301-305

Chapter 301: Izanagi Won’t Work on Me  

“Heh, you think I care if you’re some kind of hero?” Danzō sneered. “When I want something, I get it. And right now, I’ve got my eyes on your Mangekyō Sharingan. So, you little punk, you’re gonna leave those eyes behind. Hand them over willingly, and maybe I’ll let you walk away with your pathetic life. But if you keep acting stubborn, don’t blame me for getting ruthless…” 

Slap! Slap! Slap!  

Before Danzō could finish his rant, three sharp slaps rang out, sending him crashing to the ground.  

Danzō hadn’t even processed what happened when Kazama appeared in front of him, grinning cheekily.  

The old man stumbled back several steps, cold sweat dripping down his face.  

Even a fool could tell it was Kazama who’d knocked him down.  

But Danzō hadn’t seen Kazama move. He didn’t even catch how Kazama had closed the distance in an instant, let alone how he’d landed those blows on someone as powerful as him.  

Danzō’s mind raced. If Kazama had gone for a killing blow instead of slaps, wouldn’t he already be dead?  

Swallowing his shock, Danzō glared at Kazama, his voice dripping with rage. “You little bastard! I wasn’t even bothering with you, and you dare lay a hand on me? This is unforgivable!”  

Slap! Slap! Slap!  

As Danzō kept hurling insults, Kazama casually delivered another three slaps, sending him sprawling again.  

With a cold smirk, Kazama said, “Let me make this clear, Danzō. Killing you would be child’s play for me. But I’m not wasting my time on you right now—I’ve got bigger things to deal with. So, how about you stop trying to act tough in front of me?”  

“Don’t give me that crap!” Danzō roared.  

Being humiliated in front of his own Root subordinates, beaten black and blue, was more than Danzō’s pride could handle.  

Without hesitation, he unleashed his trump card.  

First came Fūton, followed by Mokuton—techniques meant to tear Kazama to shreds.  

But to Kazama, Danzō’s jutsu were laughably weak.  

He didn’t even bother dodging. In a split second, Kazama absorbed both the Fūton and Mokuton into his body.  

“What?! This is infuriating!” Danzō bellowed, his anger boiling over as Kazama shrugged off his attacks.  

Desperate, Danzō ripped the bandages off his right arm, revealing the ten Sharingan embedded in his flesh.  

With a smug grin, he taunted, “Listen here, Kazama, you little punk. Don’t think you can act all high and mighty just because you’ve got a pair of Sharingan. I’ve got ten of them. Think you can still take me on?”  

“Heh,” Kazama chuckled. “Your Sharingan could number in the hundreds, and they’d still be useless.”  

“I’ll kill you!”  

Danzō, enraged that Kazama didn’t take his ten Sharingan seriously, charged forward in a fury.  

As he attacked, he activated Izanagi.  

With Izanagi, he could turn reality into a dream, ensuring that even if Kazama killed him, he’d revive within a limited time.  

But what Danzō didn’t realize was that Kazama, with his Mangekyō Sharingan, had already seen through his little scheme.  

Chapter 302: The Era of the Second Hokage  

In a flash, Kazama turned the tables, slicing Danzō clean in half with a clever counter. 

But even after being revived, Danzō foolishly strutted up to Kazama, puffing out his chest. “You little punk, you think you can kill me that easily? Let me tell you, that’s impossible!” 

Boom! 

Before Danzō could finish his rant, Kazama blasted him into mincemeat. 

Round after round, Danzō kept using Izanagi to stay alive. But every time he cast it, Kazama struck him down again. As Danzō’s stash of Sharingan ran dry and his Izanagi fizzled out, he hadn’t so much as scratched Kazama. Cold sweat poured down his face. 

He’d planned to use Izanagi to take Kazama out, but not only did he fail, he’d burned through all his trump cards—wasted, useless. 

Panic gripped Danzō’s heart. He muttered to himself, “I’m no match for this kid. If I keep fighting him head-on, I’m as good as dead. Fine, time for a sob story.” 

With a forced smile, Danzō turned to Kazama. “Little brother, you’re incredible, truly amazing! Don’t get me wrong—earlier, I was just messing with you, testing your skills. You’ve passed my test! How about joining Konoha’s Root and serving the village? What do you say?” 

“Heh, you think I’d buy your nonsense?”  

As Danzō tried his pity play, Kazama used Tenshu Ryoku to silently teleport behind him, pressing a kunai to his throat. Danzō’s heart nearly stopped. 

“S-Say, Kazama, little brother, what’s this about?” Danzō stammered, forcing another smile. “I told you, it was just a joke! I never meant to kill you. Don’t misunderstand me! Besides, I’m a high-ranking leader of Konoha. If you kill me, you won’t walk away from this.” 

“Oh? I kinda want to see what ‘not walking away’ feels like.”  

“You’re pissing me off!”  

Seeing Kazama wasn’t buying his act, Danzō’s fake charm turned to fury. He unleashed his signature sealing jutsu, aiming to take Kazama down with him. 

But Kazama activated Kamui, phasing his body intangible. Danzō’s seal hit nothing but air. 

Not only did Danzō fail to kill Kazama, but he ended up dead himself—a classic case of biting off more than he could chew. 

Danzō’s Root subordinates watched in shock as Kazama effortlessly took out their boss. They’d thought about revenge, but they knew this all started because Danzō coveted Kazama’s Mangekyō Sharingan. Plus, Kazama was Konoha’s hero. They didn’t dare lift a finger against him. 

Kazama, for his part, knew Danzō was a snake, but his followers were loyal to Konoha. So he let them off, simply telling them to protect the village from now on. 

Then, using his time-travel device, Kazama jumped to the era of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama. 

The moment he arrived, he saw Tobirama, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and others being chased down by the infamous Gold and Silver Brothers of Kumo, known as the “Two Lights of the Cloud.” 

Chapter 303: Hunted by Kinkaku and Ginkaku 

At this point in the story, Nidaime Hokage Senju Tobirama had formed an alliance with the Nidaime Raikage. But things took a dark turn when the brothers Kinkaku and Ginkaku betrayed them. 

The betrayal led to the Nidaime Raikage’s death right there at the alliance meeting. 

To protect his subordinates—Sarutobi Hiruzen, a young Shimura Danzō, and others—Senju Tobirama had no choice but to flee the territory of Kumo, the Land of Lightning. 

What he didn’t expect was that Kinkaku and Ginkaku were ruthless scoundrels. They relentlessly pursued him, leading their forces in a merciless chase. 

The terrain of Kumogakure in the Land of Lightning was vast and unforgiving. Even though Tobirama was a master of Hiraishin no Jutsu (Flying Thunder God Technique), he couldn’t just abandon his team and escape alone. 

So, he kept leading Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others, constantly dodging Kinkaku and Ginkaku’s relentless attacks. 

The truth was, Senju Tobirama was more than capable of taking down Kinkaku and Ginkaku in a straight fight. But protecting Hiruzen and the others forced him into a corner, retreating step by step under the brothers’ pressure. 

Finally, Tobirama managed to shake off the pursuit for a moment, catching a brief chance to breathe. He turned to Hiruzen and Danzō and said urgently, “Listen, it’s nearly impossible for all three of us to escape together. I’ll stay behind to hold them off. You two need to get back to Konoha—now!” 

“What?! No way!” Hiruzen protested, shaking his head like a rattle. “You’re the Hokage of our village! How could I leave you behind and run? You head back to Konoha, and I’ll hold them off!” 

“Heh, Sarutobi Hiruzen, always talking big,” Danzō sneered. Even as a young man, Danzō was as arrogant as ever, looking down on Hiruzen. “You think you can take on Kinkaku and Ginkaku? You’re gonna trip over your own ego and choke on those words.” 

Seeing Hiruzen volunteer to stay behind, Danzō mocked him further. “Let me spell it out for you, Sarutobi. Kinkaku and Ginkaku are known as the Two Lights of the Cloud. They’re descendants of the Rikudō Sennin (Sage of the Six Paths) and wield his legendary treasures. You really think you stand a chance against them?” 

“Enough of your nonsense!” Hiruzen snapped, his temper flaring. He looked ready to throw hands with Danzō right then and there. 

“Stop it, both of you!” Tobirama barked, stepping in. “We’re in a life-or-death situation, and you’re bickering? Our priority is preserving Konoha’s strength. You two are the future of the village. You need to survive and get back to Konoha—now!” 

“Fine…” Hiruzen and Danzō reluctantly backed down, though the tension lingered. 

Then Tobirama fixed his gaze on Hiruzen. “Sarutobi Hiruzen, if I don’t make it back today, you will become the Sandaime Hokage.” 

“What?!” Both Hiruzen and Danzō froze, stunned. 

For Hiruzen, it was a mix of shock and honor. For Danzō, it was pure rage. 

Danzō had always coveted the title of Hokage. To hear Tobirama pass it to Hiruzen was a slap in the face. Furious, he glared at Tobirama and spat, “Hokage-sama, tell me—what makes me inferior to Sarutobi? He’s not even close to my level! He can’t beat me in a fight. The Hokage position should be mine!” 

Chapter 304: Thrashing Kinkaku and Ginkaku 

Smack! 

Before Danzō could finish speaking, Senju Tobirama slapped him hard, sending him sprawling to the ground. 

“I’m telling you, it’s not just about being strong enough to become Hokage. You need the courage to dedicate your life to Konoha at every moment. In that regard, you’re nowhere near Sarutobi. That’s why you can’t be Hokage!” 

“Heh, you three little punks,” a voice sneered. “You’re already at death’s door, and you’re still bickering about who gets to be Hokage? Who doesn’t?” 

“Let me make this clear—while we brothers are here, none of you will ever be Hokage!” 

As Tobirama, Sarutobi, and Danzō were caught up in their heated exchange, the Kinkaku and Ginkaku brothers, along with their gang of underlings, had completely surrounded them. 

Tobirama cursed under his breath. He knew he could escape if he wanted to—his skills were more than enough. But if he fled, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzō would be as good as dead. So, he stayed, resolved to fight. Even if it meant his death, he’d take Kinkaku and Ginkaku down with him. 

Seeing themselves surrounded again, Sarutobi and Danzō were furious. Without hesitation, they drew their kunai and readied their ninja tools, preparing for a brutal fight. 

Kinkaku and Ginkaku, noticing Tobirama and the others gearing up for battle, burst into mocking laughter. 

“Pfft, you three idiots,” they taunted. “We brothers carry the bloodline of the Sage of the Six Paths! You don’t stand a chance against us!” 

“Exactly! We already took down the Second Raikage. Now you three punks are next—we’ll tear you to shreds and scatter your ashes!” 

“Oh, really? Are you that strong?” a new voice cut in. 

At that critical moment, a figure named Kazama appeared before them, stepping out of what seemed like a time machine. 

His sudden arrival stunned everyone—Tobirama, Sarutobi, Kinkaku, and Ginkaku alike. None of them had ever seen Kazama before, and they couldn’t figure out how he’d appeared in the middle of their standoff. Friend or foe? No one knew. 

Then Tobirama noticed the Konoha headband on Kazama’s forehead and let out a sigh of relief. Kinkaku and Ginkaku were already more than he could handle alone. If Kazama turned out to be an enemy, protecting Sarutobi and Danzō would’ve been impossible. 

Still, Tobirama wasn’t optimistic. Even if Kazama was an ally, one person wouldn’t make much difference. And judging by Kazama’s youthful appearance, he was probably just a Genin. Tobirama opened his mouth to urge Kazama to flee while he could. 

But Kinkaku and Ginkaku weren’t ones to tolerate disrespect. They hated being mocked or underestimated. Seeing a mere Genin like Kazama dare to act cocky in front of them sent them into a rage. 

Pointing at Kazama, the brothers roared, “You little punk! We usually ignore weaklings like you. On the battlefield, we’ve even spared Genin like you, leaving your corpses intact. But you—you dare look down on us, the shining lights of Kumo, Kinkaku and Ginkaku? Fine! Today, we’ll rip you to pieces and grind your bones to dust. Let’s see how you act tough then!” 

Chapter 305: Intimidating Kinkaku and Ginkaku 

At that moment, Kinkaku and Ginkaku let out a furious roar and lunged straight at Kazama with deadly intent. 

Senju Tobirama immediately prepared to jump in and help Kazama face the two brothers. But just as he was about to act, Kazama held him back. 

“What are you doing?” Tobirama asked, puzzled by Kazama’s interference. 

“These two—Kinkaku and Ginkaku? I can handle them alone,” Kazama declared. 

“What?!” Tobirama’s eyes widened in shock at Kazama’s bold claim. 

Kinkaku and Ginkaku, overhearing Kazama’s words, were absolutely livid that he dared to underestimate them. 

“Kid, did a donkey kick you in the head?” they snarled. 

But before their insults could even land, Kazama closed the distance in a flash and charged at the brothers. With a single punch, he sent Kinkaku and Ginkaku flying hundreds of meters away. 

The sudden turn of events stunned not only Kinkaku and Ginkaku but even Tobirama himself. 

“This kid… he’s got that kind of monstrous strength?” Tobirama thought, his mind reeling as he saw the raw power radiating from Kazama’s fist. 

Kinkaku and Ginkaku were no slouches themselves—renowned for their immense physical strength. Yet they never could’ve imagined that Kazama’s raw power would surpass their own. To be knocked flat in a single exchange? It was humiliating. 

Burning with rage and shame, the brothers scrambled to their feet and shouted at Kazama, “You little punk! We underestimated you, huh? Didn’t think a runt like you would have that kind of strength!” 

“You two better watch your mouths,” Kazama shot back coldly. 

“Watch our mouths? Ha! We say what we want, when we want! You think you’re hot stuff, telling us to clean up our act? Who do you think you are?” Kinkaku and Ginkaku barked, pulling out their signature ninja tools—the treasures of the Rikudō Sennin: the Kōkinjō (Golden Canopy Rope), Shichiseiken (Seven Star Sword), Bashōsen (Banana Palm Fan), and Benihisago (Crimson Gourd). 

“Oh no!” Tobirama’s heart sank as he saw the brothers brandish the legendary ninja tools. 

Though Tobirama wasn’t from Kumogakure and had never dealt with Kinkaku and Ginkaku personally, he’d heard plenty about the infamous tools of the Rikudō Sennin and their devastating power. 

Rushing to Kazama’s side, Tobirama warned him urgently, “Be careful! Kinkaku and Ginkaku aren’t just descendants of the Rikudō Sennin—they wield his ninja tools with deadly precision. The Benihisago, Kōkinjō, and Shichiseiken can cut through a person’s kotodama (word spirit) and trap their soul in the gourd. And that Bashōsen—it can unleash attacks of all five elements: wind, lightning, water, fire, and earth. You need to get out of here now. I’ll hold them off!” 

Kazama was deeply moved. He and Tobirama were strangers, yet here was the Nidaime Hokage putting his life on the line to protect him. It was rare for a Kage-level shinobi to show such care for someone they barely knew. 

But that was the way of Konoha’s ninja. To them, the lives of their comrades were sacred—the most precious thing of all.