101-105

Chapter 101: It's That Man (Please Subscribe!)

Uchiha Sasuke leaned against a tree, his eyes wide with disbelief as he stared at the monster before him.

The creature was massive. With just one step, it could crush a large section of the forest—let alone any human in its path.

At this moment, Sasuke’s face showed an expression of unwillingness.

Despite undergoing Touji’s training and having the upper hand against Gaara earlier, who could have guessed that Gaara could summon such a gigantic monster?

This kind of colossal beast was far beyond anything a human could contend with.

For a moment, Sasuke felt his own insignificance.

“Sasuke, are you okay?” Naruto Uzumaki asked anxiously, looking over at Sasuke. Only after confirming that Sasuke was unharmed did Naruto breathe a sigh of relief.

“Naruto, run! We can't handle this monster. Go find Touji; maybe he can help!” Sasuke said, unwilling to accept defeat.

“I just saw Touji heading off to help Lord Hokage. It’s up to us now.”

As Naruto spoke, he began making hand signs, then slammed his hands down on the ground.

“Summoning Jutsu!”

Suddenly, thick smoke filled the area, obscuring a large portion of the forest.

Usually, the size of the smoke is proportional to the size of what’s summoned.

For instance, when Naruto’s shadow clones are destroyed, the smoke is about the size of a single person. But when using the Shadow Clone Jutsu, because there are so many clones, the smoke is much more substantial.

This smoke cloud before them was large enough to cover a small mountain, meaning whatever was summoned was enormous.

“Naruto, just what kind of training have you gone through?” Sasuke clenched his fists.

He had been working hard, but now Naruto was pulling ahead, leaving Sasuke feeling frustrated and inadequate.

As the smoke cleared, a giant toad stood in the middle of the forest.

“Jiraiya? Huh? It’s you again, kid?” Gamabunta took a puff from his pipe, sounding irritated.

“Boss Toad, there’s a monster ahead! Please, you have to defeat it!” Naruto cried out with joy, excitedly patting Gamabunta on the head.

“Monster?” Gamabunta paused, then turned to look.

When he saw Shukaku, his entire body trembled.

“Damn, it really is a monster. I don’t think I can take him on.”

Even though Gamabunta was about the same size as Shukaku, the difference in power was vast.

Shukaku, as a Tailed Beast, possessed an infinite amount of chakra, while Gamabunta was just an ordinary toad by comparison.

“What? Even Boss Toad can’t defeat him?”

“I’ll give it a try,” Gamabunta sighed, knowing he couldn’t defeat Shukaku outright, but perhaps he could at least hold him off for a while.

As Gamabunta noticed Gaara atop Shukaku’s head, he quickly realized the situation.

“Kid, I’ve got a way to beat him, but it all depends on you.”

“Me?”

“Yeah, if you can jump onto that monster and wake up the one controlling it, we can win! But my limbs are too slippery to hold on to him. You’ll have to use the Transformation Jutsu with me!”

“Got it! Leave it to me!”

“Good, now imagine an animal with sharp claws in your mind. The rest is up to me.”

Without giving Naruto time to respond, Gamabunta placed his hands together and began forming signs.

Naruto, startled, quickly closed his eyes and imagined.

“Sharp claws, sharp claws... Got it!”

With a puff of smoke, Gamabunta transformed into the Nine-Tails.

Seeing this, Shukaku was momentarily startled, but once he realized the transformation wasn’t genuine, his expression darkened.

“You dare trick me?! I’ll kill you all!” Shukaku roared as he made hand signs, causing the surrounding sand to rise and float ominously.

“Get ready, kid. As soon as I grab him, you jump!”

Gamabunta charged forward, his speed now much faster after transforming into the Nine-Tails.

Although there was a lot of sand around, Gamabunta’s speed allowed him to dodge it with ease.

In just a few breaths, Gamabunta had reached Shukaku’s side.

“Now! Kid, go!”

Naruto, no longer joking around, leaped onto Shukaku’s head. He was now only about ten meters away from Gaara.

Naruto’s heart raced with excitement, and just as he was about to close the distance, he suddenly felt his foot sink into Shukaku’s skin.

“You think I wasn’t prepared? I’ve been waiting for this moment!”

Shukaku laughed maniacally.

He had been sealed inside Gaara for so long, and when he first emerged, a brat had beaten him.

Ever since then, Shukaku had been on guard, determined not to be outsmarted again.

“Naruto!”

Gamabunta watched in horror as Naruto slowly sank into Shukaku, panic filling his voice.

In that moment of distraction, Shukaku seized the opportunity, using a massive tail to swat Gamabunta away.

Gamabunta was sent flying several kilometers before crashing down.

He tried to stand and rescue Naruto, but Shukaku appeared in front of him, stomping down on Gamabunta with a massive foot.

“You thought you could take me on?”

Gamabunta looked up at Shukaku in frustration. He had thought he could at least hold out for a while, but who knew he’d be defeated so quickly?

He hadn’t even had a chance to fight back.

“Minato’s child... will he really die because of me?” Gamabunta thought as he watched Naruto sink further into Shukaku’s body, filled with regret.

“If only I had run when I had the chance!”

“Run? You’re my first prey since I emerged. There’s no way I’m letting you escape!”

Shukaku grinned as he opened his mouth, chakra quickly gathering in front of him.

In no time, a massive sphere formed.

“Tailed Beast Bomb!”

Gamabunta’s whole body trembled.

At such close range, if he were hit by a Tailed Beast Bomb, there was no chance of survival.

“I don’t mind dying, but I have to at least save that kid!”

Gamabunta struggled desperately, but it was no use. It was as if he were welded to Shukaku, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t move.

“Give up! Dying at my hands is an honor!”

Shukaku sneered as the Tailed Beast Bomb reached completion.

Just a few more seconds, and it would be over for Gamabunta.

But at that moment, Shukaku suddenly shuddered, and the nearly completed Tailed Beast Bomb vanished.

Shukaku’s head whipped around frantically, as if searching for something.

“Damn it! Damn it! That man is here! Why is he here?!”

(Chapter ends)

End of the third update! Please subscribe!

Chapter 102: Who Is Touji? (Please Subscribe!)

Shukaku let go of Gamabunta and quickly started running away.

Gamabunta, on the other hand, looked at Shukaku in confusion, his face filled with bewilderment.

"Who on earth could scare a Tailed Beast like that?"

The nine Tailed Beasts were considered the most powerful creatures. Not only was there no one who could suppress them by bloodline, but there was hardly anyone even on their level.

But now, Shukaku seemed like he had lost his soul.

No matter who it was, at least Gamabunta’s life was spared for now.

"Wait! Naruto is still up there!" Gamabunta suddenly remembered that Uzumaki Naruto was still on Shukaku’s head and quickly jumped up.

Naruto was the son of Minato Namikaze. If he didn't rescue Naruto, how would he face Minato later?

Immediately, Gamabunta started hopping and running frantically.

"You trying to chase Shukaku? Mind giving me a lift?"

Gamabunta's body trembled. To be able to appear silently on his head like that, this person had to be a highly skilled ninja.

He knew that the only person who could sneak up on him like this before was Minato Namikaze.

And Minato had only managed to do that while using the Flying Thunder God Technique, making it hard for Gamabunta to detect him.

But the voice above him now had a youthful tone, and it sounded about the same age as Naruto.

"Who are you?" Gamabunta asked.

"Never mind who I am. The sand has already reached Naruto’s chest. If you don’t hurry, the kid’s in serious trouble."

Gamabunta’s expression grew serious, and he quickly shut his mouth.

Although Shukaku had a huge amount of chakra as a Tailed Beast, his speed was too slow. It didn’t take long for Gamabunta to catch up to him.

"You brat! Why won’t you leave me alone?! If you come any closer, I’ll fight to the death!" Shukaku, seeing the figure of Touji, showed a terrified expression and started running even faster.

Touji just smiled and went directly to Naruto’s side.

By this time, Naruto had already been completely buried in sand. If no one acted soon, something terrible would happen.

"You can only fight me if you catch me first."

At that moment, Shukaku stopped and gave a mocking smile.

"Got you now, haven't I?"

Touji paused for a second and looked down. The sand had already buried him up to his knees. He tried moving his feet but only sank deeper.

"Darn, I forgot to warn him about this trick," Gamabunta muttered, looking a bit guilty.

Touji, however, shrugged indifferently.

"Have you really caught me?" he asked.

As he spoke, Touji raised his hands. The buried Naruto suddenly started rising out of the sand at an astonishing speed.

Control over sand.

He had obtained this ability from Gaara, but since his chakra had always been insufficient, he hadn’t used it much.

But now, with the cells of Hashirama Senju and having devoured half of the Shinigami’s arm, Touji was no longer the same as before.

With just a little control, he easily pulled Naruto out of the sand.

"Sand control? Who is this kid?" Gamabunta was baffled. Sand control was a technique of the Land of Wind, yet here was Touji using it against the Sand Village’s own people.

"Die, you bastard!" Shukaku shouted, summoning countless sand spears that gleamed ominously, all pointed at Touji.

Touji simply smiled and snapped his fingers.

The newly-formed spears began to tremble, reverting back into piles of sand.

"Alright, time to finish this."

With that, Touji disappeared and reappeared beside Gaara.

Seeing this, Shukaku’s once-arrogant demeanor collapsed. He began pleading.

"Come on, big bro, I just got out! Can’t you let me have some fun? I’m going stir-crazy here!"

Boom!

Touji punched Gaara squarely in the face, and the sand armor protecting him instantly shattered.

Shukaku trembled all over, and his eyes slowly lost their light.

"Kid, you’d better remember this!" Shukaku muttered before dissolving into sand and falling away.

Gamabunta let out a sigh of relief.

He never imagined it would be so easy.

"That kid is something else. Let’s hope he doesn’t become an enemy of Konoha," Gamabunta said seriously, before disappearing in a puff of smoke due to his injuries.

"Touji! It really is you! I thought I was done for!" Naruto cried, running to Touji and clinging to his leg.

Seeing Naruto’s teary, snot-covered face, Touji looked disgusted and kicked him away.

"Don't gross me out. Keep an eye on Gaara. If he tries to fall asleep, punch him in the face!"

Gaara, just waking up, heard Touji’s harsh words and felt a shiver of fear.

"No… I'm awake... I'm not going to sleep..." he stammered.

In Konoha, the ninjas who witnessed Shukaku's disintegration cheered wildly.

"Lord Touji took down the Tailed Beast!"

"Amazing! Lord Touji is the best!"

"I knew Lord Touji could do it!"

"Lord Touji, I'll have your children!"

Meanwhile, the Sand Village ninjas fell into despair.

Shukaku was supposed to be the secret weapon of the Land of Wind, like a nuclear bomb dropped on Konoha to wipe everything out.

But Shukaku had barely appeared and was already defeated.

How were they supposed to fight now?

Weren't they told that with the Hokage dead, Konoha would have no top-tier fighters left? Who were they kidding?

And just who was this Touji, who could defeat Shukaku?

"What now? Do we keep fighting?" A trembling Sand ninja asked Baki.

Baki looked gravely toward where Shukaku had been and sighed.

Their secret weapon had been taken out; there was no point in continuing the battle.

And if the ninja who could take down a Tailed Beast returned, it wouldn’t just be a defeat—it could become a massacre.

"Surrender..."

Baki’s face twisted in frustration.

Despite all their careful planning, not only did one of the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya, appear, but now this Touji, who could take down a Tailed Beast.

"Konoha truly is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. We didn’t lose unfairly."

At that, all the Sand ninjas dropped their weapons.

Seeing this, the Konoha ninjas erupted in cheers, the village echoing with victory cries.

Kakashi Hatake cautiously approached Baki, one hand always near his weapons pouch.

"Kakashi, you don’t need to be so careful. We’re surrendering."

"Better safe than sorry."

Baki shook his head with a wry smile.

"Even though we lost, we’d still like to meet this Touji, the one who defeated the Tailed Beast. Is he the next Hokage of Konoha?"

"No, technically speaking, he’s just a Genin of Konoha..."

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 103: Prove Yourself? (Subscription Requested!)*

"Genin?"

Maki seemed to have heard the funniest joke in the world.

A Tailed Beast, Shukaku, capable of destroying a small country, had supposedly been taken down by a mere genin.

If that were true, it would imply that Konoha's genin could challenge the jōnin, or even the Kage, of other villages!

"Kakashi, even though we Sand Shinobi lost, we don’t go around slandering others like you! You’re saying a genin defeated a Tailed Beast? Unless all the past Kage have crawled out of their graves, I won’t believe it."

Maki was breathing heavily in anger.

Although he had lost, his pride remained, and he refused to allow others to mock the Land of Wind like this.

Kakashi Hatake hesitated.

After all, there was only one person in the village who went by "Touji."

Though Kakashi was one of the examiners for this event, Touji was technically still a genin.

However, the fact that a secret weapon was defeated by a genin was understandably hard to accept.

"Look! Lord Touji has returned!"

"Lord Touji is so cool!"

"Lord Touji even brought back three prisoners!"

"Lord Touji is so handsome—I want to have his children!"

Upon hearing the shouts of the Konoha shinobi, Maki’s face grew serious.

The man who had completely disrupted the Land of Wind's plans had arrived.

Though Maki was eager to see what kind of warrior Touji was, he also feared that seeing him might crush his ambitions, forever turning the Land of Wind into a subordinate of Konoha.

But he had no choice; he had to look.

Maki needed to know who Touji was—the man who had ruined the Land of Wind's plans!

This man might even become the next Hashirama Senju, so Maki had to remember him.

Slowly, Maki turned his head.

He saw a young boy with Kankuro tucked under one arm and Gaara under the other, with Temari slung over his back.

"Where’s Touji? Where is he?" Maki searched frantically, but he couldn't find the Touji he had imagined.

Kakashi awkwardly coughed and said, "He’s right there…"

"Kakashi, enough! You’ve mocked the Land of Wind enough! If you do it again, I’ll fight to the death and take you down with me!" Maki shouted in rage.

At that moment, Touji walked over to Kakashi, throwing Gaara and Kankuro to the ground. He turned and said, "Kakashi-sensei, help me get this woman off my back. She’s holding on and won’t let go!"

As soon as Touji said this, a snort came from behind him, and then Temari slid off his back on her own.

"Let’s set the prisoners aside for now. You need to prove that you are Touji, or else this situation will be hard to resolve," Kakashi said, visibly embarrassed.

"What?"

Touji looked at Kakashi in confusion.

Prove that he was himself? What kind of absurd request was that? But seeing Maki’s furious expression, Touji quickly understood.

"Um… my name is Touji. Nice to meet you."

"How will you prove it?"

Touji’s face twitched.

Dealing with someone this stubborn left him at a loss.

After all, there were no ID cards in the shinobi world, and even if there were, people could just claim they were fake.

"Teacher Maki, he really is Touji! How much more proof do you need?" Temari said, looking at Maki in confusion.

Maki trembled and continued to scrutinize Touji.

"Temari! Is he the Touji who defeated Shukaku?" Maki asked, still unwilling to accept the truth.

"Yes…" Temari replied.

Maki’s heart sank.

He couldn’t believe that the mighty One-Tail, Shukaku, had been defeated by a twelve- or thirteen-year-old boy.

The Konoha Crush Plan, which had been carefully plotted for so long, had been undone by a child.

For a moment, Maki began to question his entire life.

At twelve years old, he had been playing in the sand with his friends and doing D-rank missions.

Meanwhile, Konoha’s twelve-year-olds were already saving their village.

Even more frustrating, his spies had failed to gather any intelligence on such a powerful figure.

Maki wobbled, on the verge of collapsing, but Temari caught him just in time.

Maki then began to laugh maniacally.

"Twelve years old! Twelve! Why are all the geniuses born in Konoha? Why?!"

His face was full of bitterness.

Losing this battle wasn’t the end—the Land of Wind would recover in time.

But Touji, at just twelve years old, had such overwhelming strength. As he continued to grow, he would become a force capable of shaking the entire shinobi world.

At that moment, Maki’s eyes lit up, and he suddenly pushed Temari toward Touji.

Seeing this, Kakashi quickly drew a kunai and placed it at Maki’s throat.

"Lord Touji, please give the Land of Wind your seed. As long as you agree, the Land of Wind will forever be an ally of the Land of Fire!" Maki pleaded.

"Seed?"

Both Touji and Temari stared at Maki in confusion, and even Kakashi was puzzled.

"Yes, your seed! This isn’t a political marriage because I know Temari isn’t worthy of you. We just need your seed! If you agree, I will negotiate for even greater compensation for you from our side."

Touji’s face twitched.

Temari’s face turned as red as an apple, and Kakashi began coughing uncontrollably.

In the shinobi world, powerful bloodlines were highly prized, and it wasn’t unheard of for clans with kekkei genkai to arrange for the sharing of “seed” to strengthen their families.

However, these arrangements were usually made in secret, often without the two involved even knowing about it, not publicly discussed like this.

"I think this is something for the younger generation to decide on their own. We elders shouldn’t interfere too much," Kakashi quickly intervened, trying to defuse the situation.

"Is our Land of Wind’s offer not good enough? Or does Touji not like Temari’s type? We can negotiate any terms you want!" Maki said, growing more anxious.

Temari closed her eyes, resigned.

As a shinobi of her village, she had no choice but to carry out whatever mission the village assigned her, no matter how unpleasant.

Just like with the Konoha Crush Plan.

Though she was a peace-loving shinobi, once the village gave the order, she had no choice but to fight.

If her village decided to give her to Touji, no matter how much she hated the idea, she would accept it without hesitation and even cooperate fully.

Besides, Temari didn’t dislike Touji.

Touji coughed awkwardly and said, "But I’m only twelve! Don’t you think I’m too young? Besides, there’s no emotional connection between us. Forced relationships never work—they just won’t be happy!"

"Maybe a forced relationship doesn’t taste sweet, but it does quench your thirst. You’re young, so you have time to build a connection. It’s not like you two have to get married. Once it’s done, Temari will return to us," Maki patiently explained.

But Touji was determined not to agree.

Just as he was about to make a run for it, two elderly figures appeared.

"I think this is a good idea!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 104: The Shadow of a Moment (Request for Subscriptions!)

Everyone turned their heads.

The two people speaking were none other than the advisors who had been planning behind Hiruzen Sarutobi, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado.

Many of the plans to suppress the major clans were devised by these two.

They were known as two very selfish old foxes.

"Advisors, shouldn't we discuss this matter with Touji first?" asked Kakashi Hatake.

Koharu Utatane frowned, clearly displeased.

"If it's for the benefit of the Leaf Village, a ninja should be willing to sacrifice a little. Besides, this isn't even a real sacrifice; in fact, Touji would be getting quite a bargain!" said Koharu.

"Exactly, the Hokage has fallen in battle, and many Leaf ninjas have died. Right now, we need to secure more resources for the village. Touji just needs to exert a bit of energy; what's there to hesitate about?" added Homura Mitokado.

"We can agree to your terms in advance, but we expect satisfactory compensation in return," Koharu said with a smile toward Maki.

Maki's face lit up with joy.

The Land of Wind had a poor geographical location and was lacking in many resources. At times, people even went hungry.

The compensation this time would likely be quite costly.

But if the Leaf agreed to their terms, it would all be worth it.

In a little over ten years, when the child grew up, the Land of Wind would have the power to fight.

By that time, Touji would be in his prime, and given his talent, he would undoubtedly become Hokage.

With that connection, Touji would surely lend his support.

This deal was guaranteed to be profitable.

"Great, we'll discuss the details later!" Maki nodded in satisfaction, then once again looked Touji up and down.

Touji suddenly felt like he was being priced as a commodity and couldn't help but shudder.

Three days later, news of what had happened in the Leaf Village spread across the ninja world, sparking widespread discussion.

The Land of Lightning.

"What do you think of starting a war while we have the chance?" A laughed heartily, stroking his beard with one hand.

Mabui frowned as she reviewed the information.

"I have to admit, this is the best time to attack the Leaf, but there's a wildcard in play!"

"A wildcard?" A asked, frowning.

"Yes, the one who defeated Shukaku, the Shadow of a Moment. We shouldn't act hastily until we have more information."

"The Shadow of a Moment, huh? I wonder if they're faster than me?"

The Land of Earth.

"Lord Tsuchikage, how about we take this opportunity to attack the Land of Wind?"

"I'm too old to start a war. But I'm quite interested in this Shadow of a Moment. Let's try sending Kurotsuchi for a marriage alliance," Onoki said, his eyes fixed on the words "Shadow of a Moment."

Onoki, now an old man, had long wanted to retire.

However, the younger generation of the Land of Earth had left him disappointed; none of them had the necessary strength.

He had once pinned his hopes on Deidara, but Deidara had defected.

Onoki’s granddaughter Kurotsuchi, aside from being attractive and having long legs, wasn’t particularly remarkable.

He was afraid.

If he died, the Land of Earth might quickly decline or even be swallowed by other nations.

Thus, Onoki hoped for a marriage between his granddaughter and the Shadow of a Moment. Even if the marriage failed, a child would suffice.

"Make arrangements for Kurotsuchi to go to the Land of Fire and discuss a marriage alliance."

"Mr. Itachi, the Leaf Village was attacked by the Land of Wind, and even the Hokage was killed. The Leaf is in decline—though they now have a formidable figure, the Shadow of a Moment, who defeated Shukaku!" Kisame Hoshigaki said, rubbing his chin with a grin.

Itachi Uchiha frowned and took the report, reading it carefully. After about ten minutes, he put it down, his eyes filled with an unusual seriousness.

"Kisame, while the Leaf's defenses are weak, let's go capture the Nine-Tails!"

"Alright! Let's head out now!" Kisame agreed with a nod.

At that moment in the Leaf Village, Touji sat at the negotiation table, facing Temari, who looked incredibly serious.

Meanwhile, the others were already arguing, almost on the verge of starting another fight right there.

"This isn't what we agreed on!" Koharu crossed her arms, clearly angry.

"How about we discuss the second option first?" Maki said with a sly grin, glancing at Temari, who shuddered and blushed.

"If the Leaf agrees to our terms, we’ll double the compensation," Koharu said, rubbing her chin with a smile.

No wonder the Sand Village had immediately halved their initial offer upon hearing the Leaf’s demands. It was clear now why.

However, the Leaf's initial demand was also outrageously high, and the Sand Village had surprisingly agreed without hesitation.

Once the Leaf received this compensation, their economy would recover to its pre-war state, and they might even have extra funds.

But to afford this compensation, the Sand Village would likely have to tighten its belt for the entire next year.

"If that's the case, we agree!" Koharu nodded eagerly, not bothering to consult Touji.

"Wait a moment, we have a second option!" Maki grinned mischievously.

"A second option?"

"Yes, the second option is for Touji to marry into our Sand Village, and we’ll give you ten times the compensation!" Maki said, though his face showed the pain of making such an offer.

"Ten times?!"

Koharu jumped up, her eyes wide with disbelief.

She had never imagined that a single ninja could be worth so much.

Even twice the compensation would force the Land of Wind to live frugally for a year.

But ten times was a completely different story!

If they paid ten times the compensation, the Sand Village’s economy might collapse, leaving a massive number of refugees to starve in the streets.

Meanwhile, the Land of Fire, with that compensation, would instantly restore its economy to the peak era of the First Hokage.

Yet despite knowing this, the Land of Wind was still willing to pay, showing just how much they valued Touji.

Koharu glanced at Homura, and both of them exchanged sly smiles.

Although Touji was incredibly powerful, he was also a destabilizing factor.

It was because of Touji that Danzo Shimura had been put under house arrest.

And if Touji stayed, he might indeed become Hokage, which would spell disaster for their clans.

With the compensation in hand, they could take a cut for the major clans, ensuring their silence.

And most importantly, their own families would get rich!

"So, what's your choice?" Maki asked seriously.

Koharu and Homura exchanged glances and then smiled. "We'll choose the second option—Touji will marry into the Sand Village!"

Third update delivered! Please subscribe and hand over your votes!

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 105: Brainwashing (Please Subscribe!)*

When Touji heard the words "marry over there," he immediately frowned.

Calling it marriage was putting it nicely; to put it bluntly, it was like selling her off.

Touji had just eliminated the biggest threat to Konoha Village, and now they were selling him out? How could he possibly be okay with that?

"It seems like Touji-kun is very unwilling. Our second option is voluntary," Baki said, shaking his head when he saw Touji's frown.

Koharu Utatane quickly put on a smile.

"Don’t worry, we’ll handle everything and make sure everyone is satisfied!"

Even though Konoha was the victor, the two advisors were bowing and scraping like the defeated, almost serving tea to their enemies over the reparations issue.

"We can give you plenty of time. Since you’re interested, I’ll leave Temari behind so the two of them can bond a little," Baki said, then leaned over and whispered in Temari's ear, "No matter what, the priority is achieving the goal. Whether they agree or not, we won’t lose."

"Understood…" Temari blushed as she looked at Touji, her face reddening even more.

The people from the Land of Wind left, and the Konoha members gathered around Touji at the conference table.

"Touji, for the sake of Konoha, you should just accept this and go to the Land of Wind. You’re not really losing anything," Homura Mitokado said, adjusting his glasses with a smile.

"Yeah, yeah, you’re a hero of Konoha! You should contribute more to the village," Koharu Utatane chimed in.

Looking at the group of so-called high-level officials buzzing around him, Touji realized they were all from families close to Homura and Koharu.

Even the Hyuga clan didn’t have a seat at the table.

Touji understood—they were planning to send him away.

"How shameless are you people? If you’re so eager to go to the Land of Wind, why don’t you marry off yourselves and leave me alone?" Touji sneered.

When Touji didn’t follow their script, the mood quickly turned cold.

"As a ninja, you should follow orders, Touji! The village has decided that you will marry into the Land of Wind!" Koharu Utatane said sternly.

If the soft approach didn’t work, they’d go hard.

"And who are you to give orders? I only take commands from the Hokage! You’re just a bunch of nobodies, so stop bothering me," Touji retorted with a cold laugh.

Koharu’s eyes widened, and her finger trembled as she pointed at Touji, furious.

"I’m a Konoha advisor! I have the authority to give orders!"

"Advisor? The Hokage is dead, and you’re still acting like you’re in charge? Get lost!" Touji snapped, preparing to leave.

But as he stood up, a group of ninjas moved in, surrounding him.

"Touji, remember this: the decision has been made, and it’s not up for discussion! You’d better agree to go, or we won’t hesitate to brainwash you!" Koharu sneered.

Touji's brows furrowed.

Koharu’s idea of brainwashing wasn’t some sophisticated technique like Shisui Uchiha’s Kotoamatsukami, but rather a brute-force method.

While simple and effective, it came with severe side effects. It could turn someone into an idiot, leaving them mentally dull. Problems they could once solve easily might become impossible after the brainwashing.

In short, their intelligence would plummet.

To put it bluntly, Koharu and the others had planned to brainwash Touji from the start. This way, their families would benefit without making the Sand Village too powerful.

The only one suffering would be Touji.

"For the sake of the village, take Touji and brainwash him!" Koharu commanded with a sneer.

The crowd around Touji broke into malicious smiles.

Touji sneered back. Did they really think sacrificing him for their own selfish gain would be so easy?

In an instant, Touji’s chakra surged, suffocating the surrounding ninjas.

"Touji! Are you trying to become a rogue ninja?" Koharu shouted angrily. She turned to the nearby ninjas and barked, "Seize him! Do you really want him to defect from Konoha?"

"He’s Touji! The one who defeated a Tailed Beast!" The ninjas were afraid, taking a step back instead of advancing.

"What are you afraid of? There’s a barrier in place!" Koharu snapped, clapping her hands.

Suddenly, a powerful force pressed down on everyone, making it difficult to use chakra, as if their energy points had been sealed.

"Anyone inside this barrier has their chakra sealed! Touji can’t use his chakra now, so what are you afraid of?" Koharu smirked.

Hearing this, the ninjas finally mustered some courage.

A ninja without chakra was no different from an ordinary person, especially when they outnumbered Touji.

As the ninjas closed in, Touji chuckled.

"You must not know what made me who I am," Touji said, grabbing a ninja’s hand. No matter how much the ninja struggled, they couldn’t break free.

"Help me!" the ninja called out.

The others laughed dismissively.

Touji’s fighting style looked almost like a joke—his punches seemed playful. But with so many on their side, surely Touji couldn’t outlast them in a group fight.

"Everyone, attack at once!"

The group rushed at Touji together.

Touji remained calm, performing his Gentle Fist technique.

As soon as the ninjas touched him, they moved as if they were being controlled, their bodies following the motions of Touji’s hand.

"What’s going on? Hurry and capture him!" Koharu stomped her foot angrily.

"It’s not that we don’t want to; it’s that we can’t control ourselves! His technique is weird!"

Touji smirked and, with a push, sent several ninjas flying.

"And you think you can brainwash me?" Touji sneered, calmly walking toward the exit.

Just as he opened the door, a large figure blocked his path.

Koharu’s face lit up with joy, her eyes full of hope as if seeing a savior.

"Lord Jiraiya, Touji is trying to defect from Konoha! Hurry, capture him and take him for brainwashing!" Koharu demanded, smugly looking over at Touji.

"Touji defecting?" Jiraiya looked at Touji with a twitch of his lips. "Are you defecting?"

"Yeah, I’m defecting. Hurry and catch me, Lord Jiraiya!" Touji said, nearly bursting into laughter.

"You’re falsely accusing a Konoha hero of defecting. What’s your real motive? It seems like you’re the ones betraying Konoha!"

(End of Chapter)