Deidara and Sasori approached Kumogakure from the sky. As one of the few shinobi in the ninja world capable of flight, Deidara posed a devastating advantage to most villages.
Flying in the sky and dropping bombs was a tactic that few in the ninja world could counter.
"It's too quiet down there. Looks like they're already prepared," Deidara remarked.
"Doesn't matter. We just need to complete our mission. Let's begin," Sasori replied.
Kumogakure never anticipated an attack coming from the skies. When the explosions began, many shinobi were caught completely off guard.
Under a barrage of over a dozen clay bombs, dozens of Kumo shinobi were killed or injured. However, the Kumo forces responded quickly. After the first wave, they immediately implemented countermeasures.
Dozens of lightning strikes shot toward the sky. Taken by surprise, Deidara's clay bird had its wings shattered. Fortunately, he was prepared.
Before hitting the ground, he repaired the bird midair.
"Damn it, what was that?"
"It's some kind of chakra weapon capable of attacking high-altitude targets. Be careful, they're better prepared than expected," Sasori said, releasing a dozen puppets to attack the forces below. Infuriated by his near miss, Deidara started hurling clay bombs recklessly.
While the prepared Kumo shinobi avoided casualties, the buildings weren't so lucky.
After a few exchanges, at least seven or eight streets in Kumogakure were reduced to rubble.
While Kumogakure was busy dealing with the aerial assault, four Akatsuki members: Kisame Hoshigaki, Itachi Uchiha, Shin, and Kakuzu took advantage of the chaos and infiltrated the village on the ground.
"According to our intel, the Two-Tails Jinchūriki should be near the center of the village. It's heavily guarded, so it won't be easy to get in," Kakuzu analyzed the situation.
Kisame, however, had a different approach.
"Doesn't matter. We'll just force her out."
"Water Style: Great Waterfall Jutsu!" Known as the "Tailless Tailed Beast," Kisame unleashed a colossal Water Style technique that flooded over a dozen streets.
"How dare you!" A furious roar echoed from within the water, which then erupted outward. The towering figure of the Raikage, enveloped in flickering lightning, appeared before Kisame.
Shin drew his sword to assist, slashing at the Raikage's arm with his Void Blade.
The Raikage, as if he hadn't noticed, accelerated his already rapid movements. Before the blade could touch him, he struck Kisame.
With a loud crash, Kisame's body was sent flying dozens of meters.
Soon after, hundreds of Kumo shinobi surrounded the four intruders.
As the battle in Kumogakure erupted, Madara Uchiha and Black Zetsu appeared in Amegakure amidst a swirling spatial vortex.
"Though it's a small village, it's better managed than I expected. And this rain, it's some kind of sensory jutsu," Madara commented as he observed the village.
"This technique is called the Rain Tiger at Will Technique. It's a sensory jutsu Nagato uses through the Rinnegan. He should already know we're here, but it doesn't matter. Today, over half of Akatsuki's members are attacking Kumogakure. No one in this village can stop us."
"Even if all of them were here, do you think they could stop me?" Madara retorted, clearly displeased by Black Zetsu's underestimation. The only reason he hadn't directly stormed in to reclaim the Rinnegan was due to its ability to counter Edo Tensei. Another reason was his earlier defeat at the hands of Aoba, which had made him slightly more cautious.
However, that didn't mean he had any respect for the shinobi of this era.
"Of course, Madara-sama. According to my intel, Nagato's body has already been severely weakened by the Rinnegan. Your intervention should be effortless."
"Hmph. Let's go. He's heading toward the coast, it seems he doesn't intend to fight us in the village."
"Heh, this is the difference between mortals and gods. They're always bound by trivial emotions."
.....
In Konoha, inside the laboratory, Tsunade was examining Aoba's eyes.
"The Land of Lightning and the Land of Rain have already clashed. Are you sure we're not going to intervene?"
"At that level of combat, aside from Kakashi and me, no one else would even have the qualifications to get close. What's the point of interfering?"
"But what about my grandfather? Can't he intervene? Ever since he was revived, you've kept him hidden in Konoha. Even when it comes to capturing Madara Uchiha, you won't let him take action?"
"Heh, Tsunade. Do you really think my goal is to capture Madara Uchiha?"
"Isn't it?" Tsunade was startled. She had always thought Aoba's aim was to capture Madara and Black Zetsu, completely eliminating the dangers they posed.
But now it seemed he had other plans.
"Believe it or not, my ideals align more closely with Madara Uchiha's than with your grandfather's."
"That much is true. You both want to unify the ninja world. My grandfather could never do something like that."
"Exactly. Your grandfather is too idealistic. In reality, when Konoha was first founded, it was the perfect moment for unification. But he stopped short, I have no idea what he was thinking.
He wanted peace, but look at the ninja world. Since his death, how many years of true peace have there been?"
"Actually, after learning about the state of the ninja world after his death, he regretted it. But according to what you're saying, Madara Uchiha doesn't just want to unify the ninja world now, does he?"
"That's correct. According to the Uchiha clan's shrine tablet, when the Rinnegan user gets close to the moon, they can use its reflection to cast a technique called Infinite Tsukuyomi, its a super-genjutsu that blankets the entire ninja world, putting everyone into a dream where they live their ideal life."
"This..."
To Aoba, a transmigrator, such talk sounded like nonsense. But to those in the ninja world who had endured endless wars, it wasn't without appeal.
Even Kisame, one of the Akatsuki who knew the core of the plan, still supported it. This showed just how hellish the ninja world was for many people.
"Why does the Uchiha clan have this information recorded? And why has no one mentioned it before?"
"Because the text on the tablet can only be read by those with the Mangekyō Sharingan. I suspect Itachi Uchiha might have seen it too. But that guy was a fanatic. That kind of personality isn't easily swayed."
"So Madara Uchiha wants to trap the entire ninja world in a genjutsu just because of what was written on a tablet?"
"Exactly. And I can tell you with certainty, the content on the tablet has been altered."
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Currently on Chapter 256 - Hyūga Clan Upheaval