushing them off. “Just tell me where the Bijū are. Point me in their direction, and I’ll take care of the rest—taming every single one of them.” 

Chapter 333: Thrashing Ichibi Shukaku 

“Alright, you said it yourself!” 

Hearing Kazama’s bold confidence, the Shodai Kazekage sneered inwardly. 

In his village of Sunagakure, they had just managed to seal away Ichibi Shukaku. He had tried countless methods to tame the beast, hoping to become its Jinchuriki, but every attempt had failed. So, when Kazama offered to take on the task, the Kazekage was secretly thrilled. 

He also knew Shukaku’s power was immense—absolutely top-tier. If Kazama was foolish enough to face it, why not let him try? If Kazama somehow managed to subdue Shukaku, the Kazekage could swoop in and claim the beast as his Jinchuriki. If Kazama failed, Shukaku would likely tear him apart, and the Kazekage wouldn’t have to submit to him either way. 

With these thoughts swirling, the Shodai Kazekage led Kazama, Senju Hashirama, Uchiha Madara, and the others to Sunagakure. Then, with another cold smirk, he taunted Kazama, “Listen up, you little punk. Don’t say I didn’t warn you—Shukaku’s strength is on another level, absolutely insane. Our entire village had to pull out all the stops, using every ounce of strength, just to seal it. So you’d better know what you’re getting into!” 

“Heh, spare me the crap!” Uchiha Madara shot back with a sneer the moment the Kazekage finished. 

Madara knew Kazama’s true power all too well. Even the Kyubi no Yoko hadn’t been a match for him. How could this Ichibi Shukaku possibly stand a chance? 

The Shodai Kazekage was furious at Madara’s outburst but didn’t dare retort. He knew Madara’s strength was terrifyingly formidable. 

Kazama, meanwhile, had no interest in wasting words with the Kazekage. He strode straight to where Shukaku was sealed. 

The beast was still unconscious, bound by the village’s restraints. As soon as Kazama approached, the Kazekage released the seals, slyly casting a jutsu to enrage Shukaku, making it even more ferocious. His goal? To use Shukaku’s wrath to eliminate Kazama. 

But Kazama’s razor-sharp perception caught every bit of the Kazekage’s little scheme. Still, he knew his priority was taming Shukaku, so he let the Kazekage’s antics slide for now. 

In a flash, Kazama charged at Shukaku. The beast, seeing someone dare to attack, roared in fury. It unleashed its signature ninjutsu, Suna no Jutsu (Sand Release), sending a massive sandstorm surging toward Kazama. 

The Shodai Kazekage and the other Kage watching burst into mocking laughter. They had never witnessed Kazama’s true power and assumed that no matter how strong he was, he couldn’t possibly defeat Ichibi Shukaku. 

"Chapter 334: Back to the Present" 

Hearing everyone's words, Kazama nodded happily. He then took his time machine again and returned to the real world. 

However, Kazama hadn't anticipated that the few days he spent in the parallel world would translate to decades in the real world. As soon as Kazama returned, he found that Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and everyone else his age had all gotten married and had children. This left Kazama feeling a bit bewildered and amused. 

At this point, Naruto had officially become the Seventh Hokage. Originally, Naruto was supposed to be the Sixth Hokage. But that position was reserved for Kazama. However, after decades of waiting, no one had found any trace of Kazama. So, out of necessity, they appointed the Seventh Hokage, which was Naruto. 

Even though Kazama had never actually become the Sixth Hokage or served in that role, everyone was incredibly grateful for his heroic act of saving the entire shinobi world. Because of this, they still carved Kazama's likeness onto the Hokage Rock. After all, everyone genuinely felt a deep sense of gratitude towards him. 

As soon as Kazama arrived back in Konoha, he immediately went to Hokage Naruto's office. Naruto was currently swamped with Hokage duties. Upon seeing Kazama arrive, he was so overjoyed he could barely speak. And when he realized that Kazama, after decades, still looked the same as he did at eighteen or nineteen, Naruto was even more shocked. 

Naruto immediately asked Kazama in surprise, "Hey, Kazama, how is it that you're still so young after all these decades?" 

"Well, about that..." 

Kazama now understood that the few days he spent in the parallel world had translated to decades in the real world. So, naturally, his timeline was different from Naruto's. Kazama immediately explained this to Naruto. Unfortunately, Naruto, being a bit dense, couldn't quite grasp it. He just scratched his head awkwardly, indicating he didn't quite understand Kazama's words. 

Then, Naruto spoke to Kazama again, "No matter what, you're my best friend. Besides, this Hokage position was originally saved for you. Since you didn't show up for so many years, that's why I became the Seventh Hokage. But now that you're here, I'll gladly step down and let you serve as the Sixth Hokage!" 

"Absolutely not!" 

As soon as Kazama saw Naruto offering to step down, he shook his head vigorously. 

"Why not? Kazama, wasn't it your dream since childhood to become Hokage?" Naruto was greatly perplexed when Kazama refused his offer. After all, Naruto knew that Kazama shared his dream of becoming Hokage. And Naruto also knew that Kazama was more qualified to be Hokage than he was. Kazama's strength, after all, was among the very best in the entire shinobi world. It was Kazama who, by himself, thwarted Black Zetsu's schemes. If not for Kazama, the entire shinobi world would most likely have been controlled by Black Zetsu. Therefore, Kazama becoming Hokage would be truly well-deserved. 

However, Kazama also knew that everything Naruto had done during his time as Hokage was excellent, and he had earned everyone's trust and reliance. 

Chapter 334: Beating Down Seven Tailed Beasts in a Row  

Nobody expected what happened next. Just when they thought Kazama was done for, about to be sliced up by Ichibi Shukaku’s attack, he came out unscathed. Not only did he completely block Shukaku’s sandstorm assault, but he also turned it right back on the Ichibi, sending the beast’s own attack crashing into it. 

In a single clash, Kazama had Shukaku reeling, forced to retreat over and over. 

The four Kage-level shinobi watching were floored, their hearts pounding with shock. They never could’ve imagined Kazama pulling off something like this. 

The secret behind Kazama’s ability to reflect Shukaku’s attack? The Yuxu Ice Mirror. He’d infused it into his Susano’o, but Kazama could still call on its power whenever he needed it. 

Now, Shukaku was no tame beast—it was a raging Tailed Beast. Seeing a mere human like Kazama knock it flat on its back only made it angrier. With a furious roar, it charged at him again. 

But Kazama? He didn’t even blink. Shukaku wasn’t a threat to him. In an instant, he activated the unique dōjutsu of his Rinne-Sharingan. One glance, and Shukaku was tamed, completely under his control. 

The four Kage-level shinobi had been banking on a berserk Shukaku to take Kazama down. They never dreamed that halfway through its attack, Kazama would just… take over. Their shock deepened. 

Kazama smirked and turned to them, his voice cool and confident. “So, what do you think? Believe I can tame a Tailed Beast now?” 

The four Kage-level shinobi were speechless, stunned to see Kazama actually subdue Ichibi Shukaku. But to save face, they doubled down, sneering at him. “Don’t get cocky, you little punk! So what if you tamed Ichibi? We’ve still got Nibi through Hachibi here. No way you can handle the other seven Tailed Beasts!” 

As they spoke, the Shodai Raikage, Shodai Tsuchikage, and Shodai Mizukage gave the order to bring all eight Tailed Beasts to the battlefield. 

Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, watching this unfold, were livid. These three Kage were shameless! The deal was for Kazama to take on the Tailed Beasts one by one, but now they’d called all seven remaining beasts at once. 

A single Tailed Beast might not be a big deal, but all of them together? That’s a whole different level of power—insanely strong, ridiculously dangerous. 

Hashirama and Madara were ready to jump in and help Kazama fend off the onslaught. But Kazama just waved them off with a grin. “Relax, you two. If I, Kazama, can’t even handle a few Tailed Beasts, how am I supposed to make these Kage-level shinobi bow to me?” 

“Hah! You’re all talk, you little brat!” the four Kage-level shinobi scoffed, bursting into mocking laughter. They didn’t believe for a second that Kazama could take on all those Tailed Beasts alone. 

But while they were busy laughing, Kazama was already moving. He activated his Rinne-Sharingan’s unique genjutsu again, ready to prove them wrong. 

Chapter 335: Just to Make You Admit Defeat  

In just a few clashes, all seven remaining Tailed Beasts, including Ichibi Shukaku, fell under Kazama’s control. His Rinne-Sharingan’s dōjutsu was unstoppable—once activated, all eight Tailed Beasts bowed to him, completely tamed and submissive. 

The four Kage-level shinobi staggered back, drenched in cold sweat, their faces full of disbelief. They’d made this bet with Kazama to force him to back down, to make him realize he was out of his league. But instead, Kazama didn’t just rise to the challenge—he slapped them in the face with his victory. This was something they never saw coming, something they desperately didn’t want to believe. 

The four Kage-level shinobi exchanged glances, each one at a loss for what to do next. 

Having tamed all eight Tailed Beasts, Kazama turned to them again, his voice calm but firm. “Let me make one thing clear—I, Kazama, never said I wanted you to bow to me. All I want is for you to live in peace with Konoha. Forget about who’s above who, who’s got the higher status. We’re all part of the shinobi world, and we need to keep the peace. But you guys keep thinking I’m trying to lord over you, to ‘sit on your necks and crap on you,’ as you put it. That’s not true. Yeah, my techniques are top-notch, but I’m not here to rule everything. I just want us to coexist peacefully!” 

“Enough of your damn nonsense!” the Shodai Raikage roared. Kazama had humiliated him one too many times, and his temper exploded. Without a second thought, he charged at Kazama, ready to attack. 

He knew he was no match for Kazama, but he couldn’t stand Kazama showing off in front of him any longer. 

Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, watching this unfold, were furious. The Shodai Raikage was clearly outclassed, and Kazama had already won their bet fair and square. Yet here he was, still trying to act tough in the face of defeat.  

The two of them snapped. In an instant, they rushed the Shodai Raikage, and after a few quick exchanges, they left him battered and bruised, his face swollen and bloody. 

Kazama didn’t stop Hashirama or Madara. Honestly, he thought the Shodai Raikage had it coming. The guy was too stubborn, too arrogant. He knew he couldn’t beat Kazama, yet he kept trying to flex. It was infuriating. 

Kazama smirked coldly at the Shodai Raikage. “Let me tell you something, Shodai Raikage. If I wanted to kill you, it’d be as easy as breathing. But I haven’t touched you because I’m hoping you’ll see reason, put down your pride, and change your ways. But since you keep trying to show off in front of me, don’t blame me for being ruthless!” 

With that, Kazama prepared to finish the Shodai Raikage off. 

The Shodai Raikage, hearing Kazama’s words and seeing the cold smile on his face as he approached, felt a chilling aura of death wash over him. Cold sweat poured down his face. In all his life, from the day he was born, he’d never felt such terrifying pressure.