351-355

*Chapter 351: The Filial Son Pushed to the Spotlight, the Resurrection of Uchiha Itachi*

Upon hearing the words, Mei Terumi's heart was warmed by a gentle flow. She then heard Aizen say, "Oh, right, there's also Haku."

"If I have to mention a purpose," Aizen glanced Mei Tomoe up and down before focusing on her plump area, swallowing slightly, "if there's to be another purpose, it is..."

"Die." The warm feeling in Mei Terumi's heart instantly vanished. A kunai was thrown from her hand, swiftly aimed at Aizen's face.

That bastard.

As expected, there was an ulterior motive behind his words.

Luckily, I had the foresight to take Haku as an apprentice.

"You really are as impulsive and irritable as ever," Aizen's smile grew wider as he effortlessly gripped the kunai between his fingers, "Do you remember what I once said?"

You can attack me, but if you fail, you must be prepared to accept the punishment.

Mei Tomoe's heart trembled, her breathing suddenly accelerated, "No."

Before she could finish her sentence, Aizen had already pulled her into the room.

Three hours later, thunder roared and flames blazed.

"Damn it, you've succeeded again."

Mei Tomoe, dragging her exhausted body, nestled in Aizen's embrace. His jade hand reached into her waist, skillfully pinching a small piece of flesh. With a slight exertion, nothing happened.

But Aizen still winced in pain, "Ouch, that hurts."

"Serves you right." Mei Tomoe's pretty face held a hint of satisfaction.

Every time.

Only this ambush after everything was done could slightly soothe her shameful feelings.

It made her feel that at least she had gained some ground against this murderous guy, Aizen.

"Quick, come clean. You and that masked man teamed up to start a war. What exactly is your purpose? You must know that after the masked man resurrects the Ten-Tails, he'll go after you."

"Of course I know." Aizen smirked.

"You know what else—"

"Ah, no!"

Mei Tomoe was somewhat annoyed. Unfortunately, Aizen didn't give her a chance to dig deeper.

With a startled cry, the room's lights went out.

Covered by the blanket.

The two completed their sublimation.

*The Next Morning*

Aizen, unbeknownst to Mei Tomoe, used his disguise technique to infiltrate the Allied Forces' command center.

Listening quietly to the sounds of war.

Meanwhile, the ninja alliance had also fully assembled.

Gaara served as the alliance's commander-in-chief.

Leading five major units, they advanced towards the Mountain of Graves, surrounding it in a pincer movement.

The vast, endless desert plain.

There were many large rocks on the plain. Due to the terrain, the rocks were weathered, thick at the bottom and narrow at the top, resembling giant stones on a Gobi Desert, making it hard to see anything from the outside.

Gaara stood with his arms crossed, carrying his sand gourd, on a massive Gobi stone.

Behind him were tens of thousands of ninja alliance members.

A few kilometers across.

No one was visible, but a set of footprints remained.

"They're here."

A gentle breeze blew, causing Gaara's red, shredded hair to flutter.

As his voice faded, the footprints halted, and a figure wrapped in bandages, revealing only the eyes and bridge of the nose, slowly appeared.

This person was none other than the Second Tsuchikage, Mu.

Reborn through Edo Tensei by Kabuto Yakushi.

Under Kabuto's control, Mu performed hand seals, summoning three coffins.

As the coffins vanished, the Second Mizukage, the Third Raikage, and Uchiha Itachi emerged one after another.

"Where are we?" This was the first thing the Third Raikage said upon regaining consciousness.

The Second Mizukage's gaze swept over the three men, he held out his hands, teasingly, "Didn't expect former enemies to reunite like this."

When his eyes met Uchiha Itachi's, he saw his striking crimson Sharingan and immediately showed a look of surprise, "No, I haven't seen this guy before. Sharingan, from the Uchiha clan?"

"Seems like everyone here are the Kages from different countries. So, Uchiha, which generation Hokage are you?"

With that remark, the Second Tsuchikage and the Third Raikage also turned their attention to Uchiha Itachi.

Indeed, Madara Uchiha's name was too famous in the ninja world.

As a member of the Uchiha clan and being summoned alongside the three Kages, it was hard to go unnoticed.

While the three Kages scrutinized Uchiha Itachi, he was naturally observing them as well.

Moreover, aside from his emotional intelligence, his intelligence was off the charts, allowing him to quickly deduce that war was about to break out.

Hearing the Second Mizukage's words, he pondered for a moment before calmly responding, "No, I'm not. Just a negligible rogue ninja from Konoha."

"A rogue from the Uchiha clan following Madara, right?" The Second Mizukage chuckled mockingly, turning his gaze malevolently towards the Second Tsuchikage, "So, what exactly is going on with you, Bandaged Man?"

"I remember we were all supposed to be dead, mutually annihilated. No, wait, I should have killed you."

He impatiently pointed fingers at the Second Tsuchikage.

"It seems that's the case. But it's better to stop this pointless argument." The Second Tsuchikage completely ignored the Second Mizukage.

He looked towards the three in front of him, "It seems we've been used by that despicable Second Hokage through Edo Tensei. A jutsu that can summon the dead. The most important thing now is to find that bastard Second Hokage."

"That's not the case." Uchiha Itachi suddenly interjected.

"Young man, what do you know?" The Third Raikage finally spoke, looking somewhat surprised at Uchiha Itachi.

"Ah," Itachi nodded, "The Second Hokage had long been dead before I was alive. Even the Fourth and Third Hokages have passed away one after another."

"Currently, the Fifth Hokage of Konoha is Tsunade, the granddaughter of the First Hokage. After the Second Hokage, only Orochimaru can perform Edo Tensei."

"So... was it Orochimaru who summoned us?" The Second Tsuchikage and Mizuki looked at Uchiha Itachi.

"No, Orochimaru was also killed by me before I died." Itachi looked towards the direction of the alliance, memories of Aizen and Kabuto flashing in his mind.

If anyone could master this jutsu after Orochimaru, it would only be Aizen, obsessed with ninjutsu, and Kabuto, Orochimaru's follower with unparalleled talent.

However, Aizen was someone who despised relying on others' power.

He always believed in his own strength.

Therefore, the person controlling them was obvious.

Yakushi Kabuto, a successor to Orochimaru's will.

While Uchiha Itachi was contemplating, the alliance's headquarters exploded.

First, the surprise attack unit appeared, led by the Edo Tensei ninjas Jin Kaku and Gin Kaku, along with a massive army of White Zetsu far exceeding the alliance's surprise troops.

Then, they received news of the resurrection of Uchiha Itachi, the Second Mizukage, the Second Tsuchikage, and the Third Raikage.

One by one, figures who would have previously shocked the ninja world kept appearing.

This was just the initial display of the Akatsuki's strength.

The later stages were even more unbelievable.

They had already anticipated the brutality of the ensuing war.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 352: Aizen Joins the Battlefield*

---

"What? Not just my father, but even the Gold and Silver Brothers… They have the Nine-Tails' chakra in them!"

At the Allied Forces Headquarters, the Raikage sprang to his feet upon hearing his subordinates' report.

Nara Shikaku, acting as the deputy strategist and responsible for planning, spoke gravely from the side:

"That’s not even the worst of it. The First Division, tasked with surprise attacks, encountered the Gold and Silver Brothers, and their numbers are considerable."

"But their weakness is also apparent—they are too concentrated. I’ve already sent Ino-Shika-Cho to provide support."

"The real issue lies with the First Division. The enemies the Kazekage encountered include not only the Third Raikage…"

Shikaku paused, scanning the room before continuing, "but also someone everyone here knows—former Akatsuki member, Konoha’s rogue ninja, and Uchiha Sasuke’s elder brother, Uchiha Itachi."

The Raikage’s expression darkened as the image of Uchiha Sasuke flashed in his mind.

"That guy’s Amaterasu is already troublesome enough."

"No, Uchiha Itachi’s strength is far greater than just that," Shikaku replied, his gaze shifting to Tsunade, who gave him a nod of approval.

Receiving his Hokage’s acknowledgment, Shikaku took a deep breath and spoke solemnly:

"You’ve fought Uchiha Sasuke before, Raikage, so you should have some idea of how terrifying the Mangekyo Sharingan can be."

"Itachi’s right eye ability is Amaterasu, which needs no further explanation as many here have witnessed it firsthand."

"His left eye, however, wields Tsukuyomi, a genjutsu capable of trapping someone in an illusionary space instantly. In reality, it lasts but a second, but within the genjutsu, days might pass."

"Once caught, there’s almost no escape. The victim’s spirit can collapse instantly, leaving them in a comatose state."

"A single second?" The TsuAizenge’s expression grew grim. "The Uchiha clan’s abilities truly defy expectation. Such a genjutsu is unprecedented."

"And now comes the real problem," Shikaku said, swallowing nervously.

"Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi, though extremely powerful, are also incredibly taxing on the user. It’s said to be a double-edged sword, harming both the enemy and the caster."

"That’s why, after using Amaterasu, Sasuke’s eyes would bleed."

"But now, it’s different. Uchiha Itachi has been resurrected with Edo Tensei."

Tsunade finally spoke:

"In other words, the Mangekyo’s strain has no effect on him."

"Furthermore, Uchiha Itachi can use Susano’o, and not just any Susano’o."

"His arsenal includes the Totsuka Blade, a sword with a powerful sealing technique capable of sealing even Orochimaru’s Eight Branches Technique."

"There’s also the Yata Mirror, a divine shield capable of deflecting nearly all attacks."

"And Yasaka Magatama, enormous magatama beads resembling the Sharingan’s pattern, connected by ropes and thrown like shuriken for massive destruction."

These were details Chiya had once shared with Tsunade in their post-battle conversations about the ninja world.

Silence fell over the room as the weight of Tsunade’s words sank in. Even Onoki, who had been prepared to head to the battlefield to face the Second TsuAizenge, hesitated.

The abilities of this Uchiha seemed overwhelmingly invincible.

In terms of sheer destructive power, Onoki’s Dust Release was nearly unmatched in the ninja world. It was his source of pride and confidence, allowing him to dominate for years.

But now, an artifact like the Yata Mirror had suddenly appeared. If it could truly block Dust Release… Combined with Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, Yasaka Magatama, the Totsuka Blade, infinite chakra, and an immortal body, the Allied Forces seemed to have no means to counter him.

At that moment, an unexpected voice broke the heavy silence:

"I’ll go."

With a puff of smoke, Aizen suddenly appeared atop the conference table.

"Aizen! When did you follow us? I told you to stay in the village!" Tsunade’s voice was filled with anger.

This was war—no child’s play. And regardless of the fact that Aizen was her daughter, Tsunade couldn’t help but worry.

Though Aizen’s abilities surpassed most of the Allied Forces, even rivaling the Five Kage with her extraordinary sensory powers, she was still just a child. Despite Chiya’s safeguards, Tsunade couldn’t feel at ease.

That’s why she had ordered Aizen to stay behind in the village, safeguarding civilians in the shelter like the other genin. Yet here she was, defying orders again.

"Don’t be mad, Mom," Aizen said, sticking out her tongue playfully.

"I’ve fought that ‘grieving brother’ before and have experience with his abilities."

"This isn’t a joke! This is war!" Tsunade shouted. "Children should stay out of it. War is the responsibility of adults!"

Tsunade’s anger was palpable, and even the usually carefree Aizen couldn’t muster a retort. She stood frozen, not daring to breathe.

Just then, the TsuAizenge spoke:

"If she wants to go, let her go, Hokage."

"TsuAizenge, what nonsense are you spouting? Aizen is still a child!" Tsunade roared, standing abruptly.

"Calm down, Hokage," Onoki replied. "Though young, Aizen has inherited Fujihara Chiya’s techniques. We all witnessed this during the Five Kage Summit."

"You should understand that our ultimate enemies are Uchiha Madara and the mysterious Fujihara Chiya, whose motives remain unclear."

"If we let a single Uchiha Itachi stall our progress, the advantage Naruto gained us against Fujihara Chiya will vanish instantly."

"Besides, I will also head to the battlefield to face Mu. I swear on my life that I won’t let young Aizen die before me."

At those words, Tsunade fell silent. Bowing her head slightly, her face was shadowed, making her thoughts unreadable.

After a long pause, she finally gave Aizen a reluctant nod and a few stern warnings, reluctantly agreeing to let her join the battle.

---

While the two discussed, a different scene played out in the corner of the room.

A young Konoha chunin in a flak jacket was flirting with Mabui, a Cloud Village ninja.

"Hello, beautiful lady. I’m from Konoha. Back home, all the pretty girls call me their husband."

"I never expected the Cloud Village to have such an exotic beauty with dark skin like yours."

"How about a meal together after the war? A chance to improve relations between Konoha and the Cloud, you know?"

Before Mabui could react, the young chunin slammed his hand against the wall in a *kabedon*, cornering her as she held her documents.

Mabui, irritated by his audacity, glared coldly but restrained herself for the sake of the Allied Forces’ unity.

"Chunin, please mind your manners," she said icily. "Our mission is to monitor the battlefield and relay information to the Raikage and Hokage."

The chunin, unbothered, replied, "Don’t worry about it. Hai-senpai has everything under control."

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 353: Super Kotoamatsukami*

"Hey, Kyo, what are you dawdling for? Hurry up and deliver the latest intel to Lord Hokage and the others!"

Yamanaka Haiichi's voice urged from the side.

"Oh, I'm on it." The young Chūnin responded lightly, raising his right hand to pinch Mabui's chin briefly. "I'll get to it now."

As he spoke, the young Chūnin turned and walked away.

Watching his retreating figure, Mabui furrowed her brows slightly, opened the document pouch, and pulled out his file. A flicker of suspicion crossed her sharp eyes.

As the secretary of the Fourth Raikage, Ay, and a deputy strategist for the Allied Shinobi Forces, her instincts were razor-sharp.

Rooting out spies within the Alliance was also one of her responsibilities.

From the start, she had been suspicious of this flippant, unmotivated fellow.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have tolerated a mere Chūnin laying hands on her so casually—her intent was to investigate him.

Unfortunately, aside from his overly familiar demeanor toward her, he hadn’t shown any other suspicious behavior.

Everyone's chakra is unique.

The sensory-type shinobi maintaining the perception barrier had found nothing amiss with his chakra.

This ruled out the possibility of a Transformation Jutsu.

Her indirect questions to probe his knowledge yielded no flaws in his responses.

"Mabui, what are you daydreaming about? Prepare the Heavenly Transfer Jutsu immediately to send the Sage of Six Paths’ tool, the Amber Purifying Pot, to Darui. He’s in big trouble, and the situation is looking bad for the Alliance."

A deep voice interrupted her thoughts.

Raikage approached with Tsunade.

"Yes, sir." Mabui snapped back to reality and respectfully complied, beginning to prepare the jutsu.

As she worked, she asked Tsunade, "By the way, Lady Hokage, has that Konoha Chūnin Kyo always been like this?"

"Like what?" Tsunade asked, glancing at the young Chūnin delivering documents to the Tsuchikage and Chika.

"Well, he gives off a rather frivolous vibe. Kind of like your fellow Sannin, Jiraiya. Speaking of which, isn’t Lord Jiraiya supposed to be on Turtle Island protecting Naruto and Lord Bee? If not, I imagine they’d have a lot to talk about."

Mabui spoke as tactfully as possible.

Her comment made both Tsunade and Raikage instantly alert.

"Lady Hokage, what’s going on here?" Raikage turned to Tsunade, trusting his secretary’s intuition.

"Could it be—" Tsunade gasped in realization, leaping out of the Alliance headquarters through a shattered window.

"Lord Raikage, what’s happening?" Mabui asked nervously, sweat beading on her forehead as she stared at the broken window.

"It looks like the Alliance has been infiltrated by a spy," Raikage muttered before falling silent, confident that Tsunade would handle it.

---

"Hoho, impressive! You’ve mastered the Lightened Boulder Jutsu so effortlessly?"

Third Tsuchikage Onoki watched Chika float upward and couldn’t help but express his admiration.

"Hehe," Chika giggled. "It’s all thanks to you, Lord Tsuchikage. I didn’t expect you to teach me such a jutsu!"

Onoki chuckled. "I didn’t want to teach you, but these are extraordinary times. If the Alliance falls, what’s the point of this jutsu? Still, your talent is astonishing. I’m looking forward to your fight with that Uchiha brat."

"Oh, no, that’s not what I meant," Chika said, embarrassed, twiddling her fingers. "But since you taught me Lightened Boulder, could you go the extra mile and teach me Weighted Boulder too? And, um... Dust Release would be even better!"

The old Tsuchikage’s expression instantly soured.

"Hmph! You’re quite demanding. Weighted Boulder and Dust Release? Maybe after we win this war. No time to waste—let’s go!" He flew toward Gaara’s battlefield.

"Fine, who needs it anyway? Right, Dad?" Chika turned to the young Chūnin, who had earlier teased Mabui, now emerging from behind a boulder.

"Of course. Dust Release? Nothing special," the Chūnin said as his appearance shifted, revealing a white figure with a zanpakutō at his waist—it was Aizen.

"But recognizing me? As expected of my daughter."

"Hmph, it wasn’t your genjutsu. Just White Zetsu’s disguise technique, which can’t fool me," Chika teased, leaning her head toward Aizen.

Aizen gently patted her head. "How many times have I told you not to reveal your mind-reading ability?"

"But it’s just you, Dad!" Chika smiled, enjoying the moment.

"Alright, enough kidding around. I came here to grant you a new power." Aizen’s expression turned serious. "You’ve awakened your Mangekyō Sharingan, haven’t you?"

"How do you know?" Chika gasped. She hadn’t told anyone about it. Could her father also have mind-reading powers?

"I don’t have mind-reading powers. I just noticed changes in you," Aizen said, crouching to look her in the eye. "You even started calling me 'Dad' instead of 'Aizen.'"

Chika’s eyes brimmed with tears. She’d awakened her Mangekyō as her growing maturity made her realize she and Aizen could never be anything but father and daughter.

Aizen gently wiped her tears and quietly infused her with a new power.

"Don’t worry, no matter what, you’ll always be my beloved daughter," he whispered. "Feel this power. It will prevent you from going blind like Sasuke or Itachi."

"Okay," Chika sniffled, her scarlet Mangekyō eyes opening, combining triangular and hexagonal patterns.

The triangular motif resembled Itachi’s, while the hexagonal design bore a striking resemblance to Shisui’s—but Chika’s had six points instead of four.

"Chika, what’s your Mangekyō’s ability?" Aizen asked eagerly.

"Um..." Chika blushed. "Super Kotoamatsukami."

Super Kotoamatsukami—a genjutsu transcending reality.

Unlike standard Kotoamatsukami, which manipulates the target’s will, Chika’s ability could alter her own or others’ very bloodlines, depending on her innermost desires.

Chika’s deepest wish? To erase her blood relation to Aizen.

(End of Chapter)  

Chapter 354: Battle Among Kage-levels 

 **Discovering Chika's Mangekyō Sharingan Abilities**

 Aizen rolled his eyes dramatically.  
"Goodness.  
I treat you like my daughter,  
but it turns out you're eyeing me like that?  
No way, absolutely not."  

“Chika,” Aizen looked at his daughter seriously, “do you still remember the story I told you about Uchiha Shisui?”  

 “Mhm. That guy Shisui had an ability that was practically unbeatable, but because he was too naive, he got tricked. I’m not dumb enough to tell anyone about my powers.”  

 The little girl pouted, secretly adding in her heart, *Except for Dad, I won't tell anyone else.*  
This is another little secret between her and her father.  

 Unaware of what Chika was thinking, Aizen—without mind-reading powers—gave her a stern reminder and asked about the specifics of her Eternal Mangekyō abilities.   

What reassured him the most was that, thanks to the system's fusion, her Mangekyō abilities wouldn't be overwritten. Unlike Sasuke, who could only keep his original abilities after transplanting Itachi's Mangekyō, Chika’s abilities were layered and cumulative.   

Thus, Chika gained not only her original powers but also those of Itachi.  
And the most delightful surprise? **Susano’o.**  

 Perhaps due to incorporating Itachi's bloodline, Chika retained the **Yata Mirror**, **Totsuka Blade**, and **Yasaka Magatama**—the Three Sacred Treasures.  

 With these, combined with the natural energy refined through the Heavenly Gang Technique, Chika was practically invincible on the battlefield, save for Uchiha Madara himself.  

 The only question was whether Itachi could still use the Sacred Treasures.  
Probably, considering he even managed to replicate the Rinnegan.  

 As the father-daughter duo conversed, Tsunade finally arrived.

 ---

  The Boundless Desert Battlefield  
*Fourth Division: Gaara's Command*

 A hundred paces away:  
The resurrected **Third Raikage**, **Second Tsuchikage**, **Second Mizukage**, and **Uchiha Itachi** stood side by side.  

 “I sense a large amount of hidden chakra ahead,” remarked the Second Tsuchikage, skilled in sensory techniques. “It’s mixed, from multiple villages. Looks like the war you mentioned has indeed started.”  

 “Hmph, fighting your own village's shinobi right after resurrection? That Kabuto guy really is something else,” the Second Mizukage grumbled in irritation.  

 “Don’t be disheartened. Believe in your village’s younger generation to surpass you. Like this young Uchiha—it seems they’ve raised an impressive talent,” the Third Raikage said approvingly.  

 Itachi, silent throughout, thought to himself:  
*Sasuke? What’s become of you?  
And Aizen... Are you involved in this war too? What are you planning?*

 --- 

Just then, the Second Tsuchikage’s voice broke his train of thought.  
“Here it comes.”   

A massive sandstorm, towering hundreds of meters like a tidal wave, surged toward them.  

 “Wow, now that’s a sandstorm,” the Second Mizukage whistled lightly, hands on his hips, unconcerned. His oil-based techniques made sand an easy foe.  

 The others were equally unfazed, letting the sandstorm bury them.  

 Above, Gaara floated mid-air on a sand platform, gourd strapped to his back, arms crossed as he looked down.  

 Beside him, the aged Onoki of the Stone Village hovered, nodding approvingly.  
“Well done, Kazekage.”  

 “**Desert Funeral!**”  
Gaara clenched his hands tightly, the ground beneath the buried enemies trembling violently, creating shockwaves.  

 “Did it work?” Onoki asked.  

 “No,” Gaara muttered, narrowing his eyes.  

 With a thunderous *boom*, the sand exploded, revealing a colossal flaming red figure.  
It wielded a shield in one hand and a flaming sword in the other, exuding overwhelming dominance.  

 Standing at its center, unharmed, were Itachi and the other resurrected Kage.  
The crimson figure’s Mangekyō pattern, resembling a three-pronged pinwheel, gleamed vividly.  

 Itachi’s **Susano’o** had appeared.  

 ---

 “Susano’o? Amazing. After Madara, to think we’d see this technique again,” the Second Tsuchikage and Mizukage exclaimed, visibly impressed.  

 Onoki remained stoic.  
“Indeed. But let’s see how it handles this.”  

 “**Particle Style: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu!**”  

 The elderly Tsuchikage formed a massive conical barrier of energy and thrust it toward Itachi’s Susano’o.  

 --- 

Chika still hadn’t arrived, delayed for unknown reasons.  

 Onoki wanted to test whether his Particle Style could shatter the Yata Mirror.  

 Itachi, as expected, activated the **Yata Mirror** in defense.  

 *Boom!*  

 A deafening explosion erupted. Heat and light flooded the vast desert, creating a massive crater spanning over a hundred meters.  

 The resurrected Kage remained unharmed, shielded by the Yata Mirror’s defensive barrier.  

 “Damn it! Blocked again?” Onoki forced a smile, cold sweat dripping from his brow.  

 “Wind Shadow!” Itachi’s Susano’o retracted, and he shouted at Gaara. “Find Naruto! He has the power I left behind. Without him, you can’t stop me in this state!”  

 “...Naruto?” Gaara’s confusion deepened.  

 Before he could react further, the Second Tsuchikage attacked Onoki directly, shouting,  
“Run, Onoki!”   

--- 

Particle Style required significant energy. Having already used it once, Onoki couldn’t counter a second attack quickly.  

 As the Second Tsuchikage's Particle Style bore down, Onoki fled in the opposite direction, yelling,  
“Kazekage! Run! You can’t block this attack!”  

 Though distressed, Onoki knew only he could withstand such power.  
True to his warning, the Second Tsuchikage hesitated only momentarily before targeting his former apprentice with a fierce Particle Style attack.  

 “Move, Onoki!” the Second Tsuchikage shouted while launching the technique mercilessly.  

 A blinding light followed.  
The resulting shockwave echoed across the battlefield as Gaara screamed in desperation.  
“Tsuchikage!”  

 --- 

“Is it over?”  
Watching the aftermath, the Second Mizukage and Third Raikage expressed regret.  

 Until now, only the Yata Mirror had ever endured such power unscathed.  

 *(Chapter Ends)*

Chapter 355: A Shocking Revelation, Chika's True Heritage Exposed

"No, not yet," Itachi said, his mind racing. What was that just now?  

His Sharingan had clearly seen the Second Tsuchikage’s attack. At the critical moment, a golden light appeared, shielding Onoki from the danger.

"Really, Tsuchikage old man," a mocking voice said. "You're getting less sharp with age. Knowing full well that this mourning brother here wields the Yata Mirror, capable of deflecting all physical attacks, and you still went all out with a Dust Release?"

The smoke cleared, revealing a towering figure, unlike the usual Susano'o, wielding a gleaming golden shield.

It was none other than Chika, who had arrived just in time.

Floating mid-air, Chika mimicked an adult's pose, arms crossed with an air of superiority.

And her eyes—at some point—had transformed into the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.

The Tsuchikage, meanwhile, had narrowly escaped, held securely by the golden Susano'o's other hand.

"This...!" The four resurrected Edo Tensei shinobi were stunned.

They recognized Susano'o and also Chika’s Mangekyo Sharingan.

What’s more, her ocular power seemed to surpass even Uchiha Itachi’s.

But wasn’t the Sharingan exclusive to the Uchiha clan?

The coalition forces were equally baffled, exchanging shocked glances. They all knew Chika as Konoha’s prodigious talent, hailed as the greatest ninja of the past fifty years, following in the footsteps of Fujiwara Aizen, who had once plunged the ninja world into war.

Yet no one had ever guessed she possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan.

Even Kabuto, hidden in the shadows, was surprised.

Sitting cross-legged on the ground, Kabuto manipulated the Edo Tensei board before him. Behind him lay the unconscious Mitarashi Anko, captured and immobilized.

“Well, isn’t this a twist? Who’d have thought Chika also has the Mangekyo Sharingan? And it’s not just any Mangekyo… Could her father have been a surviving Uchiha?”

"No, that’s unlikely," he muttered to himself. "Since Itachi’s death, the only Uchiha left are Sasuke and the masked man."

“Then who is it?”

“The Mangekyo Sharingan has its drawbacks. For someone as young as Chika, even a genius, it shouldn't be possible to wield it so effortlessly.”

“Could it be…”

An unsettling grin spread across Kabuto’s face as he licked his lips, a habit he’d picked up from Orochimaru. He had a theory now—Chika’s father must be that man, Fujiwara Aizen.

It all made sense. Only Aizen could create such a powerful shinobi in such a short time. Not to mention, he likely experimented with bloodline limits to achieve this.

Knowing Aizen, Kabuto thought, it was impossible he’d harm his own daughter to transplant the Sharingan. This meant Chika must have awakened her own Mangekyo Sharingan.

Furthermore, Aizen must have developed a method to remove its side effects.

As expected, Lord Aizen remains as enigmatic as ever, Kabuto mused, gazing at the ceiling in awe.

He decided to let the battle unfold naturally.

This war was his chance to achieve two goals: fulfilling his deal with Aizen to revive his foster mother, Nonō Yakushi, and proving his worth to the entire ninja world.

For far too long, only Aizen and Orochimaru had acknowledged his talents. Now, Kabuto intended to show the world, even if it meant earning infamy.

---

As the golden light receded, Chika withdrew her Susano'o and floated gracefully to Onoki’s side. Together, they confronted the Edo Tensei squad.

“Who would’ve thought your father was an Uchiha too,” Tobi remarked, studying Chika.

He had no reason to doubt her heritage; only Uchiha could awaken Susano'o.

At his words, Gaara and Onoki turned to Chika, surprise etched on their faces.

They had always known Chika as the daughter of Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage, born before her ascent to Kage. But her father’s identity had remained a mystery.

“I’m not an Uchiha, big brother Tobi," Chika said with a sly smile. "But it turns out we share the same father now."

Her words left everyone stunned. She no longer intended to keep her origins a secret. There was no need—Tsunade had already disclosed everything at the Allied Shinobi Forces’ headquarters.

When the coalition learned that Chika was the child of Tsunade and Fujiwara Aizen, conceived during a drunken encounter while on a mission, their reactions were priceless.

“What?! That girl is your daughter with Fujiwara Aizen?” Raikage exclaimed, his jaw nearly hitting the floor.

Even Shikaku Nara, the strategist of the Allied Forces, was left speechless. “So during the Pain invasion…”

“Yes,” Tsunade admitted, her face flushing. “During the rescue mission for the Kazekage and the Pain assault on Konoha, Aizen secretly intervened for Chika’s sake. He even saved Jiraiya’s life.”

“But if he’s done so much for Konoha and Suna, why would he ally with Madara to start this war?”

Mabui, another strategist, recalled her recent encounter with a young ninja who had flirted with her while disguised as Aizen. The memory brought a faint blush to her cheeks. So the rumors of his charm weren’t exaggerated… Even Lady Tsunade couldn’t resist him.  

Tsunade sighed. “I’ve already explained. He’s only helping because of Chika. At the same time, his hatred for the ninja world is real. That’s something I realized only after the Five Kage Summit.”

“After the Pain invasion, he vanished without a trace. That’s why I left the summit early with Chika—to try to bring him back. Unfortunately, we failed.”

“But he promised me this: if we defeat Madara, he’ll withdraw from this war. If we fail, he’ll take action himself.”

The revelation left everyone deep in thought.

For Shikaku, it felt like a missing puzzle piece had finally been found. Aizen’s erratic actions now made perfect sense.

(End of Chapter)