281-285

*Chapter 281: Heartbreaking Truth and Treacherous Artillery*

The tightly shut gates of Yunming City could block ordinary people but not skilled ninjas.

Especially given that the massive city walls served more as a symbolic barrier than a practical one.

Following Sasori, the trio swiftly navigated through the bustling crowds at the city gates. After moving some distance, they reached a low section of the wall with a gap in its defenses.

Channeling chakra to their feet, they scaled the wall vertically and leaped down the other side.

Beyond the outer wall was a residential area.

The three figures turned into fleeting shadows, disappearing amidst the dense cluster of buildings below the wall.

Meanwhile, Chiyo, who was being escorted into the city gates by the Kumogakure envoys, suddenly paused as if sensing something.

"Strange… Who was watching me just now?"

"This gaze feels so familiar."

Beside her, Pakura turned her head, noticing Chiyo had stopped walking. She couldn't help but ask:

"Chiyo-sama, is something wrong?"

"It's nothing." Chiyo shook her head, then lifted her gaze to take in the grand city before her. Her eyes traveled past the bustling market at the entrance, over the rows of buildings climbing the mountains, and finally rested on the vast, flat area in the center of the city, where the tallest palace stood.

As Yurara from the trio moved ahead to engage with the envoy, Chiyo squinted and spoke slowly:

"Pakura,"

"I haven’t told you the purpose of this trip until now, but I believe someone with the will and responsibility of a Kage must have already come to their conclusions."

"What do you think we must do now?"

Pakura was silent for a moment before speaking reluctantly, her tone tinged with bitterness:

"Chiyo-sama, he’s already the Fourth Kazekage. All I can do is do my best to protect the village."

"Rasa, huh?" Hearing this, Chiyo’s expression turned cold.

The betrayal of her grandson, Sasori of the Red Sand, combined with the death of her brother, Ebizō, had become the final straw breaking this lonely elder’s heart.

Yet, as she delved deeper into the events surrounding the war, she uncovered truths that left her utterly disheartened.

Indeed, Uchiha Tsugi and Minato Namikaze were the ones responsible for Ebizō's death. But that was war—dying in battle against superior opponents was an understandable outcome.

She had even placed a bounty on Uchiha Tsugi, ultimately forcing him to leap to his presumed death off a cliff. That chapter was over.

However…

On the day of that battle, Rasa had already reached the battlefield based on his secret itinerary and the timeline. He had plenty of time to rescue Ebizō.

Yet, he returned alone with only Ebizō’s corpse.

If Rasa had truly chosen to let Ebizō die…

Chiyo’s gaze turned icy as she took a deep breath. Forcing herself to act nonchalantly, she smiled kindly at Pakura.

“It’s fine. Think of it as an old woman chatting about the future. After all, the village’s destiny will soon rest in the hands of you young people.”

Pakura’s eyes brightened slightly at those words.

Rasa had turned her into a mere pawn for the sake of his ambition for the Kazekage position, constantly using her to put out fires.

Was there still a chance for her to rise above him?

Her breathing quickened slightly as she steadied her gaze and began to analyze:

“Sunagakure is standing alone against Konoha and has lost the Daimyō’s support. Even with Rasa funding us through his gold dust, the situation is unsustainable.

“To turn the tides, we must forge an alliance with the Land of Wind, Lightning, and Earth to launch a united offensive against the Land of Fire. That’s our only hope of winning this war.

“For now, we must facilitate an alliance among the three nations.

“And to do so…”

Pakura’s eyes also fell on the distant, resplendent castle tower.

“We can’t wait for the opportunity to pass. We must take decisive action to divert Konoha’s attention, forcing Kumogakure to strike against them!”

Chiyo looked at Pakura and chuckled softly. Tilting her head back, she squinted at the thick clouds hanging over Yunming City.

“Well said.”

“And the opportunity is just around the corner.”

“Tonight, under the dark skies and gusting winds, is a perfect night for killing…”

---

The thick clouds above the city parted briefly, allowing sunlight to pierce through. It illuminated the wooden signboard of an old-fashioned three-story teahouse.

*"Crow’s Tea."*

Sasori pushed open the neglected door, stirring up a cloud of dust.

“Come in,” he said.

Kumogakure lay further behind the capital of the Land of Lightning. To track Orochimaru and his Konoha ninjas, Sasori had secured this safe house along the way.

Across the street was a two-story general store—once a covert Konoha outpost used by Orochimaru.

The three followed Sasori inside the teahouse, climbing to the second floor. Sasori then slid open a concealed panel to reveal an entry to the third floor.

The moment Uchiha Tsugi stepped onto the third floor, his eyes widened.

The small hidden room was crammed with tools, materials like wood and bamboo, hammers, saws, an entire wall of ninja tools—

And on the opposite wall, an assortment of strange weapons with vastly different designs.

From old-fashioned three-barreled guns and matchlock muskets to sleek revolvers and pistols, Uchiha Tsugi even spotted something remarkably familiar—a tri-barrel cannon.

It resembled a scaled-down version of Kumogakure’s Chakra Cannon, though lacking a mount. It looked like it could be hoisted onto one’s shoulder and fired like an RPG!

Surveying the array of machinery, Uchiha Tsugi couldn’t help but whistle softly in amazement.

He never expected Sasori, with his unassuming demeanor, to secretly be such a resourceful craftsman.

Taking advantage of Sasori’s distraction, Uchiha Tsugi quietly grabbed a musket and began mimicking a firing pose.

*"A Little Fun Isn’t Bad Either!"*

"The second floor is livable. As for the third floor, there’s nothing there, so don’t bother me. Also, you all—"

Before Scorpion could finish his sentence, Yuyashiro Homura glanced around at the pile of toys and shook his head. Stroking his chin, he estimated and said,

"I’ll find another place to stay. I saw some interesting people on the way here."

Then, Yuyashiro Homura shifted his gaze to Uchiha Ci, who couldn’t resist approaching the weapons. Homura smirked, uninterested in the toys, and spoke bluntly,

"I’ll come to find you later. Don’t forget the promise you made to me."

With that, he turned around and left, holding his daughter in his arms.

Uchiha Ci wasn’t worried about him. After all, this guy was destined to become the top black-market boss in the entire ninja world later on. Even though Homura currently knew nothing about the world of ninjas, there were very few people capable of taking him down at this moment.

Right now, it was clear that Yuyashiro Homura no longer wanted to be constrained by others. He intended to rely on his own means to gather intelligence.

Scorpion didn’t stop Homura from leaving but instead looked at Uchiha Ci with great interest.

"You really like these things?"

"Then, why not stay and help me with an experiment?"

"I can decide to give you all these inferior items."

Saying that, he stepped forward, took a thick, triple-barreled cannon from a shelf on the wall, placed it on his shoulder, and aimed it straight at Uchiha Ci!

This cannon didn’t have a name before, but now, Scorpion decided to call it—*The Rebellion Buster Cannon!*

Since the chakra core power of the handgun couldn’t penetrate the skeletal armor protecting this brat, then—

What would happen with this heavy weapon, powered by multiple chakra cores and modeled after the Hidden Cloud’s chakra cannon, capable of firing only once before being destroyed?

Under Scorpion’s expectant gaze, Uchiha Ci couldn’t help but twitch the corners of his mouth.

Then, without hesitation, he shook his head like a rattle drum.

"No way! Absolutely not!"

"I’m leaving!"

A ninja’s intelligence should never be revealed to someone they don’t trust.

Their relationship wasn’t good enough for that. Moreover, Uchiha Ci wouldn’t forget that this lunatic still wanted to kill him!

"Is that so?" Scorpion sighed with some regret, shaking his head slightly.

His eyes turned cold as he watched Uchiha Ci’s retreating figure.

"Hmph!"

With a cold snort, Scorpion raised a finger, summoning a scroll. He wrote some notes on it before stuffing it into a small puppet.

The Sand Ninja Jonin Yura, the one wearing a turban among the three-member Sand team, was a spy Scorpion had planted in the Hidden Sand Village using Brainwashing Sand Manipulation.

"Perfect. When gathering intelligence, have Yura investigate this Uchiha Fugaku’s identity as well."

(End of Chapter)  

*Chapter 282: Chakra Distortion and the Special Effects of the Ten-Tails Form*

Leaving Sasori’s residence and stepping onto the streets of this foreign land...

The clouds drifted in the vast sky.

Sunlight pierced through gaps in the clouds, shining over domed, bowl-shaped buildings above,

flickering intermittently on the compacted yellow earth below.

The streets bustled with crowds. Shops, showcasing the unique features of the Land of Lightning, lined the road in neat rows. Merchants passed by one after another with horse-drawn carts, their voices merging into an ocean of noise.

Unlike the elegant, Eastern-style architecture of Konoha, which balances grandeur with grace,

this city was more expansive—its openness and majesty made one feel an exhilarating sense of freedom.

The primary reason? The streets were wide!

Shinji adjusted his conical hat and tucked the revolver he had secretly pocketed from Sasori at his waist, opposite the gun he’d previously confiscated. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“Men just need their guns,” he thought.

Now, with two guns at his hips, walking through the grand streets of this foreign land,

Shinji couldn’t help but feel like a space cowboy. He straightened his chest involuntarily, puffing up with a new sense of confidence.

It also gave him a bit of security.

From the moment he was rescued by Ooya Shiro to now, heaven knows, Shinji hadn’t had a proper meal.

A ninja’s chakra is generated from the combination of mental and physical strength,

so even though he had gained powerful new skills and his body had undergone a wave of evolution during the last battle,

he was too starved—literally surviving on bark and scraps—to refine sufficient chakra to study the changes happening within himself.

But now—

“Boss, bring me ten whole cows!

Walking into a newly opened restaurant along the street,

Shinji slammed his hand on the table the moment he sat down, loudly calling out.

“Apologies, we only serve grilled fish here.”

Soon, a handsome young man with purple hair and a beauty mark on the left side of his chin approached, speaking expressionlessly.

Hearing the magnetic tone of his voice, Shinji looked up slightly, glancing at the young man. There was something vaguely familiar about him,

but since Shinji was on the verge of fainting from hunger, he didn’t dwell on it.

“Grilled fish, then! Start with ten plates!”

“Huh? This guy’s voice sounds kind of familiar,” the young man thought, raising a brow. Then he nodded and said, “Alright, just a moment.”

It didn’t take long before plate after plate of tantalizing grilled fish was brought to the table.

Taking a bite with his chopsticks, Shinji was immediately taken aback.

The fish was remarkably delicious!

The knife work, seasoning, degree of charring on the skin, and even the plating—everything was flawless!

Even with his palate, accustomed to modern culinary wonders, Shinji couldn’t find any faults!

What’s more, there was a faint… taste of Konoha?

It sounded strange, but Shinji couldn’t shake the bizarre feeling.

However,

He didn’t linger on the thought for long. His attention quickly shifted to the changes happening in his body.

Since losing the Zero-Tails and evolving his innate abilities to a fragmented Ten-Tails form, his body felt like it had a gaping void, constantly crying out for sustenance.

Every cell in his body was perpetually sending hunger signals.

But as this need was being fulfilled—

Shinji immediately felt a mysterious energy emanating from his stomach, spreading throughout his body.

It was a strange force called vitality.

And this was only the first layer of transformation.

Once his entire body was enveloped by this warm sensation, a power dormant in the depths of his bloodline, within his cells, began to emerge.

It coursed through his limbs and bones, tracing back to its origins—

pushing toward something more dangerous, more extreme, more distorted.

At that moment, Shinji sensed something within himself and began refining a new wave of chakra.

The color of the freshly refined chakra was completely different from the usual chakra.

It was a blend of blue, black, and red.

Moreover—

With Shinji’s will, the chakra’s color began to shift:

From blue, it turned into a deep blue, flickering like flames.

From deep blue, it transformed into a jet black, as if drawn from the depths of the ocean.

From jet black, it finally became a vivid, turbulent crimson.

Soon, a notification flashed before his eyes:

*[Due to your innate talent: Fragmented Ten-Tails Form (S, 3/10), you have acquired the chakra traits of Matatabi (Two-Tails), Gyūki (Eight-Tails), and Kurama (Nine-Tails).]*

- *[Matatabi Trait: Inferno Flame. Your fire chakra is enhanced to the extreme within the realm of Fire Release, allowing you to skillfully control powerful flames.]*

- *[Gyūki Trait: Octopus Seal. Your chakra gains regenerative sealing properties, resembling octopus ink, significantly boosting the strength of sealing techniques.]*

- *[Kurama Trait: Hatred’s Will. Your chakra adopts the Nine-Tails’ ferocity, instilling malice in others while strengthening your body and granting you superhuman power.]*

【Your chakra limit has increased.】

Boom!

The chopsticks in his hand suddenly ignited with a layer of blue flames, disintegrating into nothingness in Shinji's grasp!

Immediately after,

The blue flames roared and surged upward, shooting straight out from his palm!

The fire transformed into a blazing column, soaring directly upward. It broke free from its restraints in an instant, knocking off Shinji's hat and threatening to explode right in front of him.

Shinji's pupils narrowed slightly. Just as he was about to contain the power surging within him—

Unexpectedly, as soon as he moved,

Crack!  

The bench he was sitting on collapsed into pieces. Simultaneously, the ground beneath his feet gave way. What had felt like a light step to him caused the floor to shatter, and his foot sank deep into the ground!

"What the hell is going on?!"

Looking down at the web of cracks radiating from the spot he had stomped on, along with the deep blue fireball floating midair and on the verge of exploding—an explosion that could obliterate the small shop and several nearby stores—Shinji was utterly bewildered.

However, at that moment—

"What are you doing, Shinji?!"

A startled shout rang out. It was the handsome young man carrying a plate of grilled fish, just about to serve it to Shinji.

To be precise,

It was Kakashi Hatake.

He quickly surveyed the scene, and without hesitation, dropped the plate in his hand. In one swift motion, he stepped past Shinji, reached out, and pulled the shop door shut.

As he turned his back, his hands were already forming seals at lightning speed!

*Tiger → Snake → Rat → Snake → Tiger!*

"Water Style: Water Formation Wall!"

Kakashi crouched down and slammed his hands onto the ground, channeling his chakra into the earth. From beneath the ground, a fierce stream of water erupted upward, surging toward the deep blue fireball in the air, attempting to extinguish it.

"This is bad!"

Seeing this, Shinji immediately realized that using a basic Water Style wouldn't be enough to suppress this Flame Style technique!

If the young man, who had just called his name, went through with this approach, it would only fuel the unstable "Fire Rat Orb" further and cause it to explode completely!

"It's over—it's going to blow!"

A shiver ran down Shinji's spine. Without hesitation, he raised his hand and yanked off the black cloth obscuring his vision.

However, just as the fierce water current from the "Water Formation Wall" surged upward, it only made the fireball in midair even more unstable.

Kakashi's gaze sharpened. He immediately grabbed Shinji's arm, kicked open a hidden compartment in the floor, and leaped into the revealed opening, dragging Shinji with him!

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 283: The Curtain Rises, Chain Explosions in Yunming City!*

For most people living in the bustling metropolis of Yunming City, no one really cares whether you’ve had enough to eat or if you’re dressed warmly. As strangers pass by each other, the only connection might be a fleeting glance before they return to their own paths in life.

Unless, of course, your toilet explodes.

“—BOOM!”

On a tranquil street, a thunderous explosion suddenly erupted, like a toilet clogged for thirty years had finally given up and burst today.

The crowd on the street instinctively turned their attention to the source of the sound.

The scene? A grilled fish restaurant that had just been transformed from a general store a few days ago. With its masterful grilled fish skills, it had rapidly drawn customers away from neighboring shops, becoming a trendy hotspot in the Land of Lightning.

And now, it had exploded!

The kind of explosion that was clean and thorough—the roof, beams, and foundation all collapsed in one go. It was a scene that almost brought a sense of satisfaction.

Blue flames flickered over the ruins, radiating an intense heat that could be felt even from a hundred steps away.

“Hiss...”

“What’s going on here?”

“That must’ve been a ninja’s technique. The guy running that grilled fish shop must have provoked a ninja.”

“Who wouldn’t think so?”

“Just now, I did see someone wearing a straw hat walk inside.”

The crowd on the street buzzed with conversation, their tone tinged with a bit of schadenfreude as they watched the smoldering ruins of the grilled fish shop.

Meanwhile, in the shadows, a team of ninjas wearing Cloud Village headbands, assigned to surveil the shop, exchanged bewildered glances.

Due to Orochimaru’s scheme to destabilize the Cloud Village, the Third Raikage had ordered a thorough investigation. Following Orochimaru’s trail, they had discovered this location, a secret Konoha outpost hidden in the capital of the Land of Lightning.

But...

Before they could even start surveillance, the place had blown up on its own!

“The short guy who went in just now—did any of you get a good look at him? Go investigate,” ordered Motoi, the squad leader and a Chunin of Cloud Village. Recognizable by the green mark on the bridge of his nose, Motoi had previously been tasked with sensory duties outside Hell Valley. He frowned as he surveyed the wreckage and gave instructions to his subordinates.

Soon, a subordinate returned with findings.

“That man came out of a teahouse diagonally across the street.”

“That teahouse hasn’t been open to the public for a long time. However, according to local residents, after the envoys from various nations entered the city this morning, three people suddenly arrived at that location.”

Motoi turned his gaze to the teahouse sign reading Crow’s Tea. Recalling the three distinct yet overwhelming chakra signatures he had sensed earlier in the grilled fish shop, his eyes narrowed dangerously.

“Three people? Could it be another unknown faction infiltrating Yunming City, aside from those immortal fanatics?”

“Keep an eye on that teahouse, but don’t get too close. I have a bad feeling about this.”

“Wait here for a moment.”

With that, Motoi took a deep breath, bit his finger, and formed the hand signs for the summoning jutsu, pressing his palm to the ground.

Poof!  

With a burst of smoke, a tawny-colored owl appeared at his feet.

This was the Summoning Jutsu: Tawny Owl. As a sensory ninja specializing in battlefield support, Motoi’s ability to take on critical tasks wasn’t just due to his exceptional sensory skills. The Tawny Owl, capable of silent high-speed flight and rapid message delivery, was one of his greatest assets.

Stroking the owl’s back, Motoi spoke gravely:

“Kyōemon, I need your help. Deliver this information to Ay and Killer Bee in the city as quickly as possible.”

“Tell them to bring reinforcements to apprehend these three unknown intruders!”

---

*Meanwhile, beneath the ruins.*

Two individuals who had inadvertently fallen into the Cloud ninjas’ radar, but had escaped the impending crisis by sheer coincidence, now stared at each other in disbelief.

“You’re... Kakashi?”

The purple-haired young man with a beauty mark watched as the other pulled off his disguise, revealing his signature white hair, black mask, and Konoha headband. Shinji finally recognized him.

So it was Hatake Kakashi!

No wonder this guy felt familiar.

That earlier disguise was clearly the same one Kakashi would later use when impersonating a reporter to fool kids. Except, in the future, Kakashi would be the adult version, while this was the younger Kakashi. Plus, this one didn’t have the scar over his eye yet, so he didn’t need to cover it with makeup, which had momentarily thrown Shinji off.

“You...!” Kakashi sighed in exasperation as he looked at Shinji.

“While regaining consciousness and immediately locating a Konoha contact point was the right decision for the mission, recklessly rushing here like this...”

Kakashi suddenly let out another sigh.

“Don’t you know that this place is already under Cloud’s surveillance?”

“What kind of ninja training did you receive? You’re as much of a fool as Obito!”

Hearing this, Shinji felt a bit embarrassed.

His ninja training had been taught within the Uchiha clan, but it hadn’t covered this sort of thing. Honestly, he’d just been starving and wandered into the shop to eat. Otherwise, he would have prioritized contacting his clan before seeking Konoha.

But who would’ve thought that stopping for a meal would lead him right into a Konoha outpost?

Thinking it over, it actually made sense. If Kakashi was the agent Konoha had stationed in Yunming City, it wouldn’t be surprising for him to open a grilled fish shop.

Unlike Naruto, who relied on the village’s support to survive in the future, Kakashi’s father, Sakumo, hadn’t been revered as a hero like Minato. Instead, he had been humiliated and scorned.

With no relatives or friends to support him, and his mother’s whereabouts unknown, young Kakashi had often been left to fend for himself, relying on fishing to survive.

This had resulted in his exceptional grilled fish skills from a young age.

For someone like Kakashi, hiding his identity and gathering intelligence while using his culinary skills as a cover was indeed a logical choice.

At this moment, Kakashi pressed his ear to the edge of the underground cellar, listening carefully against the rock surface. After a while, when no heavy footsteps were heard, he finally let out a sigh of relief.

.

“Thankfully, the technique you just used felt different from your usual chakra fluctuations, so the group of Cloud Shinobi outside didn’t sense your presence.”

“Otherwise, this mission would’ve been in serious trouble.”

“Mission?”

Hearing this, Shinji was taken aback, looking somewhat confused.

“What mission?”

Kakashi was momentarily stunned by this response but quickly remembered: Shinji had fallen off a cliff and gone missing. Naturally, he wouldn’t be privy to Konoha’s plans or the arrangements made for the subsequent events.

As this realization dawned on him, Kakashi looked up and studied Shinji’s face. His gaze settled on Ci’s tightly closed eyes, reminding him of the intel describing the severe injuries Ci had suffered. A moment of silence overtook him.

“Even surviving the fall and dragging his injured body here to Konoha’s contact point immediately—he’s already done an incredible job!”

Kakashi thought to himself, his expression softening as he looked at Shinji.

“I’ll explain this in detail later.”

Kakashi’s tone grew serious.

“Follow me for now. There’s another exit here. We’ll discuss the rest once we’re out.”

With that, he grabbed Shinji’s arm, ready to lead him toward another dark exit in the underground cellar.

But Shinji, noticing the sudden softness in Kakashi’s expression, felt an overwhelming sense of discomfort. Goosebumps rose on his arms.

Damn it.

Why is this white-haired kid looking at me like that? It’s creepy!

Shinji quickly pulled his arm away and waved his hand dismissively.

“My eyes are fine. Just lead the way.”

Hearing this, Kakashi glanced sideways at him, secretly sighing in his heart.

Even in this state, he insists on toughing it out. This guy… Just like Obito. Uchiha—always so damn stubborn.  

Shaking off the thought, Kakashi didn’t argue further. Instead, he began leading the way, explaining as they went:

“My mission this time was to accompany Sensei Minato to Cloud Roar City to gather intelligence.”

“The most critical part of that mission…”

“…is to determine the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning’s attitude.”

As he spoke, they reached the other end of the small cellar. Kakashi opened a hidden compartment, revealing a passageway.

Dim light filtered through the passage. After walking a little further, the exit came into view. It led to a small alley two streets away from the grilled fish shop.

The two of them emerged one after the other. Kakashi instinctively reached back to offer Shinji a hand while continuing:

“Konoha’s plan this time, the Third Hokage’s arrangement for this incident—”

“—is for us to secretly protect the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning and ensure the Five Kage Summit proceeds as scheduled.”

But before Kakashi could finish speaking—

“Wait!”

Shinji, now standing in the alley, froze abruptly. A sudden, chilling premonition of danger washed over him.

He immediately turned his head toward the direction of the grilled fish shop.

From that direction—

A blinding beam of light, blending five chakra natures, erupted, turning everything around it into a stark white line!

“—Boom!!”

A small mushroom cloud soared into the sky!

The shockwave rippled outward, shattering nearby buildings into rubble, which collapsed with a thunderous crash!

Shinji quickly grabbed Kakashi, tucking him under his arm. With a roll, he dodged a falling rooftop. Then, with a powerful leap, he avoided several massive collapsing stone pillars.

When the dust finally cleared—

He looked up and saw—

Figures in Cloud Shinobi uniforms leaping high into the sky under the glaring sunlight, chasing after a red-haired figure cloaked in black heading out of the city!

That red hair—it was Sasori, whom Ci had just parted ways with.

And among those pursuing Sasori was a chakra signature Shinji knew well.

Killer Bee?

But before Ci could process what was happening or understand how things had escalated so quickly—

Elsewhere—

At the very heart of the city—

The flattest area, where the tallest, most opulent, and most majestic palace stood—the residence of the most revered figure in the Land of Lightning—

The Daimyo’s Mansion, known as the ‘Tenshukaku,’ suddenly erupted with a violent crimson glow!

It was as if molten lava had burst from beneath the earth, surging skyward. The terrifying chakra concentrated within it ignited in the next moment—

Roaring!

Exploding!

It soared, dyeing the entire sky blood-red!

Then—

The chaos quickly spread from the city center to its very edges. A series of voices, like a relay, rose in uproar throughout the city—

“The Daimyo has been assassinated! Lock down the city!”

“The Daimyo has been assassinated! Lock down the city!”

“The Daimyo has been assassinated! Lock down the city!!!”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 284: Perilous Path Ahead, Konoha's Mysterious Actions!*

Standing amidst the ruins,

Shinji surveyed the collapsed remains of the surroundings—domes, stone bricks, beams—and the innocent victims crushed beneath them. These people, unable to rise, resembled fish out of water, gasping for breath, their faces contorted in pain. They were ordinary citizens of the Land of Lightning.

The chaotic shouting, heart-wrenching wails, and the rapidly spreading news of terror filled the air. Shinji felt a heavy weight pressing on his heart.

*Events moved too swiftly, too suddenly!*

Why was the Daimyō attacked again? If he remembered correctly, wasn’t this the third time that birdbrain had been targeted?

Upon hearing the news, Shinji instinctively lifted his head to gaze toward the opulent heart of the city. After a moment of thought, he began to piece together the situation.

The *first explosion* was an accident caused by his loss of control after acquiring the special abilities of the Two-Tails' chakra. This led to the eruption of Fire Rat Jade.

Then, as Kakashi had mentioned, he had already been targeted by Kumo.

During their investigation of him, Kumo must have stumbled upon Sasori of the Red Sand. They sent personnel to investigate further.

Coincidentally, Sasori was in possession of a secret Kumo weapon—a chakra cannon hidden from the world.

The moment the two sides met, sparks flew. Oil and water don’t mix.

Sasori likely deployed the cannon he intended to use against Shinji’s Susanoo skeleton, triggering the *second explosion*.

As for the *third explosion*, it was likely tied to the intelligence he had heard earlier. The rogue members of the Immortal Cult, who were captured and set for public execution by Kumo, had been rescued.

Those who saved them—or used their name as a cover—were likely agents from other shinobi villages hidden in the city.

They couldn’t even wait for nightfall; they brazenly launched an attack on the Daimyō in broad daylight!

This realization made Shinji frown.

He was already behind schedule when he arrived in the city. Now, in the midst of this confusion, he couldn’t ascertain if Hidan was among those rescued earlier.

His younger brother might even now be bound and used as a shield, being pushed toward the Daimyō!

The thought filled Shinji with urgency. He turned to Kakashi.

“Kakashi, since you came here with Minato-sensei, you’re part of Konoha’s delegation for the Five Nations Summit. If you reveal your identity, Kumo won’t dare harm you.”

“Stay here and see if you can save some of these people. I need to go check things out over there.”

As he spoke, Shinji turned toward the city center and the towering *Tenshu Pavilion*.

But before he could leave, Kakashi, only just recovering from the chaos, grabbed his arm with a grave expression.

“No, wait! You can’t go there right now!”

“You can’t reveal your identity, and you absolutely cannot let the Land of Lightning or Kumo Village know you’re alive!”

“You’re supposed to be dead!”

Hearing this, Shinji was momentarily dumbfounded.

What did he mean by “dead”?

He was alive and well, standing right in front of Kakashi, healthy enough to eat ten bowls of rice in one sitting! How could Kakashi not see that?

“Konoha needs you to stay dead—at least until the Five Nations Summit is concluded and all decisions are finalized.”

“And another thing,” Kakashi added, his face growing darker.

“Do you understand what’s happening right now?”

“The entire shinobi world is watching you!”

“The intel from the Hell Valley battle has been leaked!”

“Everyone knows you might still be alive.”

“Your eyes were gouged out, you’ve lost your tailed beast, and you no longer have your kekkei genkai. At best, you’re now a crippled jōnin.”

“But even so, there’s a bounty on your head that has countless shinobi salivating. Outside of Konoha, you possess the intel on the shinobi world's ‘tenth tailed beast,’ the Zero-Tails. And despite lacking any sealing techniques, you were able to merge with it.”

“Why do you think Minato-sensei placed the Eight Trigrams Seal on you in the first place?!”

“Everyone wants to extract the secrets of the Zero-Tails from you and learn how to harness its terrifying power!”

“And compared to the ‘Shinji’ now active in Kumomine City, your head alone holds the value to appease the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning and even the Third Raikage.”

“They need your death to wash away the shame of Kumo’s catastrophic defeat!”

“I will use your life to honor the banner, to signal the Hidden Cloud forces to march into battle, and to ignite the horn of the Third Great Ninja War!”

At this moment, in Hatake Kakashi's eyes, Shinji’s actions were nothing short of sheer folly.

A ninja with a Kekkei Genkai who loses it, and a jinchūriki who loses their tailed beast—

What would they have left?

If Shinji were to leave now and appear within the view of the Five Great Nations, it would be nothing less than courting death!

The plans of Konoha would be disrupted by his actions, and the mission could face unexpected consequences.

For Kakashi, who followed the creed of "completing the mission above all else," this was utterly unacceptable.

“For the mission, I cannot let you appear before the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning!”

“Apologies, Shinji!”

With those words, Kakashi swiftly drew the White Fang short sword from his back, stepped forward, and turned to face Shinji with a cold expression, blocking his path.

However, in response to Kakashi's actions, Shinji merely raised an eyebrow.

Ignoring the barrage of words, he zeroed in on one specific line from Kakashi's speech.

“Konoha… needs me dead?”

Why would Konoha want him dead?

It was to facilitate the finalization of the plan between the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning and the Third Raikage. It was to direct the Hidden Cloud Village—this war machine—toward the target Konoha wanted it to face.

But who was this target?

Which nation? Which village? Or…

At this thought, he suddenly remembered the catastrophic battle from the original timeline!

Shinji’s eyes lit up, as if he had found the critical thread that connected all the chaos and revealed the truth.

In the original timeline, during the Third Great Ninja War, there was a brutal conflict between the Hidden Rock and the Hidden Cloud—a war so devastating that the Third Raikage, Ay, had to single-handedly hold off ten thousand Hidden Rock troops.

How did such a battle even occur?

Perhaps the answer lay in Konoha's strange actions at this moment.

Even though they knew the other villages wanted the Hidden Cloud to attack Konoha again, Konoha sent Kakashi, only to say they needed to wait—wait another week, until everything was settled.

They were doing nothing. Waiting idly for what seemed to be an inevitable disastrous situation.

It was almost as if Konoha wanted the Hidden Cloud war machine to target… Konoha itself!

At this thought, Shinji couldn’t help but smirk as he looked firmly at the white-haired kid blocking his path.

“Kakashi, hearing what you just said, I’m even more determined to stay alive!”

“Not only must I stay alive, but I also have a reason to go, and comrades I must save!”

With unwavering determination in his eyes and a resolute tone, Shinji declared:

“For this, even if it costs me my life, I will not hesitate!”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 285: The Resolve to Move Forward! Namikaze Minato as a Companion!

"You are utterly stubborn!"

Hearing this, Kakashi's face darkened. He had already laid out the pros and cons clearly, but the person before him remained impervious, reckless, and obstinate. This reminded him of his father, who had died in disgrace, bearing the weight of his infamy.

"Listen, Shinji, a ninja must stay calm and make careful judgments! A ninja who disregards rules and discipline is no better than trash!"

"If you insist on this course of action," Kakashi gripped the hilt of his blade tightly, his face hardening as a flicker of anger gleamed in his eyes, "I will break your legs right here!"

Shinji wasn't surprised by Kakashi's stance.

At this point in time, Hatake Kakashi prioritized the mission above all else. Moreover, Shinji’s intention to rescue a "companion" from another village was essentially defying the will of Konoha. It was natural for Kakashi, in his current mindset, to be unable to comprehend such actions.

In fact, aside from that old man Uchiha Setsuna, who blindly supported him no matter what, anyone from Konoha would likely view Shinji’s actions as sheer madness.

An act of treason!

But Shinji had no intention of offering further explanations. When he decided to follow Omiya Shiro to this place, to this foreign capital, he had already prepared for the worst.

To kill the daimyo. To eliminate anyone who stood in his way.

Whether they were from the Hidden Cloud, the Hidden Sand, the Hidden Mist, or the Hidden Stone.

This included the possibility of severing ties with his former identity and connections.

All of it was for the sake of that one child—a child who had once gambled everything on him, trusting him like a fanatical believer.

After experiencing so much, after truly enduring the pain of losing someone precious right before his eyes, Shinji could no longer lie to himself, relying on false pretenses or concocted reasons.

He had come here to fight!

To seek vengeance!

To show the entire world what would happen to those who dared provoke Shinji! To demonstrate the cruel and unforgettable retribution they would face!

Indeed, Yahiko from the "Three Orphans of the Rain" had once said something that resonated deeply with Shinji:

"Only by conquering the world and making it feel pain can the desired future be achieved."

What made Yahiko abandon this belief and compromise in "weakness" was simply his lack of power.

His fists weren’t fast enough. His resolve wasn’t strong enough.

But Shinji was different!

From the moment his *Heart’s Eye* awakened, he understood:

As long as he continued fighting, leveraging the natural talent of his unyielding spirit combined with the *Master of All Arts* ability that let him wield any skill as if it were second nature, he could gather countless powers within himself and reach the pinnacle of strength.

The world would eventually bow before him!

The only thing Shinji lacked was time—time to immerse himself in one extreme battle after another. And time was precisely what he had in abundance after crossing into this timeline.

At this moment, staring at Kakashi, who had drawn his blade and was now pointing it at him, Shinji exhaled slowly. His expression grew solemn, his brow furrowed slightly.

He prepared to open his eyes, activating the combined power of his Sharingan, Blood Dragon Eye, and the natural energy coursing through the mutated blood vessels around his eyes.

With this fusion of forces and the nearly perfected new ocular technique within his gaze, he intended to incapacitate Kakashi in one swift strike.

However, just as he was about to act—

“You’re wrong, Kakashi!”

A warm voice suddenly sounded behind Kakashi.

Smack!  

A hand clad in a blue armguard gently patted Kakashi’s shoulder. Then, a young man with golden hair, blue eyes, and a gentle yet handsome demeanor appeared behind him.

It was none other than Namikaze Minato, someone Shinji hadn’t seen in ages!

“In the ninja world, breaking the rules and neglecting missions earns a ninja the title of trash. But those who fail to value their comrades are worse than trash!”

Despite his warm tone, Minato’s expression was stern.

“Minato-sensei!” Kakashi gasped, turning his head to look at Minato. A flush of indignation quickly spread across his pale face, and he clenched his fists tightly.

“Why... even you, Minato-sensei, think this way!”

“Clearly...”

Seeing Kakashi like this, Minato faltered, unsure how to console him.

At that moment, Shinji shook his head, having run out of patience.

In a single leap, he closed the distance, appearing behind Kakashi in an instant. Using Uchiha-style swordsmanship, he anticipated Kakashi’s reaction, intercepting the White Fang short blade Kakashi swung back in defense.

After all, the White Fang's swordsmanship fell within the scope of the Uchiha sword techniques Shinji had already mastered.

With a swift chop to Kakashi’s neck, Shinji knocked him unconscious.

*Bang!*

Kakashi collapsed into Minato's arms. Minato sighed, picked him up, and vanished from the spot, reappearing moments later to place him somewhere else. Before long, he was back where he started.

"Sorry, Kakashi still hasn’t gotten over his inner struggles, so..."

He scratched his head, smiling awkwardly at Shinji. As a teacher, it was frustrating to discipline a student only to see no effect at all.

"It's no big deal," Shinji replied, shaking his head. His expression remained calm as he looked at the young man in front of him.

Without facing a life-or-death decision or witnessing Obito’s ultimate sacrifice, trying to change someone—especially a stubborn ninja—through mere words alone was futile.

When it came to Kakashi’s perspective, only Uchiha Obito could truly alter it. Shinji wasn’t his father and had no intention of meddling in such matters.

"Anyway, Shinji—"

At that moment, Minato looked at Shinji, who was clearly in good health, and exhaled a long breath of relief. A warm smile spread across his face as the heavy burden in his heart was finally lifted.

"Welcome back!"

However, facing Minato, Shinji couldn’t muster a smile.

"Minato, let’s save the catching up for later," he said, pointing toward the noisy center of the city. In a deep voice, he asked,

"You’re not here to stop me from going there, like Kakashi was, are you?"

Unlike dealing with Kakashi, Minato—armed with the Flying Thunder God Technique and the Rasengan, along with reflexes as sharp as his own—was far more difficult for Shinji to handle, even now.

"No," Minato said with a faint smile, explaining:

"I’ll go with you!"

"Don’t worry. I won’t stop you from doing anything. As a comrade, I’ll even help you!"

"But there are some things you need to see for yourself before you make your decision."

Shinji raised an eyebrow.

"Even if I plan to kill the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning?"

Minato’s confident smile deepened as he raised a hand, holding it out in front of Shinji.

"Even if you plan to kill the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning."

Finally, Shinji smiled, raising his hand to meet Minato’s.

Smack!  

Their palms collided, and the two exchanged knowing smiles.

"Then let’s raise some hell!"

(End of chapter)