It wasn't just Konoha that was left speechless by the news of Hui Mochizuki's achievements; shinobi and civilians from the other great villages were equally stunned.
Hui's name was already well-known across the ninja world, a recognized prodigy whose feats had shocked everyone more than once. But this time, people were left at a loss for words, utterly dumbfounded.
His accomplishments seemed so unreal, like a legend spun from pure fantasy, that the initial reaction was one of disbelief.
A single shinobi taking on six Kage-level opponents and emerging victorious—slaying the Second Raikage of Kumogakure along with four other top-tier ninja—was a level of triumph that overshadowed even his previous feats, like capturing Ōnoki and the two kage level shinobies with mere clones.
Once more, the entire shinobi world found itself in turmoil because of Mochizuki Hui.
In the combined main base camp of Iwagakure and Sunagakure, the high-ranking officers from both villages stared in silence at the intelligence report.
Nobody spoke; the shock was simply too profound, mingled with a palpable sense of fear. The purpose behind starting this war was precisely because they viewed Hui's meteoric rise as a growing threat—one that could one day rival even the fabled God of Shinobi himself.
The objective was to eliminate this emerging force before he could solidify his power.
Of course, alongside that fear, they had hoped to carve up the fertile lands of the Land of Fire and reap the spoils of war.
Now, though, all thoughts of territorial expansion had dissipated. The only thing on everyone's mind was this: kill Mochizuki Hui at any cost.
"I can hardly believe it," said Shamon, his tone filled with awe and disbelief. "That brat actually managed to kill the Second Raikage, not to mention the jinchūriki of both the Eight and Two-Tails, along with two other elite Kage-level shinobi. It's Unthinkable."
He shook his head, recalling how he had spoken with the Raikage not long ago as an equal. Now that man was dead—felled by a mere sixteen-year-old.
To lose two jinchūriki in the process, one of them a powerful host for the Eight-Tails, left Kumogakure devastated.
"Hui has indeed reached his prime. It's only been a year and a half since his last achievement, but already he's on another level entirely," said Mu, his voice cold, with unmistakable killing intent. "If we allow him three to five more years of development, the God of Shinobi we fear may truly be reborn."
Having initiated this alliance himself, Mu understood that failure in this war would mean Iwagakure would face Hui's wrath first.
That thought chilled him to the core; against a God of Shinobi, his village wouldn't stand a chance.
"Yes, it's a good thing we allied before he reached that level," Shamon added with a sigh of relief. "If we'd waited until he became an untouchable figure... I don't even want to imagine it."
"If only Kumogakure could hold their position a little longer," Mu said, looking somber. "We must accelerate our operations here in the Land of Rain, finish this war quickly, and then converge on Hui before he can reinforce the Konoha forces on this front."
Shamon nodded. "Let's hope Kumogakure can hold out. If Hui arrives here in the Land of Rain with his forces, we'll be in serious trouble."
He gave an exasperated sigh. "If it weren't for this wretched weather, our shinobi from Sunagakure wouldn't be at such a disadvantage."
The perpetual downpour hindered Sunagakure's forces, diminishing the effectiveness of their puppetry and wind techniques.
"Complaints won't help," Mu said. "The Rain Country and Hui Mochizuki are our immediate concerns. Prepare for tomorrow's battle."
"Yes, Lord Mu." Ōnoki's voice was equally intense, his words laced with fury. But beneath the anger lay fear. Mochizuki Hui's rapid growth terrified him.
As Ōnoki clenched his fist, his mind echoed with the name, "Hui..."
At the same time, in the Kumogakure camp, the Mizukage Gengetsu Hōzuki and the Third Mizukage were left speechless by the report in front of them.
"Is this... fake?" Gengetsu Hōzuki said, struggling to believe that the report was genuine.
Hōzuki already knew Hui was formidable, but never in his wildest dreams had he thought that the boy's power could reach this absurd level.
He had slain the Second Raikage—a leader of one of the Five Great Nations, the pinnacle of Kumogakure's strength!
But it wasn't just the Raikage.
Hui had defeated both the Eight and Two-Tails' jinchūriki, along with two more Kage-level elites. And what was more astonishing, he had achieved this in a single battle, against all five simultaneously.
This could mean only one thing: Hui was now stronger than any of the Five Kage.
And he was only sixteen years old. If he had already reached this level, what heights could he achieve as he continued to mature? It was terrifying to think about.
If he grew any stronger, he could potentially surpass even the legend of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama—and maybe, just maybe, approach the level of mythical Sage of Six Paths.
"It seems we were too late in our efforts to stop him," the Third Mizukage remarked, his voice laced with regret. "If only we had realized the threat sooner..."
"It's not too late," Hōzuki replied, gritting his teeth. "As long as he hasn't yet ascended to true godhood, it's not too late."
He was deeply curious about this young phenomenon, wondering what sort of a person could achieve such extraordinary feats.
"We need to end this battlefront soon. The sooner we finish here, the sooner we can move to surround him on the Kumogakure front," Hōzuki said. Still shaken, he grumbled in frustration,
"Damn those Hyūga and their Byakugan! Someday, I'll make sure every last one of their eyes is ripped out of their skull!"
Thinking back on the trouble the Hyūga had caused him with their Byakugan, he felt a surge of anger.
Then, with a sigh, he said, "And there's also Sarutobi Hiruzen. I have to admit, Konoha produces geniuses beyond measure. Even without Hui, Hiruzen would still be a formidable opponent."
"But compared to Hui," he added, "someone like Hiruzen seems almost manageable. Hui is our true nightmare."
These were the thoughts of the leaders and elite shinobi. But if they were this shaken, it was easy to imagine the effect on ordinary shinobi and civilians across the land.
Hui's name spread like wildfire, and soon people throughout the world were chanting it with awe and reverence.
The titles "Light of Konoha" and "Konoha's Ghost" echoed throughout the ninja world, filling every corner.
Even young children barely old enough to understand the world repeated his name with wonder, recounting his exploits as though he were a hero from legend.
The ninja world had been shaken to its core. And because of Hui's influence, the world was reaching a boiling point.
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