166-170

Chapter 166: The Three Lights!

"Kill them all!"

"Burn everything!"

"Take everything!"

"Charge!"

With a loud roar, Itsuki led his ninja army fiercely toward a city… Bird City!

It was a large city, with its own garrison and home to many nobles.

Nobles are the best!

The smell of money was all over them.

Itsuki’s eyes lit up—another big payday!

By looting this city, and with the cities he already ransacked, his village, Hidden Fire Village, would be set for the next decade.

But!

When Itsuki and his ninja army reached the city, they were stunned. The city lord and all the nobles were standing at the city gates, respectfully holding a banner: *"Welcome, Ninjas of Hidden Fire Village!"*

What happened to tight security?

Where was the noble pride?

"Welcome, Lord Kage!"

Before Itsuki could even speak, the city lord shouted, "All of Bird City's nobles welcome the honorable Lord Kage to his loyal city!"

Thud!

The city lord and all the nobles knelt down in unison before Itsuki.

Bang!

They bowed together!

Bang!

Again!

Bang!

For a third time!

It was perfectly synchronized! They definitely practiced this!

Itsuki: "…"

Ninjas from Hidden Fire Village: "…"

Spies watching from the shadows: "…"

Civilians hiding nearby: "…"

This wasn’t part of the plan!

"Lord Kage!"

Gekko Hayate whispered, "Do we still carry out the 'Three Lights' policy?"

Itsuki turned to look at him, falling silent.

These nobles, kneeling so obediently, practically begging to be slaughtered… it felt wrong.

Damn it!

Who said nobles were stupid?

Who said they were naturally proud?

Whoever said that, show yourself! I’ll beat you to death!

These nobles were cunning, no doubt about it!

Then, something even more shocking happened.

The city lord, still kneeling, crawled forward like a fat rat until he reached Itsuki's feet. Without even daring to lift his head, he respectfully said, "Honorable Lord Kage, please come into Bird City. We’ve already prepared a grand feast for you."

Itsuki thought for a moment and nodded. "Alright, let’s go!"

He led the way into the city.

A trap?

That would be perfect. He was just looking for an excuse to enforce the "Three Lights" policy.

It’d be great if a few hundred ninjas suddenly attacked them.

But!

There wasn’t a trap in sight—not even a hint of danger!

Well, not exactly nothing.

On the way, there were flowers and applause. The cheers of the civilians soared to the sky.

The nobles’ behavior left everyone dumbfounded once again.

They advanced on their knees, completely ignoring the stunned expressions of the civilians around them, like a swarm of locusts.

Swollen knees, bleeding and raw? So what?

We’re nobles!

You commoners can’t compare to us!

Look at that fat noble who’s probably eaten way too much, with rolls of flab everywhere. Three hundred pounds? That’s nothing. He can crawl faster than you peasants can run.

And that pale, skinny guy, ruined by excess drinking and womanizing?

He’s no different!

If I die, I’ll die in front of Lord Kage!

I’m the most loyal to Lord Kage!

The ninjas of Hidden Fire Village were completely bewildered.

A few days ago, Itsuki had led them out of the village to confront the nobles.

At first, they were too afraid to act, but after Itsuki tempted them with piles of money, they started slaughtering nobles. Eventually, it became second nature to them.

But now, seeing the nobles in this state stirred up all kinds of mixed feelings.

This is what it means to be a noble!

Itsuki and his top officers entered the feast hall.

A thousand different dishes, all exquisite, left the ninja commanders speechless.

There were fewer than thirty people in their group.

The sweet aroma of the wine made some of the ninjas gulp instinctively.

Then…

A line of beautifully dressed attendants appeared.

Each person had two attendants to themselves.

Itsuki sat at the head of the table, flanked by rows of them on either side.

The ninjas, of course, had their own attendants as well.

… Damn these nobles!

This life was way too corrupt!

The ninjas cursed in their hearts.

Itsuki and his officers weren’t worried about being poisoned.

Assassination? Ninjas were the experts!

If the nobles dared try that, they’d be signing their own death warrants.

Itsuki lazily reclined on a soft couch and said, "Not bad. I’m impressed!"

"Your joy is the greatest reward for us."

The city lord knelt humbly below, not even daring to glance at Itsuki.

Itsuki took a sip of wine and casually asked, "I heard the Daimyo has sent word to Konoha, asking them to send troops against us. What about you guys…?"

"That was the Daimyo acting on his own. We, however, warmly welcome the ninjas of Hidden Fire Village."

The city lord quickly replied, "You don’t know, but the moment we heard you were coming, we began preparing to welcome you."

"Oh!"

Itsuki pretended to be enlightened. "So, the Daimyo acted on his own, huh?"

"Exactly!"

"Alright! I understand!"

Itsuki clapped his hands.

Immediately, Gekko Hayate brought several papers to the city lord.

Upon seeing them, cold sweat began to drip from the lord’s forehead.

It was a declaration.

The document clearly stated that the ninjas of Hidden Fire Village were invited by Bird City, and there was absolutely no coercion involved.

Furthermore, the nobles of Bird City harshly condemned the Konoha ninjas, declaring they would not be allowed to step foot into Bird City, nor disturb their esteemed guests.

What the hell!

If this declaration got out, it would be a direct slap in the face to the Daimyo.

At the same time, it would legitimize Itsuki’s actions, making it harder for Konoha to interfere.

Legitimacy!

A righteous cause!

Some people might think these things don’t matter much.

But!

To many others, they were of utmost importance.

Especially between nations.

"What’s the matter?"

Seeing the city lord drenched in sweat, Itsuki smiled. "Don’t want to sign it? Or are you trying to deceive me?"

His smile was gentle, like a neighborhood kid.

"No!"

The city lord’s heart froze, a wave of unspeakable fear flooding over him.

With a loud shout, he said, "I’m willing! I really am!"

Then, without hesitation, he picked up the pen and signed his name on the declaration.

Signing this would only offend the Daimyo and Konoha.

Not signing meant he wouldn’t see tomorrow.

He knew this all too well.

The other party had already proven they were more than willing to slaughter every noble.

"Hmm!"

Itsuki nodded in satisfaction and gestured to Hayate.

Gekko Hayate then went to each of the seated nobles, having them sign as well.

Afterward, they went outside to have the remaining nobles sign, ensuring no one was left out.

There was a minor incident during this.

One noble refused to sign, out of sheer terror of the Daimyo.

Fear of the Daimyo was deeply ingrained in him.

He didn’t dare offend Itsuki, but he also didn’t dare offend the Daimyo.

He held onto a shred of hope.

Itsuki smiled at him and said, "Then you should leave. If you don’t welcome me, it wouldn’t be right for you to stay here."

"I…"

The noble opened his mouth to speak, but never got the chance.

Hayate appeared at his side, and with a few quick slashes of his sword, the noble froze in place.

Two members of the Anbu appeared, supporting him as they escorted him out.

But with every step they took, pieces of him began to fall off.

Hayate’s sword had been so fast that the noble had been sliced into several pieces in an instant.

The Anbu who were supporting him were a bit annoyed.

They had to pick up his pieces along the way.

However!

After that incident, the other nobles were incredibly cooperative.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 167: Confrontation*

Blood flowed on the ground.

The nobles hung their heads low, their faces filled with terror, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

They had gone mad!

They were losing their minds!

Terrifying!

So terrifying!

As they stared at the pile of flesh that was once a noble, the others began to sweat uncontrollably, their faces pale, completely devoid of color.

At that moment, if someone shouted, they might just die from fright.

Just yesterday, they were indulging together in debauchery and lawlessness.

They thought they would live like that forever.

Though dull and uninteresting, they had accepted it.

But who knew?

In the blink of an eye, their companion was torn apart.

At least eighteen pieces. Damn, not even enough to piece back together.

Blood was everywhere—was there even a drop left in the body?

Who wouldn’t be scared? Who wouldn’t be worried that they might be next?

Did they think about running away?

Wrong!

From the beginning, they never gave up the idea of escape.

But...

Could commoners outrun them? What about the ninjas?

What are ninjas best at?

Assassination, tracking...

And they had so much wealth and power—how could they just leave it all behind?

If they ran, they couldn’t take much with them.

So, they stayed, surrendering immediately, hoping that this leader of the Hidden Wood would be merciful.

And what happened?

They were forced to sign that damned declaration.

Could they refuse?

They had no choice! Refusing meant death.

Now, they only hoped that after signing, they’d be allowed to keep their lives.

The nobles were filled with bitterness.

The declaration quickly spread, as expected, causing an uproar.

But!

Those who become leaders of villages are all people of strong will.

The Leaf Village still sent 5,000 ninjas to the Hidden Fire Village.

And.

They arrived in the shortest time possible.

"We didn’t go to Ground City; we’re heading to the Hidden Fire Village!"

...

The Hidden Fire Village!

At this moment, the entire village had fully entered battle mode.

Itsuki had gone to torment the nobles of the Fire Nation, taking 1,000 ninjas and most of his Anbu force with him.

As for elite fighters, there was only Gekkō Hayate left.

Even though everyone knew Itsuki’s strength, the Hidden Fire Village was still concerned. So they had Pakura quietly follow behind him.

Thus!

Shisui took over as acting leader, with Itachi as his secretary.

Fugaku was also in the Hidden Fire Village, though now he was merely the head of the Uchiha clan.

The Uchiha were the top ninja clan in the village, but officially, they were just another ordinary clan.

At least, on the surface!

In addition to them, there was also the Hyūga clan.

No distinction between the main family and the branch family—just Hyūga.

Hyūga Ryūmaru was the clan leader!

These were all top-tier fighters.

Facing the aggressive Leaf ninja forces, they remained unconcerned.

1,000 ninja troops, several Kage-level fighters, and the presence of the Two-Tails—

They couldn’t possibly lose!

So when the leaders of the Hidden Fire Village held their meeting, the atmosphere was relaxed.

"Advisor!"

Hyūga Ryūmaru smiled, "The Leaf is trying to take advantage of time, hoping to end the fight before Lord Itsuki can return."

Fugaku chuckled, "They seem to underestimate us."

"Haha!"

Shisui, a bit worried, said, "It doesn’t make sense. Five thousand ninjas... The Two-Tails alone could take out half of them with a few Tailed Beast Bombs. What are they thinking?"

"They must have come prepared."

Someone said, "Including countermeasures against Lord Itsuki’s Flying Thunder God."

As the strongest village, the Leaf had even absorbed some of the Uzumaki clan’s techniques.

Who knows how much they’re hiding?

Fugaku shook his head, "I don’t believe they can counter the Flying Thunder God, Susanoo, and the Two-Tails all at once. They’re neither Hashirama Senju nor Madara Uchiha. What can Sarutobi Hiruzen do? He’s nothing."

Eventually, all eyes turned to Shisui.

Itsuki had left, appointing Shisui as his deputy.

He had even directly named him as the village’s advisor.

Everyone understood what Itsuki meant.

He had more faith in Itachi Uchiha.

But—

The current situation was unstable!

The Hidden Fire Village had just been established, and there were too many unpredictable factors. Testing Itachi under these circumstances could lead to disaster if something went wrong.

So, Itsuki chose Shisui.

He was Itsuki’s older brother!

His strength was also formidable.

While Itsuki was away, the others would give Shisui some respect for Itsuki’s sake.

"Itsuki once asked me a question!"

Shisui suddenly said, "He asked if it’s right to knowingly walk into danger."

Everyone became interested and asked, "What did you say?"

Shisui shrugged, "I said, unless there’s no other choice, why would you willingly walk into danger?"

"Our current situation is the same!"

"If we know the enemy is targeting us for a reason, why should we fight head-on?"

Shisui stood up, "Yugito."

"Yes?"

Yugito smiled.

Itsuki was her brother-in-law, so she also saw Shisui as a brother.

As his only living relative, Shisui held a special place in Itsuki’s heart.

Itsuki: How do I not know this? Where did you get that idea?  

"Use the Tailed Beast Bomb!"

Shisui instructed, "Stand on the wall and keep launching Tailed Beast Bombs at them. Everyone else, switch to defense."

"Understood!"

The group exchanged puzzled looks but complied.

...

The Leaf Village ninjas advanced in a dense fan-shaped formation toward the Hidden Fire Village.

But—

The Hidden Fire Village shut its gates tight, showing no intention of engaging.

Danzo frowned.

This wasn’t what he expected!

"Danzo-sama, how should we attack?"

A ninja asked in a deep voice.

The enemy had over a thousand ninjas, including more elite fighters than they did. Storming the village wasn’t a good idea.

Danzo opened his mouth to speak.

Clap!  

From the village walls, Tenzo clapped his hands together.

"Wood Release!"

Pop! Pop! Pop!  

Trees sprouted up, intertwining.

"Earth Release!"

Several Earth-style Jonin began weaving signs.

Eventually—

A massive platform, a mixture of Wood Release and Earth Release, appeared before them.

Yugito stood atop it.

"Nice view!"

The platform stood taller than the village walls.

It was about 30 meters long and 25 meters wide.

Yugito stood on top, looking down at the Leaf ninjas below.

They, in turn, stared back, bewildered.

Clearly, they didn’t understand why a platform suddenly appeared.

A lookout tower?

They were already so close—what use was that?

"Hehe!"

Yugito smiled, her eyes narrowing into slits.

"Meow!"

A sharp cat’s cry echoed.

Yugito transformed into the Two-Tails!

"Damn it!"

Danzo reacted quickly, shouting, "Defend! Everyone, prepare your defenses! Special sealing units, get ready! Damn it, they’re planning to bombard us with Tailed Beast Bombs!"

As he finished speaking—

Yugito had already gathered a purple-black Tailed Beast Bomb.

"It’s coming!"

Boom!!!  

The Tailed Beast Bomb shot toward the Leaf ninjas.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 168: Amaterasu

"Seal!"

Chains appeared one after another.

The Tailed Beast Bomb didn’t turn but struck directly.

Then, the chains began to tighten.

The Tailed Beast Bomb seemed to enter another dimension. As the chains tightened, the bomb gradually disappeared into another space, eventually vanishing.

“It worked! Attack! Everyone, attack!”

Seeing this, Danzo was overjoyed and quickly issued the order to attack.

He was worried! What if another Tailed Beast Bomb was launched? After all, they had managed to strike first, invading the Village Hidden in the Fire.

“Attack!”

Watching the Konoha ninjas rush forward, Shisui felt a pang of reluctance but still gave the order.

He commanded the Fire Village ninjas to attack their former comrades.

If you don’t kill them, they will kill you!

“Boom!”

The Fire Village ninjas threw kunai and shuriken.

Each weapon had at least five explosive tags attached, causing massive destruction.

The attacks were so intense that the Konoha ninjas were blasted back instantly.

Danzo's face turned pale.

They had considered every possible way to deal with Susanoo, Flying Thunder God, Tailed Beast Bombs, and the Tailed Beasts themselves—but they hadn’t prepared for this: the random throwing of explosive tags.

How could adults throw things so recklessly!

The problem was the sheer number of explosive tags! Thousands of people throwing multiple rounds at once—how do you defend against that?

Konoha’s first attack was repelled.

“Tailed Beast Bomb!”

The Two-Tails opened its mouth again, firing another Tailed Beast Bomb.

“Seal!”

The special sealing squad once again sealed the Tailed Beast Bomb.

“Damn it!”

The Two-Tails cursed angrily.

“Don’t worry!”

Shisui approached her and whispered, “Don’t shoot at the same spot. There are so many Konoha ninjas—just aim at another location. The effect will be the same!”

“Good idea!”

The Two-Tails' eyes lit up, and she opened her mouth to form another Tailed Beast Bomb.

Shisui keenly noticed that the Two-Tails was starting to pant. Clearly, three Tailed Beast Bombs had taken a toll on her.

The number of tails determines a Tailed Beast's power—while not entirely accurate, there is some truth to it.

“Tailed Beast Bomb!”

“Bang!”

Another purple-black Tailed Beast Bomb flew toward the Konoha ninjas.

Whoosh! Several people suddenly appeared in front of the bomb, and in an instant, both they and the bomb disappeared.

“Flying Thunder God Technique!”

Shisui exclaimed in shock.

Besides Kazuki Uchiha, who else could use the Flying Thunder God Technique?

That’s impossible!

“Boom!”

As soon as he finished speaking, a huge explosion sounded.

The gate of the Village Hidden in the Fire had been blown open.

The surrounding Fire Village ninjas screamed in agony—many were dead, and others were wounded.

It was indeed the Flying Thunder God!

The marked location was the village gate! They had transferred the Tailed Beast Bomb there, blowing the gate wide open.

“Attack!”

Danzo issued the order again.

Thousands of ninjas rushed toward the gate.

“This is bad!”

Shisui muttered, sweating slightly.

It was his first time commanding such a large group in battle.

If anything went wrong, his lack of experience would be exposed immediately.

“Brother Shisui!”

Itachi came to his side and whispered, “Don’t worry about the gate. Order the other ninjas to continue attacking at their usual pace. I’ll handle the gate!”

“Alright!”

The situation was urgent.

Shisui chose to trust Itachi and immediately issued new orders.

With the gate blown open, the Fire Village ninjas had been momentarily shaken. But once they received new orders, they quickly regained their composure and resumed their attacks, pushing most of the Konoha ninjas back once again.

They couldn’t afford to let any part of the line collapse!

“Summoning Jutsu!”

Itachi bit his finger, pressed his hand to the ground, and performed a summoning.

“Caw, caw!”

Hundreds of crows appeared.

“Go!”

With a wave of his hand, countless explosive tags materialized.

The crows grabbed the tags and flew toward the gate.

“Watch out!”

The Konoha ninjas at the gate shouted in alarm, quickly forming hand signs.

“Fire Style!”

“Water Style!”

“Lightning Style!”

A barrage of jutsu hit the crows, knocking down most of them.

Only a few managed to fly past.

“Boom!”

Several ninjas were blown away.

But more Konoha ninjas surged forward.

There were too few crows, and the effect was minimal!

“Take this!”

Itachi led a team of ninjas, relentlessly throwing explosive tags.

But they were too few in number.

The Konoha ninjas weren’t just standing around watching; some used ninjutsu, and others threw kunai and shuriken, knocking the tags away.

Finally, the Konoha ninjas broke through.

“Sigh…”

Watching the bloodthirsty Konoha ninjas, Itachi sighed helplessly.

His eyes began to change into the Mangekyō Sharingan.

He was about to summon Susanoo!

“Meow!”

At that moment, a sharp cat’s cry pierced the air.

“Boom!”

The massive Two-Tails descended from the sky, standing in front of the charging Konoha ninjas, coldly glaring at them.

The Konoha ninjas hesitated, fear flashing across their faces.

The Tailed Beast!

A natural disaster!

“Charge! That’s an order!”

Danzo’s command rang out once again.

“Kill!”

The Konoha ninjas shouted, quickly forming hand signs.

“Fire Style…”

“Meow!”

The Two-Tails screeched and charged forward.

“Boom!!”

“Ah!”

With her massive body, the Two-Tails knocked many Konoha ninjas into the air.

Their jutsu hit her enormous frame, but it had little effect.

The Two-Tails chose to ignore it entirely!

Not every ninja was Itsuki Uchiha, capable of using a Fireball Jutsu larger than a Tailed Beast.

“Brother Shisui!”

Itachi looked at Shisui, who had come to his side.

Shisui sighed and said helplessly, “We underestimated them. Let the Two-Tails handle this. Itsuki said we should avoid using the Mangekyō unless absolutely necessary—it’s too damaging to the eyes.”

“But…”

“With both of us here, nothing will go wrong!”

“Alright!”

Although the Two-Tails was a cat, she was tearing through the battlefield like a tiger among sheep.

Charging!

Crushing!

Stomping!

Devouring!

No ninja could last more than two seconds in front of her!

The more the Two-Tails fought, the more excited she became!

“Meow!”

“Clang!”

Suddenly!

Chains wrapped around the Two-Tails’ leg and pulled hard.

The Two-Tails, caught off guard, stumbled and nearly fell.

It was a ninja! His hands formed seals as he coldly stared at the Two-Tails.

From the void beside him, a chain extended, binding the Two-Tails.

“Clang!”

Another chain appeared.

This time, it wrapped around the Two-Tails’ other leg.

With both pulling in unison, the enormous beast finally fell.

“Quick, seal her!”

Danzo, who had been hiding in the back, grinned in delight and shouted.

Several more ninjas appeared, forming seals, and chains spread from the void, wrapping around the Two-Tails.

“Heh!”

Though startled and furious, the Two-Tails let out a sneering laugh.

Danzo sensed something was wrong.

“Boom!!!”

“Ahhh!!!”

At that moment, the ninjas using the chains were suddenly engulfed in black flames, burning them alive.

With blood dripping from his eyes, Itachi smirked coldly. “Did you think you were the only ones with trump cards? Let’s see who’s got the better one!”

Amaterasu!

Appearing on the battlefield for the first time!

(End of the chapter)

*Chapter 169: Retreat!*

Ninjas. Many people call them tools.

So, they don’t know how to use themselves, which makes sense to Itsuki.

Tools don’t know how to use tools, right?

But!

Itsuki never considered himself a tool!

If other ninjas want to be tools, then Itsuki would be the one to wield them!

*P.S.: Even Pakura and the others are tools!*

Look at this!

The way people in the ninja world use power is so crude, so shallow.

Konan used 600 billion paper bombs to blow up Obito.

And still didn’t kill him!

Itachi’s Amaterasu? Never killed anyone.

Danzo? His whole arm was covered with eyes, ten lives wasted in one fight, and he didn’t even use Shisui’s eye.

You didn’t die because you were killed—you died because you were stupid.

Akatsuki, clearly so powerful, all died in the end.

Their abilities were so diverse, yet their kill count was pathetically low.

If Itsuki had led the Akatsuki?

*Infinite Tsukuyomi?*

Screw that.

I’d conquer the ninja world first, then decide how to play it!

With the strength of Akatsuki, capturing the Tailed Beasts should have been easy, but they failed.

Are you kidding me?

At the time, Itsuki thought that the Akatsuki members must have no brains.

They had a winning hand and still lost.

Could any normal person manage that?

You could play with your eyes closed and not lose!

Unless you wanted to lose!

According to Itsuki’s plan:

You go straight in, first wipe out the Hidden Mist, then take down the Hidden Sand, and then, one by one, deal with the Hidden Stone, Hidden Cloud, and Hidden Leaf…

Take them down one by one!

Even if you destroy two villages, by the time the others react and join forces, you’ve already solved a lot of the problem.

As long as you eliminate the Mist and Sand, how much strength could the remaining three villages muster together?

Plus, Akatsuki's members are individually strong and mobile. If the villages unite, just avoid them. When they split up again, wipe out another village, and you win with a strong offensive!

Don’t tell me it’s impossible—the ninja alliance can’t live together forever, right?

Once you’ve destroyed those villages, who can stop you?

The ninja world would belong to Akatsuki.

Then Infinite Tsukuyomi? No one could stop it even if you fired it blindfolded!

And what happened instead?

They gave their enemies time to train, to get stronger, formed a ninja army, and when the fight came, all sorts of mishaps happened…

I mean, come on!

I can’t even bear to talk about it!

If it wasn’t intentional, I’d rip my head off for you!

So!

Itsuki grabbed Itachi by the neck, shook him half to death, and then told him how to really use Amaterasu.

Amaterasu should kill with just one look.

So don’t do anything extra!

Now!

At this very moment!

The effect shows!

Several ninjas who were using chains to restrain the Two-Tails, preparing to seal it, were suddenly ignited.

Just a bunch of jonin!

Under the power of Amaterasu, they were wiped out in an instant.

Itachi wiped the blood from the corner of his eye and muttered, “Itsuki is really too much. He said my Amaterasu couldn’t kill anyone? How could it not? It’s such a powerful attack. Other than Susano’o, I’ve never seen a stronger single-target attack.”

“He hasn’t been serious for a long time!” Shisui said casually, his eyes locked on the battlefield.

By now, it was widely acknowledged among the upper ranks of the Fire Shadow Village:

Itsuki Uchiha is a reliable person when it matters most.

But!

Most of the time, you need to read those two words separately.

*Really...able?*

...

“No way!”

Danzo stared at the black flames and couldn’t help but shout.

Just when they were about to seal the Tailed Beast, this happened?

They had already prepared enough elites to hold off the Fire Shadow Village’s top fighters.

As long as they could capture the Two-Tails, they would have the upper hand for the next step in their plan.

But!

Where did this black fire come from?

It seemed to appear out of thin air!

There was no way to defend against it!

And!

Danzo watched as the ninja who were trying to put out the fire screamed in agony, slapping at the flames on their bodies, while others used Water Style, but it had no effect. His heart sank.

The black flames could even burn underwater!

It’s over!

“Retreat!”

Danzo shouted.

Although they had backup sealing ninjas, they couldn’t risk getting hit by that black fire again without understanding it first.

Sealing ninjas, like medical ninjas, were incredibly rare.

The Konoha ninjas began to retreat.

The Fire Shadow Village ninjas did not pursue them.

Even when explosive tags were thrown at them, they were batted away.

“Clean up the battlefield!” Shisui breathed a sigh of relief and shouted orders.

“Yes!”

The Fire Shadow Village ninjas began to move into the battlefield, treating the wounded.

Including Konoha ninjas.

They could trade them for money, and besides, they could get a lot of intelligence from them.

Even if they didn’t want anything, sending the seriously injured back would severely weaken the enemy’s medical capabilities.

Wounded enemy soldiers were the most valuable on the battlefield.

“Meow!”

The Two-Tails let out a screech.

She was furious!

She had almost been caught.

These despicable humans!

“Two-Tails, don’t be angry!”

Shisui quickly calmed her, saying, “This time, it was our mistake. They were coming for you. Next time, we’ll be more careful and won’t let you suffer like this!”

“Hmph!”

The Two-Tails snorted coldly.

Shisui was taking all the blame—what could she do?

Keep getting angry?

That would mean blaming Shisui, but she had her own issues.

The pride of a Tailed Beast wouldn’t let her take it out on someone else.

Next time?

Heh, next time, she’d make sure these humans understood the true power of a Tailed Beast.

The Two-Tails returned to Yugito’s body.

Yugito was left dazed, with a helpless expression: “Shisui, don’t worry about it. There’s still a lot for you to do, so go on!”

“Alright!”

Shisui hurried off.

Yugito shook her head slightly, but the next moment, her body stiffened.

A voice echoed in her mind: *“Yugito, we need to talk!”*

*The Two-Tails?*

Yugito remained calm and said, “About what? It’s just one loss, don’t worry about it, Matatabi.”

“Hmph!”

The Two-Tails snorted, “You may not care, but I do. Yugito, you’re strong. I need your power!”

Yugito narrowed her eyes and smiled, “Fine!”

...

“Lord Fire Shadow, th-this…”

The lord of the Ground Walking Castle stared at the list in his hand, pale as a ghost.

Dear god!

This much? Your appetite is too big! Aren’t you afraid of choking?

“What’s the matter?” Itsuki smiled. “You think I’m asking for too much?”

“N-no, not at all!” The lord quickly shook his head. “I’ll notify everyone immediately and gather what you need as quickly as possible.”

“Is it too difficult?”

“Not at all!” The lord replied instantly, “Ground Walking Castle welcomes you warmly. We’d love it if you stayed forever!”

“That’s a nice idea!” Itsuki paused thoughtfully, then said, “Ground Walking Castle really is a great place. Why don’t we start today by bringing it under the control of the Fire Shadow Village? What do you think?”

The lord froze completely.

He felt like he was floating in mid-air, unsure where he’d land.

(End of this chapter.)

*Chapter 170: The Tailed Beast Knows Martial Arts…*

“L-Lord Hokage, you must be joking, right?”

The lord of Earthwalk City, his face pale, spoke cautiously. “According to tradition, ninja manage the villages, while the cities are governed by the nobles…”

“Whose tradition?”

Itsuki sneered, cutting him off. “Yours? You're so powerful? Why don't you fly up to the heavens then?”

“No, no, no!”

Sensing the murderous intent from Itsuki, the city lord shook his head frantically.

“I personally welcome Earthwalk City becoming part of Fire Shadow Village!”

He declared loudly, his voice booming so it could be heard outside.

This wasn’t just for Itsuki’s ears; it was a public declaration of Itsuki’s intentions and his own commitment, sealing his fate.

He feared for his life if he didn’t act.

Itsuki restrained its killing intent, watching him with a half-smile.

“I completely agree!”

The city lord dropped to his knees with a thud, shouting once more.

“Hmph!”

Itsuki snorted lightly. “Spread the word. I think merging several cities into Fire Shadow Village would be a great idea. Got it?”

“Yes!”

The city lord didn’t even dare wipe his sweat, his obese body wobbling as he scrambled out.

“Hayate!”

“Lord Hokage!”

Hayate Gekkō appeared before Itsuki, kneeling on one knee.

Looking at this sickly ninja and then thinking about the beautiful Yugao, Itsuki felt a fire ignite in his chest.

Cough cough!  

Itsuki cleared his throat. “Keep an eye on the nobles in the city. They might try to flee. Kill them. However much they take, bring back that much. Don’t waste anything.”

“Yes!”

Hayate hesitated, then asked, “Should we spread the word?”

“No need!”

Itsuki waved a hand, sneering. “These nobles are useless anyway.”

“So, should we really kill them?”

Hayate looked uncertain. He felt Itsuki wanted blood.

Sigh!  

Itsuki sighed in exasperation. “Fine, let them make the first move. Otherwise, chopping them up right away would feel a bit rude.”

He wasn’t worried about the nobles causing any trouble. They were garbage, after all!

Hayate couldn’t help but ask, “Are you seriously planning to bring several cities under Fire Shadow Village’s control?”

Ninja villages managing cities? That was unheard of!

Itsuki pointed to a map of the ninja world hanging on the wall.

It was a personal map, one he always carried, covered with dense markings.

“Hayate!”

Itsuki explained, “These three cities are in the way of Fire Shadow Village. Once they belong to us, it will be like gaining three fortresses.”

“I don’t expect them to be highly effective, just enough to act as a transfer point.”

“Or…”

“At least delay the enemy, buying Fire Shadow Village some reaction time.”

“Understood!”

Hayate nodded, though it was unclear if he fully grasped the plan. After bowing, he vanished.

…

Fire Shadow Village!

In the meeting room, Shisui was the first to speak, starting by admitting his mistake during the recent battle.

At a critical moment, he lost focus.

A grave error!

The others didn’t say much. After all, it was his first time commanding thousands in a battle, and some slip-ups were inevitable.

As long as no major mistakes were made, it was fine.

Besides, he was only acting as Hokage, not the real Hokage.

Everyone knew Shisui could never become the real Hokage.

But still…

“Konoha’s goal this time, the Two-Tails?”

Fugaku exclaimed, “That’s something none of us anticipated.”

The tailed beasts were incredibly powerful—disasters, even.

It was quite the shock that Konoha’s plan from the start involved capturing a tailed beast.

“Not necessarily,”

Shisui shook his head. “They likely had multiple plans, and it just happened to involve the Two-Tails. Luckily, Itachi was there, otherwise…”

The group nodded in agreement.

Shisui glanced at Itachi and sighed again.

Fire Shadow Village had many skilled fighters, but their abilities couldn't always be used freely.

For instance, Fugaku, Shisui, and Itachi’s Mangekyo Sharingan.

Even using Amaterasu once forced Itachi to rest for some time, and the technique also harmed his eyes.

Using it too much could cause blindness!

Susanoo, while stronger, inflicted even greater damage and was more noticeable.

In comparison, the Byakugan of the Hyuga clan had no such drawbacks, but in combat, it was far inferior to the Sharingan.

Without these powers, Fire Shadow Village didn’t have a significant advantage over other ninja villages.

This is why a force of 1,000 from Fire Shadow Village could be held back by 5,000 from Konoha.

“This is my plan for a night raid!”

Shisui handed out reports to the group.

No one objected after reading it. It was a simple plan: using Byakugan and explosive tags to keep Konoha’s forces from resting, not aiming for high casualties but rather to keep them constantly on edge.

Only Fire Shadow Village could pull off such a strategy, given their abundance of explosive tags.

Suddenly, Fugaku spoke up. “Can’t we invite that angel lady?”

Konan alone could take down an entire village.

Hearing about her previous actions in Konoha, Fugaku nearly knelt in awe. When he and the others met her, their faces beamed like flowers in the rain.

She was truly terrifying—a force of nature!

After the meeting, Shisui rubbed his forehead, sighing deeply.

In just a few days, he felt exhausted. What would happen if Itsuki were here?

“If it were me, I’d knock them out!”

A loud voice rang out in the meeting room.

Shisui’s eyes widened.

“Itsuki?”

“You’re back!”

Shisui nearly rushed over to hug Itsuki and plant a kiss on him.

“Flying Thunder God technique, just a clone!”

Itsuki smirked. “You’re really useless, you know that?”

Shisui wasn’t angry, instead laughing like a fool. He was better suited for fighting.

“You have a plan?”

Shisui smiled, eager for a solution.

“Watch and learn!”

Itsuki said calmly, “Even just a clone can handle this.”

With that, Itsuki walked out of the meeting room.

Fire Shadow Village, back mountain!

The massive Two-Tails was roaring.

“Little kitty, are you mad?”

Itsuki approached with a grin.

“You’re back?”

The Two-Tails glanced at him.

“Just a clone!”

Itsuki replied. “Now, no more talking—I’ll teach you!”

Without further ado, Itsuki got to work.

After a shadow clone is created, its chakra depletes over time, eventually disappearing when it reaches a certain point.

Although Itsuki’s Mangekyo Sharingan clone also drained chakra, it consumed less, and the clone could even recover some chakra through rest.

“What are you going to teach me?”

The Two-Tails eyed him skeptically. “You know tailed beast techniques? You’re so great? Show me a Tailed Beast Bomb then!”

Itsuki looked at the Two-Tails and said something that made her bristle instantly.

“First, stand up. Don’t just lie there!”

(End of Chapter)