"What exactly happened here!" Fourth Kazekage Rasa demanded, his tone sharp and commanding.
The captain of the Sand Village squad stationed in Suna Hills stepped forward, facing Rasa with a mixture of apprehension and determination. "Kazekage-sama, we're not entirely sure of the details," he began cautiously. "At first, we only felt the ground shaking. When we went out of the city, we saw several giant summon beasts battling someone several kilometers away."
He continued, "We didn't dare approach recklessly since we didn't know the cause and feared the battle would move to Suna Hills. So, we stayed nearby and observed from a distance, reporting the situation back to you as best as we could." The captain paused, taking a breath. "We saw massive fire techniques and what looked like Wood Release—someone used a large-scale version of Deep Forest Emergence. It was like nothing we've seen before."
Rasa listened intently, his face growing more severe. "You did well by not engaging. Tell me everything you saw in detail."
The captain nodded. "After the initial battle, there was a massive fire attack that scorched the land. Then, trees erupted from the ground, forming a forest. Following that, there was a colossal explosion in the sky—almost like a miniature moon was forming before it began to collapse."
Rasa's eyes widened slightly. "A miniature moon? Could it be…"
The captain handed Rasa the photos they had taken. "This is what we captured, Kazekage-sama. We believe the person using Wood Release could be the same individual reported in other recent incidents."
Rasa studied the photos, his expression darkening. "The one who used Deep Forest Emergence in the Mist Village, the masked man from the Akatsuki," he muttered. "But who could have been his opponent to cause such destruction?"
Rasa turned to his advisors. "We need to investigate this further. Send word to the other villages about this incident. We might need to collaborate to understand and counter this threat."
The advisors nodded, moving quickly to relay Rasa's orders. The Kazekage himself headed towards Suna Hills, determined to gather more information.
Back in Shishou's secret underground lab, the air shimmered as Shishou reappeared on the teleportation platform. "Too bad the Sand Village interrupted," he mused, pulling off his disguise and shrinking back to his teenage form.
He tossed the fake beard aside and lay back on a couch, reflecting on the recent battle. "That fight with Pain—more precisely, with Nagato—was just getting interesting."
Shishou flexed his right hand, watching as nano-sized insects gathered and formed a small black sphere. "These are the ones that consumed Black Zetsu," he noted, feeling the new power coursing through him. "Zetsu was part of Kaguya's will and had access to Yin-Yang Release. Let's see what new abilities I've gained."
Focusing, Shishou felt the chakra surge within him. He extended his hand, and a black rod materialized from his palm. "Yin Release I've had since activating my Sharingan, and Yang Release since acquiring Hashirama's cells. But combining them for Yin-Yang Release... this is new."
Smiling, Shishou contemplated the implications. "Creating black receivers means I can use Yin-Yang Release. This opens up a whole new range of possibilities."
After a brief rest, Shishou moved to his lab. His assistant was busy with an experiment. "How's the extraction going?" he asked, approaching her.
She glanced up briefly before returning to her work. "We've extracted twenty doses of the Hashirama cell solution so far. There's still more to process."
Shishou nodded, pleased with the progress. "Good. This will be useful for Tsunade, Mikoto, Izumi, and Yugao. They need to be ready for what's coming."
His assistant shot him an annoyed look, clearly not appreciating the interruption but continued her meticulous work. Shishou chuckled, unbothered by her attitude. He was used to her quirks by now.
Leaving the lab, Shishou entered his study and began examining the Sage Art scroll left by Hashirama. "Time to learn how to draw in natural energy. Tsunade's waiting for this."
Three days later, Shishou felt a breakthrough was near. His understanding of Sage Mode deepened, and he felt closer to mastering it.
In Konoha's Hokage office, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, enjoyed a rare moment of relaxation, puffing on his pipe. Tsunade's return had lightened his burden significantly. Her presence strengthened Konoha's defenses and bolstered Hiruzen's political clout within the village council. Even Danzo and his Root division had been less troublesome lately.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. "Come in," Hiruzen called.
A Konoha intelligence officer entered, handing over a sealed scroll. "Hokage-sama, this message just arrived from the Fourth Kazekage."
Hiruzen took the scroll, breaking the seal and reading its contents. His eyes narrowed as he absorbed the information about the battle near Suna Hills and the presence of the mysterious masked man using Wood Release. "This is troubling news. We must discuss this with the council immediately."
He dismissed the officer, deep in thought. "So, the Akatsuki's reach is growing, and their members are more powerful than we anticipated. We need to prepare for what's coming."
As Hiruzen prepared to summon the council, he knew that Konoha had to be ready for the looming threats. And with allies like Tsunade and the enigmatic Mr lurigan, he felt more confident in their ability to face whatever came next.