belamy20

341-345

Added 2025-06-25 16:41:33 +0000 UTC

Chapter 341: It’s Just a Game

"Shiiing!"

Blade clashed against blade, sparks flying as the sheer force of their collision distorted the air.

"Is this all the legendary Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist can do?"

Nakamura Shouta smirked, taunting as he suddenly lunged forward the moment Hoshigaki Kisame’s anger flared.

"!!!"

Kisame’s instincts screamed danger—he barely raised his arms in time to block.

But the moment their fists met, his expression twisted in shock.

Shouta’s strength far surpassed his expectations!

It felt like being rammed by a mountain—his arm bones cracked under the force, forcing a pained grunt from his throat.

"Lightning Release: Gratitude Wave!"

Shouta’s hands flew through hand seals, and a storm of crackling lightning surged toward Kisame.

"Zzzzt—BOOM!"

The electricity ravaged Kisame’s body, but Shouta’s expression remained cold.

Because—

"Splash!"

Kisame’s body dissolved into a puddle of water.

And in the next instant—

"Die, brat!"

Kisame reappeared behind Shouta, his face twisted in fury as his blade came down in a vicious slash toward Shouta’s neck!

But then—

Shouta’s reaction stunned everyone.

He raised his arm to block!

"Is he insane?!"

The surrounding Mist ninja watched in disbelief.

"Brat, I’ll carve your arm clean off!"

Kisame grinned, seeing an easy victory.

Using bare flesh to stop his blade? Suicide.

He’d thought Shouta was at least somewhat capable, pushing him this far—but if the kid was this stupid, he wouldn’t hold back!

But—

Was it really that simple?

"CLANG!"

Instead of slicing through flesh, Kisame’s blade met Shouta’s arm with a metallic screech—followed by a violent surge of lightning.

"Surprised?"

Shouta smirked at Kisame’s shocked face.

"This is the Lightning Armor—the Third Raikage’s signature technique. You should recognize it."

"It’s over, Kisame."

With that, his fist—wreathed in crackling lightning—slammed forward.

Kisame barely registered the attack before the force detonated against him, sending his body flying like a ragdoll.

"Lightning Release: Falling Thunder!"

Shouta’s hands blurred through seals before he pointed skyward.

"Strike."

"BOOM!"

A pillar of lightning as thick as a barrel erased Kisame from existence.

When the dust cleared, all that remained was a smoldering crater—and Kisame’s barely intact body, slowly regenerating thanks to Edo Tensei.

But the sealing team wasted no time. Within moments, he was bound and sealed away.

"He took down Kisame… that easily?!"

Momochi Zabuza and Ameyuri Ringo exchanged uneasy glances.

Where the hell did this kid come from?

"Tch. He’s showing off again."**

Ameyuri clicked her tongue in annoyance.

"Chōjūrō, pick up the pace! If we don’t finish our targets soon, we’ll be the laughingstock!"

"R-right!"

Chōjūrō stammered—but the sharpness of his blade told a different story.

"What the hell is with this kid?!"

Ameyuri’s opponent, one of the reanimated swordsmen, barely kept up.

He’s only 17 or 18—why is he this strong?!

Meanwhile, the battle between Hōzuki Mangetsu and Hōzuki Suigetsu was a spectacle of fluid, near-invincible water-style combat, leaving the onlookers in awe.

Meanwhile—Yoru’s Side

Yoru watched the young Mist ninja tear through the battlefield, then glanced at Nakamura Shouta—who, after finishing his fight, had casually started spectating.

"Your village… is interesting. These brats aren’t half bad."

Yoru raised an eyebrow.

"Hearing praise from you, Uchiha Madara, is a rare honor."

Just then—

"Shunshin!"

A masked ANBU appeared before Yoru, dragging a young man—Tōmori Shō, the mastermind behind the Edo Tensei army.

"Lord Yoru, we’ve captured the caster. Should we execute him?"

Yoru studied Shō’s defiant glare—then gave an answer that stunned him.

"Kill him? Why?"

"Look how much fun everyone’s having. Why ruin the mood?"

"Let them enjoy this. Wars like this… they’re rare."

"Besides—what better way to give the new generation a taste of real battle?"

Shō’s blood ran cold.

All of this… was just a game to him?!

Their grand invasion, their undead army—Yoru saw it as nothing more than entertainment?!

"You… monster."

For the first time, Shō truly understood the gap between them.

He’d thought Yoru would at least take them seriously—maybe even suffer heavy losses.

But no.

This man didn’t even care.

Compared to Yoru’s overwhelming presence, his own ambitions felt like a child’s delusion.

This… is what a true ruler of the shinobi world looks like.

Chapter 342: Karma’s a Bitch

"Understood!"

The Anbu member clearly hadn’t expected Yoru to give such an answer. After a brief pause, he withdrew with Dōshinsei in tow.

"No wonder this war felt off!"

"Now I get it—you’re using this war to sharpen your subordinates. Bold move. Really bold."

Even Uchiha Madara had to admit—Yoru had guts.

Using war as a training game? He might just be the first person in history to pull that off.

Didn’t he worry about unforeseen consequences? About catastrophic losses?

"I actually considered sending you down there to give them some real pressure," Yoru said with a smirk, eyeing Madara.

"But then I thought better of it. If you joined, the pressure would be too much—it’d break them. So I scrapped the idea."

Given Madara’s personality—the kind that only acknowledged Hashirama Senju—if he stepped onto the battlefield, he’d definitely trash-talk everyone. And he’d have every right to.

Whether it was summoning meteors with the Rinnegan or unleashing the sheer destructive force of the Perfect Susano’o, anyone facing him—even fighters like Yugito—would experience true despair.

Hell, even the Five Kage in the original story had been crushed under that weight. Yugito and the others wouldn’t fare any better.

Better not to scar them for life.

Uchiha Madara—a man who loved to show off and had the power to back it up.

"Hmph. How do you know they’d despair if you’ve never tried?"

Hearing Yoru’s praise, Madara’s lips curled into a faint smirk.

Yoru almost laughed. Did he really need to test that?

Did Madara think he didn’t know exactly how strong he was?

In the entire shinobi world, the only ones who could face Madara without despair were himself and Hashirama Senju.

Everyone else? They’d question their entire existence.

"Whoosh—!"

Another gust of wind—another Anbu member appeared, dragging a prisoner.

"Lord Yoru, this is the mastermind behind the Edo Tensei. Should we eliminate him?"

The captive was none other than Kaishirō, barely conscious, a far cry from the man who’d once boasted about ruling the shinobi world.

"Keep him under watch. We’ll deal with him after the war."

Killing Kaishirō now would piss off Madara—no doubt about it.

Sure, Madara could break free from the Edo Tensei, but that would mean Hashirama would vanish too. And Madara lived for their rematch.

That said, Yoru had no intention of letting Kaishirō undo the Edo Tensei.

The show was just getting good—why cut it short?

Second Mizukage Gengetsu Hōzuki, the former Six-Tails Jinchūriki, was having the time of his (after)life battling Yugito, Reiko, Zabuza, and Kisame.

Then there was Yagura, clashing with the former Three-Tails Jinchūriki, and Utakata fighting his own master.

Would be a shame to interrupt all that.

Meanwhile, in other villages…

Sunagakure (The Hidden Sand)

"Hold the line! Don’t falter—we can win!"

Elder Chiyo barked orders at the Sand shinobi, her expression grim.

Before them stood the resurrected:

Fourth Kazekage, Rasa

The hero of Suna, Scorch Release user Pakura (aka Yōkaze)

The former One-Tails Jinchūriki, the monk Bunpuku

Rasa’s wife and Suna’s strongest sand manipulator, Karura

And finally—Chiyo’s son and daughter-in-law, the parents of Sasori of the Red Sand: Sōji and Mihoko

Alongside them? An entire army of reanimated Suna shinobi.

"To think I’d be summoned against my own village… You’ve got nerve, brat."

Rasa strained against Genji’s control—but to his shock, he couldn’t break free.

"Give up, Fourth Kazekage. If I dared to use you, I made sure you couldn’t escape. Lord Kaishirō enhanced the Edo Tensei with Hashirama’s cells. Aside from Hashirama himself, no one can break it."

"So sit tight… and be a good little pawn."

With a single thought, Genji forced Rasa’s body to move against his will.

"I can’t stop myself—get back!" Rasa roared.

With a thunderous slam of his palms, an ocean of gold sand erupted, crashing toward the Suna forces like a tidal wave of death.

"Stay calm. I’ll handle this."

Just as panic set in, Gaara’s voice cut through the chaos.

Riding a platform of sand, he raised his hands—and an identical wave of sand surged to meet Rasa’s attack.

"The Kazekage is here!"

"But… can he really stand against the Fourth?"

Doubt lingered. Gaara was only fifteen—could he really face Rasa, the disciple of the Third Kazekage, Suna’s strongest leader?

"How far Suna has fallen… Hah! Karma’s a bitch, isn’t it?"

Pakura, the Scorch Release user, smirked when she saw that the Fifth Kazekage was just a kid.

"Since fate’s given me a chance for revenge… I won’t hold back."

"Burn it all down!"

Pakura should’ve been Suna’s pillar—a hero who safeguarded its peace.

And she had been. She’d fought tirelessly for her village, never asking for gratitude.

All she wanted was a home worth protecting.

But Suna’s leaders betrayed her.

They sold her out as a bargaining chip to Kirigakure, letting her die in an ambush by nameless雾忍 (Kiri-nin).

And after her death? They called her a hero.

What a joke.

"Scorch Release: Superheated Steam Kill!"

Twin fireballs blazed in her palms as she charged. The air warped under the heat, sweat dripping from every shinobi’s brow.

"Don’t let her touch you! If you get hit—"

A (Suna-nin) tried to warn the others—but it was too late.

The fireball struck.

In seconds, his body dried up, skin cracking like parchment as he collapsed into a withered husk.

"Holy shit—!"

Terror ripped through the ranks. No one dared step forward.

No one but Gaara.

Chapter 343: Konoha’s Despair

"Run? Do you really think that’ll save you?"

Pakura’s lips curled into a mocking smirk as she raised her hands. "Scorch Release: Hell Steam Kill!"

The fireball in her palm shot into the sky—then expanded violently, swallowing the fleeing Sand shinobi in an inferno.

The screams were unbearable.

By the time the flames dissipated, the ground for hundreds of meters had vitrified, still glowing with residual heat.

And strewn across it? Dozens of desiccated corpses.

The surviving Sand ninja swallowed hard, their feet shuffling backward on instinct.

This wasn’t a fight—it was a slaughter.

"Oh? So retreating helps now?"

Pakura’s eyes gleamed with disdain as another volley of fireballs materialized around her—miniature suns, each radiating lethal heat.

"NO—!"

"DON’T LET THEM TOUCH YOU!"

The Sand shinobi were breaking. Pakura’s long-range dominance made closing the distance impossible.

And no one was coming to save them.

Chiyo was locked in battle with the former One-Tails Jinchūriki, Bunpuku.

Gaara and Rasa clashed in a cataclysmic sandstorm.

Ebizō, Chiyo’s brother, barely held his own against Karura’s sand techniques.

The elite jōnin Baki led Temari and Kankurō against Sōji and Mihoko—two master puppeteers.

Every capable fighter was pinned down.

Pakura stood unchallenged.

Iwagakure (The Hidden Stone)

"This… is bad."

Ōnoki’s forehead glistened with sweat as he faced the three figures before him:

The Second Tsuchikage, Mū—the Invisible Demon.
Rōshi, the Four-Tails Jinchūriki.
Han, the Five-Tails Jinchūriki.

Just these three were enough to make the air feel heavy.

And behind them?

Bakuton user Gari (the Explosion Release specialist).

Uchiha Fugaku, clan head of the Uchiha.

Uchiha Mikoto, his wife.

"Shunshin no Shisui" Uchiha Shisui, the genius.

And the final nightmare—*"The Demigod" Hanzō of the Salamander*.

Ōnoki scanned his own forces: Kurotsuchi, Akatsuchi, and a handful of elites.

Against this?

For the first time in decades, the Tsuchikage felt despair.

Iwagakure was in real danger.

His only hope? Stall. Call for reinforcements from Konoha and Suna.

But the Edo Tensei caster—Heisuke—was nowhere to be found, hidden while his puppets ravaged the battlefield.

Kumogakure (The Hidden Cloud)

Compared to the others, the Cloud Village had it easy.

Why? Because Hiroshi’s forces were the weakest:

The Third Raikage.

Fukai, the previous Eight-Tails Jinchūriki.

5,000 no-name Edo shinobi + 10,000 White Zetsu clones.

Manageable.

Battle Assignments:

The Fourth Raikage vs. his predecessor.

Killer B vs. Fukai.

Darui, Dodai, and others handled the fodder.

"Victory is ours!" The Raikage grinned.

But from the shadows, Hiroshi smirked.

"Oh? So confident? Let’s balance the scales, then."

A kunoichi with mint-green hair shot forward—

"Fū, the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki, enters the fray!"

One jinchūriki wasn’t enough? Fine. Here’s another.

Konohagakure (The Hidden Leaf) – The True Despair

"Guh—!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi coughed up blood, his breathing ragged as he faced the stone-cold shinobi before him.

Beside him, Jiraiya—still in Sage Mode—panted heavily, his body littered with wounds. Tsunade healed them both, but even she was bleeding from the mouth.

"This… is getting worse."

Shikaku Nara’s voice was grim. For the first time, the genius strategist sounded hopeless.

"Is there even a way out of this?"

The Leaf shinobi were breaking.

Despite the combined might of:

Two Hokage (Hiruzen and Jiraiya)

Elders (Koharu and Homura)

Konoha’s top brass

…they’d been pushed back 60 miles in half a day.

Since when was Konoha this fragile?

"Lord Second… Lord Fourth… PLEASE! Snap out of it!"

Some wept, begging the reanimated Hokage to remember their village.

But Tobirama Senju and Minato Namikaze were unstoppable.

Their Hiraishin tag-team was flawless.

Tobirama’s "Mutual Destruction Explosive Tags" were inescapable.

Even Hiruzen and Jiraiya together were outmatched.

And that wasn’t even counting:

Kushina Uzumaki (a monster in her own right).

Danzo Shimura (with his arm of Sharingan).

Sakumo Hatake (the White Fang).

Konoha wasn’t just losing—it was being erased.

Chapter 344: The Will of Fire

The outcome of the battle could be seen just by looking at the state of Konoha’s elite—Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and even Hatake Kakashi.

Homura and Koharu—arms shattered, ribs broken, chakra nearly depleted.

Kakashi—six deep slashes across his body, three of them fatal if not for his reflexes, his chakra reserves drained to the brink.

The high-ranking shinobi were barely holding on.

And so, a suffocating gloom settled over the entire Konoha army.

"Hahahaha! What’s wrong? Is this all the mighty Hidden Leaf has to offer? Pathetic!"

Hyūga Kyūichi stood atop the battlefield, sneering down at the battered Konoha forces barricaded within their crumbling fortress.

"I’d advise you all to surrender now. You’ve already lost."

"Spare yourselves the suffering. Lay down your weapons, and I promise you a future of prosperity!"

"But if you insist on clinging to your foolish pride—then prepare to drown in despair!"

His words slithered into the ears of the Konoha shinobi.

And though none would ever truly consider betrayal, some couldn’t help but wonder—what if?

Maybe life under Kyūichi’s rule would be easier.

But then—

What of their families? Their comrades? The generations of Leaf shinobi who had fought and died for this village?

To betray Konoha was to betray their very souls.

"Save your breath, traitor! We’d rather die as Konoha shinobi than live as your dogs!"

"Even if only one of us remains standing, we’ll fight to the last breath!"

"You can kill us, but you’ll never extinguish the Will of Fire!"

"A single spark can start a wildfire—and our flames will burn away all evil!"

Despair lingered in the air, but not in their hearts.

Not a single shinobi wavered.

Koharu and Homura, battered as they were, couldn’t help but smile.

With an army like this… victory is still possible.

Their fear of crumbling morale vanished.

Instead, a fierce resolve ignited within them.

If death is inevitable… then let it mean something!

With such unbreakable spirit, Konoha might just turn the tide!

"Fine. If you’re all so eager to die—I’ll oblige!"

Kyūichi’s face twisted in fury.

"Edo Tensei army—CRUSH THEM!"

If words wouldn’t break them, then he’d drown them in true despair.

BOOM!

The assault resumed.

Senju Tobirama and Namikaze Minato spearheaded the charge, tearing through Konoha’s defenses.

Sarutobi Hiruzen and Jiraiya, their bodies screaming in protest, forced themselves to meet the onslaught.

"…It seems this is where my story ends."

Hiruzen exhaled, steadying his grip on his staff.

"But if my death can nourish the next generation… then so be it."

Even in retirement, the mantle of Hokage never left him.

To shield the future—that was the duty of those who came before.

"Old man, don’t you dare do anything reckless!"

Jiraiya sensed Hiruzen’s resolve and barked a warning.

"Hah! Worry about yourself, Jiraiya."

Hiruzen chuckled—then lunged forward to intercept his own teacher, Tobirama.

CLANG!

Their battle was a blur of lethal taijutsu, far too fast for ordinary shinobi to follow.

Meanwhile, Jiraiya’s hair lashed out like living tendrils, blocking Minato’s advance.

"You’re not getting past me, kid!"

"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!"

Minato’s feet sank into the suddenly liquified earth—but in a flash, he hurled a Flying Thunder God kunai and vanished.

"Damn it—!"

Jiraiya’s hair shot out again, but Minato was already behind him, Rasengan roaring in his palm.

"Needle Jizo!"

Jiraiya’s hair hardened into a spiked shield, deflecting the attack.

"Lion’s Mane Binding!"

His hair coiled around Minato—just long enough for Jiraiya to weave seals.

"Four Symbols Seal!"

If he could temporarily lock away Minato’s chakra—

"JIRAIYA, BEHIND YOU—!"

Hiruzen’s warning came too late.

A kunai flashed.

Minato disappeared.

And in his place—

Tobirama’s blade.

"Too slow."

SLASH!

Jiraiya barely raised an arm in time before the force sent him flying.

Tobirama’s hands were already moving.

"Water Release: Severing Wave!"

A high-pressure jet of water shot forth—

Jiraiya barely managed to cocoon himself in his hair again as the attack sliced through the battlefield like a blade.

Chapter 345: A Sudden Reversal

"BAM—!"

Jiraiya was sent flying, skidding across the battlefield like a ragdoll. Meanwhile, the Third Hokage gritted his teeth as Minato Namikaze lunged at him, a Rasengan roaring in his palm.

Age had slowed Hiruzen. His stamina wasn’t what it used to be.

After hours of battle, his body felt like lead—every movement sluggish. Against a speed demon like Minato? He was outmatched.

"But… I won’t lose!"

With a roar, the Third Hokage swung Enma’s staff with monstrous force, meeting Minato head-on.

Meanwhile—

"CRACK—!"

Tsunade and Kushina Uzumaki collided in a shockwave of pure brute force, neither giving an inch.

Then—eight chains erupted from Kushina’s back, sealing chakra whips lashing toward Tsunade like vipers. The Fifth Hokage was forced back, dodging furiously.

"BOOM!"

"CRASH!"

This was a battle of monsters. Every clash shattered the earth, leaving craters in their wake.

"Heavenly Foot of Pain!"

"Monster Strength Punch!"

"Mitotic Regeneration: Chakra Scalpel!"

Tsunade’s attacks were lethal, but Kushina—enhanced by Edo Tensei—matched her blow for blow. Worse, those adamantine chains kept finding openings, forcing Tsunade into defense.

If Kushina were alive, Tsunade would’ve killed her ten times over.

But immortality was a cheat.

Just as Tsunade shattered the last chain and lunged for the finishing blow—

"SWOOSH—!"

A flash of yellow. Minato blinked into existence, snatching Kushina away.

Again.

This had happened repeatedly, and Tsunade was done playing.

But this time—

"Not this time, Minato!"

Hiruzen’s hands moved like lightning.

"Earth Style: Swamp of the Underworld!"

The ground beneath Minato’s marked kunai melted into mud, swallowing them whole.

"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"

A hurricane-force gust scoured the battlefield, hurling debris like shrapnel—blocking any chance for Minato to throw more kunai.

"NOW!"

Hiruzen’s palms slammed together. The earth beneath Minato and Kushina liquefied, dragging them down.

"Earth Style: Hardening Jutsu!"

The swamp solidified instantly, trapping them like flies in amber.

"SHIKAKU—!"

The Third Hokage’s voice boomed.

"Shadow Possession Jutsu!"

Nara Shikaku didn’t hesitate. His shadows lashed out, pinning the immobilized duo in place.

"SEALING SQUAD—MOVE!"

The Konoha sealing team rushed forward, scrolls unfurling.

The entire sequence took less than five seconds.

"HOLY SHIT—THE OLD MAN’S STILL GOT IT!"

A cheer erupted.

This was why Hiruzen was called the "Professor".

But then—

"Water Style: Water Severing Wave—!"

Tobirama Senju appeared behind Hiruzen, his jutsu already forming.

"NOT HAPPENING, GRANDPA!"

Tsunade blitzed forward, her fist obliterating the air as it caved in Tobirama’s torso.

"YEAHHH—!"

"WE’RE TURNING THE TIDE!"

The Konoha forces roared.

Minato, Kushina—sealed.

Tobirama—grappled by Jiraiya’s hair, then sealed.

For the first time in hours, the Three Legendary Sannin breathed.

"Cough—!"

Jiraiya spat blood, his Sage Mode flickering. Hiruzen’s arms trembled with exhaustion. Tsunade’s Mitotic Regeneration faded—her body aging decades in seconds, wrinkles etching into her skin.

But the Konoha shinobi didn’t care.

"NOW’S OUR CHANCE—PUSH THEM BACK!"

They turned to Shūi, the Edo Tensei caster, with triumphant grins.

"You’re finished!"

Shūi just smirked.

"You think this is over? How naïve."

His hands slammed together.

"Edo Tensei—SECOND STAGE!"

"BOOM—!"

The sealing scrolls exploded.

Minato, Kushina, and Tobirama burst free, moving faster than before—stronger.

"NEEDLE JIZŌ—!"