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A kunai, tipped with an explosive tag, pierced the air, detonating with a resounding boom. The battle for the three border towns of the Land of Lightning had begun.
Though called a "battle," the initial exchange consisted of a few desultory volleys of shuriken and explosive tags before falling into a tense standoff.
Following Gojo Kaigetsu's instructions, Hyuga Hiashi understood the objective—a war of attrition. There was no need for a direct confrontation with Kumogakure.
Under his command, the five hundred Konoha ninja deployed Shadow Clone Jutsu.
They stood there, a silent, menacing presence.
Each clone might only last a few moments before dissipating, but the visual impact was undeniable.
...
...
Kumogakure's scouts, seeing this, immediately relayed the intel:
"It's—bad! Thousands of Konoha ninja! At least—three thousand!"
"We need to—reconsider our strategy. Otherwise—we'll be annihilated!"
The news reached the Raikage Tower, sparking a heated debate.
"Three thousand? Are they mad?! Doesn't Konoha fear retaliation from Iwagakure and Sunagakure?"
These were Konoha's elite forces. Three thousand—If Kumogakure's intelligence wasn't completely compromised, their own estimates placed Konoha's total elite force at around five thousand.
To deploy three thousand against Kumogakure—it was a significant commitment.
But it seemed Konoha didn't intend to escalate. They'd simply occupied the three border towns, their forces a menacing presence at Kumogakure's doorstep.
But this was Kumogakure's territory. They could simply—overwhelm them with sheer numbers. Or send Killer B to unleash a Tailed Beast Bomb. How could Konoha possibly defend against that?
Of course, a Tailed Beast Bomb was a last resort. In the shinobi world, there was an unspoken rule: the village with the stronger Tailed Beast wouldn't use it first.
Between Konoha and Kumogakure, this meant, "They won't unleash the Nine-Tails unless we unleash the Eight-Tails." A delicate balance of power, a mutual deterrent.
"A! How long will you tolerate this?! Mobilize our forces! Attack!"
"What was the point of sending all those supplies to the southern territories?!" Elder Arai slammed his fist on the table in frustration.
It wasn't just about the village. His clan's business depended on trade. With Konoha blocking Kumogakure's access, their profits had been halved.
This was—unacceptable.
A, uncharacteristically calm, replied, "As Raikage, I am responsible for our ninja's lives. We need a plan, a way to eliminate Konoha with minimal losses. We can't act rashly."
"And—mobilizing our forces requires—funds. The Raikage Tower's coffers are—empty. We can't afford to—incentivize our ninja."
"..." The meeting room erupted in arguments.
A's stance was clear. No action. He'd continue to drain the clans' resources. As long as Hiashi Hyuga's forces remained at the border, the "wartime Raikage" buff remained active.
And when the peace treaty was signed, he'd use this as a pretext to accuse Hyuga Hiashi of war crimes, forcing Konoha to hand over a pair of Byakugan.
A win-win. For Kumogakure.
The elders, though frustrated, were powerless. The younger members, however, were relieved. The Raikage clearly didn't want to risk their lives in a meaningless conflict.
The "war" continued, a stalemate.
...
...
Konoha's explosive tags had awakened the ninja world.
News of their attack on the Land of Lightning and the Kumogakure Co-Prosperity Sphere spread like wildfire.
Even the Akatsuki was alerted.
Kakuzu, his face grim, arrived at the underground exchange in Kusagakure, holding an intel report.
"The client who issued this bounty is dead. How do we proceed?"
He was—displeased. He'd already chosen his hunting grounds in Kusagakure, targeting the Konoha ninja stationed there.
The time, the place, the targets—everything was in place. He could easily eliminate them and collect the billion ryō bounty.
And now…
Elder Advisor, the client, was dead, assassinated.
Should he even bother? Kakuzu didn't do—charity work.
"One moment, Kakuzu-sama. I'll contact Victor." The exchange manager hurried to the back.
He returned shortly. "The client had already deposited a partial payment, enough for one of the bounties. Due to his—untimely demise, the remaining funds are unavailable. His instructions were to prioritize the assassination of a high-ranking Konoha official. Therefore, the other bounty—the one targeting Konoha ninja on missions—is cancelled."
Kakuzu clicked his tongue in annoyance, sending a tendril of black chakra towards the manager. "Next time—collect the full payment before issuing the bounty. If this happens again—I'll—redecorate this establishment."
"Y-yes, Kakuzu-sama."
Kakuzu retracted his chakra and turned to leave, muttering, "So, only one bounty remains. 1.1 billion ryō—Gojo Kaigetsu, is it?"
Sasori and Black Zetsu were waiting. "Kakuzu, what did they say?"
"Let's go. The Konoha-Suna Trade Route ceremony—it should be starting soon."
"Two days."
"We might encounter Suna ninja. Sasori, can you—handle that?"
"I'll do what's necessary," Sasori's voice, filtered through Hiruko, echoed.
Kakuzu glanced at him but said nothing more.
In a way, they were similar. Both had transformed themselves into—monsters in their pursuit of immortality.
Sasori sought to create the perfect puppet, while Kakuzu—he believed only in money.
"You promised new recruits. Where are they? Sasori and I can't do everything ourselves. It's—tiring," Kakuzu complained to Black Zetsu.
"Disrupting an alliance ceremony, assassinating village leaders—we can handle it, but it's—risky."
"Don't worry, Kakuzu. I'm working on it. The new recruits—they'll join after this mission."
"Always 'after this mission.' What happened?"
"It's—complicated. There have been—unforeseen circumstances."
Orochimaru, Kisame Hoshigaki, Danzo Shimura—they'd all been potential recruits.
And that idiot, Uchiha Obito. After countless warnings, he'd still gone to Konoha alone, failed to kill his target, and gotten himself captured.
"Have you—made arrangements in the Land of Wind?"
"Of course. I've spoken to the elder in charge of their military. He'll—facilitate our operation. Once the Fourth Kazekage is eliminated, he'll become the Fifth. And to secure his position, he'll need our—services."
"Excellent. So, how do we divide the targets?"
"Sasori will handle the Fourth Kazekage and any Konoha ninja who interfere. Kakuzu, you'll take Gojo Kaigetsu and his guards. This time, we're ending this quickly," Black Zetsu emphasized. "Konoha's defenses are at their weakest. Fugaku Uchiha and Hyuga Hiashi, along with a significant portion of Konoha's forces, are currently in the Land of Lightning. Gojo Kaigetsu's escort won't be—substantial. And I'll be monitoring the situation."
"This is the perfect opportunity. There's no chance of failure." Black Zetsu's voice was filled with confidence.
He'd learned from his past mistakes. To avoid further losses, he'd be personally observing the situation, dispatching clones to track Minato, Fugaku, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and even the missing Orochimaru. If any of them appeared, the operation would be aborted.
As for the "Avengers Initiative" mentioned by the Konoha Times—he dismissed them as another Anbu or Root unit.
No matter how many came, they'd be no match for Sasori and Kakuzu.
There was no way this mission could fail. No way.
He envisioned the scenario—
Gojo Kaigetsu, a crucial figure in Konoha, would be eliminated, forcing the Fourth Hokage to investigate. He'd then subtly point the finger at Iwagakure.
Uchiha Fugaku and Hyuga Hiashi, along with their forces, would clash with Kumogakure. Minato Namikaze, leading the Avengers, would target Iwagakure.
He'd then manipulate Baki into becoming the Fifth Kazekage. And Baki, a warmonger, wouldn't miss the chance to attack Konoha, creating a third front.
And on that front—he'd place Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Three villages against Konoha.
As for Kirigakure—their Seven Ninja Swordsmen were gone, their Tailed Beast missing, their bloodline limit clans decimated. They were now Konoha's puppets.
They wouldn't participate.
Black Zetsu, heartless as he was, didn't understand human emotions.
But he knew how he felt—exhilarated.
A mere pawn, manipulating the ninja world. A single death, a spark that would ignite the powder keg. And then—the Akatsuki's true mission would begin.
He began to plan.
With three villages at war with Konoha—it would be the perfect opportunity to capture the Tailed Beasts.
The One-Tail, Shukaku, the weakest, sealed within Bunpuku of Sunagakure. Easily captured.
The Two-Tails, Matatabi, sealed within Yugito Nii, currently hidden by Konoha. He'd deal with her and the Nine-Tails later.
The Three-Tails, Isobu, missing, its previous jinchuriki presumed dead. He'd locate and capture it.
The Four-Tails, Son Gokū, sealed within Rōshi of Iwagakure. Easily captured.
The Five-Tails, Kokuō, sealed within Han. Also easily captured.
The Six-Tails, Saiken, sealed within Utakata, a missing-nin from Kirigakure. He'd track him down.
The Seven-Tails, Chōmei, sealed within Fū, a—distant acquaintance of Kakuzu. Though powerful, she wouldn't be difficult to capture.
'The Eight-Tails, Gyūki, and the Nine-Tails, Kurama—those will be more challenging.'
Only Nagato could handle them.
The odds of success against Kurama were—abysmal.
The more he thought about it, the more complicated it seemed. Gathering the Tailed Beasts was just the first step.
To revive his mother, he needed:
The Rinnegan (check).
The Rinne Sharingan.
The chakra of all nine Tailed Beasts.
Most of the ninja world's chakra.
The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path (easily summoned).
And Kaguya's will (that was him).
The most challenging part was gathering the chakra, which required the Infinite Tsukuyomi and the God Tree's arrival.
And Nagato wasn't cooperating.
Only Madara or Obito could do it. But they were both dead. He'd have to use the Edo Tensei to summon them, then manipulate Nagato into using the Samsara of Heavenly Life to revive them.
And then, he'd retrieve Nagato's Rinnegan, returning it to its rightful owner.
The problem was—without Obito, Nagato was—unpredictable. What if, after he was weakened or killed, the Allied Shinobi Forces seized the Rinnegan?
Black Zetsu had a plan.
[During the three-village siege on Konoha, use Hiruko's imperfect Edo Tensei to summon powerful ninja. Then, with the Akatsuki's full force, capture the Tailed Beasts.]
[When the Eight and Nine-Tails are captured, the other villages will realize the threat and unite against Nagato. Then, with Nagato weakened, I'll take control and use him to revive Uchiha Madara.]
[Madara will crush the Allied Shinobi Forces, and then—I'll strike, and Mother will be reborn.]
The plan hinged on two things: Hiruko perfecting the Edo Tensei and Nagato's cooperation.
As for how to ensure Hiruko's compliance—manipulating people wasn't difficult, even for a heartless entity like him. And as for bypassing Konan—he had the Mayfly Technique.
If that failed, he'd use the Edo Tensei to summon Obito and use his Kamui against her.
Perfect.
Black Zetsu's lips curled into a sinister smile as he sank into the earth.
…
…
"I'm attending the Konoha-Suna Trade Route completion ceremony tomorrow. Minato, I have a bad feeling about this," Gojo Kaigetsu said, his voice tinged with—mock concern.
"It—shouldn't be a problem." Minato set down his paperwork. "Though Sunagakure is currently allied with Kumogakure, with the trade route's completion, and our growing economic ties…"
"They wouldn't risk jeopardizing that, would they?"
"I'm not worried about Sunagakure. I'm worried about—those who killed Danzo."
Gojo Kaigetsu stood up. "The Avengers Initiative—it's time for them to—make their debut."
"So, you want them to—accompany you to the ceremony and—wait for an ambush?"
"No. The enemy has a powerful sensory ninja, perhaps even stronger than the Byakugan. They'd be detected."
Minato frowned, wondering how Gojo Kaigetsu knew this. "Then—have them on standby, ready to provide support?"
"Not quite."
Gojo Kaigetsu tapped his covered eye. "It's—the eye."
"The eye?" Minato's confusion deepened, but Gojo Kaigetsu, waving his hand dismissively, left without further explanation.
Back at his residence, Gojo Kaigetsu retrieved the container holding the left Kamui Sharingan.
He'd initially planned to return it to Kakashi.
But this mission—it was too important. With Kakashi's current chakra reserves, he wouldn't be able to use Kamui effectively.
He'd entrust it to someone more—suitable.
"Tsunade! Come here!"
The sounds of pots and pans clanging echoed from the kitchen. Even Tsunade had been—inspired to try cooking.
She emerged, her face flushed.
"It's not even quitting time. Why are you back?" she asked, untying her apron.
"I need you, Tsunade. This—concerns our future—whether the villagers of Konoha will live in a basin or on a plain…"
"What are you talking about?"
Tsunade stared at him, surprised. She'd never seen him so serious. And his words—what did they even mean?
"It's time for you to return to active duty, my Captain Konoha."
"Are there—enemies?"
Tsunade's demeanor shifted, her expression turning serious.
She'd promised to protect him. If anyone threatened him, she'd fight.
The world seemed to have forgotten the Legendary Sannin. They didn't know her true power.
She'd remind them.
"Yes. They might attack during my trip to the ceremony, during the ceremony itself, or on my way back…"
"But I can't bring you all with me. The enemy has exceptional sensory abilities. You'd be detected."
"Then—what should we do?" Tsunade frowned. Combat, she excelled at. But stealth? That wasn't her forte.
"Tsunade, do you—love me?"
"What?" She froze, her heart pounding.
Gojo Kaigetsu produced a small, wooden box.
Tsunade's gaze was fixed on it. Ninja wore rings when they married. Was he—proposing?
Her legs felt weak, her body trembling.
He opened the box.
An eye.
A single Sharingan, radiating a sinister energy.
Tsunade stared at him, her expression shifting from anticipation to—something colder.
"Will you—wear this for me, Tsunade?"
Her face darkened. She punched him in the gut.
After a—moment of—intense—negotiation, they lay on the sofa, side-by-side, staring at the Sharingan.
"Explain yourself. Why do you have a Sharingan?" Tsunade's grip on his—future—tightened.
If his answer was satisfactory, perhaps—she'd be gentle. If not…
She was devoted to him, but only if he remained—a decent human being.
If he'd resorted to—stealing an Uchiha's eye for his own safety, she'd be deeply disappointed.
She'd seen this before, with her grandfather and Madara Uchiha. To sacrifice another for one's own safety—that was unforgivable.
"It's—not just a Sharingan. It's a Mangekyō Sharingan," Gojo Kaigetsu said quickly.
"A Mangekyō? Like Fugaku's?"
"Yes—but not his. Fugaku knows about this. It's—the Uchiha clan's last resort. He's lending it to us—for my protection."
Tsunade's grip loosened, her expression softening.
If it was a gift from the Uchiha—then perhaps—he still valued friendship and loyalty.
"Will it allow me to use Susanoo? I doubt I'm weaker than that…" She flexed her fist, confident in her Monstrous Strength.
If a normal punch couldn't break Susanoo, she'd use a serious punch. And if that failed, a—special punch.
"It's not about Susanoo."
"This eye's power is…"
"A different dimension reflected in the eye; a dazzling space-time ocular jutsu."
"Explain it clearly."
"With enough chakra, it can teleport anyone to a separate dimension, undetectable by any sensory jutsu. Even yourself."
Tsunade considered this. How many Avengers were there?
Deadpool, Catwoman, The Deep, Blazing Fury, Professor Paradox, and Captain Konoha. Six in total.
Kamui placed a heavy burden on the body. Even Kakashi, at his peak, could only use it a few times before collapsing. The chakra cost depended on the target's size and chakra reserves…
Only Tsunade, with her Senju bloodline and Yin Seal's massive chakra reserves, could handle it.
"Are you sure this will work?"
She picked up the Sharingan. As a medical-nin, she wasn't squeamish about eye transplants.
It would be over in a blink.
And for Gojo Kaigetsu's safety, she'd do it.
"Try it."
Tsunade implanted the eye. Thanks to her Senju constitution, she felt no discomfort.
The sickle-shaped Mangekyō Sharingan spun in her eye socket.
She instinctively activated Kamui, targeting—a specific part of Gojo Kaigetsu's anatomy.
"Wait! Stop! Not there! You can't teleport that! It'll—break!" Gojo Kaigetsu shrieked in terror.
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