198 Naruto: Snatching the Mangekyō

As Uchiha Hikari departed, the broken, crimson form of the fully manifested Susanoo lost its chakra source and controller, disintegrating in an instant.

At the same time, the colossal wooden figure came to a halt, now a lifelike wooden statue standing tall amidst the chaos.

Boom!

Waves roared on the tumultuous sea as Uchiha Fugaku, controlling his fully formed Susanoo, soared into the heavens from the boiling waters below. Descending from above, he landed gracefully before Akira. Moments later, Shisui emerged through the black flames of Amaterasu, rejoining them.

"This mission can only be considered a failure," Akira began, his voice calm but edged with frustration. "Who would have thought that both of them had mastered Ryūchi Cave's Senjutsu? The combination of Senjutsu with Wood Release and Susanoo produced such devastating results."

"Did Nagato manage to obtain the Three-Tails' chakra?" Fugaku asked, his exhaustion evident.

Akira nodded. "Indeed. Their entire plan revolved around acquiring the Three-Tails' chakra. Nagato's every move was a calculated effort to secure it."

"That leaves only the One-Tails, Seven-Tails, and Nine-Tails remaining," Shisui said gravely. With the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, he had fully deciphered the clan's stone tablet and understood that Akira's warnings were no exaggeration.

The tablet documented the Ten-Tails, its Jinchūriki, and the terrifying Infinite Tsukuyomi.

Fugaku sighed with regret. "If only Sunagakure and Takigakure had cooperated. Those three Tailed Beasts would have been impossible for Nagato to touch."

"The Nine-Tails must remain secure at all costs," Akira declared, his tone resolute. "The Nine-Tails is the strongest of the Tailed Beasts. Even if they manage to collect fragments of its chakra and revive the Gedo Statue, the resulting Ten-Tails will be far weaker than the original. Such a weakened Ten-Tails might still be within our ability to combat."

Fugaku and Shisui nodded. "That's all we can do for now," they said in unison.

After their brief discussion, the three returned to Konoha and headed straight for the Hokage's office.

The moment they set foot inside, Tsunade stormed in, urgency written all over her face.

"How did it go? What's the situation?" she demanded.

"It was a failure. Nagato managed to obtain a significant portion of the Three-Tails' chakra," Akira admitted.

"All three of you, together, couldn't stop him? Has Nagato grown so powerful? Even my grandfather would struggle against any two of you!" Tsunade exclaimed, disbelief etched on her face.

"While Nagato's strength is formidable, the real surprise was Uchiha Hikari," Akira explained.

"Hikari? The Uchiha from the Warring States era, sealed until now?" Tsunade asked, clearly startled.

Fugaku and Shisui exchanged wry smiles. This mission had been a resounding frustration.

"Hikari is akin to a perfect blend of Uchiha Madara and the First Hokage," Akira elaborated. "She wields the complete Susanoo and Wood Release techniques with mastery, seamlessly integrating both into her combat style."

"Not to mention," Fugaku added, "Nagato and Hikari have both mastered Ryūchi Cave's Senjutsu."

"Damn that Orochimaru!" Tsunade's anger flared, her golden hair flowing wildly as her chakra surged.

It was clear that only Orochimaru could have taught them Senjutsu from Ryūchi Cave.

"Worse still, Orochimaru used the Reanimation Jutsu to summon the Second Hokage," Akira revealed.

"What? That snake! I'll kill him!" Tsunade's fury boiled over, her chakra bursting forth like a tempest.

After a long moment, she took a deep breath and steadied herself. With a heavy sigh, she said, "No wonder even the three of you couldn't stop Nagato from obtaining the Three-Tails' chakra. With my great-uncle aiding him, it's no surprise."

Though the Second Hokage's strength was far below that of Akira, Fugaku, and Shisui, his Flying Thunder God Technique made him an unparalleled support in battle.

"What's the plan now?" Tsunade asked, her brow furrowed. "The Akatsuki only needs three more Tailed Beasts. Sunagakure and Takigakure won't entrust their Tailed Beasts to us for safekeeping."

"We'll have to adapt as we go," Akira replied, his expression grim. "I've already informed Sunagakure and Takigakure. Their response was that the Jinchūriki went berserk and the Tailed Beasts died."

Tsunade frowned. "That's dangerous. If what you say is true, Nagato's intelligence network far surpasses Konoha's. Their Jinchūriki won't remain hidden for long."

Akira nodded. "Indeed. The Akatsuki's intelligence capabilities are unparalleled. It's only a matter of time."

The room grew heavy with tension. If the Akatsuki succeeded in creating a Ten-Tails Jinchūriki, the consequences would be catastrophic.

"The moment someone becomes the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki, they'll ascend to the power of the Sage of Six Paths," Tsunade said, her voice laced with worry.

"And once they wield the Infinite Tsukuyomi, the entire world will fall," Akira added solemnly.

Infinite Tsukuyomi was a genjutsu that no one except Akira could resist, thanks to the Kamui dimension shielding him from its light. But even with Kamui, the logistics of protecting others during a full-scale war made resistance nearly impossible.

"If Nagato achieves that power, it's over for all of us," Tsunade said, her tone heavy. "Do you have a contingency plan, Akira? A way to counter the Infinite Tsukuyomi?"

Fugaku and Shisui also turned to Akira, their faces filled with anticipation.

The fate of the ninja world teetered on the brink, and it was up to them to find a way to pull it back.